WO2005046818A1

WO2005046818A1 - Board games

Info

Publication number: WO2005046818A1
Application number: PCT/AU2004/001586
Authority: WO
Inventors: Christine Elizabeth Sather; David Robert Bryant
Original assignee: Christine Elizabeth Sather; David Robert Bryant
Priority date: 2003-11-17
Filing date: 2004-11-17
Publication date: 2005-05-26

Abstract

A board game comprises a game board (2) having a game path (4) along which playing pieces are moved in accordance with the rules of the game. A three-dimensional structure (6) upstanding from the surface of the board has openings (18, 20) through which playing pieces are moved during playing of the game in accordance with the rules of the game. The structure is formed from components of board or board-like material which are assembled together prior to playing the game and which can be disassembled when the game is finished for storage in a flattened state in the game box.

Description

BOARD GAMES

The present invention relates to board games and more particularly to board games designed to interest children. According to the present invention there is provided a board game comprising a game board having a game path along which playing pieces are moved in accordance with the rules of the game, and structure upstanding from the surface of the board, said structure having one or more openings lying on or adjacent a part of the game path and through which playing pieces are moved when traversing that part of the game path. The structure through which the playing pieces may move when playing the game provides added interest particularly for children and also provides a more interesting visual effect of a 3-dimensional nature in comparison with most other board games which are principally of 2-dimensional form.

Advantageously, the structure itself, or at least part of the structure, is separate from the game board and is applied to the game board in one or more predetermined positions for the purpose of playing the game.

In one particularly advantageous form, the structure is composed of two or more components of board or board-like material' which are releasably assembled together prior to playing the game and which can be disassembled when the game has finished. The assembly and disassembly will provide added interest to children playing the game and also facilitates packing of the game into a box after use. However in an alternative it is possible for the structure to be provided pre-assembled, although preferably in "flattened" form, to permit erection into three-dimensional form by simple manipulation with subsequent flattening after use to permit repackaging in the box. Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a board game in accordance with the invention and comprising a game board and three-dimensional applied structure simulating a forest;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the game board shown in Figure 1 ;

Figures 3 and 4 are views of the two board-like components which are assembled together to form the three-dimensional structure shown in Figure 1 ;

Figure 5 is a schematic view illustrating an alternative form of mounting for the structure;

Figure 5a is a schematic cross-section showing the co-operative between the mounting of Figure 5 and the game board; Figure 6 is a perspective view similar to Figure 1 but showing a board game having a three-dimensional structure simulating a castle;

Figure 7 is a plan view illustrating part of a substructure at an end of the board folded flat to lie against the surface of the board for storage purposes;

Figures 8 and 9 show successive stages in the erection of the substructure; and Figure 10 illustrates the manner in which that substructure interfits with the remainder of the structure during assembly.

The board game in accordance with the first embodiment of the invention comprises a game board 2 with a playing surface having one or more paths 4 along which playing pieces will move in an incremental manner in accordance with the rules of the game. As is conventional practice, the game board itself is composed of board or other like material and may be foldable one or more times into a collapsed condition for storage purposes usually in a relatively shallow box such as would typically be used for packaging a board game. The playing surface may be printed directly onto the board or onto a substrate which is then applied to the board. The board 2 carries structure 6 which is applied to the board when in its operative or unfolded state and extends upwardly from the surface of the board to provide with the board a 3 -dimensional characteristic in contrast to the usual 2-dimensional characteristic provided by most conventional board games. The structure will carry indicia such as drawings and/or photographs and/or other images related to the role of the structure in the playing of the game. Particularly advantageously, the structure 6 itself is assembled from two or more components held together by interengaging slots and/or tabs on the various components. Advantageously, some or all of the components forming the structure 6 will themselves be formed from board or like material (such as relatively stiff plastics sheet) which in the disassembled state of the structure can be packed "flat" in the box housing the game. While it is particularly preferred that the structure is provided in a form which requires it to be assembled from its individual components and then disassembled after use to permit packing in the box, as these constructional steps will provide added interest for children playing the game, nevertheless it is within the broad scope of the invention for the structure to be supplied in an assembled state, possibly in flattened form to permit packaging in the box, with the flattened structure being manipulated in order to erect it into a fonn appropriate for use; again, the structure can be formed from components of board or board-like material possibly hinged together so that the components can be moved from their flattened to their erected state by a simple hinging action.

