Patent Application
20070200291
1. Field
The present invention generally relates to game devices and methods of playing games, and more particularly to games of chance which utilize one or more dice and have relatively simple rules so children may play.
2. State of the Art
Various games of chance have been developed over the years which utilize a variety of chance selection devices including one or more dice, spinners mounted on a cardboard base, and the like. The most widely used dice are the conventional cube dice which have one through six dots or dimples on the six sides or facets thereof to indicate the numbers one through six. The cube dice is used in various gambling games in casinos such as craps. Other configurations of dice are less frequently used such as for games played at home. These include a tetrahedron having four facets, an octahedron having eight facets, a decahedron having ten facets, a dodecahedron having twelve facets, and an icosahedron having twenty facets.
Various games have been patented which utilize the various configurations of dice. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,959,893 issued to Sigg on Jun. 1, 1976 is disclosed an educational gaming apparatus that includes a set of six numbered blocks and one operator block all of dodecahedron shape. The numbers zero through nine are displayed on the sides or facets of the number blocks. The mathematical symbols of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division are displayed on the sides or facets of the operator block. The numbered and operator bocks are tossed and players then arrange the blocks in such an order that the uppermost faces of the blocks indicate a mathematical problem and its solution.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,918,881 issued to Kirby on Jul. 6, 1999 is disclosed a polyhedron dice for use in player selection in place of the conventional spinner mounted on the cardboard base. The dice is a regular polyhedron having equal facets, equal vertices, and equal dihedral angles between the facets. The dice has six or more equally shaped planar facets such as the cube or sextahedron having six facets, the octahedron having eight facets, the decahedron having ten facets, the dodecahedron having twelve facets, or the icosahedron having twenty facets. An arrow is displayed on each facet of the dice which are arranged in various directions whereby rolling the dice results in the arrow an uppermost facet the dice randomly pointing to one of the players seated therearound to determine which player is selected.
Various dice which display card symbols have been patented for use in a variety of games. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,145,175 issued to Gathman et al. on Sep. 8, 1992 is disclosed symmetrical dice with card indicia displayed on the facets thereof. The dice has twelve or twenty facets with a suit symbol and a value symbol on each facet that represent one of the fifty-two playing cards in a playing card deck. The dice with twelve facets have three different value symbols for each of the four suits of diamonds, hearts, spades, and clubs for a total of twelve different cards. The dice with twenty sides have five different values of each of the four suits for a total of twenty different cards. In both the dice having twelve and twenty facets, opposite facets of the dice have the same value symbol and no two adjoining facets bear the same suit symbol. The symmetrical arrangement provides complete randomness during rolling of the dice.
While the prior art games and dice are generally adequate for the purposes intended, they have some serious shortcomings. Firstly, the rules of many such games are too complicated for children to understand. Secondly, the dice are typically of a relatively small size which can be ingested by children providing a choking hazard. Thirdly, the dice are typically of solid plastic construction which can lead to injury by children falling on or throwing the dice. Fourthly, the dice have fixed number, playing card, or other indicia molded, printed, or otherwise permanently displayed thereon. This limits use of the dice to particular games without the ability to change the indicia for playing other games which require different indicia. Fifthly, the solid plastic construction of the dice requires an excessive amount of plastic if made in larger sizes to prevent ingesting.
There is a continuing need for a game device and a method of playing a game which solves the shortcomings with the prior art games and dice by: 1) having simple rules which children understand; 2) the dice being of a larger size which cannot be ingested by children alleviating the choking hazard; 3) the dice being of soft construction which can be fallen on or thrown by children without leading to injury; 4) the dice having interchangeable numbers, playing cards, or other indicia removably displayed thereon to provide flexibility of use for various games which require different indicia; and 5) the dice having a hollowed construction which requires a minimal amount of plastic when made in larger sizes to prevent ingesting.
The present invention is a game device and a method of playing a game. The game device comprises a chance selection device adapted to randomly select sequential integers from respective predetermined low to high numbers and at least one score sheet having a front side printed with respective areas to record player names, roll scores, and total scores.
In preferred embodiments of the game device, the chance selection includes a twelve-sided regular dodecahedron dice having twelve facets each of pentagonal shape and equal area with a unique number from one to twelve displayed thereon. A plurality of the score sheets are provided as part of a score pad which includes a backing sheet made of cardboard all interconnected by a resilient binding strip. Each score sheet is made of paper with a back side printed with game rules. The pad has between about twenty to fifty of the score sheets. The front side of each score sheet includes a name of player row, a plurality of player name columns, and a roll number row which together with the player name columns define a plurality of player name areas in which to record the player names. A roll number column with successive roll numbers and a plurality of roll number rows together with the player name columns define a plurality of roll score areas in which to record the roll scores for each player. A total score row together with the player name columns define a plurality of total score areas in which to write the total scores of the roll score spaces in each player name column. There are a number of the player name columns and a number of the roll number rows which correspond with a number of facets of the dice. A writing device is provided adapted for recording the player names, the roll scores, and the total scores on the score sheets.
