US20040227287A1 - Die-rolling device and game - Google Patents
Die-rolling device and game Download PDFInfo
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- US20040227287A1 US20040227287A1 US10/877,430 US87743004A US2004227287A1 US 20040227287 A1 US20040227287 A1 US 20040227287A1 US 87743004 A US87743004 A US 87743004A US 2004227287 A1 US2004227287 A1 US 2004227287A1
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Images
Classifications
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63F—CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- A63F3/00—Board games; Raffle games
- A63F3/00003—Types of board games
- A63F3/00006—Board games played along a linear track, e.g. game of goose, snakes and ladders, along an endless track
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63F—CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- A63F9/00—Games not otherwise provided for
- A63F9/04—Dice; Dice-boxes; Mechanical dice-throwing devices
- A63F9/0406—Dice-throwing devices, e.g. dice cups
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63F—CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- A63F1/00—Card games
- A63F1/04—Card games combined with other games
- A63F2001/0441—Card games combined with other games with a written message or sentence, e.g. chance or instruction cards
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63F—CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- A63F3/00—Board games; Raffle games
- A63F3/00003—Types of board games
- A63F3/00006—Board games played along a linear track, e.g. game of goose, snakes and ladders, along an endless track
- A63F2003/00018—Board games played along a linear track, e.g. game of goose, snakes and ladders, along an endless track played along an endless track
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63F—CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- A63F3/00—Board games; Raffle games
- A63F3/00173—Characteristics of game boards, alone or in relation to supporting structures or playing piece
- A63F3/00176—Boards having particular shapes, e.g. hexagonal, triangular, circular, irregular
- A63F2003/00182—Four-sided game board
- A63F2003/00186—Plus- or cross-shaped game board
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63F—CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- A63F2250/00—Miscellaneous game characteristics
- A63F2250/04—Miscellaneous game characteristics containing a liquid
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63F—CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- A63F2250/00—Miscellaneous game characteristics
- A63F2250/10—Miscellaneous game characteristics with measuring devices
- A63F2250/1063—Timers
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63F—CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- A63F2250/00—Miscellaneous game characteristics
- A63F2250/10—Miscellaneous game characteristics with measuring devices
- A63F2250/1063—Timers
- A63F2250/1073—Time-out devices
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63F—CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- A63F7/00—Indoor games using small moving playing bodies, e.g. balls, discs or blocks
- A63F7/04—Indoor games using small moving playing bodies, e.g. balls, discs or blocks using balls to be shaken or rolled in small boxes, e.g. comprising labyrinths
- A63F7/045—Indoor games using small moving playing bodies, e.g. balls, discs or blocks using balls to be shaken or rolled in small boxes, e.g. comprising labyrinths containing a liquid
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63F—CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- A63F9/00—Games not otherwise provided for
- A63F9/18—Question-and-answer games
Definitions
- FIG. 2 shows an enlarged view of die-rolling device 30 .
- Die-rolling device 30 may be generally spherical in shape.
- the die-rolling device may be a replica of a billiard ball, such as an eight-ball.
- device 30 may assume any suitable shape, such as polyhedral, cubical, cylindrical, hemispherical, an animal, a character (for example, a fictitious character, a famous person, etc.), or a recognizable structure or device (such as a building, a plant, a chair, a computer, a telephone, and so on), among others.
Abstract
A die-rolling device for directing game play. The die-rolling device may include an integral timing mechanism that distinctly signals an endpoint of a measured time interval. Furthermore, the die-rolling device may include a die bearing two distinct visual indicators on individual faces of the die. The two distinct visual indicators may correspond to a member of a set of opposites and a distinct output, such as a numerical response.
Description
- This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/139,148, filed May 2, 2002.
- U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/139,148, in turn, claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/288,625, filed May 3, 2001.
- Each of the above-identified U.S. and provisional patent applications is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes.
- The invention relates to games. More specifically, the invention relates to games played with a die-rolling device.
- Many board games rely on random selection of outputs to direct a player's actions. For example, movement of a player's marker on a game board may be dictated by a card drawn from a stack of cards, an output selected by spinning a needle or a wheel, or an output obtained by rolling a die or dice, among others. Of the many possible methods for selecting a random output, rolling a die or dice may be most widely used for game play because this method offers advantages over other methods. Specifically, die rolling requires no previous preparation, unlike a stack of cards that is shuffled, is mechanically simple, and provides a series of random outputs that are independent of each other.
