Folding board game having pop-up features

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6203017
  • Patent Number
    6,203,017
  • Date Filed
    Monday, August 2, 1999
    25 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, March 20, 2001
    23 years ago
  • Inventors
  • Original Assignees
  • Examiners
    • Layno; Benjamin H.
    • Mendiratta; Vishu
    Agents
    • Ekstrand; Roy A.
Abstract
A board game includes a folding board having a plurality of generally planar board segments joined to form a large planar play surface by a plurality of hinges. The folding board is configurable in a closed configuration suitable for storage or transport by successively folding the various planar segments in a generally inwardly rolling succession of folds from each end of the board. The board game further includes a generally rectangular box supported at one end of the folding board which may opened and is therefore a convenient storage for loose items such as game play tokens or the like. The folding board is opened to a generally planar playing position by unfolding the segments about their respective hinges. A plurality of pop-up features are secured to the folding board and collapse to facilitate folding and rise when the board is unfolded.
Description




FIELD OF THE INVENTION




This invention relates generally to board games and particularly to the folding board structures used therein.




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




Board games are a very well known and very pervasive type of game and acquire their name from the use of a generally planar often folding board as the basis of the game. While initially board games comprised conventional games such as chess or checkers, in early developments various games which may be generally described as “pathway” type games were developed. Such pathway games have resulted in an even greater popularity and variety of board games. Thus, board games have been provided which utilize a variety of game play rules and themes. Additionally, board games have been provided which utilize a variety of appearances often brightly colored and amusing to improve the attractiveness of the board game.




While the variety of board games that have been provided by practitioners in the art is virtually endless, typically such board games include a generally planar board upon which a plurality of segments or stations are defined. Often the segments or stations are arranged in a travel pathway defining a start and an end station of position. A plurality of tokens or markers are usually provided which allow each player to manipulate their particular element through the game pathway. A variety of game rules controlling the game play together with various so-called “chance” devices such as dice, spinners or decks of instruction baring cards are utilized to control the flow of game play.




For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,356,155 issued to Gross sets forth a LOOSE LEAF BOUND BOARD GAMES having a board game kit which includes a loose leaf binder having a front panel and a bottom panel and a connecting rib supporting several binders. A plurality of board games are removably held by the binder each of which includes an appendage with an appropriate holds for binder retention.




U.S. Pat. No. 5,358,252 issued to Mc Phaul sets forth a THREE-DIMENSIONAL MULTI-TIERED CHESS BOARD having a generally rectangular chess board defining columns and rows of square spaces. A center group of defined spaces is supported at a substantially lower tier than the outer most border of spaces. Intermediate spacers are supported at intermediate tiers to produce a downwardly stepped succession of tiers between the upper most outer boarder and the lower most center tier.




In another well known art, various books and cards have been provided which utilize combinations of features known generally in the art as “pop-ups”. The structure and fabrication of pop-ups are well known in the art and have been provided in a wide variety of structures and operative mechanisms. Whiled varied in structure and type, basically all pop-ups utilize some form of folding cover sheets which enclose the pop-up feature elements. The pop-up elements themselves are often folded between the covers and are either spring loaded to rise when the covers are separated such as the opening of a book or alternatively are coupled to various sliding members which raise and lower the pop-up elements as the book or card is opened or closed.




For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,022,681 issued to Penick sets forth PAPER POP-UP DEVICES AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME for use in a magazine or other publication or for use by itself in applications such as mailers or the like. The device includes two display elements hingedly connected to a front of two covers. The opening of the front cover forces erection of the two display elements and allows the elements to stand up out of the plane thereof.




U.S. Pat. No. 1,992,618 issued to Jeffreys sets forth a BOOK having a plurality of pages hingedly secured to a common binder. Each page supports one or more pop-up features hingedly coupled between facing pages such that opening of the book between any two facing pages raises the supported pop-up elements upwardly from the plane of the pages.