In the particular form shown in Figure 1 which is merely given by way of an example of a wide variety of different structures which can be provided, the structure 6 consists of two separate board-like components 8, 10 (see Figures 3 and 4) which can be slotted together to provide a cruciform arrangement with the two components forming the structure extending substantially perpendicularly to the game board itself.

When assembled, the structure 6 is applied to the board in a predetermined position. In the particular embodiment shown, the structure 6 is located relative to the board 2 by tabs 12 projecting from the lower edges of the components 8, 12 and engaging in slots 14 formed in the board 2. However it is to be understood that other forms of locating system can be used to properly locate the structure 6 on the board, for example integral peg-like projections extending from the lower edge of the structure to engage in holes in the board or even separate pegs or other securing members inserted into aligned holes in the board and structure. However the tab and slot connection as shown is preferred as it is itself quite robust and can be produced inexpensively when cutting the game board itself and the various components forming the structure.

Figures 5 and 5 a show a variation of the tab and slot connection and comprises a plastics foot 16 extending upwardly through an enlarged slot cut into the game board and formed with an upwardly opening cavity 16a to receive the tab 12 on an associated component of the structure. In effect, the foot 16 with cavity 16a forms a rigid sleeve of elongate cross-section into which the tab is engaged. With this addition, the cavity 16a has a greater depth than that of a slot cut into the game board whereby the tab 12 shown in Figure 5 is able to be commensurately longer and this will achieve a greater strength and security in the attachment between the structure and the game board than the simple tab and slot connection illustrated in Figures 1 to 4.

It will be seen that the structure 6 has a number of cut-outs or other openings 18 which either open onto the lower edges of the structure 6 or are adjacent to the lower edge of the structure. When the structure 6 is placed on the game board 2 in the predetermined position these openings will lie on or adjacent to the game path 4 so that the playing pieces must be moved through these openings in order to move along that part of the path. The size of the openings is such that the various playing pieces can easily be moved through the openings even by a child as young as three years old and without properly developed manual dexterity and the openings will be sized also to permit use by older children and adults.

The movement of the playing pieces through the structure 6 will add enjoyment to the game and also the structure itself will provide significantly added visual interest. It will be understood that the form of the structure itself and the indicia applied to the structure will be directly related to the type of game being played. By way of example the simple cruciform structure 6 shown is provided with images depicting trees so that the structure simulates a forest through which the game path moves when playing the game. Within the "forest" as represented by the quadrant shaped zones defined between the adjacent arms of the structure, various obstacles or danger zones such as a dragon's lair or witch's cauldron can be incorporated or possibly a "safe haven". In the particular form shown, the central part of the structure at the zone of intersection of the two components 8, 10 is cut away to form an enclosure 20 above what might be the final goal to be reached in the game, for example a pot of gold which sits on a playing square within that enclosure and which must be reached by passage through the forest past the various obstacles.

A more complex structure can take the form of a castle for example, and various openings in the structure could, in that case, represent various gates and doors into the interior of the castle. Such a structure can be assembled from several board-like components by interengagement of slots, or slots and tabs in the different components. Figure 6 shows a structure providing the possibility of a second playing surface above the game board in addition to providing for movement on the game board through the structure in the general manner illustrated in Figures 1 to 4. In this version, the part of the structure shown at the left hand end of the game board consists of an upright 30 and a raised platform forming an upper playing surface supported above the game board by a wall 34 of box-like form. By way of example, these components may be provided with images depicting a castle such as illustrated in Figure 6. That is adjacent to further structural components 36, 38, 40 assembled together and to the game board 2 in a manner similar to that illustrated in Figures 1 to 4 and, for example, having images depicting a forest through which a player must move to "storm" the castle. In this version, the assembly of the structure is facilitated by the upright 30 being permanently attached to the end of the board 2, possibly as an integral extension of the board so that it can be folded from a stored position in which it lies substantially flat against the upper surface of the board (see Figure 7) and an erected position in which it extends perpendicularly to the board. Preferably the box-like supporting wall 34 which supports the raised platform 32 is itself permanently attached to the upright 30. In the stored state shown in Figure 7 the supporting wall 34 has been lozened so as to lie flat against the inner surface of the upright 30. To erect this part of the structure, the upright 30 is folded upwardly and outwardly (see Figure 8), the supporting wall is folded back into rectangular shape, and the upright and supporting wall are then swung back inwardly over the game board so that a tab or tabs at the underside of the wall 34 engage into a slot or slots in the game board in order to retain that part of the structure (Figure 9). The remaining components 32, 36, 38, 40 of the structure are then applied in the manner illustrated in Figure 10. The main longitudinal component 36 which is applied to the game board also interfits with the box-like supporting wall 34 by a slotted connection to ensure that the different parts of the entire structure are held firmly together, with the main longitudinal component 36 ensuring that the substructure formed by the upright 30 and wall 34 is held firmly in its erected state. The raised platform 32 which is applied over the wall 34 interfits with the upright 30 by means of a tab and slot connection and also interfits with the main longitudinal component 36 by way of a slotted connection in order to ensure the overall integrity of the structure.