- Die rolling may suffer from some disadvantages. Typically, one or more dies are thrown or dropped from a player's hand or a container in a generally uncontrolled fashion. As a result, an errant die may collide with, and disrupt, features of a game, such as the position of player markers. Alternatively, or in addition, the errant die may travel away from the game site, requiring retrieval.
- Some of the disadvantages of die rolling have been overcome by constraining die movement within an enclosure, to produce a die-rolling device. Examples of such devices are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,119,621; 3,168,315; 4,049,277; 4,148,488; 4,632,397; 4,643,693; 5,022,654; and 5,445,375, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
- A commercial embodiment of U.S. Pat. No. 3,168,315 is Mattel's MAGIC 8-BALL® toy in which rolling a die selects an output from a set of opposite responses. The original MAGIC 8 BALL® toy is a flat-bottomed, plastic replica of a pool or billiard “8-ball” that includes a viewing window to an interior, dye-filled fluid chamber. Within the chamber is a floating polyhedron with a distinct response on each triangular face of the polyhedron. The selected face of the die represents responses that are generally affirmative, negative, or ambiguous, with the suggestion to ask the MAGIC 8 BALL® toy again. Inverting the toy to allow the viewing window to face upward causes one of the faces of the floating polyhedron to contact the window and become visible, thus selecting the associated response on that side for viewing and reading.
- In addition to die rolling, games may employ a time interval to limit or regulate a player's action. Thus, games may include a timer to measure the time interval. Disclosures of various timers used in games are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,304,650; 3,724,847; 4,890,838; and 5,607,160, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
- The advantages of the present invention will be understood more readily after a consideration of the drawings and the Detailed Description.
- A die-rolling device is provided for directing game play. The die-rolling device may include an integral timing mechanism that distinctly signals an endpoint of a measured time interval. Furthermore, the die-rolling device may include a die bearing two distinct visual indicators on individual faces of the die. The two distinct visual indicators may correspond to a member of a set of opposites and a second output, such as a numerical response.
- FIG. 1 is a perspective environmental view of an embodiment of a game that includes a die-rolling device.
- FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the die-rolling device of FIG. 1.
- FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of the die-rolling device of FIG. 1.
- FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the die-rolling device of FIG. 1.
- FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of a die-rolling mechanism housed in the die-rolling device of FIG. 1.
- FIG. 6 is a combined view of three different faces of a die used in the die-rolling mechanism of FIG. 5.
- FIG. 7 is a top plan view of selected portions of a timing mechanism used in the die-rolling device of FIG. 1, viewed generally along line7-7 of FIG. 4, during activation of the timing mechanism.
- FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the timing mechanism of FIG. 7 during timing of a time interval.
- FIG. 9 is a top plan view of the timing mechanism of FIG. 7, signaling the end of a time interval.
- FIG. 10 is a top plan view of a game board used in the game of FIG. 1.
- FIG. 11 is a bottom plan view of an activity card used in the game of FIG. 1.
- Referring to FIG. 1, a
game 10 is shown to include agame board 12,player markers 14,tokens 16, andactivity cards 18 selected from one ofplural card stacks 20. A die-rollingdevice 30 selects random outputs, as described below, with the outputs directing movement ofplayer markers 14 aroundgame board 12, transactions withtokens 16, and/or other decision points during game play. Die-rollingdevice 30 also may measure time intervals during game play. - FIG. 2 shows an enlarged view of die-rolling
device 30. Die-rollingdevice 30 may be generally spherical in shape. In particular embodiments, the die-rolling device may be a replica of a billiard ball, such as an eight-ball. However, inother embodiments device 30 may assume any suitable shape, such as polyhedral, cubical, cylindrical, hemispherical, an animal, a character (for example, a fictitious character, a famous person, etc.), or a recognizable structure or device (such as a building, a plant, a chair, a computer, a telephone, and so on), among others. - Die-rolling
device 30 may have upper andlower portions Lower portion 34 may have aflattened region 36 defining a bottom aspect, to abut a flat surface, thus supportingdevice 30 in an upright, stationary position on a horizontal surface. Indevice 30, hemisphericalupper portion 32 may be rotated relative tolower portion 34, as indicated byarrow 38. This rotation may be used to activate a timing mechanism, as described further below. - FIG. 3 shows a
