GB2444033A

GB2444033A - Magnetic playing pieces for a throwing game

Info

Publication number: GB2444033A
Application number: GB0623191A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Spencer Wright
Original assignee: SAMURAI SAM Ltd
Current assignee: SAMURAI SAM Ltd
Priority date: 2006-11-21
Filing date: 2006-11-21
Publication date: 2008-05-28
Also published as: GB0623191D0

Abstract

Apparatus for a throwing game comprises pieces, each having at least one magnetically attractive area 4, the magnetically attractive area(s) of each piece being magnetically attracted to the magnetically attractive area(s) of another piece. At least one piece may comprise a plurality of spaced magnetically attractive areas, such that when thrown onto a surface after a first piece, one of the areas attracts to the magnetically attractive area(s) on the first piece in order to define relative landing positions, the relative landing positions preferably defining a score. The magnetically attractive areas may be located in peripheral regions of the second piece, and at least one of the pieces may include a single magnetically attractive area in a central region. At least one magnetically attractive area of each piece may comprise magnetic material. Alternatively, at least one magnetically attractive area of a piece may comprise magnetic material, with the at least one magnetically attractive area of other piece(s) comprising magnetically attractive material. The pieces may be star shaped, with the magnetically attractive areas located in the points. The pieces may include decorations or markings, which may define scores according to the relative landing positions of pieces, and/or may provide unique identities or parameters such that the pieces form part of a collectible set.

Description

Game Arnaratus The invention relates to a game apparatus Ibr use in a

throwing game ol skill.

Preferably, hut not exclusively, the apparatus is part of a collectable game.

The present invention arose in a hid to provide a novel and inventive gaiic apparatus.

According to the present invention in a first aspect there is provided a game apparatus comprising at least two throwable playing pieces, wherein each playing piece comprises at least one magnetically attractive area, the at least one magnetically attractive area of each playing piece being magnetically attracted to the at least one magnetically attractive area of another playing piece.

Preferably, at least one of the playing pieces comprises a plurality of spaced aparl magnetically attractive areas, whereby when thrown onto a surface after a first playing piece, one of' the magnetically attractive areas magnetically attracts to the or one of the magnetically attractive areas on the hi-st piece. thereby defining relative landing positions.

The pieces are preferably, or uniquely marked in one of a plurality of different ways. or represent different one of a plurality of characters'. or are otherwise marked so as to he eollectahle' and/or are marked for scoring.

Embodiments of' the in'ention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings. in which: Figure 1 shows an exploded view of a playing picce Figure 2 shows a partial sectional view of the playing piece of Figure I and Figure 3 shows a selection of alternative playing piece shapes.

Referring to Figure 1. an exploded perspective view of a playing piece is shown.

The playing piece comprises a lop layer I, a central layer 2, a bottom layer 3 and five magnets 4 which are mounted in respective holes Formed in the central layer 2. A partial sectional view of the playing piece of figure I is shown in figure 2. The playing piece is substantially planar. In the present embodiment the playing piece is in the form of a live-pointed star hut may alternatively he a star having any desired number of points, annular.

square or any other shape. The magnets arc shown located at the five peripheral points.

these may however he located anywhere within the body of the playing piece The pieces are preferably each around 5 to 10 cm in width diameter (although they need not, and preferably are not, circular) and may he around 7 cm in diameter. They are therefore generally of a size and weight so as to he easily thrown onto a floor or other surface by a child (typically. hut not necessarily a child of 3 years or more).

The top, central and bottom layers are Formed from a non-magnetic 1ain. These may however he Formed from any suitable material that is sufficiently rigid so that the playing piece keeps it's shape hut is sufficiently liexible and lightweight so that it may he safely used by children without risk of injury. They may therefore have rounded curved edges. The different layers need not he the formed from the same material.

Whilst the embodiment shows a playing piece comprising three layers, the playing piece may comprise a single layer, two layers or any other number of layers, as desired.

For example, in an embodiment with two layers. the holes 5 may not extend fully through the central layer so that an underside of each magnet is supported and the need for a third layer is eliminated, and in an embodiment formed from a single layer of suitable material.

the magnets 4 may he embedded in the material layer during manufacture. Whilst relatively small annular magnets are shown, any suitable magnetic means may be implemented to Suit the structure of the playing piece including. hut not limited to, magnets of different shapes and sizes, a magnetic surface treatment, magnetic powder etc. In the place ol' magnets there may be provided a ferrous material, with the magnetic means provided in a corresponding playing piece used in the game.

Referring to Figure 3 there is shown a variety of alternative playing pieces 3110 35.

In an example game. using the game apparatus. a first playing piece (a player piece) 31, 32 is throwii by a player and then a second playing piece (a throwing piece) 33, 34, 35 is lhrown at the player piece 31, 32 with the aim of magnetically joining the player and throwing pieces. The player aiicl throwing pieces are shown to both include magnets, however the pieces may he arranged such that only one of the respective player or throwing pieces includes magnetic means, with the corresponding other piece comprising magnetically attractive (fenous) means at the desired points.

When both the player piece and the throwing piece comprise magnets it is desirable that more than one magnet is provided at each magnetically attractive area of either or both of the player piece and the throwing piece with the polarities of the magnets 4 opposed relative to top and bottom faces of the playing piece. This ensures magnetic attraction between the corresponding playing pieces regardless of relative orientation. The magnets may he replaced by any suitable alternative magnetic means.

Considering the specific examples shown in figure 3, player piece 31 comprises a pair of centrally located magnets; the magnets being arranged such that their polarities are opposed. These may however he located at any alternative desired location and need not he limited to Iwo magnets. Player piece 32 shows an alternative arrangement that features Rur centrally located magnets 4 and four peripherally located magnets 4, the polarities being arranged as marked. Any combination of magnets and relative polarities may he implemented. Also shown are example corresponding throwing pieces 33 to 35 of varying shapes and magnetic arrangements.

