Patent Grant
8757628
The disclosure relates to game devices and more particularly pertains to a new game device for providing a structure having spaced access channels through which balls are removed to score points in the game.
An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a housing having a bottom, a top, and a perimeter wall defining an interior space. At least one channel is coupled to the housing. Each channel has an inner opening in fluid communication with the interior space and an outer opening configured for fluid communication with ambient space outside the housing. A plurality of balls is positioned in the interior space of the housing. A tip of an elongated member is selectively couplable to each of the balls whereby each ball is removable from the interior space by insertion and withdrawal of the elongated member through the channel.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.
The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to
As best illustrated in
A plurality of magnetic balls 30 are positioned in the interior space 20 of the housing 12. The balls 30 have a uniform circumferential size and may be constructed of steel. Each of the balls is a single color selected from a preselected set of colors red, blue, green and yellow. Thus the balls 30 are divisible into four separate sets of similarly colored balls 32. Each of the similarly colored balls 32 having indicia 34 thereon. The indicia 34 on the similarly colored balls 32 forms a numerical sequence from numeral one to numeral ten.
At least one elongated member 36 is provided. A tip 38 of the member 36 is a magnet 40 selectively couplable to each of the balls 30 whereby each ball 30 is removable from the interior space 20 by insertion and withdrawal of the elongated member 36 through each channel 24.
A marble 42 is also positioned in the interior space 20. The marble 42 is also magnetic and may be golden in color. The degree of attraction between the tip 38, the balls 30 and the marble 42 is such that they may be disengaged as the ball 30 or marble 42 is manipulated through the channel 24. The marble 42 may have a greater weight and has a greater circumferential size than each ball 30. Thus, the marble 42 requires greater dexterity and skill to remove from the interior space 20 through one of the channels 24.
An access opening 44 is positioned in the top 16 of the housing 12 to facilitate placing the balls 30 and the marble 42 back into the interior space 20 of the housing 12. A stand 46 may be coupled to the housing 12 to elevate the housing 12. The stand 46 has a planar base 48 and a post 50 extending between the base 46 and the bottom 14 of the housing 12.
A plurality of trays 52 is provided. Each tray 52 has a plurality of indentations 54 arranged into ten rows 88 by four columns 56. Each indentation 54 is shaped to receive one of the balls 30 whereby the ball 30 is held in a static position in the indentation 54. The tray also has a dimple 58 shaped for receiving the marble 42 whereby the marble 42 is held in a static position on the tray 52. Each tray 52 may have angled walls 62 tapering together to spaced edges 64 positionable adjacent to the access opening 44 to facilitate putting the marble 42 and the balls 30 back into the housing 12 after a turn is ended.
A timer 60 may also be provided to time each turn taken by a player or to alternately set an overall time limit for the length of the game.
In use, players would take a pre-determined number of turns using the elongated member 36 to remove the balls 30 from the housing 12 by coupling the tip 38 to each ball 30 and sliding the coupled ball 30 out of one of the channels 24. Successfully removing each ball awards the player a number of points corresponding to the numerical indicia on the ball 30 removed. If all the similarly colored balls 32 are removed during a single turn, the point score for those similarly colored balls 32 is doubled. The larger marble 42 may also be removed for a point score of 25. Each turn is timed using the timer 60. The structure of the housing 12 and channels 24 provides for additional variations in the rules of the game to provide variable degrees of challenge. Variations may include restrictions on which color may be withdrawn through each channel 24, a sequence by which colors must be withdrawn from the housing 12, restrictions on which channel 24 each player may use to withdraw the balls 30, or other variations as may be desired by the players.
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure.
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