porthole 40 that may be included inflattened region 36.Porthole 40 may define aviewing window 41. The viewing window may be formed of a generally transparent material, such as plastic or glass, and may provide visual access to a die 42 (or dice) carried by die-rollingdevice 30. In other embodiments, die 42 (or dice) may be viewed from above and/or from the side through a correspondingly disposed viewing window. - FIG. 4 shows an exploded view of die-rolling
device 30.Device 30 may include anexternal housing 44, aninternal frame 46, atiming mechanism 48, and a die-rollingmechanism 50.Timing mechanism 48 and die-rollingmechanism 50 may be integral todevice 30, that is, physically coupled to each other withindevice 30. Furthermore, the timing mechanism may be substantially or completely hidden insidedevice 30 during normal operation of the device by a person. For example,housing 44 may be opaque to hide the timing mechanism. -
External housing 44 may include upper andlower shells frame 46 andmechanisms Upper shell 52 may include apertures 56 to receive fasteners 58 through an upper flattenedregion 60. Fasteners 58 may be configured to mountupper shell 52 ondisc member 61 oftiming mechanism 48. The heads of fasteners 58 may be hidden by acap 62, providing a contoured surface that smoothly transitions to the exterior surface ofupper shell 52.Cap 62 may be attached toupper shell 52 by an adhesive or fasteners, may be pressure-mounted with prongs that snap into recesses or apertures formed in the upper shell, and/or the like. By contrast,lower shell 54 may include a single large aperture that defines an inner perimeter of flattenedregion 36 and forms porthole 40. The aperture may receive abottom end region 66 of die-rollingmechanism 50, so thatend region 66 is positioned to occupyporthole 40 and to provideviewing window 41. A gasket or washer (not shown) may be interposed between the perimeter ofporthole 40 and the circumference ofend region 66 to restrict lateral movement of die-rollingmechanism 50. -
Frame 46 may guide and facilitate attachment of timing and die-rollingmechanisms lower shell 54.Frame 46 may include plural downwardly dependinglegs 68 that may be fastened to upwardly dependingprojections 70, formed integrally inlower shell 54, usingfasteners 72. Supports 74 oftiming mechanism 48 may extend through apertures (not shown) formed inframe 46 to meet a second set of integrally formedprojections 76 oflower shell 54.Fasteners 78 may be introduced intoorifices 80 of supports 74 to mounttiming mechanism 48 onlower shell 54.Mounted timing mechanism 48 may hold die-rollingmechanism 50 in position relative to porthole 40 through contact between abottom surface 82 of the timing mechanism and atop surface 84 of the die-rolling mechanism. In this position,bottom end region 66 occupiesporthole 40,forms viewing window 41, and is generally parallel to flattenedregion 36 oflower shell 54. - FIG. 5 shows die-rolling
mechanism 50 in a partially exploded view. Die rollingmechanism 50 may carry die 42, or two or more dice, in anenclosure 102.Enclosure 102 may include avessel portion 104 and acap portion 106 to form a generally liquid-tight,closed chamber 108 occupied bydie 42. In other embodiments, the enclosure may be only partially closed, for example, a cage that retains die 42. Whatever the nature ofenclosure 102, die 42 generally is not released from the container during operation of die-rollingmechanism 50. Thus, die 42 remains associated with the die-rolling mechanism. -
Enclosure 102 andchamber 108 may contain or include asuitable fluid 110. Suitable fluids may include water or any other nontoxic liquids, and may have a density less than the overall average density ofdie 42, so that die 42 floats.Fluid 110 may be transparent, and colorless or colored.Fluid 110 may be colored, for example, by addition of a dye. Alternatively, the fluid may be generally opaque or at least appear opaque when viewed from a position external todevice 30. In this case, only a portion ofdie 42 disposedadjacent porthole 40, generally a region of the die abuttingviewing window 41, may be easily visible. - The die-rolling mechanism is operated by movement. Movement may include shaking, rotating, inverting, and/or so on. In the depicted embodiment, die-rolling
mechanism 50 is operated by invertingdevice 30 to randomly select one of the faces ofdie 42. -
