Patent Application
20140021681
The disclosure relates to the field of amusement devices having a playing surface and dice and more particularly to techniques for managing dice using a dice structure with elevating leg members.
Many games known as “board games” or “table top games” are played with tokens moved about the playing surface according to the rules of the game. Many games involve some element of chance, and further, some games introduce the element of chance using one or more die. In such cases having the combination of a playing surface, one or more tokens, and one or more die, it frequently occurs that the “throw of the dice” has the unintended effect of disturbing the tokens on the playing surface. Worse, in some cases the rules of the game define a “good throw” of the dice as a throw where the one or more die come to rest fully upon the game board or within bounds of the playing surface. A throw where a die is ruled “out of bounds” must be taken again, which rule further exacerbates the problem in that a player is compelled repeatedly to throw the die onto the playing surface where the tokens are arranged to indicate the state of play.
Earlier attempts to address this problem have included replacing the die with a different device to introduce the element of chance into the game, for example a spinner affixed to the game board. This alternative has limited utility, and as time has shown such spinning devices often have a much shorter lifespan than the game board and tokens comprising the board game. Further, earlier attempts to solve this problem include use of a “dice tray”. However, such dice trays have suffered deficiencies at least in that the dice tray often does not have sufficient height to contain the throw of the dice, and furthermore a dice tray occludes the playing surface. Even when a dice tray is formed of a transparent material (e.g., so as not to optically occlude the game) the dice tray nevertheless consumes some of the playing area, and such area may be needed during normal progression of game play.
Therefore, there is a need for improved approaches.
Those skilled in the art will understand that the drawings, described herein, are for illustration purposes only. The drawings are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.
“Leg” or “legs” refers to a structural member serving to elevate the dice structure above a surface.
“Die” or “dice” refers to a three dimensional shape having at least three faces, having at least two symbols impressed thereupon. The symbols can comprise numerals, or counting divots, or any other symbols at least two of which are visibly distinguishable one from another.
Reference is now made in detail to certain embodiments. The disclosed embodiments are not intended to be limiting of the claims.
The compositions of matter referred to in the present disclosure comprise various materials. For example, any rigid or semi-rigid structure may take on various shapes, and the following exemplary materials may be used without limitation unless as may be specified in the claims: acrylic, polycarbonate, paper, cardboard, plastic, wood, metal, laminates, glass, ceramics, clay, paper-mache, curable plastic, epoxies and resins, etc.
The list above is representative and should not be taken to include all the materials that may be used within embodiments described herein.
One approach is to provide a dice structure with legs to elevate the dice structure above the playing surface such that the dice structure is to receive the “throw” and contain the die or dice to the volume of the dice structure, thus minimizing the risk that a throw will disturb the tokens or other play elements atop the playing surface. Applicable structures are disclosed herein.
Shown is an assembly comprising a rigid receptacle (e.g., dice structure 102) sitting atop legs (e.g., leg 1061, leg 1062, etc.), which assembly in turn sits atop a playing surface 114. A portion of the border 112 of the playing surface is depicted as dashed lines, and the dice structure apparatus is elevating by the leg members so that there is space below the dice structure for game pieces (e.g., game piece 1081, game piece 1082). Game pieces can be of differing sizes (as shown) and yet there is space below the dice structure for game pieces to be placed on a portion of the playing surface in certain positions, in accordance with game play.
During the progression of game play, some games introduce the element of chance using dice (e.g., die 1101, or die 1102). The rigid receptacle serves to receive at least one die, and the walls of the rigid receptacle serve to contain the dice when thrown into the concavity of the rigid receptacle.
The appearance of the rigid receptacle in terms of an ornamental design can be aesthetically considered as to conform to a theme, possibly a theme related to a particular game. Furthermore, the appearance of the rigid receptacle can be altered by varying the thickness of a sidewall 104 of the rigid receptacle. For example, the rigid receptacle can be formed by sidewalls having a thickness of about 0.1875 inches to about 0.25 inches. Alternatively, the sidewalls can have a thickness that is thinner than about 0.1875, or a thickness that is thicker than about 0.25 inches. The rigid receptacle can be comprised of an acrylic material, or another material. In exemplary embodiments, the rigid receptacle has a mass of about 1 kg or another mass so that the effect of the throw does not move the dice structure.
The rigid receptacle shown has three legs, however this is merely one example, and a rigid receptacle can be affixed to more (or fewer) than three legs (or other leg-like supporting structures). The legs can be variously sized so as to elevate the rigid receptacle to a desired height. For example, the legs can have a height H2 of about 28 mm, or for example, the legs can have a height H2 of more than about 28 mm.
