WO2015089120A1 - Game with three dimensional characters in an arena - Google Patents

Abstract

A game has characters within an arena, moved by rules, and objects sent against the characters using flicking by players. Each character assembles into a three dimensional form by layers of stacked foam board. A character has a printed rigid body defining its maximum height and width. Foam pieces then adhere and stack upon the base card following a pattern. The pattern has a sequence so a character's outer components assemble last. Each character has a support extending outwardly, keeping it upright. The arena has a polygonal form with a deck. Walls form an upright barrier upon the arena's perimeter. The first walls connect to the arena using a slot that receives a male tab and a second slot that fits upon notches of a second male tab. Beneath the walls, the deck includes a foam cushion as a damper.

Description

GAME WITH THREE DIMENSIONAL CHARACTERS IN AN ARENA

TECHNICAL FIELD BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The game with three dimensional characters in an arena relates generally to toys and more specifically to a role playing game with self standing pieces. The characters have a human-like form with armor and costume in three dimensions, that is, relief.

People, primarily children, play with games of all kinds. The games may have play and rules established by the players themselves or play and rules set by a manufacturer or regulating body. Some games allow the players to establish their own rules as a game progresses. Most games though have established rules. The rules lead the players through a sequence of events that vary by chance determined by random event generators such as dice, cards, spinning wheels, and the like.

Games often simulate real life events and activities. The earliest games, such as rock, paper, scissors, used no pieces but simulated struggles for subsistence. Earlier games, such as chess or cha, used shaped pieces that represented select persons and military units with one side conquering the other side. Early games, such as backgammon, dominoes, and playing cards, proceeded with rules and simple pieces where one side accumulated more pieces of the other side.

Recent games have utilized foldable boards with pathways printed upon them subject to various sets of rules. The games often include pieces to represent players but on a smaller scale. The pieces may take the form of household items, mandrels, cars, and the like. The players move the pieces along the boards following the rules so that one player emerges as a winner.

Modern games have utilized computers to the fullest. Adventure games provided mysteries for players to solve over a computer. The Atari® 2600 provided games on cartridges inserted into a console and displayed upon a television. Various arcade games, such as Pac-Man®, provided millions of hours of entertainment to players. The games evolved to full color, animated programs where a player learns the rules during play upon a personal computer, such as MYST®. Present day games allow for multiple players to participate in a common computer game via the Internet, such as Call of Duty®.

Games take many forms and allow for people to exercise their creativity. Players of games learn the rules and operate within the rules and chance to advance through the game. The players also deal with fellow players in the quest to be a winner of a game.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

The prior art has games that go back for centuries but also new games appear regularly, often during the holiday shopping season. Games have many forms but share the goal of one player becoming a winner, within the rules.

During the 1980s, the game Dungeons & Dragons® achieved popularity. This game utilized mythological and fantasy characters within a set of rules upon a board. The players of the game operated under the supervision of a dungeon master, generally a more experienced player. The characters generally had their form printed upon cards along with a list of powers and attributes. Characters could be good or bad. A player would keep his character cards near him to refer to the powers and attributes. Pieces upon the game board represented the characters as they moved through a mythical world during the game.

Also about that time Milton Bradley® released its game called Dark Tower®. This game had a one foot tall tower that rotated upon battery power. The tower had lighting and sounds which depicted various actions upon a somewhat round game board. The game board depicted various lands in the vicinity of the tower. Players would move pieces, similar to small castles, upon the game board subject to the rules. Players would also place small flags upon a peg hole board that each player operated.

Following play, the players folded the game board upon seams into a quadrant like shape for placement in a box.

U.S. Pat. No. 5257783 to Callaghan shows a stuffed leather triangular football. A player then flicks the football when standing upon a point as commonly done by schoolboys.

U.S. Pat. No. 5451050 to Charles provides a miniature simulated football game with a gridiron and two teams of sculpted or molded players. The game includes rules similar to U.S. football and dice procedures that introduce chance elements to the game.

U.S. Pat. No. 5465976 to Gonzalez illustrates a game piece with a protector. The game piece has a generally elliptical form made from a planar sheet. This elliptical form though has indentation towards one point that receives a finger when a player applies a flick.

U.S. Pat. No. 5687966 to Barnhart et al describes a football game piece with a foam core of a triangular shape and two exterior woven fabric veneers upon the core. The game piece has a generally planar form.