U.S. Pat. No. 4,349,973 issued to Penick et al. sets forth POP-UPS AND METHODS OF MAKING capable of fabrication by mechanical mass production particularly as a part of a web press operation. A pair of pop-up elements in the form of two panels are attached to one another preferably by an adhesive and are interconnected by hinges to base pieces which constitute halves of a folder.




U.S. Pat. No. 5,049,078 issued to Thomsen sets forth an PICTURE BOOK WITH PLAY EFFECT having a plurality of toy elements with modularly dimensioned coupling means. The toy elements may be placed on a picture plane provided with correspondingly dimensioned positioning recesses or elevations. A child may play with the toy elements to arrange a three dimensional representation of the situation described in the story text.




U.S. Pat. No. 5,213,507 issued to Ozrovitz sets forth an INSTRUCTIONAL CHILD'S STORY AND PICTURE BOOK including a front cover, a back cover and a plurality of pages pivotally disposed between the covers. At least one of the pages includes text on one or more sides and a puzzle on the other side. The puzzle includes a plurality of interlocking puzzle pieces which provide hand and eye coordination and recognition skill development for children.




U.S. Pat. No. 5,293,706 issued to Wood sets forth an MULTIPLE-IMAGE DISPLAY DEVICE having a folded card like promotional display device which includes first and second panels pivotally movable between a closed condition and a relatively open condition. The device includes a third panel located between and depending from the first and second panels. A first image carried on a first face of the third panel is viewable in the closed condition of the device through a window defined in the first panel.




U.S. Pat. No. 5,681,199 issued to Morris sets forth a BOOK HAVING A POP-UP TOY in which a binder supports a plurality of pages and defines a generally cylindrical member. A pop-up toy is resiliently supported within the binder and is spring loaded to rise abruptly when released.




U.S. Pat. No. 5,104,124 issued to Bernard et al. sets forth a COLLAPSIBLE GAME USEABLE AS A PROMOTIONAL DEVICE having a game supported within a case and defining a plurality of panels which fold outwardly to form a simulated basketball backboard and underlying court.




U.S. Pat. No. 5,562,520 issued to Pridonoff et al. sets forth a collapsible structure forming a three dimensional self supporting play and amusement stage for a child.




U.S. Pat. No. 5,096,204 issued to Lippman sets forth a THREE-DIMENSIONAL BOOK OR GAME BOARD STRUCTURE configurable in either an open or closed configuration. The game board is fabricated of a plurality of individual leaves in which the leaves have substantial thickness and in which the outline shape of any individual leaf is defined in essentially two dimensions. The two dimensional shape or size of the leaves varies from one leaf to another such that the closed book assumes the form of a distinct three dimensional structure having a recognizable shape. The leaves are capable of lying in a single plane when unfolded.




While the foregoing described prior art devices have improved the art and in some instances enjoyed commercial success, there remains nonetheless a continuing need in the art for ever more improved, interesting and amusing board game apparatus.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide an improved board game. It is a more particular object of the present invention to provide an improved board game which includes a foldable board and which assumes a three dimensional character when unfolded. It is a still more particular object of the present invention to provide an improved board game in which the folding board is convenient for storage and carrying of game apparatus therein.




In accordance with the present invention there is provided a board game comprising: a folding game board having a plurality of generally planar board segments and a plurality of hinges joining each board segment to its adjacent board segment, the game board being unfoldable to an open play configuration and foldable to a generally rectangular closed configuration; a plurality of pop-up features supported on the game board having collapsed positions and risen portions; a plurality of game play objects; and a box secured to the game board having an interior cavity for receiving the game play objects for storage.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS




The features of the present invention, which are believed to be novel, are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in the several figures of which like reference numerals identify like elements and in which:





FIG. 1

sets forth perspective view of the present invention folding game board in its closed configuration;





FIG. 2

sets forth a perspective view of the present invention game at an intermediate point in the unfolding process;





FIG. 3

sets forth a perspective view of the present invention board game having the game board fully unfolded.











DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT





FIG. 1

sets forth a perspective view of a folding board game constructed in accordance with the present invention and generally referenced by numeral


10


. Board game


10


is shown in its folded or closed configuration in FIG.


1


. In accordance with an important aspect of the present invention the folded configuration of board game


10


results in a very tight closely compacted configuration suitable for storage or carrying. Board game


10


includes a multi-segment multiply hinged folding board


11


preferably fabricated of a relatively rigid material such as heavy cardboard, particle board or molded plastic. Folding board


11


defines a plurality of generally planar board segments


30


,


31


,


32


,


33


,


34


,


35


,


36


,


37


and


38


. A corresponding plurality of hinges join each adjacent segment to facilitate the folding action of folding board


11


. Thus, hinge


20


joins segments


30


and


31


while hinge


21


joins segments


31


and


32


and hinge


22


joins segments


32


and


33


. Similarly, hinge


23


joins segments


33


and


34


while hinge


24


joins segments


34


and


35


. Hinge


25


joins segments


35


and


36


, hinge


26


joins segments


36


and


37


and finally hinge


27


joins segments


37


and


38


. A generally rectangular box


50


is secured to segment


30


in the manner set forth below and is captivated between segments


30


,


31


and


32


and forms one end of board game


10


in its folded configuration. The remaining end of board game


10


is formed by the right angle relationships of segments


33


,


34


and


35


.





FIG. 2

sets forth a perspective view of board game


10


at an intermediate point in the unfolding or opening of folding board


11


from its compact or closed position shown in FIG.


1


. Thus, the various segments of folding board


11


are shown pivoting and turning outwardly to unfold folding board


11


toward the fully open position shown in FIG.


3


.




More specifically, folding board


11


includes a plurality of generally planar board segments


30


through


38


having each adjacent segment pair joined by a hinge. Thus, folding board


11


defines hinges


20


through


27


providing the folding capability of the present invention. More specifically, segments


30


and


31


are joined by hinge


20


while segments


31


and


32


are joined by hinge


21


and segments


32


and


33


are joined by hinge


22


. Further hinge


23


joins segments


33


and


34


while hinge


24


joins segments


34


and


35


. Hinge


25


joins segments


35


and


36


while segments


36


and


37


are joined by hinge


26


and segments


37


and


38


are joined by hinge


27


.




Board game


10


further includes a generally rectangular box


50


having a bottom surface


51


secured to segment


30


along edge


29


thereof by a conventional attachment such as adhesive attachment or the like. Folding board


11


further defines a number of images printed thereon including a multiply curved pathway


70


divided into a plurality of spaces


71


. A chance device


65


is supported upon folding board


11


at a convenient point at pathway


70


.




In accordance with an important aspect of the present invention, a plurality of pop-up features such as pop-up features


80


and


95


are supported upon the interior surface of folding board


11


. The pop-up features of the present invention board game may be fabricated entirely in accordance with conventional fabrication techniques such as those described above in the Background of the Invention. For purposes of illustration, pop-up


80


is shown having a riser


81


joined to segment


34


at a hinge


82


together with a pop-up box


83


and a pop-up step


88


all joined hingedly to segment


34


in the manner shown in FIG.


3


. Similarly, pop-up feature


95


is joined to segments


35


,


36


and


37


and is fabricated in accordance with conventional fabrication techniques. Thus, pop-up


95


includes riser segments


96


and


97


and is configured to fold along hinges


25


and


26


. Once again it must be emphasized, that pop-ups


80


and


95


are merely representative of the virtually endless variety of pop-up features well known in the art and frequently in use in books and greeting cards as described above. An additional pop-up feature


61


forms a box-like structure joined to segment


38


and folds in a parallelogram type folding action and thus is configurable in either a collapsed parallelogram as shown in

FIG. 2

or as a generally rectangular prism as shown in FIG.


3


.




