WO2022167684A1

WO2022167684A1 - Ball game support and associated kit

Info

Publication number: WO2022167684A1
Application number: PCT/EP2022/053011
Authority: WO
Inventors: Guillaume LAMOUR
Original assignee: Lamour Guillaume
Priority date: 2021-02-08
Filing date: 2022-02-08
Publication date: 2022-08-11
Also published as: FR3119550A1; FR3119550B1; EP4288170A1; US20240115931A1; CN117120145A

Abstract

The invention relates to a part (11) comprising fastening means (51, 52) for fastening to another part (11) so as to form all or part of a ball game board. The part comprises a plurality of cavities arranged in a two-dimensional ordered array (2) on a first surface of the part, each cavity being designed to receive a ball.

Description

Title: BALL SET SUPPORT AND ASSOCIATED KIT

Field of invention

The field of the invention relates to a game support, in particular a game support for moving balls along a course. The field of the invention may also relate to a game medium comprising a plurality of removable modules.

State of the art

Marble games have always been popular for several centuries. It is generally played on the ground or on the sand. An example of a game (commonly called "the pot" or "the course") consists of throwing one's ball in turn towards a hole (existing or provided) or a point or a finish line, in the fewest strokes possible. , potentially following a course. Each player plays his ball and raises it from where it landed. Generally, the winner of a game wins the balls of his defeated opponents.

A disadvantage of this type of game is that it is not possible to play indoors or in a small space.

There are also game boards for guiding a ball along a path, generally in the form of a labyrinth, for example as described in the document FR2271854. A disadvantage of this kind of game is that it is not possible to play several simultaneously.

We also know Chinese checkers game boards. This type of plate comprises a face with a plurality of ball-receiving cavities. However, these trays are not designed to move the ball across the tray by flicking, pushing, or pinching.

The documents US2,753, 187 and US4,371, 169 are also known, but the latter do not make it possible to create a surface comprising a network of cavities consisting of two assembled parts.

The invention therefore aims to provide a ball game board, allowing several people to play by moving one or more balls to a point of arrival. Another aspect of the invention is to be able to modulate this board with a game variant system in order to prevent the game from being too repetitive. Another aspect of the invention is to provide a compact game board that can be transported and stored easily.

Summary of the invention

According to one aspect, the invention relates to a ball game board or a part to form such a board comprising a plurality of cavities arranged in a two-dimensional network on a first surface of the board, each cavity being designed to receive a ball.

According to a second aspect, the invention relates to a part (also called "module" in the present description) comprising fastening means for attaching to another part so as to form all or part of a marble game board. The part comprises a plurality of cavities arranged in a two-dimensional ordered network on a first surface of said part, each cavity being designed to receive a ball.

In one embodiment, said cavities comprise a truncated cone shape, in particular to slow down the stroke of the ball. The network is preferably an ordered network.

The invention advantageously makes it possible to provide a playing surface for moving several balls one after the other on this surface. The cavities make it possible both to receive the ball at the end of its stroke and to slow down the stroke of the ball along the surface of the board or of the part.

In one embodiment, a peripheral stop at least partially surrounding the network of cavities to stop the stroke of a ball. The peripheral stopper thus prevents the ball from leaving the game board. The players can thus hit the ball more naturally, the race of the ball will be both slowed down by the cavities and stopped by the peripheral stopper, guaranteeing the keeping the ball on the game board.

In one embodiment, the tray or part is transparent. The transparent board advantageously makes it possible to place under the game board a surface with a printed pattern visible through the game board.

In one embodiment, the distance between two adjacent cavities of the network is less than 20% of the length of a cavity. This proximity between the cavities of the network advantageously makes it possible to further slow down the ball by reducing the flat surface between two cavities and reduces the possibility for the ball to roll between the cavities. Preferably, the distance between two adjacent cavities of the array is less than 10% of the length of a cavity. This distance advantageously makes it possible to guarantee that the ball constantly passes from adjacent cavity to adjacent cavity, increasing the braking of the stroke.

In one embodiment, all the cavities of the network are identical. This advantageously makes it possible to guarantee a race of the ball which is homogeneous from cavity to cavity.

