US20150123344A1

US20150123344A1 - Game for manipulating floating and sinking game pieces to one or more pre-defined configurations

Info

Publication number: US20150123344A1
Application number: US14/073,716
Authority: US
Inventors: Nathaniel Besser
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2013-11-06
Filing date: 2013-11-06
Publication date: 2015-05-07

Abstract

A game wherein floating and sinking objects are contained in a single container or container, either physically, or electronically in a simulated version, and the container is manipulated to bring all of the floating pieces and sinking pieces into a predefined alignment. The closed container includes a plurality of shelves mounted on dividers, side panels or walls to define a plurality of definable levels. The number of compartments defined by dividers and the number of levels defined by the shelves is arbitrary and may be selected based on the complexity level of the game. At least two levels and two compartments are required to meet the basic game strategy.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Desk games have been available for many years, typically used as a conversation piece or a novelty toy displayed on desks or table tops. These are typically novelty items with either a bit of humor involved in their design, or brainteaser elements, or both. Donald B. Poynter pioneered the art of novelty desk games in the 1960's and later. For example, his U.S. Pat. No. 4,300,473, entitled: “Device for Moistening the Adhesive Coating on Postage Stamps and Envelopes” comprised a box with an activation switch, which when engaged caused a simulated, moist human tongue to be extended for moistening the adhesive on an envelope or a stamp. Mr. Poynter's U.S. Pat. No. 3,243,914 entitled: “Electrically Operated Coin Box Device” comprised a box with a slot for receiving a coin. The slot included a switch which was activated when a coin was properly positioned. Upon activation, a hinged door would open and a simulated human hand would emerge and grab the coin and remove it from the slot and into the box, whereupon the box would close and the device would shut off.
Brainteaser games and puzzles are also popular, see for example U.S. Pat. No. 8,136,815, entitled: “Interactive Brainteaser Puzzle,” issued to Vinh Van. This puzzle is an interactive brainteaser puzzle which includes a circular base having a central recess, a raised collar about the central recess, a raised rim about the periphery, a plurality equally spaced radial lines extending between the raised collar and the raised rim to form a plurality of wedge shaped spaces thereabout and a plurality of apertures, wherein each aperture is located in one wedge shaped space. A plurality of pegs is provided, wherein each peg is of a size to removably fit into the central recess and any of one of the apertures. A plurality of wedge shaped plates are also provided, wherein each wedge shaped plate is of a size to extend between the raised collar and the raised rim to manually slide within the circular base and stop on any one of the wedge shaped spaces.
With the advent of the computer age, many of these puzzles and brainteasers have been adapted to computer models, where the game pieces are simulated by programs and the computer device becomes an electronic game board.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The subject invention is directed to a brainteaser or game wherein floating and sinking objects are contained into a plurality of chambers formed a single container or box or similar configuration, either physically, or electronically in a simulated version, and the container is manipulated to bring all of the floating pieces and sinking pieces into a pre-defined common alignment or configuration. For example, it may be an objective to bring all of the pieces onto a common level or other predefined configuration. Other increasingly difficult objectives and configurations may also be set as the objective, such as, by way of example, two pieces of differing properties could be placed simultaneously on the top and bottom of the game container. Other objectives can be set, depending on the number of game pieces and the number of levels in the container.
In the preferred embodiment a closed box or container includes a plurality of shelves mounted on dividers and/or the front and back walls or panels of the container to define a plurality of definable levels. In the illustrated embodiment, the dividers are vertical. However, it should be understood that the various compartments may be defined by dividers of various configurations and that the number of levels defined by the shelves is arbitrary and may be selected based on the desired complexity level of the game. At least two levels and two compartments are required to meet the basic game strategy.
The container is filled with a clear or translucent liquid, such as water. The selection and viscosity of the liquid is also arbitrary, depending upon the complexity and strategy for the game. A ball or similar object is placed in each compartment. Typically, half of the balls float in the liquid and will naturally float to the top of the container while the other half of the balls sink in the liquid and will naturally sink to the bottom of the container.
The container is manipulated in order to get the sinking balls to move up through the levels, while simultaneously getting the floating balls to travel generally downward. The object of the game is to bring all of the pieces onto a common level or other predetermined configuration. Other increasingly difficult objectives and configurations may also be set as the objective, such as, by way of example, two pieces of differing properties could be placed simultaneously on the top and bottom of the game container. Other objectives can be set, depending on the number of game pieces and the number of levels in the container.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a cutaway view of the game container.

FIG. 2 is similar to FIG. 1, with the floating and sinking balls in their home position.

FIG. 3 is similar to FIG. 2, showing manipulation of the container to move the balls vertically up and down in the container and toward or away from one another.

