Patent Grant
8882110
The present invention is directed to game systems and more particularly to shuffle board game systems including a shuffle board game apparatus and a method of playing a game.
Shuffle board games typically involve an elongated playing field and a plurality of game pieces such as a puck or a chip which may be slid along the surface of the playing field. The elongated playing field has at one end a launching region for a player to launch or shoot a play piece along the length of the playing field. The elongated playing field has at the other end a goal region having one or more goals for the playing piece. The player's score is determined by the placement of playing pieces on appropriate locations in the goal region. The goal region may include a target area having differential point values or one or more individual goals. The playing field and the goal region may be barrier free or may have one or more barriers which may assist or interfere with the players efforts to launch a playing piece into an intended location in the goal area.
Such shuffle board games have been popular for generations and have been made in many different sizes. They may have large playing fields including a launch area where a player may stand to launch a playing piece towards a goal. Alternatively, the playing field may be on an arcade game table or may be on a portable apparatus for home use. Still other shuffle board game systems have utilized electronic systems and a virtual playing field.
The present invention offers a novel shuffle board game system offering improved portability and enjoyment.
The present invention provides a shuffle board game system including a shuffle board game apparatus and a method of playing a game that may be used with the shuffle board game apparatus.
In one exemplary embodiment, the shuffle board game apparatus is disclosed including a base, a pair of side walls, an end wall and an intermediate wall each connecting the side walls and defining there between a goal region. Dividing walls extend between the end wall and the intermediate wall to divide the goal region into a plurality of goals. A plurality of openings formed in the dividing wall provides access to the goals. A removable cover is selectively connectable to the side walls to enclose the goal region.
In another exemplary embodiment, a method of playing a game such as shuffle board with a plurality of playing pieces launched by a player at a plurality of goals is disclosed. The method includes the steps of launching playing pieces towards a goal region; re-launching each playing piece that is not in the goal region if all goals contain at least one playing piece; scoring a point for each playing piece not in the goal region; and adding a penalty to the point score if there is any goal which does not contain a playing piece.
In the drawings:
1 is a top perspective exploded view of the shuffle board game apparatus of
An exemplary shuffle board game system including an exemplary shuffle board game apparatus 10 is illustrated in
Chips 12 may be solid colored, transparent or translucent or provided with ornamentation such as patterns, letters, numbers, logos, words, icons, or pictures. The ornamentation may include advertising. All of the chips 12 may be identical in size, color and shape or they may be varied for specific purposes. For example, chips 12 may be varied in size for different skill levels of players. Chips 12 may be varied in color or decoration for ornamental purposes. Chips 12 may be varied in ornamentation to distinguish between chips for purposes of providing differential scoring values or for other purposes relating to the official rules of the game play or a method used by players for game play. Chips 12 may be varied in ornamentation to provide each player with uniquely decorated chips that may be identified with the player during game play.
As shown generally in
An intermediate wall 26 extends upwardly from base 14 and extends between side walls 16 and 18 at an intermediate location in game field 22. Intermediate wall 26 is parallel to end wall 20 and divides game field 22 into a goal region between end wall 20 and intermediate wall 26 and a play region beyond intermediate wall 26.
One or more dividing walls 34 extend upwardly from base 14 and extend between end wall 20 and intermediate wall 26. Dividing walls 34 are parallel to side walls 16 and 18 and divide the goal region 32 into elongated compartments or goals 36. In the exemplary shuffle board game apparatus 10 illustrated, there are four elongated compartments or goals 36. A different number of goals 36 may be provided depending on such considerations as the desired complexity and cost of shuffle board game apparatus 10. An opening 40 is provided through intermediate wall 26 into each goal 36 for sliding passage therethrough of chips 12. Openings 40 are wider than the diameter of chips 12 by a small amount so as to selectively admit chips 12 therethrough during game play. The comparative total width of openings 40 relative to the total width of intermediate wall 26 determines the relative difficulty of getting a chip to pass from the play region 30 to a goal 36 and may therefore be designed to provide a desired overall level of difficulty for the exemplary shuffle board game apparatus 10.
A brace 42 extends across and intermediate portion of play region 30 between side walls 16 and 18. Brace 42 is spaced away from the play surface 24 of play region 30 by more than the thickness of chips 12 so as to permit the sliding passage of chips 12 thereunder during game play. Brace 42 contributes to the overall rigidity of shuffle board game apparatus 10. Brace 42 also may be used to partition play region 30 into a non-launching area 46 between brace 42 and intermediate wall 26 where players are not permitted to launch or shoot chips 12, and a launching region 44 from which players may launch or shoot chips 12. Brace 42 therefore effectively defines a starting line for a player to utilize during game play as well as physical reminder that a player must release a chip 12 no further along the playing surface when launching or shooting a chip 12 towards the goal region 32. Brace 42 may also serve as a fixture to secure the game to a wall after playing.