During the unfolding process shown in

FIG. 2

, the various segments of folding board


11


are pivoting outwardly in the general directions indicated by arrows


100


,


101


and


102


. Correspondingly, pop-up features


80


and


95


are rising from the supporting surface of folding board


11


in the general directions indicated by arrows


94


and


93


respectively. Thus, as folding board


11


is unfolded from the closed configuration shown in

FIG. 1

toward the open configuration shown in

FIG. 3

, the various pop-up features and other features such as box


50


are moved as the board segments pivot about their respective hinges and as folding board


11


unfolds.





FIG. 3

sets forth a perspective view of the present invention board game in its normal play position accomplished by fully opening folding board


11


. Thus as described above, folding board


11


is formed of a plurality of generally planar board segments


30


through


38


joined in adjacent pairs by respective hinges


20


though


27


. The upper surface of folding board


11


defines a number of images including a multiply curved pathway


70


divided into a plurality of spaces


71


. Box


50


which defines a generally rectangular shape includes a bottom surface


51


secured to segment


30


and aligned with edge


29


. In the preferred fabrication of the present invention, bottom


51


of box


50


is secured to segment


30


using conventional attachment means such as adhesive attachment or the like. In further accordance with the preferred fabrication of the present invention, box


50


provides a convenient storage receptacle for the various play pieces which would otherwise be loose and difficult to contain in the folded configuration of FIG.


1


. Accordingly, box


50


is divided into a pair of internal cavities by a partition


62


. The number of cavities formed in box


50


is subject to convenience in accommodating the number and size of the various game play elements being utilized in playing board game


10


. In the embodiment shown in

FIG. 3

, box


50


is divided into two interior cavities such as interior cavity


55


. Correspondingly, box


50


defines a pair of lids


52


and


56


joined to the remainder of box


50


by respective hinges


53


and


57


. Lid


52


defines a lock tab


54


and is pivoted in the direction indicated by arrow


58


to provide closure of interior cavity


55


. For purposes of illustration, tokens


75


and


76


are shown stored within interior cavity


55


. Thus, in accordance with the present invention, a plurality of loose play pieces such as tokens


72


though


76


may be stored within box


50


for convenience and to avoid loosing the token pieces. Other elements if included in the game play objects of game board


10


may likewise be stored in box


50


.




In further accordance with an important aspect of the present invention, board game


10


includes a plurality of pop-up features such as pop-up features


80


and


95


. Board game


10


further includes a folding pop-up feature


61


. Pop-up features


80


,


95


and


61


are set forth for purposes of example or illustration and not limitation. A variety of pop-up elements and features are well known in the art and may readily be utilized in combination with the present invention board game. Pop-up


80


includes a riser


81


joined to segment


34


of folding board


11


by a hinge


82


. Pop-up feature


80


further includes a pop-up box


83


joined by a plurality of hinges


84


though


87


to form a collapsing parallelogram. Further, pop-up feature


80


includes a step pop-up


88


joined by hinges


89


and


90


to segment


34


and box


83


respectively. During the folding operation, pop-up feature


80


pivots or “collapses” in the direction indicated by arrow


91


to form a flat structure upon segment


34


.




Pop-up


95


includes a pair of segments


96


and


97


which are supported to provide folding or collapse of pop-up feature


95


in the direction indicated by arrow


92


. Pop-up feature


95


folds to accommodate the size of segment


36


of folding board


11


.




Pop-up feature


61


defines a collapsing parallelogram which as described above in

FIG. 2

may be folded to form a generally flat parallelogram as shown in

FIG. 2

or unfolded to the generally rectangular configuration shown in FIG.


3


. To further enhance the attractiveness of board game


10


, segment


38


is supported about hinge


27


by pop-up box


61


in a right angle relationship to segment


37


. Further, segment


38


defines a decorative facade


60


to further enhance the visual appeal of board game


10


. A step obstacle


96


is supported upon segment


36


of folding board


11


. Step obstacle


96


is illustrative of features which may be supported upon board game


10


which are not pop-up features in their fabrication. Thus, pop-up features and fixed configuration features such as step obstacle


96


may be accommodated by the structure of folding board


11


.




