US20030234492A1

US20030234492A1 - Game card system

Info

Publication number: US20030234492A1
Application number: US10/444,798
Authority: US
Inventors: Martin Myren
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-06-24
Filing date: 2003-05-22
Publication date: 2003-12-25

Abstract

The card system 10 has a first group 34 comprising the cards 96, 98 representing the numbers nine and two, respectively, the cards 96, 98 have identical left segments 100, 102, respectively. The system 10 has a second group 36 comprising the cards 84, 86, 88 that represent the numbers eight, six and four, respectively so that the cards 84, 86, 88 have identical left segments 100, 102. The system also has a third group 38 comprising the cards 60, 62, 66 that represent the cards knight, three and five, respectively. The cards 60, 62, 66 have identical left segments 70, 72 and 76, respectively.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a game card system. In particular, the invention relates to a deck of cards that have specially designed numbers and letters in the corners of the cards.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Various designs of deck of cards have been used in the past. Frequently, the cards are numbered from two to ten while the digits 1, 11, 12, 13, 14 have been represented by ace, knight, queen, king, ace, respectively. In many games, such as poker, the player may receive five cards that are placed after one another. During the increase in excitement over which “hand” the player received, it is common to slowly spread the cards so that they may appear similar to other cards as long as possible. In this way, the player delays the full appearance of the cards to leave open the possibility of having a really good hand as long as possible. However, the current card designs are often designed so that player knows which cards the players have without much spreading. There is a need for a card design that permits more spreading without revealing the identity of the cards to the player.