It should be noted that the various components of the shuffle board game apparatus 10, including base 14, walls 16, 18, 20, 26 and 34 and brace 42 may be constructed of wood, metal, plastic or any other suitable material depending on such factors as cost, durability, weight, surface characteristics and appearance. These components may be solid colored, transparent or translucent or provided with ornamentation such as patterns, letters, numbers, logos, words, icons, or pictures. The ornamentation may include advertising. Such ornamentation may be for decorative or advertising purposes. Alternatively, such ornamentation may be for a functional purpose such as providing rules, communicating reference points for aiming chips 12, or to define regions or goals for differential scoring values or for other purposes relating to the official rules of the game play or a method used by players for game play, either alone or when used in combination with ornamentation on chips 12. For example, one or more goal 36 may be provided with ornamentation matching ornamentation on one or more chips 12 to permit rules or a method of play that provides a bonus or a penalty when a chip 12 enters a goal 36 with matching or related ornamentation. The starting line function of brace 42 may be supplemented by a starting line printed on playing surface 24 directly below brace 42.
As generally shown in
Channels 50 are disposed above the upper edge 62 of end wall 20 and above the upper edges of divider walls 34. Channel 50 may be disposed above the upper edge of intermediate wall 26, depending on the type of cover, described shortly herein, being used.
As shown generally in
As shown generally in
It will be appreciated that, depending on the dimensions of divider walls 34, cover 70 and 80 may also inhibit or prevent the movement of chips 12 between the different goals 36 during transport. In addition, walls 20, 16 and 34 or covers 70 or 80 may be provide with additional features or components to provided additional sealing functionality. Covers 70 or 80 may be also provided with a handle to facilitate installation or removal.
Covers 70 and 80 may be constructed of wood, metal, plastic or any other suitable material depending on such factors as cost, durability, weight, surface characteristics and appearance. For example, cover 80 may be formed as a unitary of resilient material, with a hinged portion created by a thin region at leading edge 84 of plate 82. These components may be solid colored, transparent or translucent or provided with ornamentation such as patterns, letters, numbers, logos, words, icons, or pictures. For example, cover 70 may be transparent to permit a player to view the contents of each goal 36 and thereby use cover 36 during game play. A cover 70 or 80 may include advertising ornamentation, game rules or decorative ornamentation. A cover 70 or 80 may be reversible and provide different ornamentation depending on which surface is exposed when installed.
Referring to
Shuffle board game apparatus 10 may be inexpensively mass produced in a home version for personal enjoyment, family leisure, and for friendly and quality time by people from all cultures and walks of life. Alternatively, it may be manufactured from prestige and durable materials for more upscale users. It may be manufactured in a heavier and more rugged version for use in bars, arcades and other commercial settings. It may be manufactured or ornamented in limited collector editions incorporating on its various surfaces advertisement, information, logos, family portraits, sports images, movie stars, famous places, outer space, flags of different clubs or nations, or sports teams. Thus, shuffle board game apparatus 10 may be enjoyed by one or more people in the privacy of their homes, on ocean liners, or at armed force club, Boys and Girls clubs, resorts, bars, arcades or senior citizen housing. It is intended to be challenging and competitive.
An exemplary game playing method 100 is depicted in
Game playing method 100 begins in step 110 by a player sequentially launching each of a plurality of play pieces towards a plurality of goals. In the case of exemplary shuffle board game apparatus 10, then, a player sequentially launches or shoots each of thirty chips 12 towards goal region 32 in an attempt to get each chip 12 into a goal 36. It will further be appreciated that game playing method 100 may be applied to a virtual game such as an electronic game of shuffle board.
Next, in step 112, game playing method 100 determines if playing pieces have been returned. In the case of exemplary shuffle board game apparatus 10, the method determined if any chips 12 have rebounded off of intermediate wall 26 and passed brace 42 into launching region 44. If any playing pieces or chips 12 have been returned, then in step 114, the player gets an opportunity to re-launch or reshoot returning chips 12 before method 100 advances to step 116. If no playing pieces or chips 12 have been returned, then method 100 advances directly to step 116.
In step 116, game playing method 100 determines if every goal 36 has been hit or entered by at least one playing piece or chip 12. If any goal 36 does not contain a playing piece or chip 12, then in step 118, the player's score is set at the number of chips remaining plus a penalty, such as 30 points, and the player's turn ends, terminating method 100. If all goals 36 contain a playing piece or chip 12, then method 100 advances to step 120.