In a first preferred embodiment of the game device, the dice is of a foamed construction being molded from self-skinning urethane and of a size sufficient to prevent ingestion by children.
In a second preferred embodiment of the game device, the dice includes a plurality of display cards respectively attachable to each facet with the numbers disposed thereon. The display cards are retained within respective recesses of the facets by a pair of laterally dependent elongate retaining tabs disposed at each recess and abutting a pair of end surfaces. Each recess having a transverse opening where the retaining tabs end to permit insertion of the display cards thereinto. The display cards are made of a flexible material such as cardboard or sheet plastic. The dice is of a hollowed, a foamed, or a solid construction.
In a third preferred embodiment of the game device, the dice is of a hollowed construction comprising a sheet pattern cut from a thin sheet material which includes a plurality of flat pentagonal members having the facets with numbers interconnected at a plurality of fold lines. The sheet pattern is formed into the dodecahedron shape by folding along the fold lines and joining together an outer edge thereof using a joining process such as adhesively, heat welding, or ultrasonic welding. The sheet pattern further includes a plurality of joining tabs connected to respective of the pentagonal members at respective fold lines. The joining tabs closely fit through mating retaining slots through the pentagonal members to secure the sheet pattern in the dodecahedron shape. The joining tabs have respective transverse slots to anchor the joining tabs in the retaining slots. The fold lines are of a perforated, thinned, or printed type or a combination thereof to facilitate bending of the sheet pattern therealong.
The method of playing a game includes the steps of: 1) providing a chance selection device adapted to randomly select sequential integers from respective predetermined low to high numbers and at least one score sheet to record player names, roll scores, and total scores; 2) determining a number of turns each players gets randomly selecting integers per game using the chance selection device; 3) deciding which of high score and low score wins the game; 4) conducting a primary roll-off using the chance selection device to determine starting positions of each player which is a playing sequence for the entire duration of the game; 5) conducting any secondary roll-offs using the chance selection device necessary to break ties between players until all of the starting positions are established; 6) writing player names onto the score sheet; 7) players taking turns randomly selecting integers using the chance selection device in the playing sequence and recording the score on the scoring sheet until each player has the determined number of turns; 8) adding the scores entered on the scoring sheet for each player and recording a total to establish a winning player according to whom has the highest or lowest total score determined at the start of the game; and 9) conducting any secondary roll-offs using the chance selection device necessary to break ties between players until the winning player is established.
In a preferred embodiment of the method, the chance selection device used comprises a twelve-sided dodecahedron dice having a plurality of facets each of pentagonal shape and equal area with a unique number displayed thereon from one to twelve. The number on the topmost of the facets is the score for each roll. The player names are written onto the score sheet in the playing sequence as the starting positions are established by the primary and any secondary roll-offs. One or more of the steps of conducting the primary roll-off and any secondary roll-offs using the chance selection device are done using the same of the high score and low score decided to win the game. The determined number of turns is twelve which is the same as the number of facets of the dice.
The best mode presently contemplated for carrying out the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:
Referring to
The score pad 12 includes a plurality of score sheets 18 and a backing sheet 20 all interconnected by a resilient binding strip 22 in conventional manner. The score sheets 18 are typically made of paper and the backing sheet 20 made of cardboard. The score pad 12 typically includes between about twenty to fifty of the score sheets 18.
Referring to
Referring to
The dodecahedron dice 14 of the foam construction is molded from self-skinning urethane which provides a foam core 58 of the urethane material and a smooth outer skin 60 of a desired color. The urethane material allows children to throw, sit on, or otherwise play with the dodecahedron dice 14 without being injured or injuring others. The dodecahedron dice 14, as well as those which follow, are preferably of a size sufficient to prevent ingestion by children to prevent a choking hazard. The dodecahedron dice 14 may alternatively be made of other constructions such as solid and from other materials such as plastic materials including polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene, nylon, or polypropylene, metals such as stainless steel, painted or otherwise coated carbon steel, or aluminum, or other suitable material. The dodecahedron dice 14 can be of hollow and virtually as large as desired. The dodecahedron dice 14, as well as those which follow, may be of other shapes such as a tetrahedron, a hexahedron, an octahedron, or a icosahedron.
