FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a game that is played by magnetically coupling and selectively associating symbols contained on the surfaces of a plurality of magnetizable cubic shaped bodies to convey intelligence.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In word games, for example, where the words are constructed by the association of indicia representing the letters of the alphabet, the indicia are carried by a plurality of non-magnetic right prism shaped bodies where the player associates the indicia to form words by juxtaposing the right prism bodies in a selected order. The same indicia forming the pre-determined word can also be used in forming another word containing that indicia; and the indicia of the newly formed word may also be used in forming further words. The same process may also be used where the indicia are mathematical symbols that may be juxtaposed to form various equations and their solutions.
It is desirable that a surface of one of the bodies upon which indicia are observable is associated to another surface to permit the building of trains of bodies that remain connected and retain the selected order of indicia throughout the playing off the game. An object of this invention, therefore, is to provide a game for associating symbols in a selected order where the symbols are magnetically coupled together to promote the integrity of horizontal and vertical trains of indicia that form observable words or equations and consequently the conveyance of intelligence.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
There is, therefore, provided according to the present invention, a symbol association game where the symbols consist of indicia observable on each face of a magnetizable right prism body which may be magnetically coupled with other magnetizable right prism bodies containing surface indicia to convey intelligence.
The present invention is directed to a symbol association game where the game is played by magnetically coupling selected surface indicia to communicate intelligence that consists of a plurality of magnetizable bodies having mutually perpendicular and parallel surfaces of approximately equal area that form a body having right prism shapes. The right prism preferably is a right prism of cubic shape. A magnet may be carried by any one of the surfaces of the right prism body to permit magnetic coupling with the surface of another right prism shaped magnetizable body.
In the preferred embodiment, an insert member, which is removably and reversably mountable to a surface of the right primbody, carries the magnet which the magnet is removably and reversibly mountable to the insert member. Each surface of the right prism body contains a recess region that is so dimensioned and proportioned to permit the insert member to be captively held in the recess region. Observable indicia are displayed within at least one recess region of each surface and in preferred embodiment, the indicia are letters of the alphabet.
A game board having a magnetized planar surface has a multiplicity of delineated squares whose surface area is approximately equal to the surface area of a face of the right prism body to permit selective magnetic coupling of the right prism body with the surface of the game board.
In playing the game, the player forms horizontal and vertical trains of coupled magnitized bodies. To support a horizontal train of coupled magnetizable right prism bodies extending from a vertical train above the game board surface, magnetizable support members are provided of varying lengths that magnetically couple with the game board surface and a selected right prism body of a horizontal train. Thus, if the horizontal train is at a multiple of right prism heights above the game board surface, a magnetizable support member of that height may be selected and coupled with both the horizontal train and the game board.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
These and other features and advantages will become appreciated as the same become better understood with reference to the following specifications, claims, and drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the symbol association game of this invention where the indicia are letters of the alphabet and the right prism shaped magnetizable bodies are coupled in a horizontal and vertical train;
FIG. 2 is an exploded view of a right prism shaped magnetizable body illustrating the insert member, magnet, and magnetizable body;
FIG. 3 is an assembled view of the insert member, magnet, and magnetizable body illustrated in FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 2;
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 3;
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of various size support members used to support a horizontal train of magnetically coupled magnetizable right prism shaped bodies as shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 7 is a front view of each respective support member shown in FIG. 6;
FIG. 8 is a selected cross-sectional view of a support member illustrated in FIG. 7; and
FIG. 9 is a selected top view of a support member illustrated in FIG. 6.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the symbol association game of this invention. As can be seen in FIG. 1, the symbols or indicia are letters of the alphabet which are arranged in a train or sequence so as to impart intelligence. In FIG. 1, for illustrative purposes, the word “PEAR” has been spelled in a horizontal train and the letters “EPA” can be seen to form a vertical train. By adding the letter “X” to the vertical train, the word “APEX” is created and, thus, by extending the trains vertically and horizontally, other trains of letters to form other words may be initiated. By further example, lateral trains incorporating the letter “D”, or the letter “Q”, or the letter “B” may be initiated to form a sequence of letters, or indicia, that convey intelligence.
Referring again to FIG. 1, it can be seen that symbol association game 1 includes a game board 2, a plurality of magnetizable bodies 3, preferably made of sheet steel material and having preferably a right prism cubic shape, and a support member 4 that supports a horizontal train of magnetizable bodies which have been magnetically coupled together as shown in FIG. 1. In the embodiment of the symbol association game 1 illustrated in FIG. 1, the intelligence that is observable is a word; however, in another embodiment not shown the intelligence may be expressed in mathematical symbolism or in a combination of numeric and alphabetic indicia to convey intelligence.
The structure of magnetizable body 3 can be seen by referring to FIGS. 2, 3, 4, and 5. FIG. 2 is an exploded view of a magnetizble body 3 illustrating its components, namely, magnet 4 which is captively carried by a removably mounted insert member 6 where insert member 6 has an opening 7 and as can be seen in FIG. 4, opening 7 extends through insert member 6 such that magnet 4 may be inserted into opening 7 from either side of the insert and captively held there. To facilitate the magnetic coupling of a pair of magnetizable bodies 3, insert member 6 has a central portion 8 which is square shaped and extends laterally from opening 7. FIG. 4 illustrates the lateral extension of central portion 8 where it can be seen that central portion 8 has substantially the same peripheral dimension as the boundary surface face 9 of magnetizable body 3. Each boundary surface 9 of a magnetizable body 3 contains a recess region 11 of substantially the same depth and shape as that of extension 12 and 121; extensions 12 and 121 are integral with center portion 8 of the insert member 6. Recess region 11 is an open region in surface face 9 and contains an observable indicia or symbol 13. Thus, each magnetizable body may have an observable indicia or symbol 13 on each boundary surface face 9 which may be associated by magnetically coupling with another magnetizable body 3 to form a vertical or horizontal train of indicia or symbols 13 to convey intelligence.
FIG. 4 illustrates, in cross-section, an exploded view of magnetizable body 3 in the preferred embodiment of this invention. A right prism 14 is cubically shaped and is made of a steel sheet material. As can be seen in FIG. 1, frame 16, which is also cubic shaped, integrally carries right prism 14 and is so dimensioned and proportioned to define a recess region 11 extending through each face of right prism 14 for receiving insert member 6. A train of magnetizable bodies 3 may extend horizontally from any one of a vertical train of magnetizable bodies, as shown in FIG. 1. To support the horizontal train, support member 4 is inserted between the game board and horizontal train. As can be seen in FIGS. 1, 6, and 7, support members 4 are of different heights to accommodate a variety of horizontal trains. In the preferred embodiment, support members 4 are made of a plastic material but in another embodiment may be made of a magnetizable material. The upper disc 17 interfaces with the magnetizable body while lower disc 18 interfaces with the game board 2. Although upper and lower discs 17 and 18 in the preferred embodiment may be made of a plastic material, the discs could also be made of a magnetic material for magnetically coupling with the game board 2 and a magnetizable body 3.
While I have shown and described an embodiment of a game for magnetically associating symbols or indicia, it is to be understood that the invention is subject to many modifications without departing from the scope and spirit of the claims recited herein.
Patent Application
20060087077
