(Not Applicable)
I used my own money for research and development, no federal money was used.
(Not Applicable)
In this application, there is no need to include large sets of information on compact dis(s)
On 12/20/20 around 18:00, I was in my old, small, cold, junky wood shop trying to make a small wooden toy trailer for a home-made Christmas present for my youngest grandson. I was using my table saw that I have used for around 40 years without accident, but such was not the case at this particular time. I cut three of my fingers on my left hand on the saw blade but with a trip to the ER and emergency surgery the next day, praising God, my fingers were saved! So, then it was off to Occupation Therapy, OT, for a couple months. At OT, one of the therapy exercises was that I was given a block of wood that had random location of bolts running through the block of wood and then fasted with nuts. The bolt heads were countersunk but the bolts spun in the oversized holes. As I started the finger therapy with this block of wood and combination of bolts and nuts, I knew I could and needed to make a much better block of wood with bolts and nuts added for therapy of the wrist, hand, and fingers. I explained to Kelly, the OT specialist, that I would make for her a much better “therapy board” for her OT department. I told her I would make a “therapy board” that would be customized as a Tick-Tac-Toe game with carriage bolts which would not spin but stay in place as nuts were screwed on. To have the teams differentiated, the one player would use regular nuts and the other player would use wingnuts. Kelly was very excited about getting a “therapy board” that would be a game as well, helping us patients to better focus and enjoy the therapy task at hand, (yes pun intended). Kelly explained the color she would like for the “therapy board”. So, I collected my thoughts and produced a Tick Tack Toe game as a therapy board.
Kelly was thrilled with the finished product and how it would be such a help to her patients, which included me. Kelly encouraged me, even at this point, to get a patent on this therapy board. She explained that she had never seen such a therapy board in all her years searching through OT and PT therapy exercise catalogs. Kelly also explained that if there was such a similar therapy board, she believed that it would cost over $200.
But just as with the first therapy board I used, I knew I could and needed to make a better Tick-Tac-Toe game as a therapy board. The challenge to myself was to create a game that would negate my three dislikes in playing the “age old” regular Tick-Tac-Toe game.
This challenge led to the development of the game I call:
[Regular Play—2 Players] or [Partner Play—4 Players, 2 players (Partners/Team—Red game pieces) and 2 players (Partners/Team—Blue game pieces), same rules just playing as partners.]
Rules: There is a winner every time! One wins by meeting the actions listed in either of the rules, 1, 2, or 3:
Summary: Play continues both horizontally/across and vertically/upward until one of the players wins or loses as described in Rules 1, 2, or 3. There is always a winner of every game! If the game is being played for rehab therapy, the opponent of the injured player, needs to play with lest dominate hand for fairness. Patent Pending!
There is a separate file, named “Drawings”, that contains three black and white, fundamental CAD drawings of some of the different versions of the game/therapy board, Stackable 3D Tic Tac Toe. Also, in the separate Drawing file are approximately 50 figures that help illustrate the text in the Specification file. I have made a request for the acceptance of these 50 figures by the USPTO Reviewers by using a “Self-Made Form” to Petition The USPTO Reviewers to Accept the Colored Screen Shots and Photos. This completed “Self-Made Form” is being sent along with the Corrected Specification file and the Corrected Drawing file.
Following is text describing the three main CAD drawings that will be listed multiple times throughout this non-provisional utility application. All three of these CAD drawings are listed in the separate “Drawings File” of this application.
Shown in
The following text along with Figures/Pictures shown in the Drawings file helps to visualize the rules.
Review and Explanation of the Injury Therapy Side: Kelly, the OT specialist, was even more excited when presented with the advanced and updated game of “Stackable-3D-Tick-Tac-Toe, Dexterity, Determination, and Depth”! Much of the time, Kelly would not use the new therapy board as a game as getting patients into pairs to play each other was difficult. Now with the greater height/“Depth” of the bolts, the patients of which I was one, could build “Dexterity” if they were “Determined” to do so! The last sentence shows the three words in bold and underlined that I wanted to be used in the subtitle. The “3D” in the main title, of course refers to the playing of the game going both horizontally and vertically which associates with the “Depth” in the subtitle. The “3D” also represents the other two “D” words of “Dexterity” and “Determined” which I saw in the rehabilitation of my follow patients. It was very encouraging and satisfying to see my follow patients using my creation of a therapy board to help themselves, rehabilitate from their stroke, wrist, hand, and finger injuries! Kelly, the OT and PT specialist, added a large tweezer to the therapy board setup. The tweezer was used instead of fingers at times, to squeeze/pinch the game pieces to both “add to” and “take off” from the bolts. Using the tweezer used muscles and developed muscles in a different way than using solely the fingers to “add to” and “take off” the game pieces from the bolts.
These wingnuts are also very valuable in being used with the therapy board. With the wingnuts being screwed/twisted onto the bolts in using the injured hand or wrist or fingers, rehabilitation is accomplished for the muscles and tendons.
