Patent Application
20130106055
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved magnetic piece for a play board and a magnetic play board incorporating at least one such improved magnetic piece.
2. Description of Related Art
Magnetized play boards have long been employed as toys, games and tools for coaches to teach players facets of sports. In the coaching context, such magnetized boards eliminate the need for markers and an erasable board or alternatively a blackboard and chalk to depict player configurations and movement. Further, magnetized boards are generally more effective teaching tools since they do not rely on strong penmanship and consistent erasing and thus are frequently much easier to follow then simple drawings. Additionally, magnetic boards are more efficient, since the positioning of pieces upon the board (representing players) can be altered much more quickly than when using a drawing, since relying upon a drawing necessitates erasing the former configuration of players depicted on the game board and drawing a new configuration. Also, it is much easier to depict movement of players on a magnetic game board, since the pieces themselves can be moved rather than employing arrows, for example, to demonstrate such movement.
One drawback of using such magnetic boards is that the pieces can become dislodged from the board and get lost. Accordingly, transparent sheets have been introduced above the magnetic play boards to enclose the pieces. One such example of this is found in U.S. Design Pat. No. 266,438 of Reisman.
A similar configuration is depicted in U.S. Pat. No. 4,398,893 of Johns. Johns describes a mechanism for moving the pieces. Specifically, a magnetic remote symbol-piece mover is utilized.
Reisman and Johns also depict moveable magnetic pieces. Johns' moveable piece incorporates a magnetized ceramic plug held firmly within a plexiglass cylindrical shell. Reisman's piece incorporates an inlaid magnet.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,781,015 of Ellman et al. incorporates a game board with magnetic features. Specifically, the game board incorporates a series of fixed domes, each enclosing a magnetic piece. The domes and magnetic pieces are proportioned so as to permit the piece to flip over and thus change north/south polarity in response to the application of a magnetic control device.
None of the prior art examples above incorporate a magnetic piece for a play board incorporating a “floating” magnet that is not susceptible to flipping over and thus reversing the polarity of the enclosed magnet.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a novel and improved magnetic game piece with an enhanced tactile nature that permits a user to more effectively reposition the piece using a magnetic stylus.
It is further desirable to provide a magnetic game piece that effectively signals when the game piece has been engaged by the user through the use of a magnetic stylus.
It is further desirable to provide a magnetic game piece that will effectively maintain its position on a display board when the display board is held upright, yet that can be easily manoeuvred using a magnetic stylus.
It is further desirable to provide a display board incorporating confined magnetic pieces that may be repositioned upon the display board, but not removed from an enclosure defined by the display board.
The present invention accomplishes the foregoing by providing a magnetic piece for a display board comprising a housing, a chamber defined by the housing and a magnet disposed within the chamber.
In a further aspect of the invention, volume of the chamber within the magnetic piece exceeds the volume of the magnet.
In a further aspect of the invention, the housing of the magnetic piece has sidewalls, a ceiling and a floor.
In a further aspect of the invention, the magnet within the magnetic piece is completely enclosed within the housing.
In a further aspect of the invention, the width of the magnet exceeds the height of the chamber and the height of the chamber exceeds the height of the housing.
In a further aspect of the invention, the ceiling of the piece is flat.
In a further aspect of the invention, the ceiling and floor of the magnetic piece define a recess, the width of the magnet exceeds the height of the recess and the height of the recess exceeds the height of the magnet.
In a further aspect of the invention, the magnetic piece further incorporates a spacer adjacent to the floor of the piece, the spacer projects into the chamber and a recess is defined by the ceiling and the spaces.
In a further aspect of the invention, the spacer is integrally attached to the floor.
In a further aspect of the invention, the width of the magnet exceeds the height of the recess and the height of the recess exceeds the height of the magnet.
In a further aspect of the invention, the magnetic piece, the recess and the magnet are annular.
In a further aspect of the invention, the sidewalls of the housing may be opaque.
In a further aspect of the invention, a magnetic display board is provided. The display board has a base, a ferrous surface engaged upon the base, and a sheet disposed above the ferrous surface. The magnetic display board further comprises at least one magnetic piece disposed within a void defined by the ferrous surface and sheet wherein the at least one magnetic piece incorporates a housing, a chamber defined by the housing and a magnet disposed within the chamber and the volume of the chamber exceeds the volume of the magnet. The magnetic display board also incorporates a magnetic stylus for moving the at least one magnetic piece.
In a further aspect of the invention, the magnetic display board also comprises a support means for separating the ferrous surface and the transparent sheet.
In a further aspect of the invention, the support means is integral with the base.
In a further aspect of the invention, the height of the void exceeds the height of the at least one magnetic piece and the width of the at least one magnetic piece exceeds the height of the void.
In a further aspect of the invention, the magnetic surface within the magnetic display board depicts a sport play surface and the at least one piece represents player.
In a further aspect of the invention, the sheet is transparent.
In a further aspect of the invention, the magnetic stylus attaches to a user's fingertip.