U.S. Pat. No. 5752703 to Wong provides a target game of skill. This game operates upon a tabletop and provides a cylindrical target, similar to a cup, and a launcher, similar to a slat. The slat has a themed character upon it and a thin cross section suitable for light deflection. The slat also has resilience to return to its form upon release of the deflection. A user grips the slat in one hand, places a ball upon the opposite end of the slat, and then draws that end rearward using the user's other hand. The user then releases the ball towards the target.

U.S. Pat. No. 5887871 to Zappolo describes a game board having obstacles similar to a street with road hazards. The rectangular game board has sides and walls upon its perimeter. The sides and walls contain game pieces slid upon the gameboard. The gameboard has numbered spaces to assist the users during a game under the rules provided.

U.S. Pat. No. 6227935 to Smith, C. et al, provides a method to make invertible objects. This method and its resulting objects utilize a planar sheet preprinted in various patterns. The method then guides a user to fold the sheet into a partial three dimensional effect but one side of the object remains open.

And, U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 201 1/0156348 to Oscar illustrates a simulated sports board game with bottle caps. The bottle caps, or other items, simulate the players upon a sports team. The bottle caps have a printed image upon their underside showing an athlete from a sports team. The field for the sports team then appears as a printed image upon foam or paper and the field has scaled proportions. The users then flick the bottle caps using simulated rules of the game shown upon the simulated field.

U.S. Pat. No. 7201374 to Bielman shows a game with at least two players and each player operates a robot or vehicle under rules. The rules include awarding and remove accessories from each robot or vehicle as a game progresses. The players assemble the robots or vehicles from planar printed sheets. Each piece then has a cooperating tongue and groove or slot for connection to a counterpart piece. The robots or vehicles generally have wide bases so that they remain upright. U.S. Pat. No. 5178573 from Smith, H illustrates a doll set that utilizes a magnetic backing that temporarily receives pretend hair, hats, clothing, shoes, and the like for dressing and decorating a human like form. The human form and the various accessories attract to the magnetic backing yet allow a child to remove them. The child can relocate the accessories as she sees fit. The human form and the accessories occupy a planar form and the accessories may have various colors, shapes, and patterns to follow fashion.

U.S. Pat. No. 3365198 to Hay shows a collection of puzzles with letters of the English alphabet. Each letter forms a character, shape, animal, or person that begins with that letter. The puzzles have a generally planar form.

U.S. Pat. No. 6101387 to Nemec illustrates various three

dimensional figures formed from a planar member. The figures come from collections of two or three cooperating hook and loop fastening pieces. The pieces mutually connection using friction and attain the shape of animals, famous people, vehicles, and the like.

U.S. Pat. No. 1229580 to Brown shows a planar puzzle with pieces that separate from a planar member. A base forms with a cooperating tongue and groove connection. An alternate embodiment includes discs that form a wheeled vehicle.

U.S. Pat. No. 3236007 to Abeson illustrates a planar toy figure made of a lamination. The lamination includes an outer metal foil layer of select thickness and a foam facing sheet adhered to the metal foil layer.

U.S. Pat. No. 2314744 to Warren describes a figure made in a planar material that stands with a cross member. The cross member has a slot that fits upon the rest of the figure. The cross member has a generally perpendicular orientation to the figure. U.S. Pat. No. 6234858 to Nix provides foam objects with

interchangeable parts. The objects begin with printed foam that shows a body and then appendages such as arms and legs. Each body has apertures through it that receive pins, either round or rectangular for attachment of appendages. The round pins permit movement of the appendages while the rectangular pins maintain the appendages in a fixed position.

U.S. Pat. No. 5686154 to Brown, J. shows a model for a piece of topography such as terrain upon the earth. The model has pieces cut and size to follow contours as from a topographic map. The pieces have a generally hollow form, that is, with a central hole. The pieces stack vertically and form a hollow, that is, lightweight, model of terrain. The model can be flattened for storage.

U.S. Pat. No. 6475054 to Liu describes a doll form in a planar sheet along with clothes, hats, shoes, and the like. The doll has a base also from the sheet. The clothes attach to the front and the back of the upright doll. The clothes secure upon the doll using clips, as at 121 , in a cooperating tongue and groove connection.