In one embodiment, the tray comprises at least two removable modules (or removable parts). Each removable module comprises part of the tray's network of cavities. The game board can then advantageously be disassembled, so as to be easier to store and move. It suffices to assemble the modules to each other to form the game board. The fact that each module comprises part of the network of cavities advantageously makes it possible to increase the compactness of the disassembled game board.

In one embodiment, each module includes reversible attachment means to another similar module along an attachment edge extending at least partially within the array of cavities. The reversible fixing means advantageously make it possible to guarantee the fixing of the modules to one another during play.

In one embodiment, the two-dimensional array is a hexagonal array and each hexagon of the hexagonal array includes a cavity. The two-dimensional network can also be a quadrilateral or triangular network. The advantage of the hexagonal network is that it allows a better density of cavities.

In one embodiment, a module of the fixing border extends between the cavities of a line of cavities in the array.

One advantage is to reinforce the solidity of the attachment between two modules. Indeed, by meandering between the cavities of a line of the network, the fixing means make it possible to consolidate the fixing along several directions. Another advantage is to allow the fixing edge to be drawn between the cavities. Thus, when the tray is transparent, the fixing edge does not interfere with seeing through the cavity. In one embodiment, the fixing means comprise an alternation of rail and groove designed to cooperate respectively with grooves and rails of another similar module. The rails and the grooves advantageously make it possible to reinforce the solidity of the attachment between two modules while allowing easy voluntary dismantling.

According to a second aspect, the invention relates to a kit comprising a board according to the invention and a set of marbles designed to be received in a cavity of the game board.

In one embodiment, the diameter of the balls is between 50% and 100% of the length of a cavity of the game board.

In one embodiment, the game and transparent board and the kit further include a board support including printed designs visible through the transparent board.

Brief description of figures

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent on reading the following detailed description, with reference to the appended figures, which illustrate:

[Fig. 1]: a schematic view of a plate comprising a network of cavities on one side according to one embodiment of the invention.

[Fig. 2]: a photograph of a tray according to one embodiment of the invention.

[Fig. 3]: a sectional view of a cavity of the tray according to one embodiment of the invention.

[Fig. 4]: a schematic perspective view of a tray module according to one embodiment of the invention.

[Fig. 5]: a schematic perspective view of the fixing edge of a tray module according to one embodiment of the invention.

[Fig. 6A]: a schematic representation of the network of cavities in which said network is composed of a network of adjacent hexagons each comprising a cavity.

[Fig. 6B]: schematic representation of an edge for fixing two adjacent modules through the network of cavities.

[Fig. 7]: a schematic view of a tray according to an embodiment comprising a plurality of modules. [Fig. 8A] to [Fig. 8G]: schematic views of different examples of tray modules according to one embodiment of the invention.

[Fig. 9]: a schematic representation of a kit according to one embodiment of the invention.

[Fig. 10]: a schematic perspective view of a tray module according to one embodiment of the invention seen from below.

Description of the invention

An embodiment of the game board 1 is described below with reference to FIG.

The game board 1 comprises a surface 4 on which the players can place and move their marbles. Typically, the game board 1 can be used by placing a ball in one of the cavities 21 then moving this ball by pushing, flicking or pinching against the board to another cavity in which the ball will again come to rest. . It is then possible to imagine different kinds of games from such a board 1, the aim of which could be to reach a target cavity before an opponent's ball or to get an opponent's ball out of its cavity. .

cavities

The surface 4 comprising a plurality of cavities 21 . Each cavity 21 may include a blind hole or blind hole. The dimensions of each cavity 21 allow the reception of a ball in said cavity and its immobilization in said cavity. Each cavity then corresponds to a location or a position where the ball can be placed by the player or immobilized at the end of its race.

The diameter or the length of a cavity is preferentially adapted for the immobilization of a ball. The diameter or the length of a cavity is preferentially of the order of the diameter of a ball, preferentially less than the diameter of a ball.

The most common marbles have a diameter between 1 and 2 cm, but others can reach 5 cm in diameter.

