Patent Application
20210220724
The present invention relates to a battle arena apparatus, and more particularly, to a battling stadium game apparatus with multiple play level surfaces for dynamic and exciting play for a user employing at least a third level platform insert creating directional play and directed one-way flow patterns to actively direct interactions of spinning tops enhancing game play across multiple play level surfaces.
The inventions discussed in connection with the present described embodiments address various deficiencies of the prior art. The present inventions address a battling stadium game apparatus which enhances play by employing multiple play level surfaces and at least a third level platform insert creating directional play and one-way flow patterns for maximizing interactions between actively spinning tops at middle, intermediate, or lower areas of a battling surface where collisions are most likely to occur.
There are known toy top play pads, toy top entertainment systems, and battle arenas which provide a surface along which toy tops are spun, travel in a specified direction along a rail element, or travel around on a circular platform. It is known to employ a circular arena for providing a surface on which toy tops can spin and possibly interact with one another, or to provide a rail element to guide a toy top along the direction of the rail.
There is a known toy top play pad which employs a circular launch pad and runway pad in juxtaposition with the launch pad as exemplified and disclosed in JP4659153 titled Game Table for a toy top, issued Mar. 27, 2008 to Jenoido Proto Design K K. Toy tops are spun into the circular launch pad where they revolve around the perimeter of the concave launch pad and discharge onto a runway pad in a racing fashion. A guide plate directs the tops only from the launch pad to the running pad where a user can race tops through running grooves and compete for running speeds. The running grooves are carved into the runway pad and are designed to capture a tip of the toy tops as they enter the runway pad. The running grooves cut into the surface of the runway pad and direct the tops to circle around the perimeter of the play pad. The tip of each toy top is circular in shape and comes into point contact with the bottom surface of the running groove to allow the tip of the top to rotate and spin as it travels within the running groove. The circular tips of the spinning tops rolls along the running groove and circles the perimeter of the play pad in a racing fashion.
The circular launch pad is only a landing pad for toy tops to be introduced to the play pad before they are captured by the running grooves as the toy tops circle the outer perimeter of the circular launching pad. The toy tops enter the running grooves and are then directed around the runway pad circuit in a racing fashion and never collide in the circular launch pad nor are the runway pads guiding the tops into the middle of the circular launch pad to encourage collisions between the spinning toy tops. There is only an entrance into the runway pad from the circular launching pad without any disclosure for an exit from the runway pad to the circular launching pad for directing tops back to the circular launch pad, from the running pad, to collide with other spinning tops. The running pad has only an entrance from the circular launching pad, without any exits back to the circular launching pad preventing spinning tops from redirection into the middle of the circular launch pad.
There is also a known toy top entertainment system with interchangeable top components and interchangeable rail arrangements as exemplified and disclosed in WO 2013/016317 A2 Dynamic Entertainment System, published Jan. 31, 2013 to Gaines. The top entertainment system discloses interchangeable tops engaging and riding along interchangeable rail elements to maximize vector velocity in transit along the rail elements. The toy tops are launched onto a flat launch support adjacent a rail element. The tops have a ring with a ring side wall perpendicular with a pivoting axis and capable of engaging a rail side wall of the rail elements of the rail path in rolling line contact to travel along the line of the rail path.
Additionally, there are known battle arena game apparatuses including an arena or stadium for a game of spinning battle tops. The arena can accommodate two players when placed in one orientation and four players after being flipped to another configuration. Also, the circular stadium-shaped game board that may be integrated with a computer.
Beyblade™ spinning tops are known as physical game pieces. The described Beyblade™ spinning top usually includes a device, such as a ripcord, to help a player make the top spin. One or more players may engage in games where one or more players spin two or more tops so that the tops may “battle”, where the player whose top is the last top spinning wins. The “battle” may include the tops colliding one or more times. The tops may have different designs where each design causes a top to respond to collisions in a unique way, thus adding a skill element to choosing opposing tops. In some embodiments, the game may further use physical game battle arena game apparatus in an integrated multi-environment interactive battle game physical game board, convertible or converting arena, e.g., being turned upside down and used as a stadium for plural or multiple players to spin two or more Beyblade™ tops so that the tops battle within the stadium confines by spinning and knocking into each other until only one top remains spinning.
