US3834705A

US3834705A - Footsie bird game device

Info

Publication number: US3834705A
Application number: US00401069A
Authority: US
Inventors: R Wong
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1973-09-26
Filing date: 1973-09-26
Publication date: 1974-09-10
Anticipated expiration: 1991-09-10

Abstract

A game device including a hollow lightweight cylindrically shaped disc like member having an aperture in the center of the top surface thereof and extending axially therethrough into an interior compartment in the disc member, and a set of a plurality of feathers each having their shaft portions connected together and extending through the center of a flat washer-like member fabricated of a flexible material, the feathers being joined to the disc member by the washer-like member and joined feather shafts being forced axially through the top surface opening into the disc compartment with the washer being retained within the compartment and with the feathers projecting upwardly and radially outwardly from the disc top surface the disc intended to be kicked vertically repeatedly with an individual''s feet to retain the disc in the air for the longest period of time thus facilitating an individual''s development of coordination along with providing exercise to the muscles of the individual''s legs.

Description

United States atet 1191 Wong [ Sept. 10, 1974 FOOTSIE BIRD GAME DEVICE [76] Inventor: Raymond Woo Wong, 900 Richard Ln., Danville. Calif. 94526 221 Filed: Sept. 26, 1973 21 Appl. No.: 401,069

[52] US. Cl 273/106 A [51] Int. Cl A631) 67/18 [58] Field of Search 273/106 R, 106 A, 106.5 C

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,012,730 8/1935 Reid 273/106 A 2,911,219 11/1959 Arokiasamy... 273/106 A 3,507,494 4/1970 Finkel 273/106 A X 3,749,403 7/1973 Austin et al 273/106.5 C

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 472,050 3/1951 Canada 273/106 A 556,724 4/1923 France 273/106 A 1,035,547 7/1958 Germany 273/106 A 617,068 3/1961 Canada 273/106 A Primary Examiner-Paul E. Shapiro 57 ABS :1

A game device including a hollow lightweight cylindri cally shaped disc like member having an aperture in the center of the top surface thereof and extending axially therethrough into an interior compartment in the disc member, and a set of a plurality of feathers each having their shaft portions connected together and extending through the center of a flat washer-like member fabricated of a flexible material, the feathers being joined to the disc member by the washer-like member and joined feather shafts being forced axially through the top surface opening into the disc compartment with the washer being retained within the compartment and with the feathers projecting upwardly and radially outwardly from the disc top surface the disc intended to be kicked vertically repeatedly with an individuals feet to retain the disc in the air for the longest period of time thus facilitating an individuals development of coordination along with providing exercise to the muscles of the individuals legs.

3 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures FOOTSIE BIRD GAME DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates generally to game devices or amusement devices and more particularly to a novel game device permitting play by one or more players in a manner to facilitate the development of coordination and exercise of the muscles of a person or persons playing with the game device.

2. Description of the Prior Art Among those games most popular to both children and adults alike are games requiring physical abilities such as running, jumping, skipping, kicking and the like. While games are available utilizing such skills among players, such as the games of basketball, football, and the like, such games require a plurality of players along with a great amount of playing space and associated markings and equipment such that these games are not readily playable by only one or two indi viduals, nor is practice of many of these games possible by a single individual.

While other games are known, such as the kicking of a ball between individuals, such also require a large amount of space to be played and also requires that an individual kicking the ball must spend a great deal of time chasing the same such that soon players become bored with the game as more time is spent chasing the ball than in actual play with the same.

It would thus be desirable to provide a game device providing all of the fun and enjoyment of kicking along with the challenge of a competitive sport while eliminating any chasing of the game device when the same is missed by one of the players.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention remedies and overcomes all of the foregoing deficiencies and disadvantages of presently available game devices by providing a novel game device to be kicked between players or to be repeatedly kicked by a single player, such device not having to be chased when missed as the same will fall to the ground substantially adjacent the player doing the kicking or the player who missed the kicked device.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a game device which requires the active participation of the person or persons playing with the game device with such participation developing coordination and agility of the person while providing a healthy exercising of the leg muscles in that the game device requires that a light weight feathered disc be maintained in the Yet still a further feature of the present invention is to provide a game device which is highly entertaining to children and adults and which is an excellent family game thus encouraging family togetherness for the play of the same.

The provision of a game device, such as briefly out lined above, and possessing the stated advantages, constitutes the principal features of the present invention. The provision of a game device which is relatively simple in its construction and which therefore may be readily manufactured at a relatively low cost and by simple manufacturing methods; one which is devoid of moving parts and which therefore is unlikely to get out of order; one which is rugged and durable and which therefore may be guaranteed by the manufacturer to withstand rough usage; one which is aesthetically pleasing and refined in appearance; and one which, other wise, is well adapted to perform the services required of it, are further desirable features which have been borne in mind in the production and development of the present invention.

Other features and advantages of this invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which like reference characters are employed to designate like parts throughout the same:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the manner in which the game device of the present invention is employed;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the feather dart-like member forming the game device of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the game device which is partially broken away to illustrate the securement of the feathers in the disc; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary front elevational view of a modified form of the invention, partially broken away to illustrate the replaceability of the disc or of the feathers.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawings there is illustrated a preferred form of a game device embodying the inven tion and designated in its entirety by the reference numeral 10 and which is comprised-of two components parts, namely a set of symmetrically arranged feathers 11 having the stems thereof attached to a disc 12. The feathers 11 may be manufactured out of rubber, plastic, or any other suitable satisfactory material with the preferred embodiment having the feathers manufactured of injection molded polyethylene in a variety of colors. The disc 12 may be manufactured out of wood, rubber, plastic or any other suitable satisfactory material, with the preferred embodiment being fabricated of injection molded or blow molded polyethylene so as to form a hollow and light weight disc. As seen in FIG. 4, a further preferred fabrication is to provide the disc in the form of a flexible sponge rubber to provide even a more flexible and resilient type disc.