In the preferred embodiment, each player piece has just one central magnet (or a pair of north-south reversed magnets) or towards its centre and the throwing pieces have a plurality of magnets spaced around or towards their periphery, or located within its points if it is a "star" shaped object.

The playing pieces may he marked or decorated using any suitable technique. In particular the playing pieces may he marked on the top and/or bottom surface in locations corresponding to the magnetically attractive areas. The marking/decoration may he printed on layers fixed to the lop and bottom sur!ices of the playing pieces. Alternatively the playing pieces may he printed/marked directly on the top and bottom surfaces. Any suitable printing or marking method may he used.

The markings may include scores. eg numbers marked in regions associated with the discrete magnetic areas. So on a star, each point (having associated magnet or otherwise magnetically attractive area) is marked with a different score.

An additional (or alternative) marking (br example hut not necessarily on the reverse side) represents on of a plurality of different eharactcrs' and/or attributes and/or similar exclamations (eg respect', shame'. wicked', etc). Thus, the pieces may he

collectable.

The pieces may then he sold, or distributed, in sets, each set having a number of throwing and/or player pieces representing randomly (or distributor selected) characters' or attributes. The sets can then he bought and the pieces collected or traded by users (typically children) to try to obtain a full' set. There may he a predetermined number of characters (eg 100) to collect. Alternatively, each piece may he totally unique.

In the preferred arrangement the player piece 32 is star shaped and comprises a pair of magnets 4, with their polarities opposed relative to top and bottom surfaces of the player piece, located in a central region of the player piece; and the throwing piece 35 is star shaped and comprises five magnets 4, one magnet 4 being located in each peripheral tip of the throwing piece 35. The outer surfaces of the player piece and the throwing piece are decorated. the throwing piece featuring different scores/markings in areas corresponding to the difIrent magnets 4. If the throwing piece 35 contacts the player piece 32 then the throwing piece will magnetically connect to the player piece 32 by virtue of magnetic attraction between one of the magnets 4 in the throwing piece 35 and one ol the magnets 4 in the player piece 32. They will therefore land in a particular disposition and the score may he dctermincd by the discrete magnetic area of the throwing piece which is nearest to (ie the one adjacent) the central magnetic area of the plastic piece.

By virtue of the magnetic attraction between playing pieces the playing pieces may he combined or stacked on lop of each other when not in use. I ()

The playing pieces are safe to throw for children and form part of a trading game with the object of throwing playing pieces so that they stick together. scoring points for accuracy.

IS In variations, after a player piece is thrown (ie a jack') then a plurality of throwing pieces are thrown by the same or different players. generally one on top of the other to create a stack, each piece covering points as the stack builds up.

Claims

Claims I. A game apparatus comprising at least two throwable playing

pieces, wherein each playing piece comprises at least one magnetically attractive area, the at least one magnetically attractive area of each playing piece being magnetically attracted to the at least one magnetically attractive area of another playing piece.
2. A game apparatus as claimed in Claim I, wherein at least one of the playing pieces comprises a plurality of spaced apart magnetically attractive areas, whereby when thrown onto a surface after a first playing piece, one of the magnetically attractive areas magnetically attracts to the or one of the magnetically attractive areas on the first piece.

thereby defining relative landing positions.
3. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the relative landing positions define a score.
4. A game apparatus as claimed in Claim 2 or 3, wherein the plurality of' magnetically attractive areas are located in peripheral regions of the playing piece.
5. A game apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein at least one of the playing pieces comprises a single magnetically attractive area located in a central region of the playing piece.
6. A game apparatus as claimed iii any preceding claim, wherein the at least one magnetically attractive area oF each playing piece comprises a magnetic material.
7. A game apparatus as claimed in any of Claims I to 4. wherein the at least one magnetically attractive area of one or more playing pieces comprises a magnetic material and the at least one magnetically attractive area of one or more other playing pieces 3() coniprises a magnetically attractive material.
S. A game apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the playing pieces are star shaped.
9. Apparatus as claimed in Claim K wherein the magnetically attractive areas are located in the points of the star.
10. A game apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the playing pieces comprise a foam material.
11. A game apparatus as claimed iii any preceding claim, wlicrciii one or more of the magnetically attractive areas comprises at least Iwo magnets, the magnets being arranged such that their polarities are opposed relative to upper and lower faces of the playing piece.
12. A game apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the playing pieces comprise a top layer, a central layer and a bottom layer, the at least one magnetically attractive area being formed by producing a through hole in the central layer in which a magnet is located, the magnet being held in place by the top and bottom layers.
13. A game apparatus as claimed iii any preceding claim, further comprising decorations or markings on a top and/or bottom face of each playing piece.
14. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 13, wherein at least one set of' markings define a score according to the relative landing positions of pieces upon each other.
15. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 13 or 14. wherein at least one set of markings provide unique identities or parameters, whereby the pieces become collectable.
16. A trading game including a plurality of throwable pieces having magnetically attractive areas, whereby the pieces are marked with collectable characters' and a point scoring game is enabled by determining relative landing positions @1' two or more pieces.
17. A trading game as claimed in Claim 16, wherein a plurality of pieces are thrown sequentially to form a stack.
1 8. A trading game as claimed in Claim 17. wherein the score attilbuted to each piece thrown is determined by its landing position and disposition relative to a lower piece.
19. A game apparatus substantially as hereinhefore described with reference to, and as illustrated by, the accompanying drawings.