Significantly, known toy top play pads and arenas do not include multiple play level surfaces for directing dynamic play and accommodating a directed experienced for each user with users battling spinning toy tops across three levels of game play. Additionally, none of the known top play pads or arenas employs a third level platform insert for creating directional play by launching spinning toy tops into a middle area of a battling surface for combat and/or creating one-way flow patterns directing spinning toy tops across multiple play level surfaces.
The present invention addresses shortcomings of the prior are to provide a battling stadium game apparatus with three play level surfaces for one or more spinning toy tops for enhancing game play for a user, and simply yet uniquely employing a third level platform insert for creating directional play and one-way flow patterns to maximize interactions between actively spinning tops for enhanced game play and fun for a user.
In one embodiment of the invention, a battling stadium game apparatus with three play level surfaces for toy tops, includes a base, at least one concave arena at a first play level surface at the base, the at least one concave arena having a battling surface at the first play level. The battling surface includes a middle area and a periphery area surrounding the middle area, an overdrive surface is further included and disposed at a second play level surface at the base, the overdrive surface is at a level elevated from the concave arena. A lid nests within the base and defines an exterior wall around the perimeter of the base, and a third level platform element is disposed between the base and the lid at a third play level surface. The overdrive surface and/or the third level platform directs interactions between spinning tops by creating a one-way flow patterns about three play level surfaces so each of the users' toy tops are directed for an enhanced experience.
The disclosed toy top stadium arenas are configured so that the range in which the tops run around is controlled by the field, and the tops run around on the field to battle the top toys in which an unexpected battle can be enjoyed. According to this stadium, the running range of the pieces is regulated by the field, so that the probability of the pieces colliding with each other is increased, and it is possible to play with the battle effectively. The stadium that is used to battle the top together which rotates on a predetermined field, the first surface material portion forming the first field, than the first field A second face material portion forming a second field at a high position, and a slope connecting the first field and the second field and running a top in the first field up to the second field. By the way, in the invention described in the above-mentioned prior art document 1, since the tops only run around the field extending in a substantially horizontal direction and collide with each other, the battle mode between the tops is easy to predict and has little unexpectedness.
A stadium used to battle rotating pieces on a predetermined field, wherein a first face material forming a first field and a second field is formed at a position higher than the first field. And a slope connecting the first field and the second field, and allowing a top in the first field to run up to the second field. The second means is the first means, wherein the first field and the second field are juxtaposed in one direction in plan view, and are orthogonal to the juxtaposition direction of the first field and the second field. One of the slopes is provided at each of both ends in the direction of movement. The third means is the second means, wherein a cliff for dropping a top of the second field to the first field is provided between two slopes at an edge of the second face member. It is characterized by having been done. The fourth means is the third means, wherein the upper surface of the second face member is inclined so as to have a downward gradient toward the first field. The fifth means is the third means or the fourth means, wherein a step is provided between the first field and the cliff for preventing a body of a coma from contacting a wall constituting the cliff. It is characterized by being provided. The sixth means is any of the first means to the fifth means, wherein a mortar-shaped recess is formed in a central portion of an upper surface of the second field. The seventh means is any one of the first means to the sixth means, wherein the slope is formed on the slope so that the outer peripheral surface of the shaft portion is suitable for an inverted conical top which is generally enlarged toward the body. Is characterized in that a cant for rolling the top is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the shaft portion. Eighth means is the seventh means, wherein the slope is steeper in the cant toward the second