The card system of the present invention solves the above-outlined problems. More particularly, the card system has a first group comprising cards representing the numbers nine and two. The cards have identical left segments. The system has a second group of cards that represent the numbers eight, six and four, respectively so that the second group of cards have identical left segments. The system also has a third group of cards that represent the cards knight, three and five, respectively. The third group of cards has identical left segments. The cards also are designed so that the upper segments of various groups are identical so that the player may spread the card from an upper edge of the cards without immediately revealing the identity of the cards.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a card of the present invention that displays the digit two; [0004]
FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a card of the present invention that displays an ace; [0005]
FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a card of the present invention that displays a knight; [0006]
FIG. 4 is a schematic overview of card groups with identical left segments; [0007]
FIG. 5 is a schematic overview of card groups with identical upper segments; [0008]
FIGS. [0009] 6A-6D are schematic detailed views of portions of the card groups shown in FIG. 4; and
FIGS. [0010] 7A-7D are schematic detailed views of portions of the card groups shown in FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With reference to FIGS. [0011] 1-7, the game card system 10 of the present invention has cards that are “spread-friendly” so that the player may gradually spread the cards without fully revealing the identity of the cards to prolong the excitement while the cards held in the player's hand are being spread apart. Similar to a conventional deck of cards, the card system 10 may have 52 cards divided into the four categories, clubs, hearts, diamonds and spades wherein each category ranges from the numbers 2-10, knight, queen, king and ace. The system 10 may also include extra cards such as a joker and other cards.
More particularly, the [0012] system 10 has several cards such as the cards 12, 14, 16, shown in FIGS. 1-3. Only three complete cards have been described for illustrative purposes and the system 10 is not limited to only three cards. The remaining cards of the system 10 are designed according to the same principles as the cards 12, 14, 16. For example, the card 12 has an outer edge 18 and a rectangular enclosure 20 printed in the middle of the card 12. The enclosure 20 identifies the card by displaying a certain number of clubs that corresponds to the numbers shown in the sections 26, 28. An upper left corner 22 and a lower right corner 24 of the card 12 display the numbers or symbols in the section 26, 28. For example, the section 26 may show the number 2 and a club symbol 27 shown below the section 26. A club symbol 29 is displayed above the section 28.
FIGS. [0013] 2-3 show examples of the card 14 representing the ace of diamonds and the card 16 representing the knight of hearts. As indicated earlier, the other complete cards of the system 10 are not shown for simplicity.
An important feature of the present invention is the design of the numbers or symbols in the [0014] sections 26, 28 for all the cards. For example, the section 26 has a left segment 30 and an upper segment 32 that are identical for a group of cards that belong to the same group. As explained in detail below, the design of the left segments is identical for both the digits 9 and 2 as shown in a horizontal group 34 in FIG. 4. The corresponding left segments of the digits 8, 6, 4 in a horizontal group 36 are identical. Similarly, the group 38 includes identical left segments for the digits 3, 7, 5 and the symbols for the knight and joker. The group 40 includes identical left segments for the queen, ten, king and ace.
In this way, when the player is slowly spreading the cards placed behind one another and only displays the [0015] left segments 30 of each hidden card, the player will only be able to determine that the partially hidden card belongs to one of the groups 34, 36, 38, 40 but not which card the player has within the group. The player must reveal more than the left segment to be able to identify which card within the group the player has.
The [0016] card system 10 may be adjusted to different languages. For example, Scandinavian cards may include the Scandinavian symbols shown in group 42 wherein “Kn” represents the knight, “D” represents the queen and “E” represents the ace. Other symbols and numbers may also be used such as the symbols shown in the groups 44, 46.
Some players prefer to slowly spread the cards so that only the [0017] upper segment 32 of each card is shown. The group 48 includes the cards knight, three, seven, five and joker with identical upper segments. The Scandinavian symbol “E” for ace may -also belong to the group 48. The group 50 includes the cards eight, nine, two and queen wherein each card in this groups has identical upper segments. The group 52 includes the cards six and four with identical upper segments and the group 54 includes the cards ten, king and ace with identical upper segments. Other non-English symbols, such as the symbols shown in the group 56, may belong to the group 50. Similarly, the non-English symbols shown in the group 58 may belong to the group 54.
In this way, the player may only display the [0018] upper segment 32 of each card to determine to which group 48, 50, 52 or 54 the hidden cards belong. However, the player cannot determine which cards within each group the player has in the player's hand.
FIGS. [0019] 6A-6D show a detailed view of the left segments for each card symbol in the English language. More particularly, FIG. 6A shows the group 38 including the cards 60, 62, 64, 66, 68 that represent the knight, three, joker, five and joker, respectively. The cards 60, 62, 64 and 66 have left segments 70, 72, 74 and 76 that are identical so that the player cannot determine which partially hidden card the player has without revealing more than the left segment of the partially hidden cards. The segments 70, 72, 74, 76 have arrow-like protrusions 148 a-148 d at top ends 150 a-150 d and upwardly curved segments 152 a-152 d at bottom ends 154 a-154 d of the segments 70, 72, 74, 76. The card 68 has a left segment 78 that has a top segment 80 that is identical to the top ends 150 a-150 d but a different bottom part 82.
FIG. 6B shows the [0020] group 36 including the cards 84, 86 and 88 with identical left segments 90, 92, 94,. respectively. The left segments 90, 92, 94 have C-shaped segments 95 a, 95 b, 95 c at bottom ends 97, 99, 101 of the segments 90, 92, 94, respectively. The cards 84, 86, 88 represent the numbers eight, six and four, respectively.
FIG. 6C shows the [0021] group 34 including the cards 96, 98 with identical left segments 100, 102, respectively. The left segments 100, 102 have C-shaped segments 101 a, 101 b at upper ends 103, 105, respectively. The cards 96, 98 represent the numbers nine and two, respectively.
FIG. 6D shows the [0022] group 40 including the cards 104, 106, 108 and 110 with the identical left segments 112, 114, 116 and 118. The left segments 112, 114, 116, 118 have vertical lines 113 a-113 d with sloping upper surfaces 115 a-115 d at an upper end 117 a-117 d and a horizontal left protrusion 119 a-119 d at bottom ends 121, 123, 125, 127, respectively. The cards 104, 106, 108, 110 represent the queen, ten, king and ace, respectively.
FIGS. [0023] 7A-7D show a detailed view of the upper segments for each card symbol. More particularly, FIG. 7A shows the group 48 including the cards 60, 62, 64, 66 and 68 that have identical upper segments 120, 122, 124, 126 and 128, respectively. The upper segments 130, 132, 134, 136 have horizontal lines 156 a-156 e with arrows 148 a-148 e pointing to the left.
FIG. 7B shows the [0024] group 50 including the cards 84, 96, 98 and 104 that have the identical upper segments 130, 132, 134 and 136, respectively. The upper segments 138, 140 have downwardly curved segments 160 a-160 d.
FIG. 7C shows the group [0025] 52 including the cards 86, 88 that have the identical upper segments 138, 140, respectively. The upper segments 138, 140 have sloping lines 162 a-162 b pointing in an upward right direction.
FIG. 7D shows the [0026] group 54 including the cards 106, 108 and 110 that have the identical upper segments 142, 144, 146, respectively. The upper segments 142, 144, 146 have arrow-like pointers 164 a-164 c on a left side of the segments 142. 144, 146.
It should be noted that the horizontal and vertical triangles for each symbol in the same group may be located in exactly the same place on the card. In this way, the player may not determine which symbol the card is displaying by merely seeing the position of a very small portion of the symbol. [0027]
While the present invention has been described in accordance with preferred compositions and embodiments, it is to be understood that certain substitutions and alterations may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the following claims. [0028]

