GB2344293A

GB2344293A - Game apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2344293A
Application number: GB9826636A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Brian Higgins
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1998-12-03
Filing date: 1998-12-03
Publication date: 2000-06-07
Also published as: GB9826636D0

Abstract

A three dimensional structure which may be used as the basis for a game comprises a plurality of three dimensional flat sided pieces which fit together in jigsaw manner, with respectively adjacent sides of the pieces abutting each other. It has a polygonal base and tapers in a direction away from the base and is preferably a pyramid shape. The apex of the tapering structure is formed in the same shape as the whole structure. The pieces fit together in a loose manner so that individual pieces can be removed from the structure, one at a time, and the structure can be dismantled and rebuilt as required, a plurality of times. A multi-player game can be played with different pieces allocated different numbers of points and the object being to collect as many points as possible before the top, apex piece falls.

Description

APPARATS DESCRIPTION The present invention relates to apparatus for recreation or amusement, in the form of a structure which may be used as a toy or a game.

The structure is suitable for single player use for his or her entertainment alone, or may be used by several players in accordance with a particular set of rules so as to constitute a multi-player game.

According to the present invention there is provided An apparatus for recreation or amusement comprising: a three dimensional structure having a polygonal base and tapering in a direction away from the base, the structure comprising a plurality of three dimensional pieces which fit together in jigsaw manner, with respectively adjacent sides of the pieces abutting each other to form the structure, with the apex of the tapering structure being formed in the same shape as the whole structure, wherein the pieces fit together in a substantially loose manner so that individual pieces can be removed from the structure, one at a time, and so that the structure can be d smantled and rebuilt a plurality of times.

Preferably, the structure takes the shape of a pyramid and the base is in the form of a square. However, a tetrahedron shape is alternatively envisaged, with a triangular base (preferably an equilateral triangle).

According to a preferred embodiment the pieces are substantially flat sided, i. e. have planar sides.

In one particular embodiment of the invention there are four different shapes of pieces. These four different shapes of pieces can be put together to form a pyramid shape of several layers. The apex piece is in the form of a pyramid.

The base pieces are square in plan view, and rectangular in cross-sectional side view. The square is of substantially identical dimensions as the base of the pyramid apex piece.

The side and corner pieces also have the same square in plan view but are filleted to make chevron or wedge shapes to provide the appropriate slopes for the sides of the structure when it is assembled.

In one example of a pyramid structure with four layers, there is one apex piece, five base pieces, twelve edge pieces and twelve corner pieces. Extra layers can be added.

For a pyramid structure with five layers the pieces required would be: 1 apex piece, 14 base pieces, 24 edge pieces and 16 corner pieces. This amounts to an extra 25 pieces compared to the four layer structure. A sixth layer to the pyramid would require an extra 36 pieces.

All of the pieces in this particular embodiment have a substantially identical shape and size in top plan view (a square) and can be formed from the same blank piece of material. Thus manufacture of the apparatus is simplified and consequently made cheaper. In one embodiment the blank piece of material is half as high as it is wide. The filleting is then preferably done at an angle of around 45 degrees. However the angles and dimensions chosen for any particular piece will depend upon the shape of the structure as a whole and the angle of slope of the sides of the structure, and the shape and size of the blanks from which it is intended to make the pieces. This is within the knowledge of a skilled person.

The pieces may be made from blanks formed from blocks of wood but could also be made from blocks of plastics or metal material or any other suitable material. They can be made by cutting from a blank or by moulding the material.

Alternatively they can be made in the form of hollow shapes, for example from sheet plastic material cut and glued or welded together at the edges.

The pieces may be coloured or plain. According to one embodiment each type of piece has a distinctive marking, for example a different colour, applied to the sides. This is particularly appropriate when the structure is used to play a game.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a game comprising apparatus according to the first aspect.