field. The ninth means is the seventh means or the eighth means, wherein the direction of the rolling surface at the end of the slope on the side of the second field is such that the top that has run up faces the center of the second field. It is characterized by being set to change. A tenth means is any of the first means to the ninth means, wherein a groove for catching the repelled top is formed outside the field. An eleventh means is any of the first means to the tenth means, wherein the first face member is formed on a bottom plate, and the second face member is detachable from the bottom plate. In a state in which the second face member is removed, a third face member forming a third field connected to the first field is exposed on the bottom plate. A twelfth means is the eleventh means, wherein a first fence having a constant height for preventing a top from jumping is detachably provided on an edge of the bottom plate. A thirteenth means is the twelfth means, wherein the first fence is provided with a second fence which surrounds three sides except the first field side and which prevents a top from jumping out of the second field. It is characterized by being provided as possible. The fourteenth means is any one of the eleventh means to the thirteenth means, wherein the second surface member is fixed to the bottom plate in a cantilever state on the first field side, and the free end side of the member is configured to be suspended on the second fence by a suspension component. According to the first means, the tops can be battled in the first field, and the tops released in the first field can run up on the slope to battle each other in the second battle feel. At that time, the tops run not only in the horizontal direction but also in the vertical direction.
According to the second means, since the slopes are provided at both ends in the direction orthogonal to the direction in which the first field and the second field are arranged in parallel, it is possible to run up the coma having different rotation directions to the second field can be made. According to the third means, since the top of the second field falls from the cliff to the first field, an attack from above becomes possible, and a three-dimensional battle can be enjoyed. According to the fourth means, the top of the second field easily falls from the cliff to the first field. According to the fifth means, since the step is provided, the torso of the top does not collide with the wall, and deceleration due to the body can be prevented. According to the sixth means, the top is easily retained in the mortar-shaped concave portion in the second field, and the possibility of a battle in the concave portion can be increased. According to the seventh means, since the cant is attached, the top comes into wide contact with the outer peripheral surface of the shaft portion, and the top can easily run up. According to the eighth means, the upper portion of the outer peripheral surface of the shaft portion gradually comes into contact with the tight cant, and the top runs up the slope while increasing the speed. According to the ninth means, the tops running up the slope gather at the center of the second field, so that the possibility of a battle at the center of the second field can be increased accordingly. According to the tenth means, by catching the repelled top by the groove, it is possible to make it difficult for the top which has come out of the field to return to the field. According to the eleventh means, a battle can be performed using the first field and the third field when the second field is removed. According to the twelfth means, it is possible to prevent the top from jumping out of the field by the first fence. According to the thirteenth means, it is possible to effectively prevent the top from jumping out of the second field by the second fence. According to the fourteenth means, the free end side of the second face member is suspended from the second fence by the suspending part, so that the free end side of the second face part is directly fixed to the bottom plate. The thickness at the free end side of the second face member can be made smaller than that of the first embodiment.
For the purpose of facilitating an understanding of the inventions, the accompanying drawings and description illustrate a preferred embodiment thereof, from which inventions, structures, construction and operation, and many related advantages may be readily understood and appreciated.
The following description is provided to enable those skilled in the art to make and use the described embodiments set forth in the best modes contemplated for carrying out the invention. Various modifications, however, will remain readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Any and all such modifications, equivalents, and alternatives are intended to fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention.
