Abstract:
A player designable game board and parlor games which may be playable thereon to suit the design specifications of a user. In a preferred embodiment, the game board is three dimensional. The game board may adopt any geometric arrangement preferred by the user and may be comprised of any number of board playing tiers preferred by the user. In addition, playing spaces for game playing pieces may be marked with insert substrates to represent various stations in a play of a game. Individual boards and posts are provided to achieve the various tiers and the game playing space substrates or so-called tiles are also provided with the game board. In one embodiment, the game tiles may be inserted in recessed areas on the game board. In another embodiment, game tiles may be laid on a flat surface and located between upright posts which allow for individual playing tiers.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    This invention relates in general to certain new and useful improvements in user designable game boards used in parlor games and user designable games which may be used with the user designable game boards. More particularly, the invention relates to game boards which are sometimes three dimensional and may adopt a desired shape and size with multiple tiers as preferred by the user. Games can be designed around the game board for the play of the game, or otherwise, the game board construction can be designed to conform to a proposed parlor game. 
         [0003]    2. Brief Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    There has been several prior art games with multiple levels or tiers having playing spaces for receipt of game playing pieces. In most of these cases, each tier of the game board had roughly the same size and shape and essentially the same number of playing spaces as any other tier of the game board. Inasmuch as these game boards, and particularly, the individual tiers were not transparent, it was difficult to clearly observe, if not even see the playing spaces between any two tiers of the game board. As a result, and because of the difficulty of the player observing intermediate tiers In the game board, games of this type often fell into disuse. Representative of this type of games is that thought in U.S. Pat. No. 6,276,685, dated Aug. 21, 2001 to Sterling. 
         [0005]    There have also been games with player designable game boards of even a single tier. Representative of this type of game board is U.S. Pat. No. 6,983,937, dated Jan. 10, 2006, to Lavinson. In this type of game, the player had the option of designing which areas, or which spaces of a game board, would be used in the play of the game. However, in this type of game, the dimensions of the game board including the width and length was predetermined. Moreover, the game board was generally only available in a rectangular format. In other words, the player did not have the availability of designing a game board to meet the specifications for a game which may have been designed by the player. 
         [0006]    Generally, all prior art game boards are designed with some game or style of game in mind. Some game boards are of a standard size and shape and usually with a standard number of playing locations. As a simple example, Chinese Checkers and Chess are two totally different games which may be played on a common game board. In each of the prior art games and prior art game boards, there was no availability of a player specifically designing that game board to meet that player&#39;s expectations of a particular game. The prior art simply did not have the availability of game boards which could be customized to a particular game of play which may be selected by a user. Consequently, with the existing game boards, a user of a game who wished to design a game to meet his or her expectations had to design that game within certain confines to meet the existing layout of a particular game board. 
         [0007]    It would be desirable to enable a player of a parlor game to design both the game board and the method of play of a game and the method of play of a game on that game board and which game board may not adopt any standard size or shape. It would also be desirable to enable that player or user to also design a multi-level or multi-tier game board and in which the number of playing spaces can vary, as well as the arrangement of those playing spaces. 
       OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    It is, therefore, one of the primary objects of the present invention to provide a game board which is completely player designable and which may have a size and shape specifically conforming to that proposed by a user. 
         [0009]    It is another object to the present invention to provide a player designable game board where both the number of playing spaces and the arrangement of those playing spaces can vary in accordance with the proposal of the user and further, in which the number of tiers or levels of a game can vary in accordance with the proposal of the user. 
         [0010]    It is an additional object to the present invention in which a plurality of game boards can be used in a play of a game and which game boards are connected by connecting substrates which provide for playing piece movement across such substrates from game board to game board. In the same respect, it is possible to provide for these connecting substrates to extend between various tiers or levels on a particular game board. 
         [0011]    It is another salient object of the present invention to provide a method of enabling the design of a game which permits the user to design both a game board and a method of play specifically tailored to that particular game board design. 