The examples just given are illustrative examples of a large variety of structures which could be used and this concept can be adapted to a wide variety of different games.

The game itself will be played in accordance with a set of rules and the rules and objectives of the game will, of course, have a relationship with the structure applied to the game board. The game path or paths may have a single starting position or different starting positions for different players. The rules of the game will also determine the various objectives and, again, these may be related to the structure mounted on the game board. In the first example given of a simple structure which simulates a forest the objective may be to reach the central part of the structure. In more complex forms, for example using a structure in the form of a castle, the objective could be to enter the castle to capture an object, for example the flag, and to return that object and playing piece to a "home" or winners space on the board.

In the examples shown, the game board is rectangular and the structure is positioned symmetrically on the board. It will of course be understood that the game board itself can be of any suitable shape, for example, circular, or elliptical and the structure itself can be positioned either symmetrically or asymmetrically on the board. Although only a single composite structure is used in the two examples shown, more complex forms of the game may have two or even more separate structures positioned in different parts of the board. The board may also have provision to mount the same structure in one of two or more predetermined positions possibly to vary the way in which the game is played.

The embodiments have been described by way of example only and modifications are possible within the scope of the invention. Throughout this specification, unless the context requires otherwise, the word

"comprise", and variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A board game comprising a game board having a game path along which playing pieces are moved in accordance with the rules of the game, and structure upstanding from the surface of the board, said structure having one or more openings lying on or adjacent a part of the game path and through which playing pieces are moved when traversing that part of the game path.

2. A board game according to claim 1, wherein at least a part of the structure is separate from the game board and is applied to the game board in one or more predetermined positions for the purposes of playing the game.

3. A board game according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the structure is composed of two or more components which are releasably assembled together prior to playing the game and which can be disassembled when the game has finished.

4. A board game according to claim 3, wherein the components are of board or boardlike material.

5. A board game according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a part of the structure comprises a component permanently attached to the game board and foldable between a position in which it lies substantially flat against the game board for storage purposes and an erected position in which it extends upright from the playing surface of the board, the component being maintained in its erected position by other components of the structure retained on the playing surface of the board in a secure, but releasable, manner.

6. A board game according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein components of the structure are releasably secured to the game board in predetermined positions defined by apertures in the game board and which form part of a system for fastening the components to the board.

7. A board game according to claim 6, wherein at least some of the apertures are shaped to receive tabs projecting from the underside of the components.

8. A board game according to claim 6, wherein the apertures are adapted to receive fastening pegs forming part of the fastening system.

9. A board game according to claim 6, wherein the apertures receive fastening sleeves into which tabs projecting from the underside of the components are engaged.

10. A board game according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the structure is composed of two or more components of board or board-like material which are releasably assembled together prior to playing the game by interengagement of slots or slots and tabs in the respective components with different components of the structure extending transversely one relative to another and extending also in an upright manner from the surface of the game board so that the structure is self-supporting and relatively rigid.

11. A board game according to claim 10, wherein the assembled structure is releasably secured to the game board in a predetermined position defined by apertures extending through the game board and which receive means by which the structure is releasably fastened to the game board.

12. A board game according to claim 11, wherein the fastening means received within the apertures comprise tabs projecting from components of the structure.

13. A board game according to claim 11, wherein the fastening means comprise fastening sleeves within the apertures or fastening sleeves for receiving tabs projecting from components of the structure.

14. A board game according to claim 11, wherein the fastening means comprise pegs.

15. A board game comprising a game board having a game path along which playing pieces are moved in accordance with the rales of the game, and structure upstanding from the surface of the board, said structure having one or more openings through which playing pieces are moved during playing of the game in accordance with the rules of the game.

16. A board game according to claim 15, wherein the structure is formed from components of board or board-like material which can be de-erected into a flattened state to permit storage of the structure and the game board in a relatively shallow box.

17. A board game according to claim 16, wherein at least some of the components are separate, and the structure is formed by assembling the components and the structure disassembled when the game is finished to permit storage in the box.