A toy battling stadium game apparatus 10, as seen in
The battling stadium game apparatus includes a base 14 and at least one concave arena 16 having a battling surface 16a for one or more toy tops to engage each other in combat, as seen in
A secondary concave arena 26 is disposed at the base and is generally circular in shape and includes a banked corner 28 defined by a partial sphere and a top traveling surface 26a, as seen in
A ridge 24 defines the uppermost perimeter around the main concave arena 16, and a second ridge 32, which encompasses acceleration rim 30, defines the uppermost perimeter around the secondary concave arena 26. Ridges 24 and 32 define the uppermost point of the first play level surface 25, with the first play level surface generally including battling surface 16a and secondary arena surface 26a, as seen in
An overdrive surface 34 is disposed at a second play level surface 35 at the base, as seen in
A lid 36, as seen in
A third level platform element 38 is disposed between the base and the top of lid, creating a third play level surface 39 for directing a flow pattern of toy tops about three play levels surfaces contained within the perimeter exterior wall of the battling stadium, as seen in
In the present described embodiment, the third level platform element 38 includes a drop zone portion 40 angled toward the concave arena for introducing toy tops to the first play level at the battling surface from the third play level surface, as seen in
In use, the third level platform element 38, creating the third play level surface 39 when inserted into the battling stadium, directs interactions between toy tops that are introduced into each of the first and second drop zone portions, with wall 42 preventing the tops from interacting when at the third play surface level 39. Tops are launched onto the first play level surface from the platform element in a one-way directed flow pattern directing interactions between tops and arena surfaces to better benefit each user's experiences.
Feet elements 44 are coupled to the base 14 for elevating the battling stadium from a supporting surface. Additionally, the feet elements raise the base up to prevent the concave arena 16, which extends below the surface of the base, from resting on the supporting surface in use, as seen in
In a further described embodiment, the overdrive surface of the second play level surface includes an overdrive rail 48 having a riding surface 48a upon which spinning toy tops travel from the second play level surface to the third play level surface, as seen in
An arena 50 is disposed at a first play level 56 at a base 57, and a lid 59 nests with the base 57 defining an exterior wall around the perimeter of the base. The lid 59 is a one-piece molded plastic element which couples to the base at four corners around the base. Couplings, as seen in
The arena 50, has a battling surface 50a, and includes a concave arena portion 51 and a shallow arena portion 53, as seen in
The overdrive rail 48 is disposed at the second play level surface 49 at the base, as seen in
A third level platform element 56 is inserted between the base and the lid creating a third play level surface for directing a flow pattern of toy tops about multiple play level surfaces contained within the perimeter exterior wall of the battling stadium, as seen in
The third level platform element 56 nests with the arena 50 mainly at the shallow portion 53 of the arena and partially into the concave portion 51 of the arena creating a smooth transition between multiple play level surfaces. The third level platform element 56 includes a redirection area 52 and a platform rail 54 outside a periphery of the redirection area, as seen in
The third level platform element 56 inserts into the base of the stadium adjacent the arena 50 and is angled toward the battling surface 50a. The ramped ledge 58 of the platform element seamlessly nests with, and is angled toward, the concave portion 51 of the arena creating a smooth riding surface between the battling surface 50a and the ramped ledge 58 such that spinning tops smoothly travel from the battling surface 50a of the concave portion up onto the ramped ledge 58 of the platform.
Additionally, the platform rail 54 nests with the overdrive rail 48, at both sides of the concave portion 51 of the arena, with the platform rail seamlessly butting up to the overdrive rail when the third level platform element is inserted into the stadium, as seen in
The redirection area 52 of the platform element 56, as seen in
The third platform element 56, as seen in
In a further described embodiment, one or more spinning toy tops are in combination with the battle arena game apparatus 10. The one or more spinning tops can be launched into the concave arena 16 rotationally spinning in either a clockwise or counter clockwise direction and travel toward the right or left, accordingly, as dictated by a rotational spin of each top.
The one or more spinning toy tops each has an elongated tip with a partially flat riding tip surface for gliding along the three play level surfaces. The one or more tops further include an outer tip surface for engaging the overdrive rail and platform rail. The tip of each spinning top tilts to a point when the widest part of the tip hits either rail. Additionally, the spinning tops accelerate slightly when the tip hits the overdrive rail or the platform rail creating directional play and flow patterns to actively direct interactions of spinning tops hopping and traveling between multiple play level surfaces.
