Patent Application
20050115849
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to packaging for a lawn game. More particularly, the invention relates to packaging that may be used to hold game components in a disassembled state for point of sale display. The packaging may also be used to store assembled game components by a purchaser once the components have been assembled.
2. Background
Lawn games are a popular form of recreation. An example of a popular lawn game is croquet. In croquet, play involves striking a ball with a mallet. The player, or striker, directs the mallet to strike the striker ball. By striking the striker ball the player may cause the striker ball, or any other ball hit by the striker ball to move and/or to score a point.
During play, a player is afforded one shot in a turn, after which the turn ends unless the striker ball has scored a wicket point or hit another ball. When a wicket is scored, the striker is entitled to play an additional or continuation shot. When any other ball is hit by the striker ball, the striker is said to have made a “roquet” on that ball and the striker ball is entitled to two extra shots and becomes “dead” on that ball. The first of these two shots is known as the “croquet” shot, and is made after placing the striker ball in contact with the roqueted ball. The second shot is a continuation shot. If, in the croquet shot, the croqueted ball is sent off the court or the striker ball is sent off the court without first having made another roquet, the turn ends. During a turn, each ball the striker ball is “alive” on may be roqueted once, and the striker ball may make another roquet on each ball provided that since last roqueted, the striker ball has scored a wicket point for itself and has thus cleared itself of its “deadness”. Thus, by a series of shots, roquets, croquets and continuation shots it is possible to make many points during one turn. Such a series is known as “making a break”.
Commonly accepted rules of croquet define croquet equipment as including wickets, stakes, balls and mallets. Wickets must be 12 inches in height above the ground, measured from the ground to the top of the crown of the wicket. The crown must be straight and at right angles to the uprights. A distance between the inside of the uprights for normal play must not be less than 3{fraction (11/16)}, or more than 4 inches apart. The stake must be vertical and extend 12 inches above ground level when fixed in the ground. Croquet balls must be 3⅝ inches in diameter with a milled surface and of even weight, not less than 15¾ ounces, nor more than 16¼ ounces. The head of the mallet must be of wood or any other material, provided that the player gains no advantage over wood.
As can be appreciated from the above described equipment, the purchase of a complete croquet set involves the purchasing of a substantial amount of bulky equipment including balls, mallets and wickets. Such an assortment of equipment presents problems for a retailer who is desirous of minimizing shelf space for individual items. One solution is to provide disassembled mallets to minimize the size of a container that is required to contain playing equipment. By disassembling the mallets, the mallet heads, mallet handles and stakes may be stacked in a parallel arrangement to minimize container size.
A problem with containers sized to contain disassembled components is that after the equipment is purchased and the purchaser desires to replace the equipment in the storage container, the purchaser must disassemble the components so that the components will fit once again within the container. Repeated assembly and disassembly of game components is both bothersome and potentially damaging to the playing equipment.
Therefore, packaging that functions to minimize space for retail purposes and that also functions to easily store assembled components for a purchaser after use is desirable.
According to the present invention there is provided an improvement in packaging for a lawn game having game components and mallets, such as croquet. The packaging includes a container having an interior sized for enclosing game components including disassembled mallets. The container includes a door for providing access to the interior. The container is provided with a visible portion to facilitate viewing of the game components when the door is closed for the benefit of prospective purchasers. In one embodiment, the container is constructed of wire mesh. In another embodiment, the container is constructed of flexible material.
A plurality of receptacles are provided on the container for receiving a stick portion of an assembled mallet for facilitating ease of storage of the game components after the mallets are assembled. In one embodiment, the receptacles are constructed of fabric loops affixed to an outside of the container, such as on the door or on an opposite surface of the container. In another embodiment, the receptacles are orifices defined by the container. Flexible restrictors may be located in the orifices for engaging radial grooves formed in the sticks of the mallets when the sticks are located within the receptacles.
A better understanding of the present invention, its several aspects, and its advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the attached drawings, wherein there is shown and described the preferred embodiment of the invention, simply by way of illustration of the best mode contemplated for carrying out the invention.
Before explaining the present invention in detail, it is important to understand that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of the embodiments and steps described herein. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in a variety of ways. It is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.
Referring to
In one embodiment, packaging 10 (
Referring now to
Central vertical brace members 60 are positioned in a coplanar relationship with the backside wire frame member 26. Central vertical brace members 60 span between the straight longitudinal bottom portion 34 and curved longitudinal upper portion 30 of backside wire frame member 26.
Wire mesh panels 70 are located in a coplanar relationship with backside wire frame member 26. Wire mesh panels 70 are bounded by the straight longitudinal bottom portion 34 of backside of frame member 26, the curved longitudinal upper portion 30 of backside wire frame member 26 and by first and second vertical brace members 54.
Package 10 has a top surface 80, (
A plurality of clasps 190 are preferably provided on upper surface 80 of packaging 10. A plurality of hinges 194 are preferably provided on longitudinal bottom portion 34 of front side wire frame member 32.
A door wire frame member 200 is provided that has a straight longitudinal bottom portion 202 with a curved longitudinal upper portion 204. Straight longitudinal bottom portion 202 of door wire frame member 200 is connected to hinges 194. Curved longitudinal upper portion 204 of the door wire frame member 200 selectively engages clasps 190.
Additionally, central vertical brace members 220 are coplanar with the door wire frame member 200. Central vertical brace members 220 span between the straight longitudinal bottom portion 202 and curved longitudinal upper portion 204 of the door wire frame member 200. Wire mesh door panels 230 are coplanar with the door wire frame member 200. Wire mesh panels 230 are bounded by straight longitudinal bottom portion 202 and top portion 204 of door wire frame member 200. First and second vertical brace members 242 and 244 are coplanar with door wire frame member 200 and span between bottom portion 202 and top portion 204 of door 200.
Referring now primarily to
A second embodiment of packaging 10 is shown in
A first panel 312 has a border 314 and a see-through interior 316. See-through interior 316 is preferably constructed of mesh. Interior 316 allows for visibility of contents of the packaging 300. A second panel 320 also has a border 322 having a see-through interior 324. Bottom surface 304, first side surface 306, second side surface 308, top surface 310, first panel 312 and second panel 320 define interior space 326. A zipper 330 is provided on first side surface 306, second side surface 308 and top surface 310 for selectively securing first panel 312 to exterior 302.
A first fabric handle 334 has a first length 336 proximate a first end 338. First length 336 is sewn onto first panel 312. First fabric handle 334 additionally has a second length 340 proximate a second end 342. Second length 340 is also sewn onto first panel 312.
A second fabric handle 344 has a first length 346 proximate first end 348. First length 346 is sewn onto second panel 320 and is preferably affixed to first reinforcing strap 347 (
Referring now to
Advantages of the packaging of the invention include attractive and functional packaging for displaying game hardware wherein the packaging also functions as a storage device for game hardware after purchase. In a preferred embodiment, head and stick mallet components are disassembled for shipping to assist in minimizing packaging size. However, the packaging of the invention allows for consumer assembled mallets to be easily affixed to and stored with the packaging of the invention. The result is packaging that is functional for sales and marketing and also is convenient and functional for storage and use by the consumer.
While the invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiment(s) set for herein for purposes of exemplification, but is to be limited only by the scope of the attached claim or claims, including the full range of equivalency to which each element thereof is entitled.