Die 42 may be generally structured as a polyhedron, with plural sides or faces 112. In the depicted embodiment, die 42 is an icosahedron, with twenty faces. However any desired polyhedron may be used. For example, die 42 be a tetrahedron with four faces, a cube or rhombohedron with six faces, an octahedron with eight faces, a decahedron with ten faces, a dodecahedron with twelve faces, and/or so on. The overall density ofdie 42 may be less than the density offluid 110 carried inchamber 108. Accordingly, die 42 may have a hollow core and be filled with gas, fluid 110 or a distinct liquid, or die 42 may have a solid core and be formed of a lower density material, such as a plastic. Alternatively, die 42 may be configured to sink or rest on the bottom ofchamber 108. In this case, die 42 may be denser that the fluid inchamber 108, orchamber 108 may include no liquid and instead may be filled with a gas or gas mixture, or formed as a vacuum chamber. Further aspects of forming a die rolling mechanism, including aspects of the die, porthole, chamber, and fluid are included in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,119,621; 3,168,315; and No. 4,049,277. The disclosures of these patents are incorporated herein by reference. - Each die may bear and present one, two, or more sets of visual indicators or outputs on faces112. A visual indicator or output generally includes any discrete response conveyed to a player by visual inspection of a die face, generally selected from one of plural related responses (a set of related outputs) carried on different faces of the die. For example, a visual indicator may be selected by a die face from one of two, three, four, or more members of a first set. The first set may correspond to numbers or integers (either numerical symbols and/or countable members, such as dots), colors, shapes (such as circles, triangles, squares, ovals, etc.), objects (such as images of animals, plants, people, buildings, cartoon characters, weapons, etc.), symbols or groups of symbols (such as letters, words, phrases, etc.), and/or the like, presented by the faces of the die. In some embodiments, a visual indicator may correspond to a set of opposites or opposite pairs, and, optionally, additional indefinite responses (such as “roll again,” “try again,” or no response). Exemplary opposites may include yes/no, black/white, up/down, in/out, left/right, and so on, and may include distinct variations thereof, with substantially similar meaning, on distinct die faces. For example, affirmative answers corresponding to “yes” may be signified on distinct faces of a die by “very likely,” “affirmative,” “it is certain,” “signs point to yes,” “si,” “positive,” “outlook good,” “without a doubt,” etc. Similarly, negative answers corresponding to “no” may be signified by “not likely,” “don't count on it,” “nein,” “absolutely not,” “don't bank on it,” “negative,” etc. In some embodiments, the faces of the die may bear and present two or more distinct sets of outputs (visual indicators). For example, one, two or more faces of the die each may bear both a member of a first set, corresponding to a set of numbers, colors, shapes, letters, objects, words, or symbols, and a member of a second set corresponding to a set of opposites.
- FIG. 6 shows representative visual indicators that die42 may bear on faces 112. Visual indicators may be formed on die faces by any suitable mechanism, including printing, molding, embossing, stamping, lithography, and/or so on.
Faces 112 on die 42 may bear avisual indicator 114 corresponding to a member of a set of opposites (in this case, yes/no responses), and anumerical output 116.Visual indicator 114 may correspond to either an affirmative response (such as, “AS I SEE IT YES”) or a negative response (such as, “OUTLOOK NOT SO GOOD”).Numerical output 116 may be a visual indicator that corresponds to a number, typically an integer, for example, an integer selected from the integer set 1 to 6, 1 to 8, 0 to 5, etc. - Other faces of
die 42 may bear a visual indicator corresponding to an indefinite output or response 118 (for example, “ASK AGAIN LATER,” “TRY AGAIN,” “ROLL AGAIN,” or a blank or nonsensical die face) and/or a symbol indicating that a player should roll again, in thiscase arrow pair 120. The indefinite output may relate to one or both of the definite outputs requested by a player. In this case, neither requested output is presented, so the player is directed to select another die face by rolling the die again. - Die-rolling
device 30 is shown to have amechanical timing mechanism 48. However, it should be understood that timing mechanisms generally include any mechanism that measures a user-specified, factory preset, and/or random time interval, and distinctly signals the end of the time interval. Such timing mechanisms may be mechanical or electrical. Mechanical timing mechanisms generally measure the release of stored mechanical energy, for example, a wound spring, through defined movement of mechanism components, for example, regulated rotation of plural meshed gears. Electrical timing mechanisms include any electrically powered timer, such as a battery- or AC-powered mechanical timer, a timer that measures crystal vibrations (such as a quartz timer), digital timers, and/or so on. In each case, the timing mechanism produces a distinct endpoint signal that is detected readily without vigilant visual scrutiny. The endpoint signal may be audible, such as a beep, a buzz, a pop, a chime, a clang, a spoken word or words, musical notes, a song, a bang, and so on. Alternatively, or in addition, the endpoint signal may be visible, such as a flashing light, a continuous light signal, a change in light color, and so on. In some embodiments, the endpoint signal may be an odor, such as a burst of a distinctive smell, or may be detected by tactile senses, such as a burst of hot or cold air. - FIGS. 4 and 7-9 show
