Patent Application
20240082673
The present invention relates to an object tossing game and, more particularly, to a sack tossing game board and method of playing the game.
Some sack toss games are known in the art. These games have a standard board with a few holes of similar size, and most have equidistant holes. Some popular bean bag toss games involve bean bags and a medium sized board, along with attempting to throw the bean bag through a hole on the board. If the bean bag goes through the hole the player is rewarded points, if the bag lands on the board they may be credited points. These games do not provide any strategy or thought process, since there is only one single hole for player to through the bean bag through.
Currently, there are no alternatives that effectively offer different challenges or varieties to the existing bean bag toss game. As will be disclosed below, the present disclosure relates to a sack toss game and system to address these needs.
In one aspect, the present invention is embodied as a toss game system, comprising: at least one first toss object; and at least one first board including a first opening, a second opening, and a third opening, wherein each of the openings has an assigned score and configured to receive the first toss object during a playing of a toss game, an area of the first opening is smaller than areas of the second opening and the third opening, the first opening is configured to be adjacent to at least the second opening or the third opening. Each of the assigned scores is inversely proportional to an area of the associated opening, the assigned score of the first opening is greater than the assigned scores of the second opening and the third opening. The first board has a centerline and the openings form a symmetrical pattern relative to the centerline.
In one embodiment, the toss game system of the present disclosure includes a stand to be coupled to the first board and to elevate the first board, the first board includes a first end and an opposite second end, the stand is configured to elevate the first end above the second end. In another embodiment, the stand is configured to selectively increase or decrease a height that the first end is above the second end.
In another embodiment, the toss game system includes a second board having a plurality of openings each having an assigned score and configured to receive the first toss object during a playing of the toss game, wherein the stand can be detachably coupled with the first board or the second board. The openings on the first board form a first pattern and the openings on the second board form a second pattern different from the first pattern.
In an alternative embodiment, the toss game system comprises: at least one first toss object; a stand; a first board including a first opening, a second opening, and a third opening, wherein each of the openings has an assigned score and configured to receive the first toss object during a playing of a toss game, an area of the first opening is smaller than areas of the second opening and the third opening, the first opening is configured to be adjacent to at least the second opening or the third opening; and a second board including the first opening, the second opening, and the third opening, wherein the openings on the first board form a first pattern and the openings on the second board form a second pattern different from the first pattern. Further, the stand can be detachably coupled with the first board or the second board.
In accordance with one form of this disclosure, there is provided a method for playing an object tossing game comprising the steps of: providing a first board includes a plurality of openings each having an assigned score and configured to receive a first toss object during a playing of the toss game; setting a target score; obtaining score by tossing a first toss object toward the first board and to fall in one of the openings, wherein the score earned is the assigned score of the opening receiving the first toss object; summing obtained scores to arrive at an accumulated score; subtracting the newly obtained score from the accumulated score if the sum of the accumulated score and the newly obtained score is greater than the target score; and achieving a game victory when a sum of the accumulated score and the newly earned score is equal to the target score.
In another embodiment, the method comprises the step of obtaining score by tossing a second toss object toward the first board and pushes the first toss object already on the first board to fall in one of the openings. The score obtained is the assigned score of the opening receiving the first toss object, if the sum of the accumulated score and the newly obtained score is less than or equal to the target score.
In another embodiment, the method further comprises elevating the first board by coupling the first board with a stand, wherein the first board includes a first end and an opposite second end, the stand is configured to elevate the first end above the second end. The method may also include introducing a challenge variety by attachably decoupling the first board from the stand and detachably coupling a second board with the stand. The second board has a plurality of openings each having an assigned score and configured to receive the first toss object during a playing of the toss game. The openings on the first board form a first pattern and the openings on the second board form a second pattern different from the first pattern.
In yet another embodiment, the method may include introducing another challenge variety by attachably decoupling the second board from the stand and detachably coupling a third board with the stand. The third board also has a plurality of openings each having an assigned score and configured to receive the first toss object during a playing of the toss game. The openings on the third board form a third pattern different from the first pattern and the second pattern. In this embodiment, a player can achieve a complete victory only by achieving two game victories or reaching the target score playing on at least two of the boards.
It should be noted that the drawing figures may be in simplified form and might not be in precise scale.
The same elements or parts throughout the figures of the drawings are designated by the same reference characters, while equivalent elements bear a prime designation.
Before explaining the various embodiments of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. Rather, the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.
For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.
Various objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present embodiment will become more apparent from the following detailed description of embodiments of the embodiment, along with the accompanying drawings in which like numerals represent like components.
Referring now to the drawings and the characters of reference marked thereon,
Further, the first game board 100 includes a plurality of numerical markings 0, 2, 3, 4, 5 formed on the first surface 101, wherein one numerical marking is placed next to one of the openings 110, 120, 130, 140, 150. As illustrated, the marking 5 is placed next to the first openings 110 to signify that a player may obtain 5 point if a tossed object is made to fall through the first openings 110. Similarly, the marking 4 is placed next to the second openings 120 to signify that a player may obtain 4 point if a sack is made to fall through the first openings 120. The marking 3 is placed next to the third openings 130 to signify that a player may obtain 3 point if a sack is made to fall through the third openings 130. The marking 2 is placed next to the fourth openings 140 to signify that a player may obtain 2 point if a sack is made to fall through the fourth openings 140. The marking 0 is placed next to the fifth openings 150 to signify that a player may obtain no point if a sack is made to fall through the fifth openings 150. Accordingly, the score assigned to each opening is inversely proportional to an area of the associated opening. Since it is more difficult for a sack to fall through an opening with small area, this scoring arrangement properly associates award with the level of challenge to toss an object through each opening.
