GB2342052A

GB2342052A - Foldable game

Info

Publication number: GB2342052A
Application number: GB9820010A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Norman Mackenzie
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1998-09-14
Filing date: 1998-09-14
Publication date: 2000-04-05
Anticipated expiration: 2018-09-14
Also published as: GB9820010D0; GB2342052B

Abstract

Game comprises a flat base sheet 2 of paper, card or plastics with press out sections which on deployment form (a) a vertical post or pylon 3 with support means 5,6 at it's top which are foldable to form a support platform, the post having a stabilising strut 9 which locks into the base sheet (b) a playing piece 13 which balances on the platform and (c) a piece or pieces 17 which are foldable typically into a ball shapes. The balls may be propelled by the player of the game at the post 3 to try to knock the playing piece 13 off the platform at the top of the post. The playing piece 13 may be in the form of cricket bails.

Description

1 2342052 CAMEAPPARATUS The present invent-ion relates to apparatus for

playing a game.

Companies are constantly seeking to produce games, which may also be related to popular sports. Furthermore, companies are constantly looking for new ways to promote their products. There is a constant demand for inexpensive novelty' items which companies can give away as promotional gifts, with or without their products.

According to the present invention, there is provided apparatus for playing a game, which could be related to cricket, or any game along the lines of an 'Aunt Sally', in which the object of the garre is to dislodge a playing piece from it's place of rest on a target structure. The apparatus comprises a single piece of paper, card, plastic or any inexpensive material, into which are cut a number of profiles, which, when pressed out and deployed, form a pylon which folds upwards from the game card, which itself forms a stable base, enabling the pylon to remain in an upright position. Upon this pylon may be depicted an image resembling wickets as in the game of cricket This position is maintained and secured by means of a member cut out from the centre of the pylon, beginning midway down, and ending in a Ifoof, cxtending from a crease, slightly further down from the point at which the pylon folds upwards from it's base. This 'f6oC may have two tabs projecting outwards on either side, which when the pylon is in the vertical position, can engage with the circumference of a semi-circular cut, the outer edge of which is towards the base of the pylon. The tabs can then be engaged with the cut, by sliding them beneath the outer circumference, by pressing down on the centre of the semi-cirde, which prevents the pylon from falling back as the tabs on the foot are now locked beneath the game-card base.

Extending outwards from either side of the top of the pylon, are two'wings'which meet the pylon at crease lines. These are folded backwards, along the crease-lines, and engage with each other by means of slits cut into the top edge of one wing and into the lower edge of the other, at the ends. When these are engaged, they form a triangular box structure behind the pylon, the front section of which is the top front section of the pylon itself. On top of each of the two wings are cut depressions, and when the game is deployed, another playing piece, which is pressed out of the game-card, which may be decorated to resemble the bales which are placed accross the top of the wickets in the actual game of cricket, is placed accross the two locked wings, and lies in a stable position within the depression. This playing piece is shaped like an inverted letterV coresisting of a crossbar, with two flanges dropping from either end. The crossbar remains upright by means of the weight exerted downwards upon it, by means of the two flanges on either side, thus presenting a flat vertical surface, bearing the image of the bales, on the same plane as the erect pylon.

Another game-piece, also pressed from the game-card, is a strip in three sections, which may be decorated to resemble a cricket ball, folded along two creases, and locked by means of engaging slits cut into projections extending from either end, to form a three-sided playing piece.

To play the game, the user flicks this three-sided playing piece towards the central pylon with the crossbar set in place along the top, with the object of dislodging it, as the bowler would try to do in the actual game of cricket itself. The impact of the ball playing piece on the front surface of the pylon is more than enough to dislodge the crosspiece, or alternatively, the player may hit the crosspiece itself.

AdditioWly, an obstacle may also be added to the game, in the form of another upright piece, either folding upright in front of the pylon, or pressed out of another location in the game-card, and fitted into a suitably cut aperture, again in front of the pylon with the object of obstructing the ball, thus making the game more difficult This member or playing piece may be decorated to depict a batsman holding a bat Other versions of the game may depict alhumpty-dumpty' figure with the pylon decorated to resemble a wall, or indeed any 'aunt sally' imagery. Additionally, the crossbar, or object to be dislodged, may be a threesided solid box construction, like the three-sided playing piece forming the ball, in which case it would not require te, be stabilised by the flanges on the ends of the crossbar. This piece may also he a closed ring, triangle, or rectangle, with the the lower section folded backwards, again, allowing the flat surface of the crossbar to present a vertical facet. which may carry the graphic image, frontwards.

2 An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front view of thegame-card prior to deployment by the user Fig. 2 is the obverse of the same Fig. 3 shows 1.1he deployei game in perspective, from the rear, with the cross-piece about to be placed on the pylon Fig. 4 shows the fully deployed game in perspective from the front, with the cross-piece in situ, prior to play Fig. 5 shows the three-sided ball playing piece, prior to construction by the user Fig. 6 shows the same playing piece constructed.