mechanical timing mechanism 48 of die-rollingdevice 30.Mechanism 48 includes an axially disposedspring 132 that stores energy when a player sets/winds the timing mechanism, and releases the energy through rotation of intermeshed gear train 134 (see FIG. 7).Spring 132 has a fixedend portion 136 and amovable end portion 138.Fixed end portion 136 is rotationally coupled tolower shell 54 by attachment to plate 140, which is mounted on base 142 (see FIG. 4).Base 142 is mounted onlower shell 54 through supports 74 (see above). By contrast,movable end portion 138 ofspring 132 is coupled tomain gear 144 ofgear train 134. (Main gear 144 is shown in phantom outline because the gear is disposed directly above the views of FIGS. 7-9.)Main gear 144,disc member 61, andupper shell 52 are fixedly coupled to each other and may rotate together about acommon axis 145, around whichspring 132 is centered. Accordingly, rotation ofupper portion 32, which acts as a handle member, relative tolower portion 34, shown atarrow 146, activates or setstiming mechanism 48 by coilingspring 132 more tightly. -
Gear train 134 may be structured as follows. Rotation ofmain gear 144 drives rotation ofauxiliary gears 148 ofgear train 134.Main gear 144 may includeteeth 149 distributed over a portion of its circumference to provide a reproducible extent of effective rotation (winding angle) for the main gear. Alternatively, or in addition, a rotation stop may prevent overwinding and provide a standard angle or rotation ofmain gear 144 for activation of the timing mechanism. Auxiliary gears 148 may be rotationally mounted on eitherplate 140 and/orbase 142 oftiming mechanism 48. First, second, third, and fourth auxiliary gears 150, 152, 154, 156, respectively, may be rotationally coupled to each other and tomain gear 144 by alarger cogwheel 158 and apinion 160 included on each of the auxiliary gears. The gear ratio (cogwheel tooth number to pinion tooth number) on one of the auxiliary gears 148 may be about 2:1 to about 30:1, so that a single rotation offirst gear 150 results in about 10 -1000 revolutions of fourthauxiliary gear 156. In other embodiments, the timing mechanism may include any suitable number of auxiliary gears and any appropriate gear ratios to measure a desired time interval. - FIG. 7 shows how
gear train 134 moves during activation oftiming mechanism 48. Rotation of the handle member or upper portion 32 (see FIG. 2), clockwise in this embodiment and view, rotatesmain gear 144 clockwise, as shown at 146.First gear 150 is rotated counterclockwise by this winding movement, as shown at 162, but the remainder ofauxiliary gears 148 remain stationary, due to a sliding action offirst gear 150, shown at 164. An axial portion offirst gear 150 occupies a slot rather than a fixed position. Accordingly, clockwise rotation ofmain gear 144 causesfirst gear 150 to slide radially, away from, and out of engagement with,pinion 160 ofsecond gear 152. - FIG. 8 illustrates how the gears of
gear train 134 rotate after activation oftiming mechanism 48.Main gear 144 rotates counterclockwise, shown at 166, to release torsional energy fromspring 132. This rotational movement ofmain gear 144 rotatesfirst gear 150 clockwise, as shown at 167, pushing the first gear back into engagement withpinion 160 ofsecond gear 152, as shown at 168, rotatingsecond gear 152 counterclockwise, as shown at 170. In turn,cogwheel 158 ofsecond gear 152 contacts and rotates the pinion ofthird gear 154 in a clockwise direction, as shown at 172. In turn, the cogwheel ofthird gear 154 contacts the pinion offourth gear 156, rotating the fourth gear counterclockwise, as shown at 174. Finally, rotation offourth gear 156 is governed bypallet 176, which allows rotation offourth gear 156, in a tooth-by-tooth fashion, with each oscillation of the pallet, shown at 178. - FIGS. 8 and 9 show how the endpoint (end) of a time interval may be signaled by a signaling mechanism of
timing mechanism 48. In the depicted embodiment, signalingmechanism 180 provides an audible signal, in the form of a bell tone.Signaling mechanism 180 includes astriker 182 flexibly coupled tomain gear 144 through aresilient coupler 184, such as a spring.Mechanism 180 also includes apost 186 and abell 188, each mounted onbase 142, in the rotational path ofstriker 182. Asmain gear 144 returns to near its original position,striker 182 contacts post 186 and retainsstriker 182 in contact with the post.Main gear 144 continues its rotation andcoupler 184 stretches to hold the striker against the post, shown at 190. However, with sufficient rotation,striker 182 slipspast post 186, andcoupler 184 returns to its original resting position, shown at 192, snappingstriker 182 againstbell 188 to sound the bell. Although the audible signal is produced by a bell and a striker, any other suitable mechanical or electrical signaling mechanism may be used. -