In step the player re-launches or reshoots any playing pieces or chips 12 which have not entered a goal 36. In the case of the exemplary shuffle board game apparatus 10, the player reshoots all chips that are now found in the non-launch region 46.
Next, in step 122, the method again determines if any play pieces or chips 12 have been returned, in which case, in step 124, the player may reshoot the returned play pieces or chips 12 before the method advances to step 126. If no play pieces or chips 12 have been returned, the method advances directly to step 126.
In step 126, the player's score is set at the number of chips 12 which are still not in a goal 36. After step 126, the player's turn ends and method 100 terminates.
Game playing method 100 comprises a single turn for a single player. A game may consist of a single player playing one or more turns and accumulating a total score for all of the games. A game may comprise of one round of two or more players sequentially taking turns applying method 100 and comparing scores, with the winner being the player with the lowest score. A game may comprise two or more rounds played by two or more players, with each round consisting of each player having a turn applying method 100, with the winner being the player with the lowest total of scores from their turns. Alternatively, a game may comprise two or more players each simultaneously applying method 100 by a players taking a turn making one or more shots, then the next player taking a turn making one or more shots, and continuing until all players have made all of their shots and reshots. In this last example, the chips used by each player must have ornamentation to identify the chip with its player.
The above detailed description of exemplary game apparatus 10 and exemplary game playing method 100 together provides a shuffle board game system that can be played by one or more people four years of age and older. As described, each player has a chance to slide approximately thirty chips 12 through a one inch opening 40 in intermediate wall 26 into a goal 36. To play the game, players use their fingers to slide each of the thirty chips on the base of the shuffle board in an attempt to score or place a chip 12 within each of the five goals 36. Each opening 40 for each t is slightly larger than the diameter of the chips 12. A player has the right to reuse any chips 12 if by any chance one of the chips bounce back passing the starting line defined by brace 42. Each player will have two chances to slide as many chips 12 as they can across the game surface 24 into the openings 40. The player must place at least one chip 12 through each of the five openings 40 in their first try using the thirty chips 12 they are provided. If the player is able to place one or more chips 12 through each of the openings 40, they will have the opportunity to improve their score by trying once more to slide the remainder of the thirty chips 12 that did not go through the openings 40 the first time.
If a player does not get a chip 12 into each of the five openings 40, on their first try, they will add a penalty of thirty points to their score for not placing chips through all five openings 40 on the first try. If the player is not able to place at least one chip 12 through each opening 40 from their first try they will also lose their second chance. After the second try, each player will count the chips 12 that they were not able to slide into the openings. The player with the fewest number of chips left out of the openings will be the winner.
It will be appreciated that while the game playing method 100 is illustrated as having steps 110-126, it may alternatively or additionally include further steps including further decision making steps that may sometimes bypass one or more of steps 110-126. Such additional decision making steps may be triggered by the ornamentation on a chip 12, on playing surface 24, for example. Such additional steps may include steps involving additional scoring penalties or rewards, as well as additional opportunities to reshoot or loss of shooting opportunities. It will also be appreciated that the steps of method 100 may be varied from an early round of a game to a later round of a game.
In general with regard to the processes, systems, methods, etc. described herein, it should be understood that, although the steps of such processes, etc. have been described as occurring according to a certain ordered sequence, such processes could be practiced with the described steps performed in an order other than the order described herein. It further should be understood that certain steps could be performed simultaneously, that other steps could be added, or that certain steps described herein could be omitted. In other words, the descriptions of processes herein are provided for the purpose of illustrating certain embodiments, and should in no way be construed so as to limit the claimed invention.
It is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative and not restrictive. Many embodiments and applications other than the examples provided would be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reading the above description. The scope of the invention should be determined, not with reference to the above description, but should instead be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. It is anticipated and intended that future developments will occur in the arts discussed herein, and that the disclosed systems and methods will be incorporated into such future embodiments. In sum, it should be understood that the invention is capable of modification and variation and is limited only by the following claims.
All defined terms used in the claims are intended to be given their broadest reasonable constructions consistent with the definitions provided herein. All undefined terms used in the claims are intended to be given their broadest reasonable constructions consistent with their ordinary meanings as understood by those skilled in the art unless an explicit indication to the contrary is made herein. In particular, use of the singular articles such as “a,” “the,” “said,” etc. should be read to recite one or more of the indicated elements unless a claim recites an explicit limitation to the contrary.
This application claims priority to U.S. Ser. No. 61/231,748 filed Aug. 6, 2009, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
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| Number | Date | Country | |
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| Number | Date | Country | |
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| 61231748 | Aug 2009 | US |