FIG. 4 is similar to FIG. 2, showing both the floating balls and the sinking balls in the same elevation within the container.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The game container for the desktop or table top game of the subject invention is shown in FIG. 1. As there shown, the container 10 is typically rectangular in shape and is fully enclosed, with a back wall 12, side walls 14 and 16, upper and lower walls 18 and 20 and a front wall 22, shown fragmented. Typically, for aesthetic purposes, all of the walls are made of a clear material such as Plexiglas, or an acrylic, or the like. It is important that at least the front wall 22 or the back wall 12 is made of a relatively clear or translucent material so that the game pieces are visible through the walls in order to facilitate playing of the game.
In the illustrated embodiment a plurality of vertical dividers 24, 26 and 28 divide the interior of a single container into separate compartments or chambers 30, 32, 34 and 36. However, it should be understood that the various compartments may be defined by dividers of various configurations and that the number of levels defined by the shelves is arbitrary and may be selected based on the desired complexity level of the game. At least two levels and two compartments are required to meet the basic game strategy. The compartments may sealed from one another or may communicate with one another through the walls, provided, however that any space or gap between the dividers or the dividers and the container is not sufficient to permit any of the balls (see FIGS. 2-4) to move between compartments.
In the embodiment shown, a plurality of shelves are mounted on the vertical dividers 24, 26 and 28 and the end walls 14 and 16. It should be understood that the shelves may be mounted on the vertical dividers, and/or one or more of the side panels 12 and 22, in order to achieve the desired assembly. The shelves in the preferred embodiment are triangle shaped with two sides 40A and 40B being attached to the adjacent vertical wall or divider and the open front side 40C being positioned in the related compartment 30, 32, 34 or 36. Each set of horizontal shelves defines a level, levels 42, 44, 46 and 48, as shown. However, it should be understood that the specific configuration of the shelves is arbitrary so long as they permit movement of the balls between levels.
The number of compartments defined by dividers and the number of levels defined by the shelves is arbitrary and may be selected based on the complexity level of the game. At least two levels and two compartments are required to meet the basic game strategy.
The container is filled with a clear or translucent liquid, such as water. The selection and viscosity of the liquid is also arbitrary, depending upon the complexity and strategy for the game.
As shown in FIG. 2, a ball or similar object is placed in each compartment. Typically, half of the balls are less dense than the liquid and will naturally float to the top of the container 10, see balls 50 and 52. The other half of the balls more dense than the liquid and will naturally sink to the bottom of the container 10, see balls 54 and 56. It may be desirable to distinguish the floating balls and the sinking balls from one another by marking the balls with different indicia or colors, but this is simply a matter of choice and is not required to meet the objectives of the game. In the illustrated embodiment the floating balls are white and the sinking balls are black. While the floating balls are shown next to one another and the sinking balls are shown next to one another, any alignment may be used. In order to meet the objective of the game, there should be at least one floating game piece and one sinking game piece.
Once assembled, and with the balls in their natural position of FIG. 2, it is an object of the game to manipulate the container as shown in FIG. 3 in order to get the sinking balls 54 and 56 to move up through the levels by traveling generally upward in the direction of arrow 58, while simultaneously getting the floating balls 50 and 52 to travel generally downward in the direction of arrow 60. One objective of the game is to get all of the floating and sinking balls on the same level, for example, level 44 as shown in FIG. 4. Other objectives and configurations may also be set, such as, by way of example, two pieces of differing properties could be placed simultaneously on the top and bottom of the game container. Various objectives can be set, depending on the number of game pieces and the number of levels in the container.
In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the game container can be designed to be an application for a computer, smart phone or a tablet or similar device, where the device or an accessory such as a keyboard, joystick or mouse, or the like, can be manipulated to simulate the movement of the container and provide simulated movement of the balls or similar game pieces. The vertical walls can be straight, as shown, or curvilinear, in order to add additional variety to the game.
While certain features and embodiments of the invention have been shown in detail herein, it should be understood that all modifications and enhancements of the invention are within the scope and spirit of the following claims.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A game comprising:

a. A plurality of chambers;

b. Shelves associated with the at least one partition for subdividing each of the plurality of chambers into a plurality of levels;

c. A fluid substantially filling the container;

d. At least one game piece which naturally floats in the fluid;

e. At least one game piece which naturally sinks in the fluid, wherein the object of the game is to manipulate the container to migrate both the floating game piece and the sinking game into a predefined configuration.

2. The game of claim 1, wherein the plurality of chamber comprises closed container having at least one partition subdividing the container into said chambers.

3. The game of claim 1, wherein the object of the game is to manipulate the floating and sinking game pieces to the same level.

4. The game of claim 1, wherein the container is a physical container having a top wall, a bottom wall, a front wall, a back wall and end walls.

5. The container of claim 4, wherein at least one of the front wall and the back wall is transparent.

6. The container of claim 4, wherein all of the walls are transparent.

7. The game of claim 1, wherein the floating game piece is visibly distinguishable from the sinking game piece.

8. The game of claim 7, wherein the floating piece is of one color and the sinking piece is of another color.

9. The game of claim 8, wherein the game pieces are balls.

10. The game of claim 1, wherein the components of the game are computer generated and are simulated on a display screen.

11. The game of claim 10, wherein the container is simulated by a computer device which may be physically manipulated to simulate manipulation of the container.

12. The game of claim 1, including four chambers with two floating game pieces and two sinking game pieces.

13. The game of claim 12, including four levels defined by the shelves.

14. The game of claim 1, wherein the fluid comprises water.