In a further aspect of the invention, the magnetic display board incorporates a handle.
In a further aspect of the invention, the handle incorporates a groove for receiving a marker.
The embodiments of the present invention will now be described by reference to the following figures, in which identical reference numbers in different figures indicate identical elements and in which:
a shows a plan view of the magnetic game piece upon a magnetic play board in a first position;
b shows a plan view of the magnetic game piece being moved from a first position to a second position by a fingertip stylus;
c shows a plan view of the magnetic game piece upon the magnetic play board in a second position;
The present invention will now be described for the purposes of illustration only in connection with the single embodiment. However, it is to be understood that other objects and advantages of the present invention will be made apparent by the following description of the drawings according to the present invention. While preferred embodiments are disclosed, this is not intended to be limiting. Rather, the general principles sent forth herein are considered to be merely illustrative of the scope of the present invention and it is to be further understood that numerous changes may be made without straying from the scope of the present invention.
Referring to
The magnetic game piece 100 incorporates a housing 104. In a preferred embodiment, the housing 104 is constructed of one or more resilient non-magnetic materials. The housing 104 has sidewalls 108, a floor 114 and a ceiling 118. In a preferred embodiment, the sidewalls 108 and floor 114 are integral and are molded from a resilient non-magnetic material such as ABS plastic. In a preferred embodiment, the thickness of the sidewalls 108 ranges between 0.090″ and 0.125″ and a preferred thickness of the sidewalls is 0.125″. Further, the thickness of the floor 114 ranges between 0.080″ and 0.100″ and a preferred thickness of the floor 114 is 0.094″. Further, the ABS or acrylic plastic which constitutes the sidewalls 108 and floor 114 may be transparent. Alternatively, the ABS or acrylic plastic which constitutes the sidewalls 108 and floor 114 may be coloured so as to permit a user to distinguish between different classes of magnetic game pieces 100.
The ceiling 118 of the magnetic game piece 100 may be comprised of a different non-magnetic material than the sidewalls 108 and floor 114. For example, the ceiling 118 may be constructed from Lexan® disks, or any other materials suitable for applying words, letters, numbers or other symbols to the ceiling for specifically identifying a magnetic game piece 100. The ceiling 118 is of a thickness between 0.005″ and 0.015″. The preferred thickness of the ceiling is 0.010″. The ceiling 118 may be attached to the sidewalls 108 by any conventional attachment means, including, glue or an epoxy-like substance, fasteners, male/female attaching means or the like. Preferably, the ceiling 118 is irremovably attached to the housing 104. In a preferred embodiment the Lexan® disk are self-adhesive using 3M, 468MP, 0.005″ adhesive. The ceiling 118 may be coloured so as to permit a user to distinguish between different classes of magnetic game pieces 100.
The housing 104 defines a chamber 124. The sides of the chamber 124 are constituted by inner surfaces of the sidewalls 108. The top of the chamber 124 is constituted by the bottom of the ceiling 118 and the bottom of the chamber 124 is constituted by the top surface of the floor 114.
A magnet 130 is disposed within the chamber 124. The volume of the chamber 124 exceeds the volume of the magnet 130. In a preferred embodiment, the magnet 130 is completely enclosed within the housing 104, such that the ceiling 118 of the housing 104 is above the magnet 130 and the floor 114 of the housing 104 is below the magnet 130 and the sidewalls 108 surround the magnet 130. Preferably, there is a uniformly sized space between the inner surface of the sidewalls 108 and the magnet 130 so as to allow movement of the magnet 130 upwards and downwards within the chamber 124. Accordingly, the height of the chamber 124 exceeds the height of the magnet 130. The magnet 130 may be a commercially available disk shaped magnet such as ceramic magnet material (Ferrite) manufactured by ITW Construction Products with nominal dimensions 3/16″×½″.
As referenced above, the height of the chamber 124 exceeding the height of the magnet 130 permits the magnet 130 to move in an upward and downward manner within the chamber 124. Additionally, in a preferred embodiment, the width of the magnet 130 exceeds the height of the chamber 124.
In a preferred embodiment, both the outer and inner surfaces of the floor 114 and ceiling 118 are completely flat. This shape of the ceiling 118 will maximize the surface area of the ceiling 118 that engages the surface above the game piece 100 and maximizes the percentage of the surface area of the magnet 130 that engages the ceiling 118. Similarly, the flat shape of the outer surface of the floor 114 maximizes the surface area of the floor 114 that engages the surface below the game piece 100.
In a further embodiment of the invention, a spacer 136 is disposed adjacent to the floor 114 of the magnetic piece 100. The spacer 136 projects into the chamber 124 and the magnet 130 sits upon the spacer 136 when the magnetic piece 100 is engaged with the surface below the magnetic piece 100. Preferably, the spacer 136 is attached to the floor 114 of the housing 104. The spacer 136 may be integrally attached to the floor 114 or sidewalls 108 or the floor 114 and sidewalls 108 and thus molded from the same material as the floor 114 and/or the sidewalls 108. The spacer 138 may be cross-shaped as seen in
The spacer 136 may be comprised of any non-magnetic material including rubber, ABS, styrene, or acrylic plastic. If the spacer 136 is not integrally attached to the sidewalls 108, the width of the spacer 136 is such that the spacer 136 can fit within the chamber 124 defined by the housing 104. The height of the spacer 136 is preferably within the range of 0.080″ and 0.095″ with a preferred height is 0.090″.