A first example of cavity 21 is illustrated in FIG. 3, the scale of which has been deliberately distorted for better clarity. In this example, the cavity 21 has the shape of a truncated cone. The cavity 21 extends from the surface 4 according to a circular section whose diameter decreases with the depth of the cavity 21 to a bottom 22. The bottom 22 can be flat and preferably extends in a plane parallel to the plane of the surface 4 of the game board 1 between two cavities. The side walls 23 of the cavity 21 form a cylinder portion. These side walls 23 make it possible to contain and immobilize the ball inside the cavity 21 . The depth of the cavity can vary between 1 mm and 1 cm.

Preferably, the ratio of the depth of the cavity to the length of the cavity extends between 0.05 and 0.4. This ratio advantageously allows a ball, the diameter of which is substantially equal to the length of the cavity, to roll along the flat bottom 22 without touching the circular section at the top of the cavity. Thus, the fluidity of the race of the ball through a cavity is favored.

The truncated cone shape allows on the one hand to improve the stability of the ball inside the cavity. On the other hand, such a cavity makes it possible to slow down the race of a ball along the surface of the plate. In particular, the flat bottom of the cavity makes it possible to make the stroke of a ball crossing the cavity straighter than a conical cavity which would impose a turn on the ball.

In one embodiment, the slope of the side wall 23 has an angle Z with the plane of the surface 4 comprised between 130° and 165°. This angle advantageously makes it possible to find a good compromise between the stabilization of a ball stopped in the cavity 21 and the fluidity of the race of the ball through the said cavity 21 .

According to a second example, the cavity 21 may have the shape of a truncated pyramid.

According to a third example, the cavity 21 extends from the surface 4 according to a section of a regular polygon whose section decreases with the depth of the cavity to a bottom 22. By “regular polygon”, we mean a polygon all sides of which are the same length and all angles are equal. Preferably, the regular polygon is a polygon having at least two axes of symmetry. The regular polygon preferably comprises a triangle, a square, a hexagon.

Cavities 21 as described in the third example advantageously allow better control of the trajectory of the ball. In particular, these cavities 21 make it possible to reduce the deviation of the trajectory of the ball when the latter loses its speed. Network of cavities

The cavities 21 of the plurality of cavities are organized in a regular network 2, preferably in a network of identical cavities.

By regular network, it is meant that the cavities 21 are organized in space by following a regular distribution in at least two directions of the two-dimensional space. According to these directions, the cavities are distributed periodically.

This regular network distribution advantageously makes it possible to guarantee a homogeneous race of the ball at any point of the plate from cavity to cavity.

In an example illustrated in FIG. 6A, the network of cavities 2 is defined by a hexagonal network, that is to say a network of hexagons 25 adjacent to each other in a honeycomb structure. Each hexagon 25 of the network 2 comprises a single cavity 21. This network 2 advantageously makes it possible to increase the compactness of the cavities 21 on the surface 4 of the game board 1 . Another advantage is to organize the network 2 of cavities 21 in rows or columns of cavities A, B, C represented in dotted lines in FIG. 6A. Along these lines or columns A,B,C, it is easier to give a ball a straight course through the cavities 21 along this line or column of cavities 21 .

In another alternative example not shown, the network of cavities 2 is defined by a triangular or quadrilateral network where each triangle or quadrilateral of the network comprises a single cavity.

Preferably, the distance between two adjacent cavities 21 of the regular network is less than 20% of the length of a cavity 21. This distance makes it possible to bring the adjacent cavities closer to each other. Thus, this proximity between the cavities advantageously makes it possible to slow down the ball by increasing its frequency of passage through a cavity. Below 10%, this distance advantageously makes it possible to guarantee that the ball constantly passes from adjacent cavity to adjacent cavity, increasing the braking of the ball during its travel.

Stopper

The game board 1 illustrated in the figures further comprises a peripheral abutment 3. The peripheral abutment 3 surrounds at least partially the network of cavities 2. The peripheral stop 3 is arranged on the surface of the game board 1 so as to stop the race of a ball. The peripheral stop 3 advantageously makes it possible to stop the race of a ball to prevent it from leaving the game board 1. Preferably, the peripheral stop 3 is adjacent to the network of cavities 2 so as to prevent a ball from leaving the network of cavities 2. In one example, the peripheral abutment 3 entirely surrounds the network of cavities.

