Patent Application
20160287982
Not applicable.
Not Applicable.
Not applicable.
Not applicable.
The inventor did not disclosed the invention herein prior to the 12 month period preceding the filing of this nonprovisional application.
(1) Field of the Invention.
The present invention generally relates to an apparatus and method in which dice are rolled or thrown into a compartment so that the die or dice remain within a designated area of play. Many games played today require a player to roll to throw dice as a step in the game. The dice may be rolled or thrown in such a manner that the dice miss or fly out of the area designated for play. Rolled dice may hit the game board causing game tokens and cards to be moved out of position. Dice may be rolled or thrown so that they fall into an obscured location leaving the players hunting for the dice. The Dice Corral is a simple but effective device that “corrals” rolled dice facilitating game play. The Dice Corral can be utilized to catch rolled or thrown dice into during regular game play. The size and shape of the Dice Corral effectively traps rolled or thrown dice.
(2) Description of Related Art
Numerous games have been disclosed that incorporate rolling or throwing dice as a step in playing the game. A number of these games have also disclosed a box or tray for catching rolled or thrown dice. Goodman (U.S. Pat. No. 4,930,780) discloses a dice game wherein a dice box having two play compartments separated by a common wall with one compartment holding dice not in play and the second compartment being used to catch dice when thrown. The Goodman device is not portable and does not fold into a compact unit for storage. The dice box of Goodman does not attempt to trap rolled or thrown dice and, in fact, encourages rolling dice to miss the dice box. Dice that miss the dice box are retrieved and thrown again with the player improving his score when he repeats throwing the dice (U.S. Pat. No. 4,930,780). The invention of Goodman encourages a player to throw dice so that they land outside of the dice box to increase their score.
Dobbin (U.S. Pat. No. 5,649,704) discloses a box with a detachable lid used to catch thrown dice. The game box of Dobbin has a bottom wall and four side walls extending upwardly about its periphery to define a playing space for throwing dice. The bottom wall is covered with felt to cushion the thrown dice. A lid is provided for covering the dice box with the dice stored therein when not in use (U.S. Pat. No. 5,649,704). The game box of Dobbin can not be folded or compacted for easy carry and storage. Additionally, the limited size of the dice box disclosed in Dobbins limits the device's ability to capture rolled or thrown dice. The Dobbins dice box is unlikely to be used for anything other than storing dice.
Factor (U.S. Pat. No. 6,299,166 B1) discloses a dice game wherein a game board with eight walls that contain a plurality of peg openings for receiving pegs to tract a player's score. The octagonal-shaped game board has a flat playing surface to roll dice. Markings on the surface of the game board indicate distinct areas for storing cash or betting chips. A foldable version of the game board may be constructed, by separating the game board into two equal portions and using a wall and hinges to partition the two portions. The foldable version of the Factor device allows for a more compact and transportable game board. But, the foldable version of this device only reduces the overall size of the device by one-half. Thus, this device is less portable than the Dice Corral disclosed herein, and is less likely to be used.
Berkowitz et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 8,276,915 B2) discloses a dice throw box having a score pad and bonus card holding area built into the device. The dice throw box of Berkowitz et al. comprises a rectangular box defined by vertical end walls and vertical side walls. A vertical partition separates the dice throw box from three smaller areas adjacent to the dice box which are used to store a score pad and bonus cards. The dice throw box has an area for receiving thrown dice that is 8.25 inches wide, 9.5 inches long, and 1 inch high. The bottom of the dice box is lined with felt or other cushioning material to cushion the impact of the dice. The dice box is made of any suitable material such as wood, plastic, metal, or the like. The one inch height of this device limits its ability to effectively trap rolled or thrown dice. The walls are so low that many die or dice will leave the area designated for play.
Several dice-trapping trays are commercially available. The 10″ Wood Dice Tray available at www.greatboardgames.ca/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d (accessed Feb. 12, 2105) comprises a wooden octagonal-shaped box for catching rolled or thrown dice. This device can not be compacted for storage when not in use.
Despite the breadth of the dice catching trays in the prior art, there continues to be a need for a new and improved dice tray which is highly portable, easy to use, and effective in trapping rolled or thrown dice.
The Dice Corral comprises a number of interlocking segments composed of acrylic, plastic, wood, metal or other suitable material. The interlocking segments are assembled to create a compartment to catch rolled or thrown dice. The Dice Corral corrals the dice so that they do not leave the area designated for play. The Dice Corral can be utilized in any game that incorporates rolling or throwing dice. The Dice Corral can be broken down into its segments quickly and easily for compact storage or travel. The segments can be secured together through a hole positioned at the top of each segment, or alternatively, the segments can be secured together through holes positioned at the top and bottom of each segment. The Dice Corral has a shape and size that effective trap rolled or thrown die or dice.
The invention is described in detail in the following paragraphs with reference to the attached drawings. Throughout this detailed description of the invention, the disclosed embodiments and features are to be considered as examples, rather than being limitations to the invention. Modifications to particular examples within the spirit and scope of the present invention, set forth in the appended claims, will be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art. Further, reference to various embodiments of the disclosed invention does not mean that all claimed embodiments or methods must include every described feature. The various disclosed embodiments and features of the invention may be used separately or together, and in any combination. Terminology used herein is given its ordinary meaning consistent with the exemplary definitions set forth below.
Many games incorporate rolling or throwing dice. Some games utilizing dice include, but are not limited to, Boggle®, Bunco®, Dungeons and Dragons®, Monopoly®, Risk®, and Yahtzee®. Rolled or thrown dice that land outside of the area designated by the players must be rolled or thrown anew which delays game play and interrupts the flow of a game. A new method of containing dice within a field of play is needed to facilitate the playing of these games and other games that utilized rolling or throwing dice. The Dice Corral can be used in each of these games to contain rolled or thrown dice.
In
In