U.S. Pat. No. 2384330 to Muggy shows a planar mannequin with garments temporarily connected to it. The garments have a planar cardboard construction with select eyes that pass into the mannequin. A user then inserts a pin into such an eye thus connecting the garment to the mannequin.

U.S. Pat. No. 5022886 to Jenkins and assigned to Hasbro provides a toy that receives clothing. The toy is flat, planar, and upright. The clothing is also flat but has a perimeter flange upon 50% of its own perimeter. The clothing also has a pin upon it that operates as a fulcrum. In use, the clothing is placed upon the toy with the perimeter flange fitting upon the toy and the pin resting upon the front of the toy. A user presses the bottom of the clothing, pivoting the clothing upon the fulcrum, and lifting the perimeter flange thus detaching the clothing from the toy.

U.S. Pat. No. 6041436 to Keen describes a wearable suit for people. The suit includes portions of hook or loop pile that receive counterpart pile on various accessories.

U.S. Pat. No. 6508688 to Liu, K.C. shows revolving structure for upright toys. The structure includes a base with gears fitting within the base. The teeth on the gears mutually cooperate and shafts upon each gear allow a person to turn them and thus rotate all gears simultaneously.

The present invention overcomes the difficulties of characters printed on flat cards, simulated castle sections, and complex rule schemes. The present invention provides its characters in three dimensions and human like form so that the characters appeal to the players, usually children.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Generally, the present invention provides a plurality of characters, deployed within an arena, moved pursuant to a set of rules, and objects sent against the characters using flicking by players. Each character assembles into a three dimensional form, that is, relief, through multiple layers of stacked foam board following a pattern. A character has a printed rigid base card defining the maximum height and width of the character. Planar foam components then adhere and stack upon the base card following a preprinted pattern upon the base card. Additional foam components adhere and stack upon preceding components upon another level of the pattern. The pattern generally has a sequence so that the outer components of a character are assembled last. Each component has the same thickness but may vary in planar shape depending upon the appendage, armor component, costume piece, and the like of the character. Each character also includes a support extending outwardly from the plane of the character, keeping the character upright.

During play of this game, a group of characters are placed in an arena and then flicked towards a first door by a first player. The other players seek to flick the characters of the first player towards an opposite second door. Flicking appears as a player releasing his curled index finger from adjacent his thumb so the fingernail strikes the character. The impact force of the player's finger upon the character moves the character within the arena. The arena has a polygonal form, preferably with an even number of sides. The arena starts with a planar polygon as its floor, here a hexagon though an octagon is foreseen. Four first walls form an upright barrier upon the perimeter of the polygon. Two second walls block openings in two of the first walls. The first walls connect to the arena using a female slot that receives a male tab and a U shaped opening, or door, that fits upon notches of a second male tab wider than the first. One first wall attaches with two female slots. Each first wall has opposite slits on each end for an interlocking connection at each corner. The floor includes a foam cushion beneath its center as a damper.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood and that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. Additional features of the invention will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims attached.

Numerous objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon a reading of the following detailed description of the presently preferred, but nonetheless illustrative, embodiment of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Before explaining the current embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other

embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

One object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved game with three dimensional characters in an arena.

Another object is to provide such a game with three dimensional characters in an arena that has characters in three dimensions and bipedal form. Another object is to provide such a game with three dimensional characters in an arena that is portable and suitable for indoor use.

Another object is to provide such a game with three dimensional characters in an arena that children can assemble.

Another object is to provide such a game with three dimensional characters in an arena that has a low cost of manufacturing so the purchasing players, parents, schools, clubs, tournaments, and

organizations can readily buy the game and characters through stores and supply sources.

These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty that characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In referring to the drawings,

FIG. 1 shows a front view of a character constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 provides a side view of a character of the invention;

FIG. 3 illustrates an exploded view of a character of the invention; FIG. 4 describes a plan view of a character in flat form of the invention;

FIG. 5 illustrates a side view of characters approaching an arena for the invention;

FIG. 6 provides a top view of the arena of the invention;

FIG. 7 shows a sectional view of the arena of the invention;

FIG. 8 provides a plan view of the deck of the arena; and,

FIG. 9 illustrates a sectional view of a corner of the arena of the invention.

