GB2325415A

GB2325415A - Playing surface

Info

Publication number: GB2325415A
Application number: GB9809633A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Pearson-Taylor
Original assignee: J P T ASSOCIATES
Current assignee: J P T ASSOCIATES
Priority date: 1997-05-22
Filing date: 1998-05-07
Publication date: 1998-11-25
Also published as: GB9809633D0; GB9710425D0

Abstract

A playing-surface for use in connection with a board game comprises a sheet of a flexible material (e.g. paper, fabric or fabric-backed laminate) having, on at least one face, indicia relating to said board game. The indicia may comprise, for example, a miniaturised pitch. A plurality of sets of indicia may be provided, especially where the playing-surface is to be produced by means of a continuous printing process. Suitably printed paper may be made into party napkins, party hats or table coverings.

Description

PLAYING-SURFACE This invention relates to a playing-surface and in particular to a playing-surface for use in connection with a board game (as herein defined). This invention also relates to a board game including such a playing-surface.

The expression "board game" herein denotes a game which is played on, or in association with, a substantially rigid material (the "board") having indicia appropriate to the game marked thereon. Such rigid "boards" are known per se, but the nature of the rigid material used for their construction not only makes the "boards" both cost - and labour - intensive to produce but also militates against their ready portability.

The Applicant has now found that the use of a flexible material for the "board" in a "board game" considerably reduces the disadvantages inherent in the hitherto - known substantially rigid "boards".

Accordingly, the present invention provides a playing-surface for use in connection with a board game (as hereinbefore defined), in which the playing-surface comprises a sheet of a flexible material having, applied to at least one face thereof, indicia relating to the said board game.

The present invention further provides a board game (as hereinbefore defined) including a playing-surface as described in the immediately-preceding paragraph.

In accordance with the present invention, the playing-surface may be made of paper. Alternatively, the playing-surface may be made of a fabric, a fabric-backed laminate or other flexible material.

The indicia applied to at least one face of the playing-surface will be indicia appropriate to the game to be played and may comprise, for example, a plurality of discrete positions to receive playing-pieces (such as in the games of chess or draughts), a miniaturised pitch (such as in the game of table-football) or a grid or the like to be written or drawn upon by a player (such as a crossword or noughts-and-crosses grid).

The indicia may be applied to the playing-surface by any convenient process, including litho-printing, screen-printing, web-offset printing and digital printing. Such a process may conveniently be a continuous process, whereby a multiplicity of playing-surfaces can be produced in a single printing operation.

In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the playing-surface comprises a sheet of cloth having one or more miniaturised pitches printed thereon, for use in connection with a game such as table-football.

In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the playing-surface comprises a sheet of paper having games indicia printed thereon, the sheet subsequently being formed into an item such as a party napkin, a party hat, a table covering or a table cloth.

The present invention will be illustrated, merely by way of example, in the accompanying drawing, the single figure of which shows a schematic perspective view of a sheet 10 of cloth having a plurality of miniaturised pitches 11, 12 and 13 printed on one face thereof.

Claims

1. A playing-surface for use in connection with a board game (as hereinbefore defined), said playing-surface comprising a sheet of a flexible material having, applied to at least one face thereof, indicia relating to said board game.

2. A playing-surface according to Claim 1, in which the flexible material consists essentially of paper.

3. A playing-surface according to Claim 1, in which the flexible material consists essentially of a fabric or a fabric-backed laminate.

4. A playing-surface according to Claim 1, 2 or 3, in which the indicia comprises a plurality of discrete positions to receive playing-pieces.

5. A playing-surface according to Claim 1, 2 or 3, in which the indicia comprises a miniaturised pitch.

6. A playing-surface according to Claim 1, 2 or 3, in which the indicia comprises a grid or the like to be written or drawn upon by a player.

7. A playing-surface according to any one of Claims 1 to 6, in which the indicia have been applied to the sheet of flexible material by means of litho-printing, screen-printing, web-offset printing or digital printing.

8. A playing-surface according to any one of Claims 1 to 7, in which comprises a plurality of sets of indicia on at least one face of the sheet of flexible material.

9. A playing-surface according to any one of Claims 1, 3, 5, 7 or 8, comprising a sheet of cloth having one or more miniaturised pitches printed thereon.

10. A playing-surface according to Claim 2 and to any one of Claims 4 to 8 when dependent upon Claim 2, comprising a sheet of paper having games indicia printed thereon, the sheet subsequently being formable into an item such as a party napkin, a party hat, a table covering or a table cloth.

11. A playing-surface, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

12. A board game (as hereinbefore defined) including a playing-surface according to any one of the preceding claims.