Timing mechanism 48 may measure any desired time interval. The interval may be a standard, fixed interval of a duration determined during fabrication of the mechanism. For example, the time interval may be about five second to ten minutes, about ten seconds to three minutes, about twenty seconds to one minute, or about thirty seconds. Alternatively, the interval may be a variable interval. The variable interval may be defined by a player, for example, by positioning the handle member of the timing mechanism to one of plural distinct settings. Alternatively, the variable time interval may be randomly selected, for example by electronic circuitry. -
Timing mechanism 48 may be activated or set by any suitable action. Alternatively, or in addition to rotation used by timingmechanism 48, the timing mechanism may be set by depressing and/or holding down a button(s), by flipping a switch(es), pulling a lever, and/or the like. - FIG. 10 shows
game board 12 in greater detail.Game board 12 may have a star-shaped structure, for example, with fourpoints 202 that are rounded, pointed, multi-sided, etc. To facilitate folding and storinggame board 12, the board may includefolding structure 204, for example, slit 206, extending from aninner corner 208 to a central position, and foldlines 210. Accordingly,board 12 may be converted from an unfolded to a one-quarter sized, folded configuration by folding alongfolding structure 204. -
Game board 12 includes apath 212 along whichplayer markers 14 may be moved around the board's perimeter. In the depicted embodiment,path 212 extends between and includes each of fourcorner positions 214, including a “START” position, shown at 216. Between each adjacent pair ofcorner positions 214,path 212 travels through seven defined positions: sixcolored spaces 218, and aninside corner position 220 or “ROLL AGAIN” space.Colored spaces 218 may have a plurality of distinct colors (or patterns or symbols), which correspond to the colors (or patterns or symbols) on one of a plurality of different groups of activity cards 18 (see FIG. 1). - FIG. 11 shows an example of an
activity card 18.Activity cards 18 may be selected fromcard stacks 20 in response to a player'smarker 14 landing on one ofcolored spaces 218. Whenactivity card 18 is selected from a pile and inverted,card 18 may include text that directs two distinct activities, a “Fate”activity 222, and a “Fortune”activity 224. For example, the card of FIG. 11 directs the following Fate activity: “Tell ______ (select two or three people in the room) what you really think of them.” Thus, player inputs may help define the nature or specific aspects of a Fate or Fortune activity. The exemplary Fortune activity of FIG. 11 is as follows: “BONE UP—Point to and name one bone in the body. No repeats.” As shown by these examples, Fate and Fortune activities may be carried out by a single player, or plural players, either serially or in parallel. Fortune and Fate activities request a response from a player(s), for example, an audible response, such as speech, singing, whistling, humming, grunting, drumming, tapping, and so on. Spoken answers may be in response to a specific question and may be one of many possible answers, such as in the Fortune activity of FIG. 11. Alternatively, or in addition, Fortune or Fate activities may include a non-audible response, such as body movements, including hand motions, dancing, pantomiming, and so on. - Example: Rules for Game Play
- The following example describes additional aspects of
game 10, including rules for game play using die-rollingdevice 30,game board 12,player markers 14,tokens 16, andactivity cards 18. This example is included for illustration and is not intended to limit or define the entire scope of the invention. - A. Set Up
- Each player selects a
player marker 14 and eight matchingtokens 16. For shorter games, fewer tokens may be used.Activity cards 18 are divided according to color and thus separated into fourpiles 20. The piles are placed face down beside the fourinner corners 208 ofboard 12. Die-rollingdevice 30 is placed in the middle ofboard 12. Allplayer markers 14 are placed onSTART position 216. - B. Fortune Round
- Play begins with the Fortune round. The object of the Fortune round is for each player to keep as many of his/her
tokens 16 as possible. - To determine who plays first, each players says “
MAGIC 8 BALL®, will I go first?” and turns over die-rollingdevice 30 to select adie face 112. Each player notes visual indicator 114 (yes/no answer) and thenumerical output 116 provided by die-rollingdevice 30. The player that selects the highest numerical output goes first. Any ties are broken by consulting die-rollingdevice 30. (NOTE: if at any time during the game, a player gets an ambiguous answer (an indefinite response 118), such as “Ask Again,” the player inverts die-rollingdevice 30 again to select adie face 112 and its associated outputs. - On each player's turn, the player consults die-rolling
device 30 to determine the number of spaces to be moved. Spaces correspond to discrete positions along path 212 (corner positions 214,colored spaces 218, and inside corner positions 220). Adie face 112 is selected by inverting die-rollingdevice 30, and the presentednumerical output 116 directs a corresponding clockwise movement alongpath 212 by the player'smarker 14. If the player'smarker 14 lands on acolored space 218, the player draws anactivity card 18 frompile 20 that matches the color of the colored space. TheFortune activity 224 ofcard 18 is then read out loud. (NOTE: Fortune activities are always group play. Each player participates when die-rollingdevice 30 is passed to him or her.) - As soon as the Fortune activity is read,