In accordance with the anticipated play of game


10


, tokens


72


,


73


and


74


are shown at various positions along pathway


70


. In one form of game play using board game


10


, it is anticipated that game rules will be play out which result in progressive movement of the players tokens upon pathway


70


. At the completion of game play board game


10


may be reconfigured to its closed or folded configuration shown in

FIG. 1

by essentially reversing the unfolding procedure described above in FIG.


2


. Thus, the various loose items such as tokens


72


,


73


and


74


may be conveniently stored within box


50


and lids


52


and


56


closed. Thereafter, the folding procedure is carried forward as box


50


is pivoted successively inwardly about hinges


20


,


21


and


22


to the position shown in FIG.


1


. Correspondingly, segment


38


is pivoted about hinge


27


to overlie segment


37


and thereafter segments


35


,


36


and


37


are pivoted to form the generally rectangular configuration shown in FIG.


1


. Finally, the rectangle formed by segments


35


,


36


and


37


is pivoted about hinges


23


and


24


to position segment


36


against segment


30


and complete the closure to the configuration shown in FIG.


1


. At this point board game


10


is completely closed and may be conveniently stored or transported.




While particular embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, 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 in the appended claims is to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.



Claims
  • 1. A board game comprising:a folding game board having a plurality of generally planar board segments and a plurality of hinges joining each board segment to its adjacent board segment, said game board being unfoldable to an open play configuration defining a game play surface having a game pathway formed of a plurality of spaces upon said same play surface and said same board being foldable to a generally rectangular closed configuration; a plurality of pop-up features supported on said game board within said game pathway, said pop-up features having collapsed positions and risen portions; a plurality of game play objects each moved by a player along said game pathway; and a box secured to said game board having an interior cavity for receiving said game play objects for storage.
  • 2. The board game set forth in claim 1 wherein said game pathway includes at least one of said spaces is formed on one of said pop-up features and wherein said plurality of board segments includes a pair of end segments and wherein one of said end segments is a facade segment and is generally perpendicular to its adjacent segment in open play configuration.
  • 3. The board game set forth in claim 2 wherein said box is secured to the remaining one of said pair of end segments.
  • 4. The board game set forth in claim 3 wherein said box is generally rectangular.
  • 5. The board game set forth in claim 4 wherein said plurality of pop-up features includes a generally rectangular member forming a generally right angle prism when said game board is in said open configuration supporting said facade segment and forming a substantially collapsed parallelogram when said game board is in its closed configuration.
  • 6. The board game set forth in claim 1 wherein said plurality of board segments includes a pair of end segments and wherein said box is secured to one of said end segments.
  • 7. The board game set forth in claim 6 wherein said box is generally rectangular.
US Referenced Citations (25)
Number Name Date Kind
565450 Gibson Aug 1896
990918 Stadler May 1911
1430778 Williams Oct 1922
1549610 Reisz Aug 1925
1819932 Walden Aug 1931
1870395 Zarin Aug 1932
1992618 Jeffreys Feb 1935
2221267 Robertson Nov 1940
3880429 Blumenaus Apr 1975
4130284 Fuks Dec 1978
4349973 Penick et al. Sep 1982
4712673 Moore Dec 1987
4781384 Bois Nov 1988
5022681 Penick Jun 1991
5049078 Thomsen Sep 1991
5096204 Lippman Mar 1992
5104124 Bernard et al. Apr 1992
5213507 Ozrovitz May 1993
5293706 Wood Mar 1994
5356155 Gross Oct 1994
5358252 McMaul Oct 1994
5562520 Pridonoff Oct 1996
5681199 Morris Oct 1997
5682999 Larson Nov 1997
5961149 Hunt Oct 1999
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number Date Country
590416 Jul 1947 GB