The same reference numerals refer to the same parts throughout the various figures.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The present art overcomes the prior art limitations by providing a game with three dimensional characters in an arena. Beginning with Fig. 1 , the invention has a plurality of characters shown by a typical character as at 30. The character has a somewhat human like form upon a base 31 with a support 32 extending perpendicular to the base. The base generally follows the plane of the character while the support extends outwardly from the character and maintains the character upright. The character has two legs 34 extending upwardly from the base 31 to a chest 37. From the chest, two arms 35 extend outwardly generally in the same plane as the legs. Opposite the legs, a head 38 extends outwardly from the chest and also in the same plane as the legs and the arms. Outwardly from the chest, each arm terminates in a hand 36 and each leg terminates in a foot 33. The hands and the feet extend slightly into the foreground of this figure from the plane of the arms and the legs, as further shown in Fig. 2. The legs, arms, chest, head, feet, and hands may also include additional relief features as later shown. The character has a three dimensional appearance in this figure.

Turning the character to the side in Fig. 2, the character takes its form from stacking of multiple layers of material. The character has the support 32 as before generally perpendicular to the plane of the character. The support connects to the character proximate the feet 33. The character begins to take its form with a layer called a first body 39 having a generally human like form. The first body extends from the feet 33 to the head 38 of the character. Adjacent and contiguous with the first body, the character has a second body 40 adhered to the first body. The first body and the second body have the same perimeter so that the character has a finished edge when assembled. Outwardly from the second body 40 and opposite the first body 39, the character has a shoulder 41 and a leg 34 adhering to the second body. The shoulder and the leg have their extent to be proportional to the anatomy of the character. Upon the shoulder, the character has an arm 35 so that the arm is outward of the shoulder and the approximate fourth layer away from the first body. The shoulders, arms, and legs, of the character also receive additional pieces 42 adhered to them. The pieces may simulate armor, costumes, weapons, and additional body parts suitable to the character.

Fig. 3 then shows a character 30 in an exploded view to illustrate its construction. The character has the first body 39 upon a base with a human like shape. The base has a notch 43 that receives the support 32 in a perpendicular arrangement. The support has a somewhat semi-circular shape with its own notch that cooperates with the notch 43 in the base. The support has its height, generally in the same direction as the height or longest dimension of a character and its width, generally perpendicular to the height, that is, parallel to a playing surface during usage. The width is generally the same of greater than the height of the support so that the support has a rigid form that provides stability to an upright character. Further, the adhesive joining of the two parts of the support, prevents the support from splitting. The character also has a second body 40 of similar shape as the first body and with a notch 43 in its base. The first body and the second body have the arms, legs, chests, and heads as previously described. Outwardly from the second body, a character has a plurality of pieces 42. The pieces have various shapes that comport with their appearance as armor, costumes, weapons, and additional body parts. Each piece also has a number upon it, typically shown as a dark number upon a white background. The inventor foresees additional numbering and coloration schemes that stand out from the character's coloration and guide a user during assembly of the character.

A character generally reaches a user, or a player, in flat form as shown in Fig. 4. The character appears on a card 50, generally

rectangular, with the first body 39 and second body 40 shown as mirror images of each other. The first body and the second body are separated along a seam. The first body and the second body, along with related pieces, are shown printed upon one surface of the card. Opposite the printed surface, the card has a release layer beneath adhesive. The adhesive extends beneath the first body, second body, and the pieces, such as a printed adhesive. Alternatively, the adhesive extends beneath the release layer across the width and the length of the card. Outside of the first body and the second body, the card 50 includes the plurality of pieces 42 that a player places upon the second body, scrap as at 44 that a player does not use upon the character, the supports 32, and a locating scheme here shown as a numbering plan. The numbering plan has each piece identified with a numeral, as at 51 , printed adjacent to the piece. Select pieces also receive another piece placed upon them, with a second numeral as at 52. The second numerals have a different printing than the first numerals. During assembly of a character, a player removes a numbered piece from the card and also its release layer. The player then will place a piece with a numeral upon a counterpart of a second numeral with the same numeric value. By following the numbering scheme, a player assembles a character in three dimensions, that is, with various costumes, armor, and other body parts. The player also removes the scrap 44 shown by its numerals that lack a counterpart numeral elsewhere on the card and the character. Typically the scraps have lower numerals. The numerals typically range from 1 through 20 however, for more complex character, additional numerals or other symbols may be used.