In some cases, the legs 106 are comprised of an acrylic material, and in some cases the legs are shaped so as to be detachable from the rigid receptacle. In still other embodiments, height of the legs is adjustable. For example, a leg can be formed of two or more slidably-mated segments such that the height can be adjusted. Further, a leg can be formed so as to mate (e.g., with an adhesive) to the soles of the legs (e.g., sole 2161, sole 2162, sole 2163, etc.). In some embodiments, the soles of the legs comprise a fabric sole.
A sidewall 104 can be tall or short, or decorated or undecorated. In some embodiments, a sidewall serves to contain the dice when the height H1 of the sidewall is at least 3.25 inches. In accordance with some decorated embodiments, the dice structure 102 can have substantially rounded edges. Aesthetically consistent with such rounded edges, the dice structure 102 can be substantially curvilinear in shape, or the dice structure 102 can be substantially formed of polygon shapes.
As shown, the hexagonal dice structure with elevating leg members has a receptacle 302 for a leg member. Such a receptacle can be positioned at a vertex of the sidewall concavity (as shown). Alternatively, in some cases a sidewall can be thicker than the embodiment of
The aforementioned receptacle 302 for a leg member may be keyed so as to mate positively with a keyed leg 303. The key can be formed so as to allow only one keyed leg or another (which may be differently-keyed) to mate positively into a particular receptacle 302. Such embodiments include configurations with different length legs (e.g., one leg being shorter than another), thus, in such an assembly the dice structure may be positioned at an angle relative to the plane of a portion of the playing surface.
As shown, the inner barrier 404 forms an opening 402, yet leaving a concavity within the rigid receptacle. Despite the presence of the opening 402, the concavity within the rigid receptacle serves to receive at least one die, and the walls of inner barrier 404, together with the sidewall of the rigid receptacle, serve to contain the dice when thrown into the concavity of the rigid receptacle.
As earlier indicated, the dice structure 102 can accept legs of various shapes, sizes, and functions. Shown in the embodiment of
As shown, the curvilinear dice structure may comprise a circular shape.
As shown, the curvilinear dice structure may comprise an oblong shape.
As shown legs can be formed into any ornamental design or shape. Strictly as examples, legs can assume the shape of a square leg shape 602, a triangular leg shape 604, a pentagonal leg shape 606, a hexagonal leg shape 608, a heptagonal leg shape 610, an octagonal leg shape 612, a five-point star leg shape 614, a six-point star leg shape 616, a seven-point star leg shape 618, etc. In fact legs can be formed into any shape, and can bear any ornamental design.
The foregoing embodiments exemplify a dice structure apparatus with multiple elevating leg members. It is possible to configure a dice structure apparatus with just one elevating leg member. Such embodiments can comprise a rigid receptacle to receive at least one die; and a single leg, the leg affixed to the rigid receptacle wherein the single leg serves to elevate the rigid receptacle above a substantially flat playing surface.
Generally, a rigid receptacle supported by a single leg 106 will topple; yet, the single leg embodiments include a playing surface configured with a throughhole to accept the shape of the leg. The depth of penetration of the leg into the throughhole can be arranged by positioning an annular flange 702 about the single leg at a point between a first end of the single leg and a midpoint of the single leg.
As aforementioned, the depth of penetration of the leg into the throughhole can be arranged by positioning an annular flange about the single leg at a point between a first end of the single leg and a midpoint of the single leg. However, the annular flange need not take on the same shape as the leg. In fact, a flange may take on a shape and ornamental design that suits the theme of the game.
The following examples describe in detail examples of constituent elements of the herein-disclosed embodiments. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many modifications, both to materials and methods, may be practiced without departing from the scope of the disclosure.
As shown, the dice structure apparatus 102 has buttressed elevating legs 106, where each leg is reinforced with buttresses (e.g., buttress 1091, 1092). The transparent dice structure apparatus 102 is formed of an acrylic receptacle to receive the dice, the receptacle having a sidewall 104. This embodiment has three legs; the legs are inserted into the rigid receptacle up to the buttresses. Once assembled legs serve to elevate the rigid receptacle above a substantially flat playing surface.
In this embodiment, the legs can be installed and/or removed by a consumer, and furthermore once removed from being inserted into the rigid receptacle the legs can be stored in the volume of the acrylic receptacle.
Finally, it should be noted that there are alternative ways of implementing the embodiments disclosed herein. Accordingly, the present embodiments are to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive, and the claims are not to be limited to the details given herein, but may be modified within the scope and equivalents thereof.