Fig. 7 shows how the game is played Fig. 1 shows the front of the apparatus 1 prior to deployment, consisting of a central pylon 3 which has two 1wings'S, 6 extending outwards from fold lines A-A and B-B at it's top. The pylon 3, detaches from the game card 2, but is joined to it at at fold's C-C Extending from a point slightly lower than midway down the central shaft 4 of the pylon 3. is another member 9 which extends centrally and downwards, continuing through fold line C-C to fold line D-D. At that point it ends in a 'foot' 10, which projects outwards on either side in the form of flanges 10a and 10b. Immediately below the foot 10, is a semi-circular cut 12, the circumference 11 of which is towards the foot 10. Also on the game-card 1, is a cross-piece 13, shaped like an inverted letterV, and may be decorated with an image on the cross-bar 14, to resemble the bales in cricket. On the other side of the pylon 3, is another playing piece 17, consisting of three circular sections 22,23 and 24, folding at two fold- lines E-E and F-F.

To deploy the game apparatus 1, the user presses out those sections, the, cross-piece 13 and the ball playing piece 17, which come completely out of the game-card 2. The central pylon 3 is pressed out and raised up, hinging from fold C-C, and the support member 9 ending at the foot 10 is pressed out from the lower half of the central strut 4. The foot 10 is folded upwards about fold line D-D, and the flanges 10a and 10b are inserted into the semi-circular cut 121. and slid upwards beneath card surface 2 at the circumference 11, towards the base of the central strut 4 on the pylon 3, so that the now erect pylon 3 is held firmly in position as shown in Figs 3,4 and 7.

Fig 3 shows the erect pylon 3 with the two 'wings' 5, 6 folded backwards, and locked into one another by means of slits 7, 8 located on opposite sides of each of the wings 5, 6. This forms a triangular box 4, 5, 6. On the top of each of the wings, a small indent, Sa, 6a has been cut. Fig. 3 shows in perspective, looking downwards from the rear and side, the crosspiece13, about to be placed on top of the central pylon 3, with the wings 5, 6 folded back and locked. The cross-piece 13 lies in a stable position accross the two locked wings 5, 6 within the indents Sa, 6a, and is kept upright by means of the weight exerted by the two flanges 15, 16 which extend downwards from either end of the cross-bar 14, in the form of an inverted letter V. The flat surface of the cross-bar 14, is then presented to the user, on the same plane as the erected pylon 3, and may therefore carry a graphic image which may depict the bales as used in cricket. Fig. 4 shows the fully deployed apparatus 1, with cres.7,piece 13 in place, and the game card 2 acting as a stable base.

The other playing piece, 17 shown in Fig. 5, consists of three sections, which may be circular, 22, 23, 24, joined at fold lines E-E and F-F, and having tabs 18, 19 at either end. Into the tabs 18, 19 are cut slits 20, 21 cut halfway into the tabs 18, 19 accross the width of of the playing piece 17. The playing piece 17, is made up by the user, by folding at fold lines E-E and F-F, and locking the tabs 18, 19 into one another by pushing the slits 20, 21 into each other. The resultant playing piece 17 is now a rigid three-sided structure 17, shown in Fig. 6. In the current embodiment it may be decorated to resemble a cricket ball.

Fig. 7 shows how the game is played. The user sets the game apparatus 1 on a flat surface, with thc- asse=.oied p K'ocked in the upiiglil, position, with the game- card 2 acting as Y the bas--, and the cross-piece 13 laid accross the box 4, 5, 6 on top of the pylon 3. From a selected position, which could be about twelve inches away from the front surface 4 of the pylon 3, the user flicks the playing piece 17 with finger and thumb towards the pylon 3.

The aim of the oan-te is to the!Z, either by striking it with the playing 0 3 piece 17 directly, or, by striking the front surface 4, of the pylon 3, the impact causing the cross-piece 13 to dislodge, and fall off the pylon 3. As has been stated, the game is not confined to cricket, but may be related to other sports, or simply be any form of 'Aunt Sally'where the player tries to dislodge an object placed on or about a structure, with a projectile. In the current embodiment, other features may be added, to make the game more difficult, such as, in the cricket related concept, another raised member, in front of the pylon 3, which may be decorated with the image of a batsman holding a cricket bat.

Claims

1) Apparatus for playing a game, comprising a single flat sheet of paper, card, plastic or any other material, which acts as a base for the deployed game, with sections cut out from it, which press out to form: i) a vertical 'pylon attached by a hinge to the base, and having two 'wings' at it's top which fold backwards tO'form a platform, and a central stabilising strut, to lock into the base-card... ii) a second playing piece which sits on the platform at the top of the pylon... and iii) a third playing piece, which folds to form a projectile or 'ball' which the player propels towards the pylon for the purpose of knocking the second playing piece from ifs position on the platform on top of the pylon.

2) Apparatus for playing a game according to claim 1, which may have more than one vertical pylon pressing out from it, and more than one playing piece to sit on top of the pylons.

3) Apparatus for playing a game, according to claims 1 & 2, which may have, an additional playing piece pressed out from the card to form an obstacle, to be placed, or hinged, in front of the pylon, which may be, if related to the game of cricket, decorated to resemble a batsman or bat.

4) Apparatus for playing a game, according to claims 1.2 & 3, whereby additional playing pieces may be provided on the game-card, such as a member decorated to resemble a bat or batsman ( if the game is to be related to cricket) which may be held by another player, or opponent to protect the pylon, with the playing piece on top, from being struck by the player propelling the projectile playing piece.

5) Apparatus for playing a game, according to claims 1,2,3 and 4, which consists of a pylon or vertical structure with an object/playing piece at rest on top of the pylon, where the object of the game is to dislodge the object on top of the pylon.