The game device 10 is used to play a dice game for use by two to twelve players which is educational, instructional, and amusing. The players first decide whether high score or low score wins the game. The maximum attainable high score attainable is one-hundred-forty-four by rolling twelve twelves and the lowest attainable score is twelve by rolling twelve ones. The players then have a roll-off to determine the starting positions of each player which is the rolling sequence for the entire duration of the game. The number 54 on the topmost of the flat facets 52 of the dodecahedron dice 14 is the score for each roll. The players are sequenced in order from highest to lowest numbers rolled with ties being broken by additional roll-offs between the tying players until starting positions have been established. Player names written in the player name spaces 36 in the starting order using the pencil 16 as the playing sequence is determined during the roll-offs. The objective of the game is to roll the highest or lowest score as decided. The game is then played by all players rolling the dice 14 in the sequence and the scores recorded in respective of the scoring spaces 44 until each player has had twelve rolls. The scores entered in the scoring spaces 44 of each player name column 32 are added together and recorded in the total score spaces 48 to establish the winner according to whom has the highest or lowest total score determined at the start of the game. Ties are settled by a roll-off using either the highest or lowest number 54 rolled also as determined at the start of game to determine the winner.
Referring to
Referring to
The display cards 66 are made of a flexible material such as cardboard or thin sheet plastic material such as those described above and have a unique number 78 from one through twelve printed, molded, or otherwise displayed thereon. The display cards 66 are inserted through the transverse opening 76 and are retained within respective of the recesses 70 of the facets 68 by the pair of retaining tabs 72 and abutting the end surfaces 74. The positioning of the numbers 78 on the dodecahedron dice 64 can be any desired, with the exemplary layout 56 which is the same as dodecahedron dice 14 being shown. The display cards 66 allow the dodecahedron dice 64 to be used for other game devices 62 such as by substituting display cards 66 with different numbers, playing cards, or other indicia with the score sheets 18 eliminated or modified to fit the particular game device 62.
The dodecahedron dice 64 may alternatively be used as a yearly calendar and paper weight by using display cards 66 each of which has a unique monthly calendar (not shown) printed thereon for the particular year. The twelve display cards 66 on the twelve facets 68 thus have the complete yearly calendar. The current month is displayed by positioning the dodecahedron dice 64 with the display card 66 having the current month as the uppermost of the facets 68. Each display card 66 can also have other indicia (not shown) printed thereon such as advertising.
Referring to
The method of playing the game comprises the steps of: 1) providing a chance selection device adapted to randomly select sequential integers from respective predetermined low to high numbers and at least one score sheet to record player names, roll scores, and total scores; 2) determining a number of turns each players gets randomly selecting integers per game using the chance selection device; 3) deciding which of high score and low score wins the game; 4) conducting a primary roll-off using the chance selection device to determine starting positions of each player which is a playing sequence for the entire duration of the game; 5) conducting any secondary roll-offs using the chance selection device necessary to break ties between players until all of the starting positions are established; 6) writing player names onto the score sheet; 7) players taking turns randomly selecting integers using the chance selection device in the playing sequence and recording the score on the scoring sheet until each player has the determined number of turns; 8) adding the scores entered on the scoring sheet for each player and recording a total to establish a winning player according to whom has the highest or lowest total score determined at the start of the game; and 9) conducting any secondary roll-offs using the chance selection device necessary to break ties between players until the winning player is established.
In a preferred method, the chance selection device used comprises a polyhedral dice having a plurality of facets each of equal area with a unique number displayed thereon from one and the high number of a total number of the facets, and the number on the topmost of the facets is the score for each roll. The dice comprises a twelve-sided dodecahedron wherein the facets are of pentagonal shape. The player names are written onto the score sheet in the playing sequence as the starting positions are established by the primary and any secondary roll-offs. One or more of the steps of conducting the primary roll-off and any secondary roll-offs using the dodecahedron dice device is done using the same of the high score and low score decided to win the game. The determined number of turns is the same as the number of facets of the dice.
The game device and a method of playing the game thus solve the shortcomings with the prior art games and dice by: 1) having simple rules which children understand requiring only a basic understanding of the numbers one through twelve, addition of these numbers, and comprehending high versus low number totals; 2) the dice being of a larger size which cannot be ingested by children alleviating the choking hazard up to virtually any size desired; 3) the dice being of soft foam construction from self-skinning urethane which can be fallen on or thrown by children without leading to injury; 4) the dice having interchangeable display cards for the numbers, playing cards, or other indicia removably displayed thereon to provide flexibility of use for various games which require different indicia; and 5) the dice having a hollowed sheet construction which requires a minimal amount of plastic when made in larger sizes to prevent ingesting.
Whereas this invention is here illustrated and described with reference to embodiments thereof presently contemplated as the best mode of carrying out such invention in actual practice, it is to be understood that various changes may be made in adapting the invention to different embodiments without departing from the broader inventive concepts disclosed herein and comprehended by the claims that follow.