The peripheral stop 3 preferably has a thickness of at least half the diameter of a ball. Preferably, the thickness of the peripheral stop 3 above the surface of the plate is greater than 0.75 cm, preferably greater than 1 cm in order to be able to stop the stroke of a ball.

The peripheral stop 3 preferably has a slope relative to the surface of the game board of between 25° and 55°. This slope makes it possible to find a good compromise between preventing the ball from leaving the game board and maintaining the speed of the ball when it returns inside the network of cavities 2.

In an embodiment illustrated in FIG. 11, the peripheral abutment 3 can comprise an external bevel. The outer bevel advantageously facilitates the passage of a ball arriving from the outside above the peripheral stop 3. a ball which would arrive with speed against said peripheral stop. In this embodiment, the peripheral abutment 3 comprises a slope 34 from its lateral side opposite the first surface to the internal wall 33 of the peripheral abutment 3. In an embodiment not shown, the peripheral abutment 3 comprises a plateau between the outer slope 34 and the inner wall 33.

In one embodiment, slope 34 has an angle X with the horizontal plane of surface 4 of module 11 of less than 45°. Preferably, the slope 34 has a flat surface so as not to slow down the ball during its passage.

An advantage is to facilitate the entry of a ball from the outside towards the surface 4 comprising the cavity network and to allow the passage of the ball between two modules which would not be fixed to each other and separated. .

Modules In an embodiment illustrated in Figure 2, the game board 1 consists of a single one-piece element.

In an alternative embodiment, illustrated in Figure 7, the game board 1 comprises at least two removable modules 11, 13, 12.

A removable module is understood in the present description as a mechanical part comprising at least one attachment for attaching to another part. The terms "part" and "module" are used in this description in an equivalent manner and can be used one in place of the other.

Each module 11, 12, 13 comprises part of the network of cavities. This embodiment makes it possible to disassemble the game board 1 to make it less bulky. This embodiment also makes it possible to customize the size and shape of the game board 1 according to the number, shape and arrangement of the modules 11, 12, 13.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example of a first removable module 11 . The first removable module 11 comprises a generally triangular shape. The first removable module 11 comprises a portion of the network of cavities 2 of the game board 1 .

The removable modules 11, 12, 13 each comprise reversible fixing means 51, 52, 53. These reversible fixing means are designed to cooperate with reversible fixing means of another removable module 11, 12, 13.

FIG. 8B represents an example of a second removable module 13 further comprising a portion of the peripheral stop 3. In an example illustrated in FIG. 7, the game board comprises 6 first triangular removable modules and 6 second removable modules 13 comprising a peripheral stop portion 3. The game board 1 further comprises a third module 12, illustrated in FIG. 8A of generally circular shape, arranged to form the junction between the first 6 removable modules 11 .

The peripheral stop 3 of the second removable module 12 has an angle. The advantage of this angle is to allow a better rigidity of the game board 1 in comparison where the angle would be formed at the junction between two removable modules 13. The angle of the stop 3 is preferably of about 120°. This angle makes it possible to construct a game board 1 whose peripheral abutment has a hexagonal shape.

The game board 1 thus formed forms a hexagon delimited by the peripheral abutment and a network of cavities inside this peripheral abutment.

Different shapes and sizes of game boards 1 can thus be obtained with different removable modules. For example, a fourth removable module 14 as represented in FIG. 8C comprises a peripheral stop portion 3 having an angle of 60°. This module makes it possible to create a game board 1 in the shape of a 6-pointed star.

An example of a fifth removable module 15, illustrated in FIG. 8D, comprises two peripheral abutment portions 3 on either side of a portion of the network of cavities. This module 15 thus makes it possible to integrate a "corridor" of cavities 21 in the game board 1 . This corridor can for example represent a starting point of the ball for a game.

An example of a sixth and a seventh removable module 16, 17, illustrated in FIG. 8E, comprises a straight straight peripheral abutment portion. These modules make it possible to mount a larger game board by placing such a module between two modules comprising a peripheral stop portion having an angle 13, 14.