Once a player assembles a character 30, the player introduces them into a game as in Fig. 5. The game includes a plurality of characters 30 and an arena 60. The arena has a generally polygonal shape, here shown as hexagonal though octagonal is foreseen. The arena has a generally flat deck 61 with its perimeter and walls 62 upon the perimeter of the flat deck. The walls extend upwardly from the deck and perpendicular to the deck. The walls are mutually spaced apart and have an arrangement of parallel pairs. The walls connect at corners of the deck, as later shown and described.

Fig. 6 shows a top view of the arena ready for the characters and the players. The deck has a polygonal shape that defines the shape of the arena, here shown as hexagonal though the inventor foresees alternate shapes such as octagonal. The arena 60 has its deck 61 with walls 62 upon the perimeter. The walls extend slightly below the deck, that is, into the background in this figure. Each piece of wall has a minor portion that extends below the deck and a major portion that extends above the deck. The minor portion has a lesser height than the major portion. Because of that, the deck appears raised above any supporting surface for the game. The deck has a tendency to transmit vibration because of its width and spacing above the supporting surface. In transmitting vibration, the deck also deflects which raises the instance of characters tipping over. The invention prevents this issue by including a cushion 63 mounted to the approximate center of the deck on the deck surface generally not seen by players in the assembled arena.

The cushion 63 appears more clearly in the sectional view of Fig. 7. The arena has its walls 62 mutually spaced apart as shown. The walls have two ends, a top edge as at 62a and an opposite bottom edge as at 62b, where a player may see a top edge and the bottom edge rests upon a supporting surface. The deck 61 connects to the walls slightly above the bottom edges, as shown. The deck has an upper surface 61 a, visible to players, and an opposite lower surface 61 b generally oriented towards the support surface, such as a table or floor, and not seen by players during a game. The deck includes the cushion 63 generally attached upon the lower surface proximate the center of the deck. The cushion has a thickness similar to the spacing of the deck above the bottom edges 62b. The cushion reduces the unbraced length of the deck and effectively removes vibrations and deflections in the deck thus allowing characters to remain standing during play of the game.

Fig. 8 shows a top view of the deck 61 with the upper surface 61 a in the foreground. The deck includes the cushion 63 upon the lower surface 61 b. The deck has the polygonal shape selected for the game, here shown as hexagonal though an octagonal shape is foreseen as an embodiment of the invention. The polygonal shape of the deck generally has an even number of edges, or sides, so that the edges are mutually parallel and spaced apart from one another. The parallel opposite edges allow characters to play against each other during the game. The deck has its perimeter with six edges forming a hexagon with the internal angle between each pair of edges being the same. Each edge of the deck has a tab for engaging a slot in a section of wall 62. Half of the edges have male tab 64 and the other half of the edges have a second male tab 65 in an alternating arrangement. The male tab 64 has a generally rectangular shape in plan view as shown. The male tab has a length much less than the length of the edge and a width approximately 2-8 times the thickness of the deck. The male tab inserts into a corresponding rectangular slot in a wall section. Adjacent to a male tab 64, other edges have a second male tab 65. The second male tab has a truncated T like shape in plan view. The second tab also has a length much less than the length of its edge of the deck and an overall width of approximately 2 to 8 times the thickness of the deck. Also, the second tab has its two ends recessed to a shorter length across part of the width of the second tab, thus forming the T like shape. Each second tab inserts into a separate slot in a wall section where this slot is slightly less in length than the length of the second male slot. The male tab and second male tab cooperate with their counterpart slots in holding the walls 62 of the arena upright as shown in Figs. 5, 7.

And Fig. 9 illustrates one typical corner of the arena 60. The arena has two wall sections abutting at each corner. The corner has a first wall section as at 62a abutting a second wall section as at 62b with their top edges upwardly in this figure. The first wall section abuts the second wall section upon mutual edges perpendicular to the top edges. The first wall section also has a slot 67, generally rectangular in shape and spaced slightly above the bottom edge. The second wall section also has a second slot 66, generally rectangular in shape, slightly less in width than the slot 67, and spaced slightly above the bottom edge at the same level as the slot 67 in the first wall section. The slot 67 receives a male tab 64 from the deck while the second slot 66 accepts a second male tab 65 from the deck in an alternating manner around the perimeter of the deck. The male tab and second male tab cooperating with the slot and the second slot proximate each corner allow for the walls 62 to attach to the deck 61 at the same height above the bottom edges on each wall thus the deck has a flat orientation suitable for play of the game.