Further, only five numbers 0, 2, 3, 4, 5 are assigned to the openings 110, 120, 130, 140, 150 in the present embodiment. However, in different embodiments, other numbers can be designated to the openings depending on other factors such as the area of the associated opening, the number of openings on the game board, or the target total score for a player to claim victory in the game.
In the present embodiment, the first openings 110 with the highest assigned score 5 is always adjacent to one of the other openings 120, 130, 140, 150 with less assigned score 0, 2, 3, 4. Normally, the opening with the highest assigned score is adjacent to openings with the lowest assigned score 0. However, in other embodiments, the opening with the highest assigned score can be adjacent to other openings with different assigned score depending on the opening pattern intended to form on the first game board 100 or the level of challenge intended for the players. In the present embodiment, openings with the same assigned score are never adjacent to one another. Thus, a player with a specific score in mind needs a careful and strategic aim because there is a risk that the sack may fall through opening other than the one aimed for. However, in different embodiment, openings with the same assigned score or area can be arranged to be adjacent to each other.
Also, in the present embodiment, the openings 110, 120, 130, 140, 150 have circular shape, but are not limited thereto. In other embodiments, the openings of the present invention can be configured to have other shapes such as rectangle, oval, parallelogram, rhombus, trapezium, etc.
As stated above, one end of each leg 240 is rotatable attached with the two opposite sides 232/233 with a rotator which allows the legs 240 to rotate in order to be enclosed by the space enclosed by the four sides 231, 232, 233, 234 or extending outside said space. As illustrated in
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In the embodiments discussed above, the game boards 100, 220 are coupled with the stands using clamps. In different embodiments, the game boards 100, 220 and the stand 200 can be coupled together using belt, strap, magnets or other means capable of detachably coupling said boards 100, 220 and stand 210 together. Also, the game boards 100, 220 and the stand 210 are made of wood. However, in different embodiments, the boards 100, 220 and the stand 210 can be made of other commercially reasonable materials that openings can be formed thereon, such as plastics.
In the embodiments discussed above, the game board 100, 220 have an imaginary centerline 400 that divides the game board 100, 200 into two equal parts. On the other hand, the openings 110, 120, 130, 140, 150 are distributed to form a pattern that is symmetrical relative to the centerline. Thus, two halves of the game board 100, 200 on both sides of the centerline 400 contain substantially equal number of openings and the same overall opening areas. This arrangement of the openings help ensuring that the game board 100, 200 presents equal amount of challenge to both left-handed and right-handed players.
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The game starts with a player 1 throwing a toss object 300 toward the second game board 220 in order for the object to fall in one of the openings on the second game board 220 and then obtain the point associated with that opening. For instance, if the object 300 falls in the first opening 110 then player 1 obtain 5 points. It is then player 2's turn to throw a toss object 310 toward the second game board 220 for point and so on. If the second throw by player 1 results in the toss object 300 falling in the second opening 120, then player 1 will obtain 4 points which is then added to the 5 points from the first throw. Thus, player 1 now has 9 points in total which is only 18 points away from becoming the winner. In the present embodiment, player 1 and 2 each takes turn to throw the objects 300, 310 to obtain points. However, in different embodiments, player 1 can first throw all of the objects 300 allocated and only then player 2 can take turn to throw all of the objects 310 allocated.
Further, a new rule comes into effect when either player has at least 23 points in possession or 4 points away from victory. The new rule dictates to subtract a newly obtained score from the accumulated score of the player if the sum of the accumulated score and the newly obtained score is greater than the target score. For instance, a player with the accumulated score of 25 points needs exactly 2 more points to win (to reach 27 points of target score). However, said player 1's next throw may result in the toss object 300 falling in the first opening 110 (with the assigned score of 5 points). If that happens, 5 points will be deducted from the accumulated score of 25 points of player 1, because the total score reaches 30 points which is 3 points more than the target score of 27 points. Now the player will have a new accumulated score of 20. The new rule described above introduces a new level of challenge that demands precision or strategy from a player whose accumulated score is close to the target score or potentially one throw away from victory.
As discussed above, one end of each leg 230 is rotatably attached with the two opposite sides 232/233 with a rotator which allows the legs 240 to rotate in order to be enclosed by the space enclosed by the sides 231, 232, 233, 234 or extending outside said space. The legs 240 are located near one side 231 of the stand 210. When the legs 240 extend outside the sides 231, 232, 233, 234 to be placed on the ground, they also elevate said side 231 above the opposite side 234. The result is that the second game board 220 becomes an inclined plane with one side elevated above an opposite side. Thus, when a tossed object 300, 310 lands on the second game board 220, it may slide on said surface for a bit before the friction between the two eventually stops the tossed object 300, 310 and prevents it from sliding further.
Generally, there will be two players playing against each other, where each player takes turn tossing the object 300, 310 toward the second game board 220 to score when the object 300, 310 falls in one of the openings. Sometimes, a tossed object 300, 310 may stay on the second game board 220 and close to one of the openings. It is then possible that the next object tossed makes contact with the object 300 already on the board 210 and pushes the first object 300 off one of the openings. The result is that the player whose tossed object fall in the opening obtain a score associated with said opening.
For instance, the first object 300 resting above the first opening 110 can be moved by another object 300, 310 and falls in said opening 110. The result is that player 1 whose first object 300 falls in the first opening 110 gets 5 points. Please note that the player 1 above gets 5 points regardless which player tossed the object that pushes the first object 300 off the first opening 110. However, in different embodiments, it can be the player that tossed the object that pushes another object off an opening obtains the score. Please note that the rule regarding deducting score from accumulated score if it goes over the target score still applies. Thus, it can be part of the strategy to push another player's object off an opening and cause that player's accumulated score to be deducted.
It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.