An example of an eighth removable module 18 illustrated in FIG. 8F comprises a peripheral abutment portion having an angle of approximately 300°. An example of a ninth removable module 19 illustrated in FIG. 8G, comprises a peripheral stop portion having an angle of approximately 240°. These eighth and ninth modules make it possible to create game boards whose shapes are more varied and can include hollows inside the network and delimited by a border.

In one example, the game board 1 comprises a first number of removable modules 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 comprising a peripheral abutment portion 3, so that their assembly forms a peripheral abutment and also a second number of removable modules 11, 12 to be placed inside the peripheral abutment 3 formed to complete the network of cavities 2.

The advantage is to be able to mount game boards of different shapes and sizes. In one embodiment, a peripheral abutment 3 of a removable module 13, 14 comprises a male connector 41 at a first longitudinal end and a female connector 42 at a second longitudinal end of the peripheral abutment 3. The female connector 42 is designed to cooperate with the male connector 41 of a peripheral abutment 3 of another similar removable module and vice versa.

One advantage is to reinforce the rigidity of the structure and of the attachment between two removable modules each comprising a peripheral stop 3.

Fastening between modules

The removable modules 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 each comprise reversible fixing means 51, 52. These fixing means 51, 52 are designed to cooperate with other means of fasteners 51, 52, of another removable module. The cooperation between two removable modules takes place by contact between two removable modules defined by a fixing edge 5.

Fixing edge

The fixing edge 5 between two removable modules can comprise on either side a portion of the network of cavities 2.

The fixing edge 5 extends between the cavities 21 of the network of cavities 2 of the plate 1.

In an embodiment illustrated in FIG. 6B, the fixing edge 5 extends on either side of a line or of a column D of cavities 21 of the network of cavities 2. In other words, the edge of fixing 5 extends between the cavities 21 of a row or of a column of cavities of the network, alternating sides. The fixing border 5 can extend so as to meander between the cavities 21 of a column or of a line D (between the two dotted lines) of the network of cavities 2 as illustrated in FIG. 6B.

Preferably, said column or line D extends in a direction perpendicular to a diagonal of a hexagon of the hexagonal network of the cavity.

In one embodiment, the fixing means comprise a plurality of projections 55 each comprising at least one cavity of said plurality of cavities and a plurality of recesses 56 designed to receive the projections of another similar part. The projections and the recesses are preferably arranged alternately on the same lateral edge of the surface 4 of the part.

In one embodiment, each projection comprises a single cavity of the network of cavities and each recess corresponds to the space occupied by a single cavity. An advantage is to allow both a high density of fixing points and a continuity in the ordered network of cavities between the two surfaces of two parts fixed to each other, on both sides of the fixing edge.

The advantage of such a fixing edge 5 is to reinforce the rigidity of the connection between the two removable modules 11 by creating connections in several directions of space.

Rails and grooves

In one embodiment, the reversible fastening means comprise an alternation of rails 51 and grooves 52 along the fastening edge 5. Each rail 51 and each groove 52 is designed to cooperate with respectively a groove 52 and a rail 51 of another removable module 11 . A rail 51 can be understood as a tongue whose dimensions allow its insertion into a groove 52.

This type of fixing, in particular when the fixing edge 5 winds between the cavities 21 of a column D of the network of cavities 1, advantageously makes it possible to prevent the separation of two modules 11 by traction. The rigidity of the attachment between the modules 11 when using the tray is thus reinforced.

Preferably, as illustrated in Figures 4 and 5, the rails 51 are arranged along one side of the column D of cavities 21 along the fixing edge 5 and the grooves 52 are arranged on the other side of the D column of cavities 21 along the fixing edge. This advantageously makes it possible to reinforce the rigidity of the attachment between two adjacent modules 11, in particular it is almost impossible to separate two modules 11 thus fixed by pulling on each module in tension.

Preferably, the rails 51 and/or the grooves 52 extend along the fixing edge 5 in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the surface 4 of the game board.