A recess 140 is defined by the top of the spacer 136 and the bottom of the ceiling 118. The magnet 130 is disposed within the recess 140. The width of the magnet 130 exceeds the height of the recess 140 and the height of the recess 140 exceeds the height of the magnet 130.
In one embodiment of the invention, the magnetic piece 100, the chamber 124 and the magnet 130 are annular. Accordingly, the reference to the width of the magnetic piece 100 the chamber 124 or the magnet 130 above includes reference to the circumference of those elements.
Further, the sidewalls 108 of the magnetic piece 100 may be formed of transparent materials such as injection moulded ABS plastic or cut from acrylic plastic tube so that when the magnetic piece 100 is fully constructed the magnet 130 and the spacer 136 can be seen when the magnetic piece 100 is fully constructed.
Referring to
The magnetic display board 200 may also incorporate a ferrous surface 214 engaged with the base 204. The ferrous surface 214 is constructed from a magnetic material such as ferrous mild steel sheet with a preferred thickness of 0.020″. The ferrous surface 214 may display markings on a surface opposite from the surface facing the base 204. The markings may represent a sport play surface, such as a hockey rink, soccer pitch, football field or other larger non-sport surfaces such as airport taxiways, roadways, floor-plans etc. In such an embodiment, the magnetic pieces 100 represent players or game equipment such as pucks or balls or the like. The markings upon the ferrous surface 214 may also represent a map, a game board or any other surface on which one may wish to attach magnetic pieces for display purposes.
A sheet 220 is disposed above the ferrous surface 214. In one embodiment, the sheet 220 is transparent or at least partially transparent so that the ferrous surface 214 or a portion thereof may be seen. The sheet 220 may be constructed from transparent plastic such as plexiglass, Lexan® or acrylic sheet. Preferably the sheet 220 can be written upon by a dry erase marker.
A void 224 is defined by the ferrous surface 214 and the sheet 220. The height of the void 224 exceeds the height of the magnetic pieces 100, such that the magnetic pieces 100 are disposed within the void 224. Preferably, the width or circumference of the magnetic pieces 100 exceeds the height of the void 224 such that the magnetic pieces 100 cannot overturn.
In one embodiment, support means separate the ferrous surface 214 and the sheet 220. The support means may completely surround the void 224. Such a support means could be constituted by a series of outer walls 224. In this embodiment and as seen in
In an alternative embodiment, outer walls 224 are integral with the base 204 and constitute the support means. The outer walls 224 incorporate a shoulder 232 on which the sheet 220 rests and a lip 236 for receiving the ferrous surface 214. Additionally, the magnetic display board incorporates a brace 240 that is placed upon the sheet 220 in a manner that does not obstruct the sheet 220 or the ferrous surface 214 disposed below the sheet 220. Preferably the brace 240 resembles a border surrounding the sheet 220 and incorporates a flange 244 that engages the sheet 220.
The base 204 and the brace 240 may be attached by connecting means. The connecting means may be any conventional connecting means, including glue, clips, velcro or the like. In one embodiment, the connecting means consist of series of screws 248. In this embodiment, the outer walls 224 and the brace 240 define cylindrical apertures 252 for receiving the screws 248. The screws 248 attach the base 204 to the brace 240 in a manner such that the sheet 220 is secured upon the shoulder 232 of the base. The ferrous surface 214 is thus enclosed within the base 204, the outer walls 224 and the sheet 220 orientated within the lip 236 of the outer walls 224.
The magnetic display board 200 also incorporates as an accessory means for moving the magnetic pieces 100. The means for moving the magnetic pieces may be a magnetic stylus (not shown). The magnetic stylus may be conveniently attached to the magnetic display board 100, such as by an anchor and string combination. The magnetic stylus may incorporate a plastic outer shell and a stylus magnet.
Alternatively as seen within
A dry erase marker 270 may be used in association with the magnetic play board 200 for drawing upon the sheet 220. The dry erase marker 270 may be releasably attached to the magnetic play board 200, such as to the handle 208, when not in use.
In operation, it is seen in
It will be apparent to those having ordinary skill in this art that the various modifications and variations may be made to the embodiments disclosed herein, consistent with the present invention, without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Other embodiments consistent with the present invention will become apparent from consideration with the specification and the practice of the invention disclosed herein. Accordingly, the specification and the embodiment are to be considered exemplary only, with a true scope and spirit of the invention being disclosed by the following claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2,756,384 | Oct 2011 | CA | national |
This application claims the benefit of and priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 to Canadian Application No. ______, filed Oct. 28, 2011, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