Following is a letter from Kelly who was my occupational therapist which explains how she uses “Stackable 3D Tic Tac Toe” as both a therapy board and a game. The letter was converted from a pdf file so there are a couple of small conversion issues that can be seen.
The letter is not intended to be “bragging” about the game/therapy board but to help recognize the functionality of the game/therapy board and how it achieves its intended and sometimes non-intended purposes and goals.
Sep. 29, 2022
To whom it may concern:
Richard McCracken has developed an awesome “Stackable 3D Tic Tac Toe Board” which can be utilized as a vertical game board or as a functional activity. This board game is unlike anything I have seen in 20 years practicing as an occupational therapist. I have not encountered a board game like this in any rehab catalog or online that offers what this game can.
I had the privilege to work with Richard after his traumatic saw injury to his left hand. He had a tendon repair of his fingers which led him to occupational therapy services for over three months. He mentioned that he made wood working projects and had an idea for me and my patients! During his recovery he was able to fabricate this awesome game.
As a certified hand therapist, I utilize this game on a daily basis to promote fine motor coordination, strength, and pinch strength with my clients. They may at times play tic tac toe against one another or I have them manipulate the pieces and place on the board for a functional activity. It not only can address the physical limitations of the hand, but also adds in a social and mental component as they work on strategizing as well.
I hope you find this as interesting and as dynamic as I have. I think it is a brilliant activity not only for my clients that have a hand injury, but it is diverse enough to encourage cognitive and social impairments as well, offering a side of fun!
Respectfully,
Kelly A. Redding, MOT, OTR/L, CHT
Review and Explanation of the Game Side: With the advanced and updated game of “Stackable-3D-Tick-Tac-Toe, Dexterity, Determination, and Depth” the playing of the game has been tested by many members of my family and friends and myself and have found it to be a lot of fun to play. The game is easy to play with just four basic rules to follow. The game comes with two copies of the rules and a game summary on brightly colored cardstock along with a DVD containing a game instructional video. There are two of these cards per game so that each player can have a rule card to use for review and strategy.
As the rules expanded, the 4×6 size had to be expanded as well. The design of how the game/therapy board is packaged and transported has been updated but the original still has some advantages.
Another occupational therapist explained that with the game/therapy board on its side, this is another way that stroke victims can use the board, so they are placing the pieces on the bolts at a different angle. The backpack can hold bowls to hold game pieces and also an additional color container, white game pieces, so a third player can be included, red, blue, and now white. Having three players really challenges one's mind but it works as it has been tested and it is a lot of fun with a different type of slant!
The original game can also be played involving four players divided into two teams. [Partner Play—4 Players, 2 players (Partners/Team—Red game pieces) and 2 players (Partners/Team—Blue game pieces), same rules just playing as partners.]
The mega board brings increase challenges with additional players with additional color pieces and additional playing area. Moving from the traditional 3×3 grid of Tic Tac Toe to the Mega Board, “blows one's mind”! If there are only two players using the mega board, the rules must be changed. All these “mind blowing” challenges and additions will be sorted out and details given, in the following “claims Section”.
The game is usually played at a fast pace at the beginning but as the variables of opportunities of moves increase, the players slow down watching cautiously in how to move to win or block. This game holds your interest and focus as each move is so important as whether you will win or lose. This game is great for tournament play with many options such as a player can advance by winning two out of three games and then advancing on to play in the next level of the tournament. The size of all the parts of Stackable-3D-Tick-Tac-Toe can be reduced and enlarged in size and materials to meet the desires of play but the present or “default” size and use of materials, have been proved not only acceptable but possibly be the “best fit” for common game enjoyment! The entire bottom of the game board is glued and covered with one piece of non-slide and gripping shelve liner material which gives a great advantage of cushioning and a non-marring effect. In unpacking the unit to play the game and then packing the unit back up after game is a “neat”/enjoyable game in itself of “puzzle connecting assembly”! “Bottom Line:” in Stackable-3D-Tick-Tac-Toe, there is always a winner, Stackable-3D-Tick-Tac-Toe is a “winner” of a game!
The dimensions of the game, the board, the pieces, and the accessories will be listed as to what was used but really any size within limitations can be used and still be functional in the game being played, could be used. Not only can the dimensions be viable but also the materials as well. The carriage bolts could be replaced with wood dowel rods, plastic studs, etc. The wooden base could be metal or plastic, etc. With this thought in mind, I will list the size and materials used and then also list the phrase “or equivalent” or “preferably”. I can see this game going to market in many ways, but I would think the two main avenues would be a rugged, heavy duty version as the one being described and another version that is much cheaper, much lighter, and made of plastic in cardboard game box. Other visionary game/therapy board possible versions are listed towards the end of this Specification file and in the claims section.
