GB2456206A

GB2456206A - Playing cards with language vocabulary

Info

Publication number: GB2456206A
Application number: GB0823546A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Padgett
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2008-01-04
Filing date: 2008-12-24
Publication date: 2009-07-08
Also published as: GB0823546D0; GB0800127D0

Abstract

The invention relates to a deck or set of playing cards 2. The cards 2 have at least one face on which is carried indicia, typically representing a suit 6 and value (or rank) 4 of the card 2 to allow a game to be played. The card 2 further includes, typically on the same face, text 12 which comprises a word or phrase provided in more than one language. The text 12 and indicia 6, 4 are located on the card 2 to allow the game to be played by providing a visible portion when the cards 2 are being held and a second portion on which the text 12 is located. There may also be a picture 16 representing the text 12. The visible portion and the second portion may be divided by a diagonal line 10. A graphical representation 8 of the suit and rank may also be provided. Flags 14 may be used to represent the different languages of the text 12. In a second invention, the cards may carry indicia for a first use on a first face and text for a second use either on the same face or a second face.

Description

1 2456206 Playing cards The invention to which this application relates is a set of cards which can be used for example, for playing a card game and a further purpose, such as but not necessarily exclusively, learning key phrases in other foreign languages.

Playing cards are well known, and although there are many variations for lots of different games, the most common type comprises a deck of 52 cards, with 4 suits of 13 cards each.

In a conventional deck of cards the suits are spades, hearts, diamonds and clubs, with alphanumeric characters ranging from number values between 2-10 and the letter J for Jack, Q for Queen, K for King and A for Ace. In addition, the deck may contain several Jokers or wild cards. The cards typically have a front face on which there is illustrated the suit and relative alphanumeric value on diagonally opposite corners such as the top left and bottom right corners and a central portion on which there is a graphical representation. For example, the nine of diamonds card has nine diamond shapes in the central body portion of the card.

Typically a "hand" of several cards can be held by a player in a fan shape, with part of the body of the cards overlapping with the corner indicia still visible to the user. *.S. * * S *. S S. .5

It is also known to teach foreign languages using sets of cards on which words in different languages are indicated. However, *...30 typically such cards only include a word in a single language per card, so the set of cards can only be used to learn one foreign S. ** : * *. language. * 5*5 * . S...

In addition, as these cards normally only contain words, they are not suitable for playing a game.

An aim of the present invention is to provide a deck of playing cards which can be used to play card games and also to provide at least key words or phrases in a range of foreign languages so that the same can be learnt and/or are readily available for reference purposes.

In one aspect of the invention, there is provided a deck of playing cards comprising: a plurality of suits, each suit including a plurality of values; each card being identified by a suit and a value; wherein each card includes text in a plurality of different languages.

In one embodiment the value is indicated in at least one corner of each card to allow the same to be visible when a plurality of cards is held in a fan.

Thus the deck can be used to provide a range of foreign languages by providing text in different languages on each card, but advantageously can be used as a conventional deck of playing cards, the values still being visible when the cards are held in a fan. Typically each card will have a specific word or phrase which is reproduced on that card in a number of : different languages. In this way the user if they wish to know a particular word or phrase in a particular language need only refer to that card rather than the deck of cards. * S *5**

In one embodiment the body of the cards is provided with a ** S. . . . . : * s diagonal line representing the edge of the visible part of the card S...

* when held in a fan.

In one embodiment the text is provided on one side of the line, typically on the side that is not visible when cards are held in a fan.

In one embodiment the card portion on the other side of the line includes a graphical representation of the value associated with the card.

In one embodiment the text on a particular card comprises a word in a first language, with the same word being provided in further languages on the same card.

Typically the same languages are used on each card in the deck.

In one embodiment the words are grouped into suits according to their meaning.

In one embodiment the text is provided with corresponding language identifiers. Typically the language identifiers are images of flags associated with the countries from which the language originates.

In one embodiment the card is provided with an illustration corresponding to the meaning of the text thereon.

In one embodiment, each suit contains cards provided with the ***.

same values. Typically the values in each suit range from 2-10 plus Jack, Queen, King and Ace. e. * * S.

In one embodiment the Jack, Queen and/or King may be *S4* illustrated as figures wearing tunics in national colours. ** S. S. * S *

In one embodiment the suits include spades, hearts, diamonds *5*5 and clubs.

In a further aspect of the invention there is provided a deck of cards, said cards including a first face and an opposing second face, at least one of said faces carrying indicia for a first purpose of use of said cards, and the same or opposing face carrying text for a second purpose of use of said cards and wherein said indicia is located on a portion of the face so as to be visible in the first use.

In on embodiment the indicia and text are located on the same face of the card, with the indicia provided on a first portion, and the text is located on another portion of said card. In on embodiment the said portions are defined by a line traversing the said face. Typically the line traverses the card face along an axis defined between diagonally opposed corners.

Specific embodiments of the invention are now described wherein: -Figure 1 schematically illustrates two playing cards from a deck of cards according to one embodiment of the invention (a) six of diamonds (b) six of clubs.

Figure 2 illustrates the playing cards of Figures la-b held in a fan.

: Figure 3 illustrates an example set of words for use with a deck of cards according to an embodiment of the invention; and

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:..3O Figure 4 illustrates another embodiment of a card in accordance S... . with the invention.. S. * S. *

S S

With reference to Figure Ia, there is illustrated a first S...

embodiment of a playing card 2, in accordance with the invention, in this example the six of diamonds, as indicated by the indice value 4 in the top left hand corner of the card, the diamond 6 thereunder representing the suit, and graphical representation 8 of the suit and value to the side thereof.

