US20070252329A1

US20070252329A1 - Party Game Device

Info

Publication number: US20070252329A1
Application number: US10/582,553
Authority: US
Inventors: Adar Golad
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2003-12-18
Filing date: 2004-12-01
Publication date: 2007-11-01
Also published as: EP1697012A1; NL1025047C2; WO2005058438A1

Abstract

Party game device (1) including a games' board (2) and a number of flat playing pieces (8), wherein the games' board comprises a number of playing sections (3) adjusted to the dimensions of the playing pieces, the playing sections having first surfaces (15) comprising first supporting faces for the playing pieces, wherein at least one side the playing pieces are provided with second surfaces (10, 11) comprising second supporting faces for supportive contact with the first supporting faces, wherein the first and second surfaces comprise edge surfaces (13) situated at the edges of the playing pieces which edge surfaces are spaced apart.

Description

The invention relates to a device or assembly for playing a party game, using a games' board and flat playing pieces to be placed thereon.
Such game assemblies are for instance known from Go or Four-in-a-Row. In these games the players in turns place a flat playing piece on a section they selected on the games' board. A drawback is that if after placing a playing piece it occurs to the player that another section would have been better or if the player made mistake when placing the piece, correction of said placement is hard to make and it usually leads to disturbing the position of the other playing pieces. This may also be the case in other games, such as games in which words have to be formed with playing pieces provided with a letter.
It is an object of the invention to improve on this.
Another object of the invention is to create new game options for existing games.
From one aspect the invention to that end provides a party game device including a games' board and a number of flat playing pieces, wherein the games' board comprises a number of playing sections adjusted to the dimensions of the playing pieces, the playing sections having first surfaces comprising first supporting faces for the playing pieces, wherein at least at one side the playing pieces are provided with second surfaces comprising second supporting faces for supportive contact with the first supporting faces, wherein the first and second surfaces comprise edge surfaces situated at the edges of the playing pieces which edge surfaces are spaced apart. In this way a tilting motion of the playing piece is possible, as a result of which its solitary removal from the games' board is easy.
Preferably the edge surfaces are substantially circumferential, preferably fully circumferential, as a result of which a large freedom is offered in the tilting direction.
A stable support in addition to the tilting possibility is offered when the first and/or second supporting faces form a contiguous support surface within the edge surfaces.
In a first further development of the party game device according to the invention, the edge surfaces of the first surfaces are recessed with respect to other surfaces of the first supporting faces. The playing pieces may have a simple design, both main sides being fully flat, and thus they may possibly be used on both sides.
In a second further development of the party game device according to the invention, the edge surfaces of the second surfaces are recessed with respect to other surfaces of the second supporting faces, as a result of which the games' board can be kept simple.
Possible disturbance of the other playing pieces during removal of a playing piece is further limited when the games' board is provided with boundaries between the playing sections. Said boundaries are also effective during tilting the playing pieces, so that said motion is optimally controlled.
Preferably the boundaries form raised edges.
Preferably the first and/or second supporting faces are bounded by a circumferential edge which is shaped similarly to the circumferential edge of the playing sections and/or the circumferential edge of the playing pieces, respectively. Tilting can thus take place about a centre line parallel to the local circumferential edge of the playing piece in question, and possibly parallel to the local circumferential edge of an adjacent playing piece.
If the playing pieces have a polygonal circumference the possibility of tilting is enhanced. The tilting can then take place in a reliable manner about a line parallel to a side of the polygon. If the playing pieces have a regular hexagonal circumference, not only tilting possibilities in many, namely six, directions are offered, but an advantageous division of the playing pieces on the games' board is also achieved.
The invention furthermore provides a games' board suitable and intended for a party game device according to the invention.
The invention furthermore provides a playing piece suitable and intended for a party game device according to the invention.
From a further aspect the invention provides a party game device including a games' board and a number of flat playing pieces, wherein the games' board comprises a number of playing sections adjusted to the dimensions of the playing pieces, the playing sections having first surfaces comprising first supporting faces for the playing pieces, wherein at least at one side the playing pieces are provided with second surfaces comprising second supporting faces for supportive contact with the first supporting faces, wherein the first and second surfaces are formed for allowing the second supporting face to tilt with respect to the first supporting face.
Preferably the first supporting faces form an elevation in the first surfaces, which elevation preferably is surrounded by a lowered step and/or the second supporting faces form an elevation in the second surfaces, which elevation preferably is surrounded by a lowered step. In the latter case it is preferred that such second surfaces have been formed on both sides of the playing piece.
The invention will be elucidated on the basis of an exemplary embodiment shown in the attached drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 shows a top view of a games' board of an example of a party game device according to the invention, at the end of a first stage of a game;
FIG. 2 shows the games' board of FIG. 1, in an immediately subsequent game step;
FIG. 3 shows the games' board of FIG. 2, in an immediately subsequent game step;
FIG. 4 shows a schematic cross-section of a part of the games' board of FIG. 1, including a playing piece in stable condition supported in the games' board;
FIG. 5 shows the playing piece of FIG. 4, in tilted condition before taking out; and
FIG. 6 shows an example of an alternative playing piece according to the invention.
The party game device 1 shown in FIG. 1 and further comprises an—in the example—regular hexagonal games' board 2, which, due to the hexagonal shape, is suitable for six players, each having their own colour position 7. The hexagonal flat playing pieces 8, which are part of the game assembly 1, have a colour corresponding to the colour position 7 concerned. In this example the game is played by four players, having hexagonal flat pieces 8 a, 8 b, 8 c and 8 d of different colours.
For stable support of the playing pieces 8 a-d the games' board 2 is provided with hexagonal accommodation spaces or playing sections 3 that are contiguous to each other and which suit and are substantially congruent to the playing pieces. As can also be seen in the FIGS. 4 and 5 the accommodation spaces 3 are bounded by a hexagonal circumferential raised wall 4 and spaced apart from said circumferential wall 4 they are provided with an elevation 5 having a hexagonal circumferential edge 13 as well, wherein between the elevation 5 and the circumferential wall 4 a circumferential surface 6 is present that is positioned lower. The upper surface of elevation 5 forms a flat supporting face 15 for a playing piece 8, and at the circumferential edge 13 is provided with a circumferential slope.
The playing pieces 8, as can be seen in the FIGS. 4 and 5, are flat having an upper surface 10 and a lower surface 11 and edges 14.
As can be seen in the FIGS. 4 and 5 the circumferential wall 4, the lowered surface 6 and the elevation 5 realise a circumferential recess 12. As a result when exerting the force F (FIG. 4) a moment M (FIG. 5) can be exerted on the playing piece 8, so that the piece 8 tilts about a line S (schematically shown in FIGS. 2 and 5) parallel to the local circumferential edges 13 and 14 and the right-hand portion, as considered in FIG. 5, can easily be engaged at the edge 14 by the fingers in order to remove the playing piece 8 in the direction A. The adjacent playing pieces remain untouched here.
With the game assembly of FIG. 1 and further a game known as Four-in-a-Row can be played. The playing pieces 8 have a thickness of ½ cm and a side of for instance 16 mm, and the games' board has a side of more than 20 mm. The recesses 12 may here have a width of ½ cm, and the height of the edge 4 may be approximately 4 mm, the height of the elevation 5 for instance being 2 mm.
The general rules of the game of Four-in-a-Row are considered known. In the game using the game assembly according to the invention, in the situation shown in FIG. 1, it can be assumed that it is the turn of the player using the pieces 8 d, but he has no more pieces. Said player, in the situation shown in which there is no winner yet, may move one of his used pieces 8 d. In the example of FIGS. 1-3 he chooses the piece 8 d that forms a connection between the left-hand group and the right-hand group of playing pieces 8 d. The removal of the playing piece 8 d is simple in the manner shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 and discussed above. The removed playing piece 8 d, see FIG. 3, is placed contiguously to the right-hand side of the right-hand group. The left-hand group of pieces is fewer in number, and is removed entirely, the playing pieces being returned to the players in question. The game can be continued in a second stage, in the usual manner.
In FIG. 6 the tilting facility is formed in the playing piece 18, which may be hexagonal again, for use in hexagonal playing sections having a fully flat (support) surface. The playing piece 18 is provided with a flat elevation 25 on both sides 20, 21, which elevation is bounded by hexagonal circumferential edges 23, as a result of which lowered, circumferential steps 26 have been formed and thus circumferential recesses 22. The circumferential edge 24 is also hexagonal. When exerting a pressure force F on the step 26 the playing piece will tilt until the edge 24 abuts the permanent support surface and can then be removed.
It is noted that the invention is not limited to the game Four-in-a-Row, but may for instance also be applied to the game Go.