The game board is a regular 2 by 10 purchased from Lowes or other lumber yard and cut to make a square, (or equivalent). A finished 2 by 10 is around 9⅛ inch wide. So, the 2 by 10 would be cut into a square with the length of the sides being 9 inches. The red, white, orange, and blue, (or equivalent) game pieces which I am calling “Tubies” as they are cut from plumbing tubes and the “Tubies” name was suggested by my friend Mark. These “Tubies” are either cut from plumbing pipe of ½ PVC or PEX tubing, (or equivalent), ¾ inch long, (or equivalent).
You can purchase from Lowes the PEX tubing in 10 foot sticks in bule, red, white, and orange, (orange PEX is twice the cost as it is made for heating system). The PVC tubing can be purchased at Lowes or local hardware stores as it is more common.
You can buy the PVC tubing, special order, in different colors, but it is very costly for the product and the shipping. I found the best, easiest, and safest way for me to cut the tubing was with a handheld tubing cutter.
The long pegs/bolts are ⅜, 6 inch long carriage bolts, (or equivalent), needing 9 of them.
In starting to mark out the bolt holes, the first important decision to be made, is which side to use as the bottom when using a wood base. There are two factors to consider, the priority is to choose the bottom side that will sit/lay without “wobbling”.
The middle of the board “heaves up”/“arches up” just as the end grain does. This leaves the outside edges of the board to be in contact with the table which produces stability with the “no wobble” effect. Really, this is the main factor in choosing which side will be the bottom and one hopes the thus determined bottom side, will also be the worst looking as it will be covered with an antiskid shelf liner material.
There are two ways that I know of and have tried to lay out the Tick-Tac-Toe grid. The first one that I used, and it worked well, is to divide the square into 3 equal columns both ways. With this square of 9 inches, marks would be made along all 4 edges at 3 and 6 inches.
The second way of marking out the grid, is where the bolt holes will be drilled directly, would be to measure and mark from two sides that are perpendicular to each other, three lines, marked at 1.5, 4.5, and 7.5 inches using a marking square. Where the three lines of both sides intersect, is where the bolt holes need to be drilled.
I then use a counter-sink bit to ream the tops of the ⅜ inch holes to prevent as best as possible, the wood around the top of the hole from splintering when the carriage bolts are pushed or hammered through the drilled holes.
The game board is flipped over, and ⅜ flat washers and then 7/16 flat washers are placed on the bolts. Then ⅜ serrated lock nuts are placed upside down and tightened down on all 9 carriage bolts to establish both a perpendicular fit and a tight support of the carriage bolt to the game board.
The game board top and all 4 sides are painted orange, (or equivalent), and left to dry.
The containers that hold the 50 each, the different colors of the game pieces, are purchased at my local Dollar General Store as they hold Dry Roasted peanuts, net wt. 7.5 oz.
The containers are held in place by slight pressure by a wooden handle that spans the length of the game board. This handle is made from approximately ⅜ to ¾ inch thick wood, with three holes that match the middle row of bolts. This allows for ⅜ washers and wingnuts to be screwed down on the two outside bolts and hold the containers in place for secure and easy transport. The handle allows for you to get your fingers around it for transport.
The glue that I use is “Clear Gorilla Glue” which is strong and what glue that comes out from the bottom material, dries to the same non-skid texture.
With adding into the production process, the “countersinking” of the bottom of the game board for the carriage bolts heads and with screwing down the serrated lock nuts on top of the game board, there was no need for the ¼ piece of plywood, saving cost and time.
The game is easy to play with just four rules to follow. I believe with the text explanations and the many figures that are displayed in the Drawings file, one would know the dimensions, materials, and supplies needed to build my fun game and therapy board of Stackable-3D-Tick-Tac-Toe.
“In Thinking Outside the Box”/“Visionary Thoughts”:
I have had some computer game Beeks play this game which they enjoyed very much, in working their strategy. As they played the game and thought, they then wanted to make a digital game version of Stackable-3D-Tick-Tac-Toe. As with other board games that lent themselves to being enlarged to such a point that they were played on a court at a playground or park, such could be the case for Stackable-3D-Tick-Tac-Toe. You could have poles in the ground in a Tick-Tac-Toe grid, the game pieces would be lightweight but large. The two teams could have numerous players but the same number of players on each team. The team players would get a great athletic workout in getting the game pieces up over the poles by using ladders, human ladder chains, or ropes or established ladders at each pole. This could be a great strength training and climbing game for the military and police and could even become a college and Olympic sport! Adding clock timing such as using a clock in chess matches is an option to further add to the strategies of playing Stackable-3D-Tick-Tac-Toe wherever and however it is played.
Provisional application submitted Jan. 15, 2022, EFS ID: 44756781, Application No. 63/299,970, Confirmation Number: 7466, First Named Inventor: Carlton Richard McCracken Jr., Receipt Date: 15 Jan. 2022, Time Stamp: 21:32:58, Application Type: Provisional
Number | Date | Country | |
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63299970 | Jan 2022 | US |