In one embodiment of a game according to the second aspect of the invention, different piece types are allocated different numbers of points. The object of the game is to remove as many pieces as possible, preferably using one hand only, and thereby to accumulate the highest number of points possible, without the apex piece falling and particularly without it touching the surface on which the structure is resting. Such a game may be played by several players at once and in this case the players take it in turns to remove pieces until the apex piece falls, at which time the points total of the pieces removed by each player is totalled. The player who was removing a piece when the apex piece fell must then deduct a predetermined number of points from his or her total, and the player with the highest total number wins. Alternatively the game could be played up to a predetermined total number of points, eg 100, and the winner is the player who reaches that total first. This may necessitate playing more than one round of the game depending on the number of pieces in the structure and the number of points allocated to each piece.

For a better understanding of the present invention and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a schematic representation of a structure according to the present invention in oblique side view; Figure 2 illustrates the shape of each of the different pieces in the structure of Figure 1, in oblique side view; Figure 3 illustrates the shape of each of the pieces of Figure 2 in various plan views.

The structure of Figure 1 is in the shape of a pyramid 1 with a square base 2 and an apex 3 located vertically above the geometric centre of the square base.

The pyramid comprises a total of thirty individual pieces 4 of four different types. There is one apex piece 5 at the top 2 and this takes the same pyramid shape of the structure. There are twelve side pieces 6 with one sloping side, and twelve corner pieces 7 with two adjacent sloping sides. There are also five base pieces 8 which are not visible in this view but will be described more fully below in relation to the other Figures. The structure 1 is thus solid in that no gaps are provided between the pieces 4.

Of course other sized pyramids could be used, for example more layers could be added. By way of example, using the form of structure shown in figure 1, successive layers consistent with this arrangement require the following numbers of pieces:

Type of piece Total for: layer: apex base side corner each layer structure 1st (top) 1 0 0 0 1 1 2nid000445 3ru0144914 4th04841630 5th 0 9 12 4 25 55 6th 0 16 16 4 36 91 7th 0 25 20 4 49 140 8th 0 36 24 4 64 204 Of course many different forms of structure could be used and different numbers of pieces used in each layer.

The shape of each type of piece 4 is shown more clearly in Figures 2 and 3. Each piece can be formed from a blank 10 which has a square base 11, a square top 12 and rectangular sides 13. In this particular embodiment the blank 10 has a height h of half the length 1 of the sides of the square 11.

The apex piece 5 is a pyramid with a square base 11 and four triangular sides 14 meeting at a single point 15 above the geometric centre of the base 11. The apex piece 5 is the same shape as the finished structure as a whole and as illustrated in Figure 1. It can be formed from the blank 10 by chamfering away each edge 16 of the top square 12, at a 45 degree angle, so as to form the sloping sides 14 of the pyramid.

The side pieces 6 have one sloping side 17 and are formed from the blank 10 by chamfering one edge 16 at 45 degrees.

The corner pieces 7 have two adjacent sloping sides 18 and 19 and are formed from blank 10 by chamfering two adjacent edges 16 of the blank at 45 degrees.

The base piece 8 is the same shape as the blank 10.

For the purposes of playing a game with the structure of the invention, the sides of the pieces 4 are coloured to easily identify the different types of piece. The base pieces 8 are coloured orange and are allocated 3 points, the side pieces 6 are coloured green and take 2 points, the corner pieces are blue and worth 1 point and the apex piece 5 is red and provides minus 5 points to the player who is removing a piece when it falls. The colouring may be over the whole piece or in a panel 20 on one or more sides.

Players take it in turns to remove one piece at a time, and in one embodiment this must be using one hand only. No player is allowed to touch the apex piece 5. When the apex piece 5 falls, and specifically when it touches the surface on which the structure is built, then the game stops and the players total the points corresponding to the pieces which they have removed, with the player who was attempting to remove a piece when the apex piece fell, deducting 5 points corresponding to the apex piece 5. The player with the highest score is the winner. Alternatively, a total number of points is agreed and the winner is the player who reaches this total first. This may of course necessitate more than onegame.

Of course the game could be played with just one player who may still count up his total number of points when the apex piece 5 falls, and may compete against himself to achieve a higher score next time.