         [0012]    It is also an object to the present invention to permit a player or user to design a game in which there are a plurality of player designable tiers to a game board and where the number of tiers and the sizes and shapes of those tiers can vary depending upon the specifications provided by the user or player. 
         [0013]    It is a further object of the present invention to provide an assembly of components for a game board which can be easily assembled and disassembled and can be stacked and arranged for easy and convenient storage. 
         [0014]    It is still an important object of the invention to provide a game board of the type stated in which playing space inserts may be located in playing spaces of a game board to modify or design a game according to the specifications of a user or player. 
         [0015]    With the above and other objects in view, my invention resides in the novel features of form, construction, arrangement and combination of parts and components presently described and pointed out in both the specification and in the claims. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0016]    In a broad aspect, the invention relates to a player designable game board and also to a player designable game and particularly a customized parlor game. In this way, the player may design a parlor game which is adopted for play with a specifically designed game board. Moreover, that game board can be comprised of multiple tiers, as hereinafter described in more detail. 
         [0017]    In one important aspect of the invention, the player may be provided with individual pieces or sections which may be used in combination to provide a game board. 
         [0018]    In one embodiment of the invention, there may be provided individual game boards which can be assembled in various tiers by a user. These game boards may be of different sizes and shapes and assembled to form a game board construction. Provided with the game boards are poles or uprights which allow for one game board to be located in upwardly spaced apart relationship to another of the game boards. In this way, the player may provide a multi-level game board which has a shape conforming to that which is anticipated by the user to enable a particular play of a game. 
         [0019]    In addition, also provided with the game board of the invention, are so-called “tiles” which are essentially substrates enabling a movement of a player from one section of a game board to another disconnected section of a game board, or for that matter to different game boards. Thus, the present invention includes at least these three major components including (1) game board substrate sections, (2) posts allowing for vertically spaced apart connection of the game boards sections and (3) tiles which may allow for movement between individual game boards sections and for that matter which may be used for identification of player spaces in a game board. 
         [0020]    It accordance with this game board construction, it is possible to design a player game, as aforesaid. Moreover, the game can be altered merely by altering the game board combination itself. Thus, each time the game is played, it can be played differently. There can be provided a different number of tiers and there can be provided a different number of playing spaces in each tier. 
         [0021]    In substance, the game board is expandable so that the various tiers can be located where a player may easily visualize the game playing surface in each tier and provide for movement of playing pieces. The game which is designed by the user may be any of a variety of types of games, such as for use in war games in which the playing pieces are toy soldiers, or for that matter, simple dolls for use in doll games. The player may set up the grids and the various tiers, as aforesaid, and also design the rules of play of the game. 
         [0022]    The games may be played with or without elements of chance such as, for example, dice or the like. The movement of both the number and types of playing pieces may be selected by the user or players. Moreover, the number of playing spaces and the direction of the movement of the playing spaces can be selected by a user. As indicated previously, the tiles are designed to fit within playing spaces on the game boards. 
         [0023]    Various types of posts may be used in the play of the game Some of these posts may be more decorative than others of the posts. Spacers may also be used in the play of the game to adjust the levels of the game board. 
         [0024]    In one embodiment of the invention, the various game boards have flat upper surfaces and tiles are merely located on the flat surfaces. The tiles are designed for fitting between vertically disposed upright posts which support upper tiers of game boards. In another embodiment of the invention, the game board can be constructed with spaced apart recessed areas, each accommodating an individual tile. 
         [0025]    The first embodiment of game boards is effective in that it holds the tiles, which may represent indicia used in the play of a game, firmly in place. However, the second embodiment in which the tiles are laid on a flat upper surface is effective in that it allows for storage as a small compact unit. 
