Abstract:
This invention relates to a competitive board game comprised of a table with sides surrounding the playing surface. Hockey sticks are suspended from transverse bars suspended across the playing surface and slidably disposed between the sides of the table. The table has a goal at each end of the playing surface and the playing surface mates with sides in formed rounded corners. The playing surface is angled between each rounded corner toward the center of the board to provide for a fast game requiring high levels of skill. A ⅛th inch lip is provided over the edge of the playing surface to keep the puck in play for special Quninning shots.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION DATA  
       [0001]     This application is a continuation in part of application Ser. No. 10/909,616 filed on Aug. 2, 2004 which is a Nonprovisional application claiming priority to Provisional application Ser. No. 60/492,718 filed on Aug. 5, 2003. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     This invention relates to a competitive board game comprised of a table with sides surrounding the playing surface. Hockey sticks are suspended from transverse bars suspended across the playing surface and are slidably disposed between the sides of the table. The table has a goal at each end of the playing surface and the playing surface mates with sides thereby forming rounded corners. The playing surface is angled downwardly between each rounded corner and the center of the board to provide for a fast game requiring high levels of skill. A ⅛th inch inward overhang from the top of the sides over the playing surface permits complex hockey shots.  
       DISCUSSION OF THE RELEVANT ART  
       [0003]     Table hockey tables are widely known in many forms such as, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,655,767 to Francis et. al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,046,734 to Laine teach a hockey table having players supported and controlled from below the board. Many references have the people themselves using the playing surface, such as U.S. Pat. No. 5,556,094 to Shiledar Baxi. A number of patents teach the use of obstacles on the playing surface to make the game more challenging such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,765,622 to Rienzo and U.S. Pat. No. 5,074,556 to Loeppky et. al. Some games teach a folding table for travel and storage such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,872,679 to Bohaski et. al. A number of patents teach magnetic control of the hockey puck, such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,012,040 to Fernandes.  
         [0004]     A number of patents teach a sloping playing surface, such as U.S. Pat. No. 3,940,135 to Cohen, which is a magnetically controlled game with a sloped top plate under which the hockey game is played. Some patents teach a playing surface sloped from the center of the playing area, between the goals, as the high spot, sloping downwardly towards the goals, such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,222,735 and 5,320,350 to Savage. The instant invention has many new and novel features not disclosed in the prior art references.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     An object of the instant invention is the implementation of a sophisticated playing surface which is sloped inwardly from each rounded corner toward the center of the playing surface, thereby requiring fast and skillful reactions on the part of the players, who control hockey sticks which are slidably suspended across the playing surface.  
         [0006]     Another object of the instant invention is the implementation of rounded corners that provide the players with the ability to place the puck in front of the goals as it is banked off the rounded corners.  
         [0007]     Another object of the instant invention is to provide a puck insertion aperture, sloping downwardly and aimed at the correct face-off location on the playing surface.  
         [0008]     Another object of the instant invention is a metal interface between the goal and the wall surrounding the playing surface.  
         [0009]     Another object of the instant invention is an exterior retaining wall surrounding and parallel to the interior retaining wall that provides a support for the exterior top surface.  
         [0010]     Another object of the instant invention is an exterior goal retrieval aperture formed in the wall surrounding the playing surface.  
         [0011]     Another object of the instant invention is to provide a stick designed such that each stick is not able to reach the sideboards thereby decreasing the likelihood of stick breakage.  
         [0012]     Another object of the instant invention is for the upper exterior top surface to overhang the playing surface by approximately ⅛ inch, which in combination with the goalie stick extending approximately 2.5 inches past each of the goal posts, that enables the goalie stick to backwardly pinch the ball against the wall forcing the ball up the wall, hitting the ⅛ inch overhanging exterior top thereby enabling the puck to fly mid air towards the opposing goal opening in a shot called “Quinning”.  
         [0013]     Another object of the instant invention is to provide a deflector behind the goal aperture on the playing surface that deflects the puck downwardly towards a goal aperture formed in the outside wall of the instant invention.  
         [0014]     Another object of the instant invention is to provide hockey sticks supported from slidable transverse control arms with realistic curved front ends and angled support members.  
         [0015]     Another object of the instant invention is to provide a hockey stick that does not extend to the playing surface. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0016]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the instant invention.  
         [0017]      FIG. 2  is a top plan view of the instant invention.  
         [0018]      FIG. 3A  is a side elevational view of the instant invention.  
         [0019]      FIG. 3B  is a side elevational cut away view of the goal apparatus of the instant invention.  
         [0020]      FIG. 4  is a partial top plan view of the instant invention.  
         [0021]      FIG. 5  is a side elevational view of the instant invention.  