Claims

I claim:

1. A deck of card system, comprising:

a first group (34) comprising cards (96, 98) displaying numbers nine and two, respectively, the cards (96, 98) having identical left segments (100, 102) with identical curved segments (101 a, 101 b), respectively;

a second group (36) comprising cards (84, 86, 88) displaying numbers eight, six and four, respectively, the cards (84, 86, 88) having identical left segments (97, 99, 101) with identical curved segments (95 a, 95 b, 95 c); and

a third group (38) comprising cards (60, 62, 66) displaying a knight symbol and numbers three and five, respectively, the cards (60, 62, 66) having identical left segments (70, 72 and 76) with identical arrow-like segments (148 a, 148 b, 148 d), respectively, pointing towards an edge of the cards (60, 62, 66).

2. The deck of card system according to claim 1 wherein the cards (60, 62, 66) have identical segments (154 a, 154 b, 154 d) with identical curved segments (152 a, 152 b, 152 d).

3. The deck of card system according to claim 2 wherein the system (10) has a fourth group (40) comprising cards (104, 106, 108, 110) having identical upper ends (115 a, 115 b, 115 c, 115 d), respectively, and identical bottom ends (117 a, 117 b, 117 c, 117 d), respectively, the upper ends pointing in a direction that is same as a direction of the bottom ends.

4. The deck of card system according to claim 3 wherein the cards (104, 106, 108, 110) display a queen symbol, a number ten, a king symbol and an ace symbol, respectively.

5. The deck of card system according to claim 1 wherein the cards (60, 62, 66) of the third group (38) have identical upper segments (120, 122, 126) with extended identical horizontal parallel lines (156 a, 156 b, 156 d), respectively.

6. The deck of card system according to claim 5 wherein a card (136) displaying a queen symbol and a card (84) displaying a number eight have identical upper segments (130, 136) with curved surfaces (160 a, 160 d), respectively.

7. The deck of card system according to claim 6 wherein a card (132) displaying a number nine and the card (136) displaying a queen symbol have identical upper segments (132, 136) with curved surfaces (160 b, 160 d), respectively.

8. The deck of card system according to claim 1 wherein a card (86) displaying a number six and a card (88) displaying a number four have identical upper segments (138, 140) with a sloping end segment (162 a, 162 b), respectively.

9. The deck of card system according to claim 1 wherein a card (142) displaying a number ten and a card (144) representing a king symbol have identical arrow-like upper segments (164 a, 164 b), respectively.