timing mechanism 48 of die-rollingdevice 30 is activated by rotatingupper portion 32 and the Fortune activity starts. Fortune activities begin with the player who drewactivity card 18. This first player completes the activity and then passes die-rollingdevice 30 to the next player. Each player completes the activity in turn. This activity session ends once the endpoint is signaled by signalingmechanism 180, a player cannot think of an answer, repeats an answer, answers incorrectly, or performs the activity incorrectly. The player who fails to complete the activity forfeits a token 16. All forfeited tokens are placed in the center ofboard 12. Play continues clockwise to other players. - In the Fortune round of play, landing on a
corner position 214 ofboard 12 gives a player immunity to forfeitingtokens 16 for as long as the player remains on the corner position. However, the player participates in any Fortune activity while on the corner position, but is not in danger of losing a token. - In the Fortune round of play, if a player (with more than one token remaining) cannot perform/complete an activity, the player may play “double or nothing” by asking die-rolling
device 30 if the player should forfeit the token. If die-rollingdevice 30 provides a negative response, the player may keep the endangered token. However, if die-rollingdevice 30 provides an affirmative response, the player should forfeit two tokens. - Each stack of
cards 18 may include one or more special cards (“Magic 8-Ball Cards”) that lack Fortune/Fate activities. If a first player selects one of these special cards, the first player may keep the special card for later play. When the first player cannot successfully complete a Fortune activity, the first player may play the special card against any other second player, forcing the second player to forfeit a token in place of the first player. However, this second player may also have a special card, and also may choose to play the special card against any other player, forcing that other player to forfeit a token instead, and so on. However, each player that wishes to force another player to forfeit a token in his/her place should play his/her special card before another player draws a card fromcard stack 20. In addition, no more than one special card may be played against a given player in one turn. Rather than play a special card during the Fortune round a player may save it for play during the Fate round (see below). - The Fortune round ends when any player travels around
board 12 alongpath 212 and returns to, or passes,START position 216. Each player then counts his or her remainingtokens 16. The player with the most remaining tokens wins the Fortune round and becomes the first “Great 8 Potentate.” If two players tie with the most remainingtokens 16, both use die-rollingdevice 30 to select anumerical output 116. The player with the highest selected number becomes the Great 8 Potentate. - C. Fate Round
- The object of the Fate round is to be the first player to win back all of his or her forfeited
tokens 16. During the Fate round the player who is thecurrent Great 8 Potentate is the master and keeper of die-rollingdevice 30. - Each player returns to START
position 216. In the same order of play as used in the Fortune round, but skipping thecurrent Great 8 Potentate, players use die-rollingdevice 30 to select anumerical output 116, and move a corresponding number of spaces alongpath 212. - In the Fate round, the Great 8 Potentate draws
activity cards 18 for each of the other players, when dictated by the position ofmarker 14, and reads theFate activity 222 of the card out loud. The Great 8 Potentate fills in any blanks, generally with silly or funny suggestions. The player for whom the Great 8 Potentate reads the Fate challenge should do exactly what the Great 8 Potentate suggests in order to win back a token 16, or a player may pass. If the player elects not to complete the Fate activity, the Great 8 Potentate may win back one of his or herown tokens 16 by completing the Fate activity. The Great 8 Potentate should complete the Fate activity to the satisfaction of all the other players to win back atoken 16. Fate activities are individual play. Only the player whose turn it is to win back a token (or theGreat 8 Potentate) is allowed to complete the activity. - If a player lands on one of
corner positions 214, by exact count, the player automatically becomes thenew Great 8 Potentate. The player takes die-rollingdevice 30 from theformer Great 8 Potentate and switches the positions ofmarkers 14 belonging to the former andnew Great 8 Potentates. - If a player lands on an
inside corner position 220, by exact count, during the Fate round of play, the player chooses one of the following two questions to ask die-rolling device 30: - 1. May I win back a token?
