FIELD OF THE INVENTION
A stacking or stackable unit or apparatus is disclosed along with an associated method for use of the unit(s) as, for example, a game and/or toy that includes two or more vertically stacked units. Each unit may have an upper surface that may be angled relative to the unit's base or bottom such that the stacking of units results in an increasingly unstable tower of units. The units may also be stacked and used as a toy or plaything.
REFERENCE TO RELATED ART
A host of stacking games and playthings are known in the art. Among the most popular is JENGA®, a game in which players take turns removing one block at a time from a tower constructed of 54 blocks. Each block removed is then balanced on top of the tower, creating a progressively taller but less stable structure. The game ends when the tower falls over.
A stacking game disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 7,059,606 involved a game playing method and game piece stack formations using a plurality of elongated blocks having angled ends. As best shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, players may set up the game such that the stack or tower of blocks is tilted or otherwise angularly offset with respect to the floor.
Another block stacking game was disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 5,067,729. FIG. 1 of that patent, for example, showed a prior art stacking game featuring blocks with a parallelogram shaped cross-section.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A stacking or stackable unit or apparatus is disclosed along with an associated method for use of the unit(s) as, for example, a game and/or toy that includes two or more vertically stacked units. Each unit may include an angled top or upper surface, a sidewall, and a bottom or base. The units may also be designed so that the upper surface of one unit may be mated/interconnected to the base of another unit (rather than simply resting face-to-face on the lower unit).
Game play and/or use of the units by two or more users/players may involve the building of a stack or tower of units. More specifically, each player in turn may first select a unit having an upper surface with a particular angle. Then, after selecting the unit, the player places that unit on the tower with the upper surface at an orientation the player thinks is likely to increase the instability of the tower but not result in the tower falling over. A goal of game play thus being to increase the instability of the tower—to make things more difficult on the next player—without being the player who causes the tower to fall over. Game play may end when the placement of a unit results in the tower becoming unstable and falling over.
The units may also be used as a toy or plaything. For example, as shown the units may include a mold article (e.g., doll faces, heads, arms, etc.) such that a user (e.g., a child) may use the tower of stacked units as a toy or plaything.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Reference will be made herein to drawings in which like reference number refer to like parts throughout, and wherein:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing individual units and a tower of stacked units;
FIG. 2 is a planar cutaway view of a tower of stacked units; and
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a tower comprised of another embodiment of the units.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now to FIGS. 1-3, a stacking or stackable unit 10, 10′ or apparatus is disclosed along with an associated method for use of the unit(s) as, for example, a game and/or toy that includes two or more vertically stacked units 10. In one embodiment (e.g., FIGS. 1 and 2), each unit 10 may include a top or upper surface 12, a side wall 14, and a bottom or base 16. The upper surface 12 may also be angled relative to the base 16 (or where the base 16 is also angled relative to a horizontal plane through the unit 10) and constructed so that the upper surface 12 of one unit 10 may be mated to the base 16 of another unit 10. Game play and/or use with the unit(s) 10 by two or more users/players may involve the building of a stack or tower 100 of units 10. More specifically, each user may in turn first select a unit 10 having an upper surface 12 of a particular angle. This selection may be accomplished at the discretion of the user. Alternatively, the selection may be based on the roll of dice, the selection of a card, or the like, that mandates the selection of a unit 10 of a unit of a particular color, angle or both. Then, selection of a unit 10, the player places that unit 10 on the tower 100 with the upper surface 12 at an orientation the player believes may increase the instability of the tower 100 but not result in the tower 100 falling over. A goal of game play thus being to increase the instability of the tower—to make things more difficult on the next player—without being the player who causes the tower to fall over. Game play may end when the placement of a unit 10 results in the tower 100 becoming unstable and falling over. The units 10 may also be used as a toy or plaything. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, units 10 may be associated with other articles 102 (e.g., doll faces, heads, arms, etc.) so that a user (e.g., a child) may use the tower 100 of stacked units 10 as a toy or plaything.
Referring now to FIG. 1, each unit 10, 10′ may include a top or upper surface 12, a base 16, and a sidewall 14 that extends from the upper surface to the base 12. The upper surface 12 may also be angled relative to the base 16 and constructed so that the upper surface 12 of one unit 10 may be mated to the base 16 of another unit 10.