The present invention in its various embodiments described above provides a plurality of characters. Each of the characters has a planar body, a base coplanar with the body and a support connecting transverse to the base, that is, perpendicular to the base. The base allows the character to stand upright upon the support. The invention then has many pieces suitable for adhering to each of the characters, such as armor, garments, decorations, and the like that fit with the play of the game. The pieces stack in a sequence first upon the body and then upon each other, that is, the previously stacked pieces. The pieces typically stack to two tall. Each piece has a planar form smaller than a body and suitable for a limb or body area. The body has two adjacent body portions that mutually adhere following removal of the release layer. The base also has two adjacent base portions that mutually adhered along with the support having two mutually adhered adjacent support portions. The body portions, base portions, and the support portions are congruent to themselves and share a common perimeter to themselves. The support portions extend across, or transverse to the base portions. Then, each of the body portions has at least one leg and at least one arm, with an arm being spaced above a leg in a typical hominid like form. A leg extends upwardly from the base portion while a leg and an arm extend out from a center of the body portion.

For assembling the invention, each of the body portions has two spaced apart surfaces, one surface having adhesive. The surfaces, from the body portions, each have adhesive engage in mutual contact to form the body into rigidity. The base portions also have two spaced apart surfaces, one surface having adhesive. Those surfaces having adhesive then have mutual contact forming the rigid base. Each of the support portions has two spaced apart surfaces with adhesive upon one surface. The adhesive surfaces of the two support portions mutually engage and form the support into its rigid shape resists splitting along a plane of mutual contact.

For application to a body, the planar card has pieces where each piece has two spaced apart surfaces with one surface having adhesive. The adhesive surface then adheres to the surface of the body portion opposite the body portion adhesive, that is, the printed surface or layer, or to the printed surface of another piece previously positioned. The pieces stack upon the body and upon other pieces in a sequential order forming one of the characters. The pieces stack to a maximum thickness of two and the pieces stack upon only one of the body portions. The body portions, the base portions, and the support portions each begin as part of a printed planar form. One of the body portions has a sequential pattern upon it of an indicia, such as numerals or letters. The pieces have a counterpart sequential pattern adjacent to each piece, such as numerals or letters, and of contrasting indicia to the pattern on the body, such as white numerals on a black background for the body and black numerals on a white

background for the pieces. The body portions, the base portions, the support portions, and the pieces assemble into one of the characters by a user following the sequential patterns, typically numeric, upon the body portions and the base portions, the support portions, and the pieces. A user may readily detect the pattern.

A user plays with the characters upon an arena that has a deck and walls upon the arena's perimeter. The characters seek to remain with the arena walls during game play and each seeks to remain upright upon its support portion and base portion and upon the deck. The arena has a perimeter and a polygonal shape of an even number, such as hexagonal or octagonal. The deck has a generally flat and planar form with a polygonal shape that of the arena, a perimeter, and edges upon the perimeter. Upon the deck, walls connect to the edges where the adjacent walls form a corner of the polygonal shape. The even number of edges in the polygonal shape of the arena and its deck result in pairs of walls being mutually parallel and spaced apart from each other.

The deck also defines a plane and each of the walls extends perpendicular to the deck. Each wall has a height with a minor portion of the height below the plane of the deck and a major portion of the height above the plane of the deck. Beneath the deck, the arena has a cushion with a thickness and the minor portion of each of the wall has a similar height as the thickness of the cushion. The cushion dampens vibrations upon the deck during game play into a supporting surface below the device.

Each of the edges has a tab that extends outwardly from the arena from the plane of the deck. Each of the walls has a slot upon the minor portion and each slot cooperatively engages each of the tabs so the tabs connect the walls to the deck, the walls remaining upright. Each of the tabs has a rectangular or a T shaped form when viewed coplanar with the deck. Each of the slots then has a wide form receiving a tab having a rectangular form or a narrow form that receives a tab having a T shaped form. Each of the walls connects to each adjacent wall so that the walls as a group have a continuous connection around the perimeter of the deck.