- 2. Am I the next Great 8 Potentate?
- The visual indicator114 (yes/no response) selected by die-rolling
device 30 answers the question asked. - In the Fate round of play, when the Great 8 Potentate draws a special card instead of a Fortune/
Fate activity card 18, the player for whom the card was drawn may play the special card in one of two ways. First, the player may avoid his or her Fate activity and redeem a token for free. Second, the player may ask die-rolling device 30: “am I the next Great 8 Potentate?” A positive response unseats the Great 8 Potentate. This second option also is available to a player that has saved a special card from the Fortune round. In this case, the player may play the special card before the Great 8 Potentate draws a card for the player. - The winner of the game is the player that first wins back all of his or her
tokens 16. - Although the invention has been disclosed in its preferred forms, the specific embodiments thereof as disclosed and illustrated herein are not to be considered in a limiting sense, because numerous variations are possible. The subject matter of the invention includes all novel and non-obvious combinations and subcombinations of the various elements, features, functions, and/or properties disclosed herein. No single feature, function, element or property of the disclosed embodiments is essential. The following claims define certain combinations and subcombinations of features, functions, elements, and/or properties that are regarded as novel and nonobvious. Other combinations and subcombinations may be claimed through amendment of the present claims or presentation of new claims in this or a related application. Such claims, whether they are broader, narrower, equal, or different in scope to any earlier claims, also are regarded as included within the subject matter of the invention.
Claims (20)
1. A die for directing game play, comprising:
a plurality of faces bearing a set of numeric indicators and a distinct set of words,
wherein each of the plurality of faces bears at least one numeric indicator and at least one word selected from each set.
2. The die of claim 1 , wherein the numeric indicators are number symbols.
3. The die of claim 1 , wherein each of the numeric indicators countably represents a number.
4. The die of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of faces bears a phrase of two or more words.
5. The die of claim 1 , wherein the set of words represents opposite responses.
6. The die of claim 5 , wherein the set of words corresponds to “yes” and “no” responses.
7. The die of claim 6 , further comprising at least one additional face that does not bear a member of at least one of the sets
8. The die of claim 7 , wherein the at least one additional face bears one or more words corresponding to an indefinite response.
9. The die of claim 1 , the plurality of faces being provided by a polyhedron having at least ten sides.
10. A die for directing game play, comprising:
a plurality of faces bearing a set of letter-based indicators corresponding to opposite responses and a distinct set of numeric indicators,
wherein each of the plurality of faces bears at least one indicator selected from each set.
11. The die of claim 10 , further comprising at least one additional face that does not bear an indicator from at least one of the sets.
12. The die of claim 10 , wherein the letter-based indicators are arranged so that each of the plurality of faces bears at least one word.
13. The die of claim 12 , wherein the at least one word corresponds to a “yes” or a “no” response.
14. The die of claim 10 , wherein the numeric indicators are selected from number symbols, countable elements, and words.
15. A device for directing game play, comprising:
a die including a plurality of faces bearing a set of visual indicators and a distinct set of letter-based indicators corresponding to affirmative and negative responses, at least one of the plurality of faces bearing an indicator from each set; and
an enclosure that encloses the die.
16. The device of claim 15 , further comprising a liquid disposed in the enclosure.
17. The device of claim 16 , wherein the enclosure includes a viewing window, and wherein the liquid is substantially opaque so that the indicators on a selected one of the face are not visible until the selected one face abuts the viewing window.
18. The device of claim 15 , wherein the die forms a polyhedron having at least ten sides.
19. The device of claim 15 , wherein the set of visual indicators are numeric indicators.
20. The device of claim 15 , wherein the set of letter-based indicators includes words corresponding to “yes” and “no” responses.
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US11/261,364 US20060033274A1 (en) | 2001-05-03 | 2005-10-28 | Die-rolling device and game |
US11/872,500 US7658384B2 (en) | 2001-05-03 | 2007-10-15 | Die-rolling device and game |
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Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
US20080029960A1 (en) | 2008-02-07 |
US7658384B2 (en) | 2010-02-09 |
US20020190464A1 (en) | 2002-12-19 |
US20060033274A1 (en) | 2006-02-16 |
US6755416B2 (en) | 2004-06-29 |
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