         [0022]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the hockey stick in the instant invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0023]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , hockey table  2  in the instant invention has legs  4   a ,  4   b ,  4   c , and  4   d  rigidly connected to body  8 . Each leg  4   a ,  4   b ,  4   c  and  4   d  is preferably comprised of a strong and rigid material, such as aluminum or steel, to firmly support body  8 . Each leg  4   a ,  4   b ,  4   c , and  4   d  has a corresponding foot  6   a ,  6   b ,  6   c , and  6   d  depended from the bottom distal end thereof. Each foot  6   a ,  6   b ,  6   c , and  6   d  is adjustably attached to each leg  4   a ,  4   b ,  4   c  and  4   d  so as to be able to compensate for an uneven surface supporting each leg  4   a ,  4   b ,  4   c  and  4   d . In the preferred embodiment, each foot  6   a ,  6   b ,  6   c  and  6   d  is connected by a threaded rod to each leg  4   a ,  4   b ,  4   c  and  4   d.    
         [0024]     Body  8  has a pair of substantially planar sides  56   a  and  56   b  and a pair of substantially planar ends  58   a  and  58   b . The edge of each planar side  56   a  and  56   b  mates with the corresponding edge of each planar end  58   a  and  58   b . The respective planar sides  56   a  and  56   b  are rigidly attached to the planar ends  58   a  and  58   b.    
         [0025]     The lower face of planar top  10  is rigidly connected to and is supported by the upper edge of planar sides  56   a  and  56   b  and planar ends  58   a  and  58   b . Together, planar sides  56   a  and  56   b  and planar ends  58   a  and  58   b  and top  10  form body  8 . The top distal end of each leg  4   a ,  4   b ,  4   c  and  4   d  is rigidly connected to, respectively, a mated corner of planar sides  56   a  and  56   b  and planar ends  58   a  and  58   b . Planar sides  56   a  and  56   b  and the planar ends  58   a  and  58   b  should preferably be constructed from a rigid and rugged material such as plywood or composite wood which form a body  8  with rigidity and resilience.  
         [0026]     While planar sides  56   a  and  56   b  and planar ends  58   a  and  58   b  form and define the outer wall of body  8 , depending downwardly from an aperture in top  10  is play surface boundary wall  62 . Boundary wall  62  is disposed between top  10  and play surface  12 . The aperture in top  10  is formed to be substantially parallel and aligned with the perimeter of play surface  12 , wherein the inner edge  90  of top  10  overhangs approximately ⅛ inch inwardly over play surface boundary wall  62 .  
         [0027]     In the preferred embodiment, the aperture in top  10 , play surface  12  and boundary wall  62  has curved and rounded corners  26  which directly affects the method of play of the game. Rounded corner  26  has a preferred radius of 5.50 inches and each rounded corner covers 90 degrees.  
         [0028]     Players can knock a puck or tuck against a rounded corner  26  of boundary wall  62  thereby either placing the puck or tuck in front of a goal  16  which is formed at each end of playing surface  12 , or completely banking against one rounded corner  26  and then banking off a second rounded corner  26  to automatically place the puck or tuck back in play. This rounded corner  26  permits creative and strategically complex play.  
         [0029]     A shield  14  depends upwardly from and is rigidly connected to top  10 . Shield  14  should preferably be translucent in order to permit full view of playing surface  12  while maintaining puck or tuck within the confines of playing surface  12 . Shield  14  should depend upwardly from the top planar face of top  10  and generally is aligned with and is parallel to the perimeter of playing surface  12 . Shield  12  may be placed anywhere on top  10 , but is preferably disposed nearer the edge of the aperture in top  10  so as to permit the formation of a horizontal surface for use by players. In addition to holding player&#39;s materials, such as beverages, at least one score keeping apparatus  24  can be affixed to top  10 , which is preferably disposed at an end of table  2 . Score keeping apparatus  24  can be any presently known or future developed technology such as mechanical or electronically controlled and may be automatically incremented by connection to goal  16 .  
         [0030]     Boundary wall  62  has a goal  16  formed in end thereof. The bottom edge of each goal  16  mates with and is aligned with the top surface of playing surface  12 . Each goal  16  should preferably be approximately be 6 inches wide and 3 inches high above the top of playing surface  12 . A goal ring  64  mates with the edge of the aperture formed in boundary wall  62  which forms the outline of goal  16 . Goal ring  64  should preferably be formed of a metallic material to provide an audible sound when puck or tuck makes contact with goal ring  64 . This audible sound enhances the game experience as well as helps to protect the aperture edge of goal  16  to provide for longer table  2  life.  
         [0031]     Goal  16  is an aperture in boundary wall  62 . Aligned directly behind each goal  16 , and rigidly disposed within body  8 , under top  10  and disposed between respective planar ends  58   a  and  58   b  and boundary wall  62  is a tuck or puck deflector  42 . Deflector  42  is angled at approximately a 45 degrees angle so as to deflect the tuck or puck downward, within body  8 , to a tuck or puck retrieval area  22 . The deflector  42  has a sound damping material affixed to the front surface thereof, facing toward goal  16 . Retrieval area  22  is access by through a retrieval area aperture  66  formed in planar end  58   a  and  58   b  of body  8 . Retrieval area aperture  66  should preferably be approximately 3 inches high and 6 inches wide to permit easy retrieval of tuck or puck by a player&#39;s hand. A retrieval area ring  68  is disposed along the edge of retrieval area aperture  66  to prevent player&#39;s hands from being scraped on the edge of aperture  66  and to provide long life to table  2 .  