From the aforementioned description, a game with three

dimensional characters in an arena has been described. The game and characters are uniquely capable of assembling characters and pieces upon the characters playing in a polygonal arena. The game and characters and their various components may be manufactured from many materials, including but not limited to, foam, foam layered with printed paper upon two surfaces, woods of many kinds, polyvinyl chloride PVC, polymers, high density polyethylene HDPE, polypropylene PP, ferrous and non-ferrous metals, their alloys, and composites.

As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. Therefore, the claims include such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and the scope of the present invention.

Claims

CLAIMS We claim:

1 . A device for entertainment, comprising:

a plurality of characters;

each of said characters having a planar body, a base coplanar with said body, a support connecting transverse to said base wherein said base allows said character to stand upon said support so that each remains upright;

a plurality of pieces suitable for adhering to each of said characters, said pieces stack in a sequence initially upon said body and upon previously stacked of said pieces; and,

each of said pieces having a planar form of lesser size than said body.

2. The device for entertainment of claim 1 further comprising: said body having two adjacent body portions, said body portions being mutually adhered;

said base having two adjacent base portions, said base portions being mutually adhered;

said support having two adjacent support portions, said support portions being mutually adhered;

each of said body portions having at least one leg and at least one arm, said at least one arm being spaced above said at least one leg, said at least one leg extending upwardly from said base portion, said at least one leg and said at least one arm extending outwardly from a center of said body portion.

3. The device for entertainment of claim 2 wherein said body portions are congruent and share a common perimeter, said base portions are congruent and share a common perimeter, and said support portions are congruent and share a common perimeter; and,

said support portions being transverse said base portions.

4. The device for entertainment of claim 3 further comprising: said support having a width and a height perpendicular to its width, its width exceeding its height.

5. The device for entertainment of claim 1 further comprising: each of said body portions have two spaced apart surfaces, one surface having adhesive thereon, said surfaces having adhesive being in mutual contact forming said body with rigidity;

each of said base portions have two spaced apart surfaces, one surface having adhesive thereon, said surfaces having adhesive being in mutual contact forming said base with rigidity; and,

each of said support portions have two spaced apart surfaces, one surface having adhesive thereon, said surfaces having adhesive being in mutual contact forming said support with rigidity and resistance to splitting along a plane of mutual contact.

6. The device for entertainment of claim 1 further comprising: each piece having two spaced apart surfaces, one surface having adhesive thereon, said surface having adhesive adhering to one of said surface of said body portion opposite said surface having adhesive of said body portion or to said surface of another of said pieces opposite said surface having adhesive of said another of said pieces.

7. The device for entertainment of claim 6 further comprising: said pieces stacking upon said body and upon others of said pieces in a sequential order forming one of said characters.

8. The device for entertainment of claim 6 further comprising: said pieces stacking to a maximum thickness of two and said pieces stacking upon one of said body portions;

each piece having two spaced apart surfaces, one surface having adhesive thereon, said surface having adhesive adhering to one of said surface of said body portion opposite said surface having adhesive of said body portion or to said surface of another of said pieces opposite said surface having adhesive of said another of said pieces.

9. The device for entertainment of claim 5 further comprising: said body portions, said base portions, and said support portions each being printed in planar form, one of said body portions having a sequential numerical pattern upon it and of an indicia;

said pieces being printed in planar form, each of said pieces having a sequential numerical pattern adjacent to it and of contrasting indicia the sequential numerical pattern of one of said body portions, and said support portions having a sequential numerical pattern adjacent to it;

wherein said body portions, said base portions, said support portions, and said pieces are adapted to assemble into one of said characters by a user following the sequential numerical patterns upon said body portions and said base portions, said support portions, and said pieces.

10. The device for entertainment of claim 1 further comprising: an arena having a deck and walls upon its perimeter, said arena receiving said plurality of characters within its walls;

each of said characters standing upright upon its support portion and base portion and upon said deck.

1 1 . A device for entertainment, comprising:

an arena, said arena having a perimeter and a polygonal shape; a deck, generally flat and planar and having a polygonal shape of said arena, a perimeter, and edges upon said perimeter; and,

a plurality of walls, each of said walls connecting to one of said edges forming a corner of said polygonal shape.

12. The device for entertainment of claim 1 1 further comprising: said arena and said deck having a polygonal shape of an even number polygon wherein each of pair of said walls are mutually parallel and spaced apart.