The card is provided with a diagonal line 10 separating the card suit and value on one side of the body of the card from text 12 on the other side.

In this example the text is the word taxi' in English and several other languages. A language identifier is provided next to each word in the form of the image of a flag 14 associated with the country in which the language is spoken. Thus, in this example, the word 12 taxi' in English is associated with the Union Jack flag 14.

Above the text portion, an illustration of a taxi 16 is provided to help the user if they are not native speakers of any of the languages provided on the card.

With reference to Figure Ib, a further playing card 2' is illustrated, in this example the six of clubs, as similarly indicated by the indice value 4 in the top left hand corner of the card, the club 6 thereunder representing the suit, and graphical representation 8 of the suit and value to the side thereof. S.. S * SS S. S S...

A different word is provided for each card in the deck, and in this example of Figure lb the word 12' is chicken', as illustrated by the picture 16'. The word is provided in the same plurality of different languages on each card, as represented by the flag :.. icons 14'. * S * 55. * . S...

With reference to Figure 2, it will be appreciated that when the cards are held by a user in a typical fan, the cards overlap such that the underlying cards 2' are only partially visible, the diagonal line 10' dividing the card between the portion that is visible and that which is not.

As such the value 4' and suit 6' of the playing cards is still visible to the user when held in a fan, yet advantageously the user is not distracted by the text on the other part of the card when playing a conventional card game.

With reference to Figure 3, a word set is illustrated for a deck of playing cards, in which the four traditional suits 28 of spades 18, hearts 20, diamonds 24 and clubs 22 are provided, and an extra suit of wild cards or jokers 26 is also included.

Each suit has 13 values 30 ranging from 2-10 pIus Jack, Queen, King and Ace, with each value in a suit being assigned a particular word 32.

The words may be grouped into suits according to their meaning or how they would be used. In this example, spades represent common colloquial words, hearts primarily represent medical words, clubs relate to food and drink, diamonds relate to money and travel, and jokers relate to numbers and alcoholic drinks.

Each card is provided with a particular word in a plurality of

: different languages 34, such as English, Spanish, French, German, Mandarin, Hindi, Russian, Japanese, Arabic, Portuguese and Dutch.</p>.. DTD: <p>"30 Figure 4 illustrates a further embodiment of a card 2 design in accordance with the invention in which there is provided values indices 4 at the top left and right corners, as well as graphical indicators 7 of the suit at the two corners as well as in the middle at the top of the card. Below that is an area 19 which may be used to include a picture or other representation of the word which is to be translated. In this case the word, in English is "OK" and although not shown, it will be appreciated that the translation of the same into the languages indicated will be provided in the section 21. The provision of the flag or other representation 23 allows the user to identify the language translation that is appropriate for their intended use at that time.

The cards can thus be used for learning foreign languages or for reference as a deck of such cards will include a number of words in a plurality of different languages.

However, in addition the playing cards can still be used as a conventional deck of cards for playing card games such as bridge and poker, without distraction from the foreign text.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present invention may also include further additional modifications made to the device which does not affect the overall functioning of the device. S... * . . ** . * * S *** S. * * S. * .. *... * . *.. * * . S * S *... * S *55S

Claims

Claims 1. A deck of cards, said deck including cards with a plurality of suits, each suit including a plurality of values such that said cards can be identified by a suit and a value; wherein said cards also include text of a word or phrase in a plurality of different languages.

2 A deck of cards according to claim I wherein the value is indicated in at least one corner of each of said cards to allow the same to be visible when a plurality of cards is held in a fan configuration.

3. A deck of cards according to claim I wherein the deck of cards can be used to provide different words or phrases in a range of foreign languages by providing text in different languages on each card and can be used as a deck of playing cards.

4 A deck of playing cards according to claim 1 wherein the user is able to identify a word or phrase in a number of different languages by referring to a single card of the deck of cards.

A deck of cards according to claim I wherein the cards include a body or central portion which is traversed by a diagonal line : representing the edge of the portion of the card which will be visible when the card is held with others in a fan configuration.

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6 A deck of cards according to claim 5 wherein the text is provided on the card on the portion of the card lying to the opposing side of the said line from the visible portion. 55S*

S *SS

7 A deck of cards according to claim 6 wherein the portion of the card carrying the text also includes a graphical representation of the value associated with the card.

8 A deck of cards according to claim I wherein the same languages are used on each of said cards which carry said text.

9 A deck of cards according to claim I wherein the text includes corresponding language identifiers.

A deck of cards according to claim I wherein the said cards are provided with an illustration corresponding to the meaning of the text thereon.

11 A deck of cards according to claim 1 wherein each suit contains cards provided with the same values.

12 A deck of cards according to claim 11 wherein the suits include spades, hearts, diamonds and clubs.

13. A deck of cards, said cards including a first face and an opposing second face, at least one of said faces carrying indicia for a first purpose of use of said cards, and the same or opposing face carrying text for a second purpose of use of said cards and wherein said indicia is located on a portion of the face *S..

so as to be visible in the first use. s.. * S **S.

14 A deck of cards according to claim 13 wherein the indicia and text are located on the same face of the card, with the S... . . . . indicia provided on a first portion, and the text is located on another portion of said card.

S S

ISIS

A deck of cards according to claim 14 wherein the said portions are defined by a line traversing the said face.

16 A deck of cards according to claim 15 wherein the line traverses the card face along an axis defined between diagonally opposed corners. * * * S. * * I * *** S. S * S I * I. *II. * S *I.I I. SI * I I * S *SI*

I S S..