Still referring to FIG. 1, each unit 10 may be constructed as a molded plastic article. It will, however, be appreciated that each unit 10 may also be constructed from wood (or other natural materials) or aluminum (or other metals or alloys). Each unit 10 may also be constructed so that it is substantially identical to the other units 10, with a substantially uniform diameter, length, size, and height. However, it will also be appreciated that each unit need not be identical to every other unit 10. Nor need each unit 10 be constructed as shown FIGS. 1-3. Each unit 10 may, for example, be constructed with a sidewall(s) 14 of different heights, with different diameters or lengths, and/or be of different sizes.
Still referring to FIG. 1, the upper surface 12 of each unit 10 may be constructed to have a different angle relative to the base 16 or bottom. For example, in one embodiment (see e.g., FIG. 1 which is not to scale), each unit 10 may include an upper surface 12 set at one of three angles (e.g., 5 degrees, 10 degrees and 15 degrees) with respect to the base 16. It will be appreciated, however, that each unit 10 may be constructed with an upper surface 14 angled between 1 and 89 degrees, with preferred examples being angled in a range between 1 and 45 degrees, and still more preferred examples being angled in a range between 5 and 25 degrees. Further, as shown, the upper surface of each unit 10 may be angled relative to a flat base 16. However, in another embodiment, the base 16 and the upper surface 12 of each unit 10 may both be angled. Such angles need not be the same. Nor need the angles/faces be oriented in the same direction. By way of non-limiting example, a unit may be provided having an upper surface 12 angled at 5 degrees (relative to a horizontal plane running through the unit 10) and facing a 1 o'clock position, and a base 16 angled at 10 degrees (relative to the horizontal plane) that faces a 5 o'clock position.
Additionally, or alternatively, as shown in FIGS. 1-3 each unit 10 may be substantially cylindrical in shape. However, it will be appreciated that at each unit 10 may be constructed in a range of shapes (when viewed from above) including as a square, rectangle, oval, or triangle. The height of the sidewall 14 (as measured from the shortest point from the base 16 to the upper surface 12) of each unit 10 may also be set to one of three (or alternatively more) heights (e.g., 1 cm, 2.54 cm, and 3.81 cm). But it will again be appreciated that each unit 10 may be constructed with a sidewall 14 height in a range between 0.5 cm and 5 cm.
Referring now to FIGS. 1 through 3, as mentioned supra, the upper surface 12 and base 16 of each unit 10 may be shaped so that the upper surface 12 of one unit 10 may be mated (e.g., interconnected) with the bottom or base 16 of another unit 10. As shown, this mating may be accomplished by including a male portion 18 on the upper surface 12 of each unit 10 that may engage a female recess or surface 20 disposed in the bottom or base 16 of each unit 10. It will also appreciated that an opposite configuration may be used in which a male portion 18 is included on the bottom or base 16 and a female recess or surface 20 is disposed in the upper surface 12.
Still referring to FIGS. 1 through 3, a foundation member 22 may be provided onto which the units 10 may be stacked to form a tower 100. As shown, the foundation member 22 may include a top 24, a side wall 26 extending outward from the top 24, and a support flange 28 that rests on the floor 102 and extends outwardly from an end of the foundation member side wall 26 opposite the top 24. The flange 28 may, for example, be molded to give the foundation member 22 the appearance of having toy feet 30, and a tail 32 or the like. The top 24 of the foundation member 22 may also be constructed to include the appropriate mating interface base 16 of a unit 10 (e.g., a male or female engagement surface).
Referring now to FIG. 3, in another embodiment the units 10 may further include a molded article 102 for use as a terminal unit on a tower 100. As shown, the molded article 102 may be a doll head such that the resulting tower of units 10 takes on an appearance of a toy snake. It will be appreciated, however, that other doll heads, bodies or the like, may be constructed for use as the terminal unit. In addition, one or more apertures 104 (not shown) may be provided in the sidewall 14 of each unit 10 into which may be inserted accessory items 106 (e.g., toy arms and/or legs).
Having thus described my invention various other embodiments will become apparent to those of skill in the art that do not depart from the scope of the present invention.
Patent Application
20150231488