Preferably, the groove 52 extends along the fixing edge 5 from a first rail 51 to a second rail 51. In one mode embodiment, the end 53 of a rail 51 is perpendicular with respect to the longitudinal axis of the rail 51 and/or of the groove 52. In an alternative embodiment, said end 53 has a slope with respect to the longitudinal axis of the groove 52 and/or of the rail 51. One advantage is to stiffen the blocking of the modules 11 when fixing between two removable modules 11 .

Pimples

In an example illustrated in Figure 10, the game board 1 may include pins 61. Each pin 61 may be arranged on the "rear" surface of the game board 1. By rear face 6 is meant the opposite face of the surface 4 of the plate 1 comprising the network 2 of cavities.

Preferably, each spike is arranged on the other side of a cavity. Thus, by transparency, the pin is visible through a cavity 21. An advantage is to be able to use the pin to fix a patch (not shown). A pellet is then visible by transparency of the tray through a cavity. A pellet then advantageously makes it possible to associate with an associated cavity, a particular rule, for example if a ball comes to rest on said cavity.

A pin can also advantageously allow the fixing of a table leg. The tray foot stabilizes the tray on a surface. Preferably, the table foot makes it possible to adjust the height of the table, for example to ensure that the surface 4 is parallel to a horizontal level.

Matter

The game board 1 can be produced by 3D printing or by injection. Tray 1 can be made of polycarbonate, Plexiglas, or polystyrene, preferably crystal polystyrene or glass. Polycarbonate may be the preferred material. The advantage of polycarbonate is to provide a better compromise between high rigidity, good transparency, better resistance to breakage and low construction cost.

Preferably, the game board 1 is transparent. An advantage is to be able to place under the game board 1, a printed surface whose patterns are visible through the game board. The patterns of the printed surface can include boxes, corresponding to cavities 21 of the game board 1. These squares are thus visible across the board, under a cavity and allows you to add special rules, for example when a ball comes to rest on a cavity corresponding to such a box.

Printed material and kit

The invention further comprises a kit 30. The kit 30 comprises a game board 1 according to the invention and a set of balls 31 . Each ball is designed to be able to be immobilized in a cavity 21 of the game board 1 .

Kit 30 may also include a tray holder 32. The tray holder includes printed designs visible through the transparent tray. The printed patterns include at least one square, corresponding to a cavity of the board and visible through the game board.

In one embodiment, the kit comprises a plurality of removable modules as described above. The kit thus makes it possible to mount a game board of variable size and shape.

At least some of the removable modules preferably include portions of the peripheral abutment 3.

Claims

CLAIMS Part (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19) comprising fastening means for attaching to another part so as to form all or part of a ball game board (1 ); the part comprising a plurality of cavities (21) arranged in a two-dimensional ordered network (2) on a first surface (4) of said part, each cavity (21) being designed to receive a ball; said part comprising reversible fastening means (51, 52, 53) to another similar part along a fastening edge (5); characterized in that said fixing means are formed by:

- a plurality of projections (55) each comprising at least one cavity of said plurality of cavities and

- a plurality of recesses (56) designed to receive the projections of another similar part. Part according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises a peripheral stop (3) at least partially surrounding the network (2) of cavities (21) to stop the stroke of a ball. Part according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, characterized in that the part is transparent. Part according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the distance between two adjacent cavities of the network is less than 20% of the length of a cavity, preferably less than 10% of the length of a cavity. Part according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that all the cavities of the network are substantially identical. 6. Part according to claim 1, characterized in that the two-dimensional array (2) is an ordered hexagonal array and each hexagon (25) of the hexagonal array comprises a cavity (21).

7. Part according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the fixing means comprise an alternation of rails (51) and grooves (52) designed to cooperate with respectively grooves (51) and rails (52) d another similar piece.

8. Part according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the cavities comprise a round base or a base of a regular polygon.

9. Kit (30) comprising at least two parts according to one of claims 1 to 8 to form a game board (1), the first surfaces of each part forming a two-dimensional ordered network of cavities on either side of the fixing edge (5).

10. Kit (30) according to claim 8 further comprising a set of balls (31) designed to be immobilized in a cavity (21) of the game board (1).