         [0026]    This present invention thereby provides a unique and novel player designable game board and player designated parlor games, which thereby fulfills all of the above-identified objects and other objects which will become more fully apparent from a consideration of the forms in which it may be embodied. One of these forms are more fully illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described in the following detailed description of the invention. However, it should be understood that the accompanying drawings and this detailed description are set forth only for purposes of illustrating the general principles of the invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0027]    Having thus described the invention in general terms, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0028]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of one embodiment of a game board construction for designing and producing a player designable parlor game in accordance with and embodying the present invention; 
           [0029]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of one form of game board which may be used in the game board construction of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0030]      FIG. 3  is a plan view of game board tiles and posts which may be used in the game board construction of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0031]      FIG. 4  is an exploded elevational view showing the mounting of a post on upper and lower surfaces of a game board in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0032]      FIG. 5  is a fragmentary elevational view, partially in section, and showing the mounting of posts on a game board in this embodiment of the game board construction of the invention; 
           [0033]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a form of game board construction structured in accordance with and embodying the present invention; 
           [0034]      FIG. 7  is a fragmentary side elevation view of one of the game boards or tiers or levels which may be used in the game board construction of  FIG. 6 ; 
           [0035]      FIG. 8  is a fragmentary perspective view of a tier of game boards which are connected by a player piece connecting element; 
           [0036]      FIG. 9  is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of a game board level used in game board construction of the present invention; 
           [0037]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of yet another modified form of game board construction which may be made in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0038]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of one form of playing piece substrate and showing on an upper surface thereof; 
           [0039]      FIG. 12  is a perspective view of an alternate game board construction which may be used in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0040]      FIG. 13  is a top plan view of another form of pair piece location substrate which may be used in the present invention; 
           [0041]      FIGS. 14A ,  14 B and  14 C are perspective views of various posts which may be used in the game board construction of the present invention; and 
           [0042]      FIG. 15  is a perspective view of a game board level which may be used in the game board construction of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0043]    Referring now in more detail and by reference characters to the drawings, there are essentially two main embodiments of the game board construction of the invention. The first embodiment is illustrated in  FIGS. 1-5  and the second embodiment is illustrated in  FIGS. 6-15 . The posts of  FIGS. 14A ,  14 B and  14 C are used with either embodiment. 
         [0044]    The first embodiment of the invention generally includes tiles, hereinafter described, which are laid upon a relatively flat upper surface game board. Moreover, the tiles identify playing piece spaces and each playing piece space is essentially identified by either posts or quadrilaterally arranged apertures sized to receive those posts. The second major embodiment of the game boards is provided with recesses on the upper surface of the game boards to receive individual tile sections and retentively hold those tile sections. 
         [0045]    Referring now to  FIG. 1 , it can be seen that there is a game board construction  20  having a pair of game boards  22  and  24  arranged in vertically spaced apart relationship. Posts of the type used in  FIGS. 14A ,  14 B or  14 C are used in the game board construction and hold the game boards  22  and  24  in spaced apart relationship. The game boards  22  or  24  and the post  26  along with tiles  28  are the main components of the game board construction  20 . 
         [0046]      FIGS. 14A ,  14 B and  14 C represent several forms of posts which may be used in the game board constructions and finally,  FIG. 3  represents one form of game tile  30  which may be used in game board construction of the invention. Indeed, these are the main components which are used in the game board construction. 
         [0047]    It should be understood that other components may also be used in assembly of a game board construction. Nevertheless, the three major components are illustrated in  FIGS. 1-5  (including  FIGS. 14A ,  14 B,  14 C). As indicated previously, the player may wish to increase the number of tiers used for playing surfaces used in a game or otherwise increase the size or reduce the size of one or more individual tiers as may be desired. The user can also essentially use two or more separate game boards with connecting sections there between such that each of the individual game boards can be part of a game board assembly used in the present invention. 
         [0048]    The posts which are shown in  FIGS. 9A through 14  are merely variations of one another. The game post  26   a  of  FIG. 14A  has flutes  32  along the length of the column and the post  26   b  is cylindrically shaped. The post  26   b  is provided with a pair of stoppers  34  at each of the opposite ends which engage the undersurface of the tier spaced above the post or the upper surface of the tier spaced below the post. The above posts are only illustrative of the number of kinds of posts or vertical uprights which could be used to space one tier from another. Any form of post or upper right may be used for this purpose. 
