Patent Application
20050077680
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a playing card, such as a poker card. More particularly, this invention relates to a playing card that includes a transparent substrate.
2. Description of the Related Art
Playing cards, such as poker cards, are conventionally made of paper or plastic materials. These playing cards include an opaque paper or plastic substrate and thus, the front face of the substrate cannot be seen from the rear face of the substrate, and vice versa.
In contrast to the prior art, the inventor contemplates a structural modification of the known playing cards, wherein parts of the front face of the playing card can be seen from the rear face, so as to increase the consumer appeal of the playing cards.
According to the present invention, a playing card includes a transparent substrate having a front face and a rear face opposite to the front face. The front face has a first region and a second region that is formed with a recognition pattern thereon. The rear face has a first region and a second region that is formed with an opaque pattern which fully covers the recognition pattern on the second region of the front face such that the recognition pattern cannot be seen from the rear face. The first region of the front face and the first region of the rear face are registered with each other so as to permit viewing therethrough.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:
Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, the preferred embodiment of the poker card according to this invention includes a transparent substrate 10. Preferably, the transparent substrate 10 is flexible. More preferably, the transparent substrate 10 is made of plastic.
Moreover, the transparent substrate 10 of the poker card 1 has a front face 2 and a rear face 3 opposite to the front face 2: The front face 2 has two diagonal first regions 22, 23 and two diagonal second regions 21, 24. Each of the two diagonal second regions 21, 24 is formed with a recognition pattern thereon, such as a pattern including a symbol “black spade” 211, 241 and a character “black A” (black Ace) 212, 242. Each of the two diagonal first regions 22, 23 is formed with a star-shaped decorative pattern 221, 231.
The rear face 3 has two diagonal first regions 32, 33 and two diagonal second regions 31, 34. Each of the two diagonal second regions 31, 34 is formed with an opaque pattern. Each of the opaque patterns on the second regions 31, 34 has a size larger than that of the respective one of the two diagonal second regions 21, 24 of the front face 2 such that the opaque patterns on the second regions 31, 34 of the rear face 3 fully cover the recognition patterns 211, 212, 241, 242 on the second regions 21, 24 of the front face 2. Therefore, the recognition patterns 211, 212, 241, 242 cannot be seen from the rear face 3. Besides, each of the two diagonal second regions 31, 34 on the rear face 3 is formed with a star-shaped decorative pattern 311, 341.
Each of the two diagonal first regions 32, 33 of the rear face 3 is also formed with a star-shaped decorative pattern 321, 331. Each of the decorative patterns 321, 331 on the first regions 32, 33 of the rear face 3 has a size larger than that of a respective one of the decorative patterns 221, 231 on the first regions 22, 23 of the front face 2. The decorative patterns 321, 331 on the first regions 32, 33 of the rear face 3 overlap the decorative patterns 221, 231 on the first regions 22, 23 of the front face 2 such that the decorative patterns 221, 231 on the first regions 22, 23 of the front face 2 cannot be seen from the rear face 3. However, an edge portion of the decorative patterns 321, 331 on the first regions 32, 33 of the rear face 3 that does not overlap with the decorative patterns 221, 231 on the first regions 22, 23 of the front face 2 can be seen from the front face 2. Except for the decorative patterns 321, 331 on the first regions 32, 33 of the rear face 3 and the decorative patterns 221, 231 on the first regions 22, 23 of the front face 2, the remaining portion of the first regions 22, 23 of the front face 2 and the remaining portion of the first regions 32, 33 of the rear face 3 are registered with each other so as to permit viewing therethrough.
In addition, in this embodiment, the second regions 21, 24 of the front face 2 are painted white. The decorative patterns 221, 231 on the first regions 22, 23 of the front face 2 are painted blue. Each of the decorative patterns 321, 331 on the first regions 32, 33 and the decorative patterns 311, 341 on the second regions 31, 34 of the rear face 3 is divided into two pairs of diagonal areas, wherein one pair of diagonal areas are painted red and the other pair of diagonal areas are painted green.
According to the aforesaid structural design, on the one hand, the recognition patterns, which include the symbols and the characters that stand for value, are fully covered by the opaque patterns formed on the rear face and thus, there is nothing to worry about the disclosure of the recognition patterns from the rear face of the playing card. On the other hand, the transparent regions of the front face that are not covered by the opaque patterns on the rear face can be formed with art so as to enhance aesthetic appeal of the playing card.
While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiment but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretations and equivalent arrangements.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 092218033 | Oct 2003 | TW | national |