13. The device for entertainment of claim 12 further comprising: said arena and said deck having one of a hexagonal shape and an octagonal shape.

14. The device for entertainment of claim 13 further comprising: said deck defining a plane;

each of said walls extending perpendicular to said deck, each of said walls having a height, each of said walls having a minor portion of said height below the plane of said deck and a major portion of said height above the plane of said deck.

15. The device for entertainment of claim 14 further comprising: a cushion beneath said deck, said cushion having a thickness; said minor portion of each of said walls having similar height as said thickness of said cushion;

wherein said cushion is adapted to dampen vibrations upon said deck into a supporting surface below said device.

16. The device for entertainment of claim 14 further comprising: each of said edges having a tab extending outwardly from said arena and coplanar with said deck; and, each of said walls having a slot upon said minor portion, each of said slots cooperatively engaging each of said tabs wherein said tabs connect said walls to said deck.

17. The device for entertainment of claim 16 further comprising: each of said tabs having one of a rectangular form and a T shaped form; and,

each of said slots having one of a wide form receiving a tab having a rectangular form and a narrow form receiving a tab having a T shaped form.

18. The device for entertainment of claim 14 further comprising: each of said walls connecting to each adjacent wall wherein said plurality of walls has a continuous connection around the perimeter of said deck.

19. The device for entertainment of claim 14 further comprising: a plurality of characters deployed upon said arena by a user;

each of said characters having a planar body, a base coplanar with said body, a support connecting transverse to said base wherein said base allows said character to stand upon said support so that each remains upright;

a plurality of pieces suitable for adhering to each of said characters, said pieces stack in a sequence initially upon said body and upon previously stacked of said pieces;

each of said pieces having a planar form of lesser size than said body;

each of said characters standing upright upon its support portion and base portion and upon said deck.

20. A device for entertainment, comprising: a pl ural ity of characters, each character printed in planar rectangular form upon a lamination of a release layer, adhesive, foam panel , and printed layer;

said printed layer showing a planar body, a base coplanar with said body, a support connecting transverse to said base wherein said base al lows said character to stand upon said support so that each remains upright and a pl ural ity of pieces outwardly of said planar body, each of said pieces su itable for adhering to said printed layer fol lowing removal of said release layer, said pieces stacking in a sequence in itial ly upon said body and then upon previously stacked of said pieces, each of said pieces having a planar form of lesser size than said body;

said body having two body portions, said body portions having at least one leg and at least one arm, said at least one arm being spaced above said at least one leg , said at least one leg extend ing upwardly from said base portion , said at least one leg and said at least one arm extend ing outwardly from a center of said body portion ;

said base having two adjacent base portions;

said support having two adjacent support portions, said support having a width and a height perpend icular to its width , its width exceed ing its height;

one of said body portions having a sequential numerical pattern upon it and of an ind icia, each of said pieces having a sequential numerical pattern adjacent to it and of contrasting ind icia to the sequential numerical pattern of one of said body portions, and said support portions having a sequential numerical pattern , wherein said body portions, said base portions, said support portions, and said pieces are adapted to assemble into one of said characters by a user fol lowing the sequential numerical patterns upon said body portions and said base portions, said support portions, and said pieces;

wherein upon assembly of a character said body portions are mutually congruent, said base portions are mutually congruent, and said support portions are mutually congruent, and said support portions being transverse said base portions;

an arena having a deck and walls upon its perimeter, said arena receiving said plurality of characters within its walls, said deck defining a plane, a cushion beneath said deck, said cushion having a thickness, wherein said cushion is adapted to dampen vibrations upon said deck; said arena and said deck having a polygonal shape of an even number polygon wherein each of pair of said walls are mutually parallel and spaced apart;

each of said walls extending perpendicular to said deck, each of said walls having a height, each of said walls having a minor portion of said height below the plane of said deck and a major portion of said height above the plane of said deck;

said minor portion of each of said walls having similar height as said thickness of said cushion;

each of said edges having a tab extending outwardly from said arena and coplanar with said deck, each of said tabs having one of a rectangular form and a T shaped form; and,

each of said walls having a slot upon said minor portion, each of said slots cooperatively engaging each of said tabs wherein said tabs connect said walls to said deck, each of said slots having one of a wide form receiving a tab having a rectangular form and a narrow form receiving a tab having a T shaped form.