Alternatively the structure may provide entertainment as a building toy.

A pyramid shaped structure as described and illustra. ed is preferred but many different shapes may be envisage and it is within the capabilities of a skilled person to assemble such other shaped structures. A single crowning apex piece is preferred but embodiments can be constructed in which more than one piece is balanced on top. Games could be formulated in which points are lost if the first top piece falls and more points are lost if further pieces fall.

For example, more points might be lost if the top pieces all fall during one players turn.

Claims

1. An apparatus for recreation or amusement comprising: a three dimensional structure having a polygonal base and tapering in a direction away from the base, the structure comprising a plurality of three dimensional pieces which fit together in jigsaw manner, with respectively adjacent sides of the pieces abutting each other to form the structure, with the apex of the tapering structure being formed in the same shape as the whole structure, wherein the pieces fit together in a substantially loose manner so that individual pieces can be removed from the structure, one at a time, and so that the structure can be dismantled and rebuilt a plurality of times.

2. A structure according to claim 1 wherein the structure takes the shape of a pyramid and the base is in the form of a square.

3. A structure according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the pieces have substantially planar flat sides.

4. A structure according to any one of the preceding claims comprising pieces of four different shapes.

5. A structure according to claim 4 wherein one of the shaped pieces is an apex piece in the form of a pyramid.

6. A structure according to claim 4 or claim 5 wherein a second of the shaped pieces is a base piece which is substantially square in plan view, and rectangular in cross-sectional side view.

7. A structure according to any one of claims 4 to 6 wherein third and fourth shaped pieces comprise side and corner pieces respectively which each have a plan view in the form of a square but are filleted to make chevron or wedge shapes to provide sloped sides for the structure.

8. A structure according to claim 7 wherein the filleting is done at an angle of around 45 degrees.

9. A structure according to claim 6,7 or 8 when appended to claim 5 wherein the or each square takes substantially identical dimensions to the base of the pyramid apex piece.

10. A structure according to any one of the preceding claims comprising four layers of pieces.

11. A structure according to claim 10 when appended to any one of claims 4 to 9, comprising one apex piece, five base pieces, twelve edge pieces and twelve corner pieces.

12. A structure according to any one of the preceding claim comprising a pyramid structure with five layers and comprising one apex piece, fourteen base pieces, twenty four edge pieces and sixteen corner pieces.

13. A structure according to any one of the preceding claims wherein a plurality of the pieces have a substantially identical shape and size in plan view.

14. A structure according to claim 13 wherein the plan view comprises a square.

15. A structure according to claim 14 wherein each of the plurality of pieces can be formed from a specific shape of blank piece of material.

16. A structure according to claim 15 wherein the specific shape of blank piece has a square plan view and a rectangular side elevation view.

17. A structure according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the pieces are formed of wood.

18. A structure according to any one of claims 1 to 16 wherein the pieces are formed of plastics material.

19. A structure according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the pieces are made by cutting from a blank.

20. A structure according to any one of the preceding claims wherein each piece is coloured on at least one side surface.

21. A structure according to any one of the preceding claims wherein each piece has a distinctive marking to identify the type of piece.

22. A structure according to claim 1 with the shape of a tetrahedron with a triangular base.

23. A structure according to claim 22 wherein the triangular base is in the form of an equilateral triangle.

24. A structure substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

25. A recreational game comprising apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims.

26. A game according to claim 25 wherein different piece types are allocated different numbers of points and the object of the game is to remove as many pieces as possible without the apex piece falling.

27. A game according to claim 26 wherein the game may be played by several players and the players take it in turns to remove pieces until the apex piece falls, at which time the points total of the pieces removed by each player is totalled.

28. A game according to claim 27 wherein the player who was removing a piece when the apex piece fell deducts a predetermined number of points from his or her total.

29. A game according to any one of claims 25 to 28 wherein the player with the highest total number of points wins.

30. A game according to any one of claims 25 to 28 wherein the winner of the game is the player who reaches a predetermined total first.

31. A game substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.