         [0049]      FIG. 1  illustrates the game board structure  20  comprised of a lower tier including the game board  24  and an upper tier including the game board  22 . Both of the game boards  22  and  24  are substantially rectangular in shape. If desired, and in the format illustrated, one of the tiers may be smaller in overall size than the other of the tiers. However, it should be understood that it is not necessary to make these tiers in a rectangular shape and that they can adopt essentially any shape and for that matter any size. 
         [0050]      FIG. 1  shows in phantom lines a plurality of tiles  30  on the upper game board and a number of similar tiles  30  on the lower game board. Tiles of this type are illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3  and comprise a main rectangularly shaped body  40  having notched corner portions  42  at each of the four corners. In this way, each notched corner  42  is capable of accommodating and receiving one of the posts  26 . Moreover, in this case the tiles are essentially retained in position on the game board by means of the post. They can be tilted slightly and removed from the game board as desired. When two tiles are placed in side by side relationship, they essentially form a rectangularly shaped opening  44  sized to receive one of the posts. 
         [0051]    A game playing space such as a playing space  46  as shown in  FIG. 2  does not have a tile but nevertheless, the four apertures  48  formed in the game board represent a playing piece space. Thus, in a game using playing pieces, the four apertures  48  define a playing piece space or otherwise posts inserted in those apertures would define a playing piece space. 
         [0052]    It can be recognized that the tiles  30  may also have indicia  50  on an upper surface thereof, substantially as shown in  FIG. 3  of the drawings. This indicia may be in the form of a design as shown or it may contain instructions as to how a parlor game may be played. It can also be observed that it can be exemplary of any structure instruction in the movement of a playing piece, such as for example “stop”. Furthermore, a tile may have an arrow as also shown in  FIG. 3  which represents a direction of movement. 
         [0053]    In the embodiment of the invention as shown in  FIGS. 1-5 , it can be seen that each of the game boards are flat and moreover, provide relatively flat upper and lower surfaces. In addition, each game board has a plurality of the apertures  48 . The posts  26  have lower pins  54  of diametrally reduced size and upper pins  56  of diametrally reduced size as shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 . It can be seen that these pins  54  and  56  can, although preferably do not abut against one another and effectively retentively hold any upper tiers in a generally rigid position with respect to a lower tier. In addition, this construction allows for a rapid and easy assembly and disassembly. Moreover, since the various game boards are relatively flat, they will stack easily with one another and the tiers are a relatively small diameter so that they are likewise easily packaged with the game boards in a relatively compact arrangement. 
         [0054]      FIG. 6  shows a game board structure  140  comprised of three tiers  142 ,  144  and  146 . In this case two of the tiers  142  and  144  are of essentially block or rectangular in shape. The tier  146  is similarly rectangular in shape and is of a smaller size than the other two tiers. It should be understood, for example, that it is not necessary to make the tier  46  of a rectangular shape and that it can adopt essentially any shape or size. The same holds true with regard to the other tiers. 
         [0055]      FIG. 7  illustrates one of the game board sections  142  constructed in accordance with the invention and which shows a relatively flat board  148  having a plurality of recesses  150  separated by dividers  152 . In this way, any one of a plurality of the tiles can be fitted within the recesses  150 , substantially as shown in  FIG. 7  of the drawings. When the tiles are located within the recesses, they are generally flush with a rim  154  extending around the periphery of each of the game board sections. In this way, the user of the invention can position the tiles within the recesses and in accordance with the game board design desired by that particular user. Thus, there may be open spaces which may not be used in the play of the game, as well as other spaces which have the tiles therein and which represent playing piece spaces. 