Claims

1. Party game device including a games' board and a number of flat playing pieces, wherein the games' board comprises a number of playing sections adjusted to the dimensions of the playing pieces, the playing sections having first surfaces comprising first supporting faces for the playing pieces, wherein at least at one side the playing pieces are provided with second surfaces comprising second supporting faces for supportive contact with the first supporting faces, wherein the first and second surfaces comprise edge surfaces situated at the edges of the playing pieces which edge surfaces are spaced apart.

2. Party game device according to claim 1, wherein the edge surfaces are substantially circumferential, preferably fully circumferential.

3. Party game device according to claim 1, wherein the first and/or second supporting faces form a contiguous support surface within the edge surfaces.

4. Party game device according to claim 1, wherein the edge surfaces of the first surfaces are vertically recessed with respect to other surfaces of the first supporting faces.

5. Party game device according to claim 1, wherein the edge surfaces of the second surfaces are vertically recessed with respect to other surfaces of the second supporting faces.

6. Party game device according to claim 1, wherein the games' board is provided with boundaries between the playing sections.

7. Party game device according to claim 6, wherein the boundaries form raised edges.

8. Party game device according to claim 1, wherein the first and/or second supporting faces are bounded by a circumferential edge which is shaped similarly to the circumferential edge of the playing sections and/or the circumferential edge of the playing pieces, respectively.

9. Party game device according to claim 1, wherein the playing pieces have a polygonal circumference.

10. Party game device according to claim 9, wherein the playing pieces have a hexagonal circumference.

11. Games' board suitable and intended for a party game device according to claim 1.

12. Playing piece suitable and intended for a party game device according to claim 1.

13. Party game device including a games' board and a number of flat playing pieces, wherein the games' board comprises a number of playing sections adjusted to the dimensions of the playing pieces, the playing sections having first surfaces comprising first supporting faces for the playing pieces, wherein at least at one side the playing pieces are provided with second surfaces comprising second supporting faces for supportive contact with the first supporting faces, wherein the first and second surfaces are formed for allowing the second supporting face to tilt with respect to the first supporting face.

14. Party game device according to claim 13, wherein the first supporting faces form an elevation in the first surfaces, which elevation preferably is surrounded by a lowered step.

15. Party game device according to claim 13, wherein the second supporting faces form an elevation in the second surfaces, which elevation preferably is surrounded by a lowered step.

16. Party game device according to claim 15, wherein on both sides of the playing piece such second surfaces have been formed.

17. (canceled)

18. (canceled)

19. (canceled)