The elongated tip is of the one or more toy tops is of a length suitable to smoothly ride along the overdrive and platform rails while keeping an upper portion of the top from contacting the rails and interfering with the smooth travel of the one or more spinning tops through the second and third play level surfaces. The tip length allows the one or more tops to ride up on a banked surface or slope of the overdrive rail or platform rail and run along the rails at a fast rate of speed so that the one or more spinning tops can ascend the merged rails as described herein and below, to reach the third play level surface at a quick velocity without being slowed down so as to be launched back onto the battling surface 50a at a quick velocity.
In the stadium 100, when the fence 130, the second face member 140, and the auxiliary fence 150 are attached to the base 110 (
As shown in
A first field F1 and a third field F3 are defined by an inner wall (inner peripheral wall) 115a of the groove 14. In the present embodiment, each of the first field F1 and the third field F3 is formed in a mortar shape so as not to hinder the traffic of the top 160 between the first field F1 and the third field F3. The inner peripheral wall 115a on the third field F3 side is formed in a semicircular arc shape in a plan view, and surrounds the third field F3 from three sides except the first field F1 side. The inner peripheral wall 15a of the third field F3 side, both end portions of the first field F1 side first field F1 is formed so as to gradually become wider toward the center. On the inner peripheral wall 115a, a convex ridge 116 extending along the inner peripheral wall 115a and having a semicircular arc shape in plan view, and a step-like mounting portion 117 for mounting a second face member 140 described later are provided. Is formed. The mounting portion 117 has a mounting hole 118 formed therein.
On the other hand, the inner peripheral wall 115a on the first face material portion 112 side is formed in a U-shape in plan view, and both ends reach the mounting portion 117, and surround the first field F1 from three sides except the third field F3 side. A strip-shaped slope 119 is formed on the first face material portion 112 so that the top 160 runs up from the first field F1 toward the third field F3. Slope 119 extends in a substantially tangential direction of the first field F1, the inner peripheral wall 15a of the first field F1 and third field F3 extends to a point of mounting portion 117 so as to be gradually higher. This slope 119 cant of the third field F3 may preferably be set to gradually tightly toward the side. That is, the slope 119 is preferably formed so as to be inclined so that the outside is higher than the inside in the width direction, and the inclination is preferably increased toward the upper end of the slope 119.
Also, as shown in
One slope 119 having such a configuration is provided on each side in the direction orthogonal to the direction in which the first field F1 and the third field F3 are arranged. The reason why the slopes 119 are provided on both sides is that the top 160 runs up the slope 119 according to the direction of revolving and rolling associated with the rotation of the top 160, so that even if the tops have different rotation directions, the tops of either slope 119 can be used for upwardly directed movement due to the slope. This slope 119 can be used even when a battle is performed using the first field F1 and the third field F3. That is, since the top runs up the slope 119 and falls from the hill to the third field F3, it can be used to attack the opponent's top 160 on the third field F3 from above. In
As shown in
The four corners of the fence 130 are provided with trapezoidal overhangs 131 that overlap the overhangs 121. An attachment hole 132 is also formed in the overhang portion 131. When attaching the fence 130 to the base 110, the fence 130 is placed on the outer edge of the base 110 so that the overhang portion 121 and the overhang portion 131 are overlapped, and the overhang portion 121 and the overhang portion 131 are placed in the attachment holes 122 and the attachment holes 132. The fitting 133 is fitted. The attachment of the fence 130 to the base 110 may be performed by a known method, for example, by fitting unevenness or screwing. Therefore, detailed description is omitted.
The fence 130 has a mounting hole 136 (
The second face member 140 is configured to be detachable from the base 110. That is, the second face member 140 is provided with the rectangular projecting portion 43 at a position corresponding to the mounting portion 117. A mounting hole 144 is formed in the overhang portion 143. Then, in order to attach the second face member 140 to the base 110, the second face member 140 is placed on the base 110 so that the attachment portion 117 and the overhang portion 43 are overlapped, and the attachment hole 18 and the attachment hole are attached. A fitting 145 is fitted to 144. The attachment of the second face member 140 to the base 110 may be performed by a known method, for example, by fitting unevenness or screwing. Therefore, detailed description is omitted.