         [0056]    One of the other important aspects of the invention is the fact the rim  154  or for that matter other portions of the game board may be provided with pin holes  158  for receiving pins  160  on the lower ends of each of the posts. In this way, the post  26  can be retentively locked within the individual game boards. It should also be understood, that the posts  26  are provided with pins  160  at each of the opposite ends so that they fit within properly sized openings in the various game board sections. 
         [0057]      FIG. 9  shows an embodiment of a game board construction  162  where one or more sets of tiles are double stacked. Thus, by reference to  FIG. 9 , it can be observed that there is a game board  164  having a single tier with tiles  166  with one located upon the other. In this way, and by double stacking or other multiple stacking of the tiles at various locations, different forms of game board constructions can be prepared.  FIG. 8  shows a game board construction  170  in which there are side by side game boards  172  and  174 . In this case, the game boards may be connected by individual tiles  176 . In this way, playing pieces (not shown) can move across the tiles from one game board  172  to the other game board  174  and visa versa. 
         [0058]      FIG. 10  illustrates a another form of game board construction  173  which is comprised of three towers  180 . Each tower is comprised of the pair of spaced apart tiles  156  connected by posts. In this way, the upper surface of each of the game boards is readily apparent and playing pieces can be moved among the various five flat surfaces as shown. Individual tiles  156  could be placed on each of these flat surfaces as may be desired. It should also be recognized that any number of towers could be constructed with this arrangement. Moreover, by using different sized posts, the overall game board construction can differ. 
         [0059]      FIG. 12  illustrates an embodiment of the invention in which there is a game board construction  181  having a pair of spaced apart tiers  182  and  184  and also a tower arrangement  186  with bridging tiles  188  extending between the tower arrangement  186  and the pair of spaced apart tiers of game boards  190 .  FIG. 12  is merely illustrative to show still another form of game board construction which could be made in accordance with the invention. In this case, it can be seen that the game boards are perfectly square and each consist only of nine playing piece locations. However, it should be recognized that the number of tiers and the location of the various playing pieces can be varied by the user as desired. 
         [0060]      FIG. 13  illustrates a slightly modified form of tile which may be used in a game board construction. It can be observed that a generally rectangularly shaped tile  188  was used in the game board construction in the second embodiment of this, game board construction. However, it is also possible to use generally square shaped tiles  190  having notched corners  192 . Again, a design  194  may appear on the upper surface of any of the tiles representing game instructions or other information. 
         [0061]      FIG. 15  illustrates a game board construction having the game board  200  with individual recesses  202  for receiving game board tiles. Moreover, four rectangularly arranged pin holes  204  are located at the corners of each recess in the manner as shown in  FIG. 15  and sized to receive posts. The tiles of  FIG. 13  would therefore work ideally with a game board construction of the type shown in  FIG. 15 . In this way, each tile will fit within a recess and moreover allow room for each of the posts shown in  FIGS. 14A through 14C . Although this type of tile construction has been found to be effective in the invention, it should be understood that it is only one form of tile configuration which could be used. 
         [0062]    Based on the foregoing construction, it can be seen that the player designable game board assembly enables the construction of a wide variety of game board designs capable of fitting a desired use therefore. Thus, a game designer is not necessarily constrained to design a game only to fit precise limited patterns which have heretofore been available. Rather, any number of patterns as can be used. An exemplary group of game board patterns has been shown herein. 
         [0063]    In addition to the foregoing, it can also be observed that the game board assembly of the invention, because of its wide versatility and unique number of shapes and designs, can also enable the generation of a large number of games. Heretofore, many games which could have been designed were thwarted by a very precise and fixed game board construction. As a result, numerous new games can also be designed. In addition, the players can even modify the roles of the game as they see fit. 
         [0064]    Thus, there has been illustrated and described a new player designable game board and parlor games playable thereon, and which thereby fulfills all of the objects and advantages which have been sought. It should be understood that many changes, modifications, variations and other uses and applications which will become apparent to those skilled in the art after considering the specification and the accompanying drawings. Therefore, any and all such changes, modifications, variations and other uses and applications which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention are deemed to be covered by the invention.