         [0032]     At least one tuck or puck insertion tube  28  is disposed at a downward angle of approximately 45 degrees so that tuck or puck will land at approximately in the middle of playing surface  12  approximately midway in the center face-off area  34  which is disposed approximately in the center of planar edges  56   a  and  56   b  and planar ends  58   a  and  58   b . Center face-off area  34  is marked on playing surface  12  as are a center line  74  and quadrant face off areas  76   a ,  76   b ,  76   c  and  76   d . Each goal area  88  is also marked as in a normal sport manner.  
         [0033]     A plurality of hockey sticks  40  are disposed on and are rigidly affixed to poles  18 . Poles  18  are slidably disposed in apertures formed in boundary wall  62  and planar sides  56   a  and  56   b . A friction reducing bushing  72  may be placed within each aperture  70  to reduce the friction on the movement of poles  18  within each aperture  70  and to provide for long life of table  2 .  
         [0034]     A grip  20  is rigidly affixed to on a tip  32  of each pole  18  and a travel stop ring or similar apparatus  30  is affixed to the tip  32  of pole  18  opposite from the end of pole  18  with grip  20 . Stop ring  30  and grip  20  prevent pole  18  from coming out of pole apertures  70 .  
         [0035]     A plurality of poles  18  each having at least one stick  40  are disposed over playing surface  12 . The number of poles  18  and sticks  40  will vary according to the nature of the game to be played. Generally there will be an equal number of poles  18  and sticks  40  for each player. The grip  20  for each pole for each respective player will be disposed on one respective long edge of playing surface  12 .  
         [0036]     In a standard hockey game, each player will have one center pole  78  with three sticks  40 , a forward pole  80  with three sticks  40 , a defense pole  82  with two sticks  40 , and a goal pole  84  with one stick.  
         [0037]     Each stick  40  has a stick head  38 , a stick arm  44  connected at one end to stick head  38 , and a stick support  46  connected along stick arm  44 , into which stick aperture  52  is formed. Each stick  40  has a connector  50  placed within aperture  52  to connect each stick  40  to each pole  18 . Each connector  50  is a screw or rivet that will provide a secure connection between each stick  40  and each pole  18 .  
         [0038]     Stick support  46  is preferably formed in a barrel form with a central aperture adapted to mate slidably and firmly with each pole  18 . Stick support  46  is preferably formed integrally with stick arm  44  for strength and each end of stick support  46  extends approximately one half inch past the outside boundaries of stick arm  44 . This extension provides strength and a high level of control and leverage between each pole  18  and each stick  40 . A portion of stick arm  44  extends above and below stick support  46  in order to provide balance and strength to stick  40 . In the preferred embodiment, stick arm  44  will extend approximately one inch above stick support  46  and will extend approximately one and three quarter inches below stick support  46 . Each pole  18  is disposed within each planar edge  56   a  and  56   b  so that each top end of each stick  40  will not touch playing surface  12  upon rotation. Strength arms  86  are integrally formed in stick arm  44  and mate with a wide portion to stick support  46  and taper down to mate with the surface of stick arm  44 . Strength arms  86  are formed on opposing sides of stick arm  44 , but do not extend passed the outer edges of stick arm  44 . In the preferred embodiment, strength arms  86  extends approximately three fourths of one inch above stick support  46  and one inch below stick support  46  along stick arm  44 .  
         [0039]     Each stick  40  has a head  44  with a pair of stick faces  54 . Each stick face  54  has vertical indentations integrally formed therein to provide for excellent frictional contact and control of the tuck or puck by each stick  40 .  
         [0040]     In the preferred embodiment, each stick  40  is made from high strength and resilient material such as ABS machine grade plastic with a high density to give each stick  40  long life and to enable each stick to accept great stress without breaking during long terms of rugged use.  
         [0041]     The playing surface  12  is angled in a downward direction from each rounded corner  26  toward the center face off area  34  of playing surface  12 . This angled playing surface  12  provides for fast and exciting play by keeping the tuck or puck constantly in play and preventing intentional or unintentional trapping of the tuck or puck between each stick  18  and the playing surface  12  and/or boundary wall  62 . In the preferred embodiment, the playing surface should be downwardly angled at approximately 4 degrees from each rounded corner  26  over each respective face off areas  76   a, b, c  and  d  toward center face-off area  34 .  
         [0042]     It is to be understood that while certain forms of the present invention have been illustrated and described herein, it is not to be limited to the specific forms or arrangement of parts described and shown.