The second field F2 is formed by a concave portion 140a defined by the outer edge of the second face member 140. The bottom surface of the concave portion 140a is substantially flat except for a concave portion 146 to be described later. When the second face member 140 is mounted on the base 110, the bottom surface of the concave portion 140a has a downward slope toward the first field F1. Further, a mortar-shaped concave portion 146 is formed at the center of the second field F2. By making the top easily stay in the concave portion 146 by the concave portion 146, the possibility of a battle in the concave portion 146 is increased. The cliff 141 is provided at an end of the second field F2 on the first field F1 side as shown in
The upper surface of the transition part 142 has a slight downward slope from the cliff 141 toward the first field F1 when the second face material part 140 is attached to the base 110, and the tip of the transition part 142 is the first. It is located slightly higher than the floor of the field F1. That is, the tip of the transition section 142 is arc-shaped and has a small step with the floor of the first field F1. The step 142a (
As described above, one end of the second face member 140 is fixed to the second face member 140 by the attachment 145 as described above, and the other end of the second face member 140 is suspended by the hanging part 147 (
The auxiliary fence (second fence) 150 is used when the second face member 140 is attached to the base 110 for use. Auxiliary fence 150 is the first field F1 and has a semicircular shape when viewed from the top so that it can from the three sides except the side covering the second field F2. Like the fence 130, the auxiliary fence 150 is inclined such that the upper end is located inside the lower end. As a result, jumping out of the top from the second field F2 can be effectively prevented.
The auxiliary fence 150 has a mounting hole 151 for mounting the auxiliary fence 150. To attach the auxiliary fence 150 to the fence 130, the auxiliary fence 150 is placed on the fence 130 such that the mounting hole 36 and the mounting hole 151 are overlapped, and the mounting tool is mounted on the mounting hole 36 and the mounting hole 151, 152 (
As described above, since the shaft 61 is formed in an inverted conical shape and the cant of the slope 119 is directed toward the hill, the outer periphery of the shaft 61 of the top running around the first field F1 is subjected to centrifugal force. As a result, when the vehicle is pressed against the slope 119 and rolls, the speed is increased and the vehicle runs up the slope 119. When playing in the first field F1 and the second field F2, the second face member 140 is attached to the base 110, and the fence 130 and the auxiliary fence 150 are attached (
When playing in the first field F1 and the third field F3, in this case only the fence 130 is attached to the base 110. Then, a plurality of tops 160 are released. In this case, the first field F1 may be off a plurality of tops to one or third field F3, the first field F1 may be off a plurality of tops in a divided third field F3. Then, the top 160 on goal in fields, or running around in the field, the first field F1 from or moved to the third field F3, or moved from the third field F3 in the first field F1. Accordingly, the first field F1 can be a battle and third field F3. The first field F1 up top 160 of up the slopes 119, falls into the third field F3. Thus, the opponent's top 160 in the third field F3 can be attacked from above.
From the foregoing, it can be seen that the present inventions provide unique battle arena game apparatus which accommodates multiple levels with various different battling environment and multiple play level surfaces and orientations. The arena includes multiple regions for guiding spinning toy battle tops to flow toward the battling surfaces for engaging the tops in combat to enhance game play and fun for the user. While particular embodiments and variations of the present invention have been shown and described in great detail, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention in its broader aspects. Therefore, the aim is to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. The matters set forth in the foregoing description and accompanying drawings are offered by way of illustrations only and not as limitations.
This application claims priority pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 119(e) or 120 from U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/962,280 filed Jan. 17, 2020 for inventions disclosed therein.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62962280 | Jan 2020 | US |