The disc 12 is of a hollow cylindrical shape having a top surface 21, a bottom surface 22, depending cylindrical side walls 23, and an aperture 24 defined axially centrally of the top surface 21 and extending therethrough. Defined intermediate top and

bottom surfaces

21 and 22 and between the interior surfaces of the side walls 23 is a hollow air-filled compartment 25 thus providing that the disc 12 is of a light weight. However, it

is to be understood that compartment 25 may be filled with various weighted substances if a weighted disc is desired, or alternatively, the disc 12 may be formed of a solid material without having compartment 25 formed therein.

The feathers 11 comprise four separate feathers 31-35 which are symmetrically disposed about the axis of the disc 12 with the stems 35 of the feathers being joined together and terminating in the form of an enlarged flexible washer like member 36, the washer 36 and stems 35 adapted to be axially aligned with opening 24 and then forced inwardly therethrough until the washer 36 is completely within the compartment 25 with the combined diameter of the stems 35 being greater than the diameter of the opening 24 so as to re tain the feathers firmly attached to the disc 12. The feathers then may be solvent bonded to the disc, heat sealed thereto, or alternatively, may be frictionally retained therein so as to permit ready replacement of the feathers or of the disc if one or the other should wear out or become accidentally broken or destroyed during play with the device.

Referring now to FIG. 4 there is illustrated a modified form of the invention wherein the disc 12 is formed of a resilient sponge rubber having a top surface 21, a bottom surface 22, and side walls 23, and having a cylindrical compartment 25' disposed axially of the disc and extending partially therethrough and opening out of the top surface 21. The stems 35 of the feathers l 1 terminate in an elongated cylindrical member 36 having a diameter equal to or slightly greater than the diameter of the opening 24' and having a length equal to the depth of the opening such that the feathers may be detachably secured to the disc by axially aligning the member 36 with opening 24' and then forcably inserting the same downwardly into the opening to frictionally retain the same therein, such as shown in FIG. 4. It is to be understood that, if desired, the member 36' may be permanently secured to the disc 12 by any suitable satisfactory manner, such as by glues, solvent bonding, and the like.

In playing the game, the game device is held in either hand of either of the players 41 or 42 using the device and is then dropped onto the players foot at which time the player kicks the device vertically and forwardly toward the opposite player, such as designated by arrow 43 in FIG. 1, the object being to keep the game device in the air without letting it hit the ground. The person that misses the device and permits it to strike the ground may be considered the loser.

In an alternative'method of play, a single player holds the device 10 and then drops it vertically downwardly in a manner to kick it with the players foot, the object of the game being to keep the device in the air without letting it hit the ground by having the player repeatedly kick the device vertically with the players foot. In this manner a player can play as an individual against the clock by timing themselves to determine how long they can keep the device in the air without letting it hit the ground, or alternatively, players may play against each other competitively in that the person that can keep the device in the air without hitting the ground for the longest period of time may be considered the winner.

The game device may be employed indoors or outdoors and is primarily adapted for use by children or others who are quite active and which thus serves in children to assist and help in the developing of coordination of the child as well as providing a healthy exercising of the muscles of the legs, with the game further developing agility of the player using the device in a constant effort to keep the device out of contact with the ground.

It is to be understood that the form of this invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as preferred examples of the same, and that this invention is not to be limited to the exact arrangement of parts shown in the accompanying drawings or described in this specification as various changes in the details of construction as to shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention, the scope of the novel concepts thereof, or the scope of the sub-joined claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed 1. A game device comprising a hollow cylindrical disc like member having a circular top surface, a circular bottom surface, and depending cylindrical side walls interconnecting the peripheral edges of the top and bottom surfaces respectively, defining an interior compartment therein, an opening disposed centrally in the disc top surface and extending axially therethrough into the compartment, a plurality of feathers each having a shaft portion, the shafts of the feathers being connected together and joined integrally to a substantially flat washer-like member projecting radially outwardly from the joined feather shafts and fabricated of a flexible material, the combined overall diameters of the joined shafts being slightly larger than the diameter of the top surface opening, the feathers adapted to be joined to the disc by axially aligning the washer-like member and joined shafts with the top surface opening and then forcing the feathers inwardly of the opening into the compartment such that the washer is completely contained within the compartment with the shafts of the feathers secured in the top surface opening with the feathers projecting upwardly and radially outwardly therefrom.

2. The game device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the disc is formed of polyethylene plastic material.

3. The game device as set forth in claim 2 wherein the feathers comprise four separate symmetrically disposed feathers substantially equal in size and configuration.

Claims

1. A game device comprising a hollow cylindrical disc like member having a circular top surface, a circular bottom surface, and depending cylindrical side walls interconnecting the peripheral edges of the top and bottom surfaces respectively, defining an interior compartment therein, an opening disposed centrally in the disc top surface and extending axially therethrough into the compartment, a plurality of feathers each having a shaft portion, the shafts of the feathers being connected together and joined integrally to a substantially flat washer-like member projecting radially outwardly from the joined feather shafts and fabricated of a flexible material, the combined overall diameters of the joined shafts being slightly larger than the diameter of the top surface opening, the feathers adapted to be joined to the disc by axially aligning the washerlike member and joined shafts with the top surface opening and then forcing the feathers inwardly of the opening into the compartment such that the washer is completely contained within the compartment with the shafts of the feathers secured in the top surface opening with the feathers projecting upwardly and radially outwardly therefrom.