Abstract:
A book and board game combination device that allows a user to transport an entire board game in a book form. The device can comprise a book and a board for a board game coupled to said book. There can also be at least one container coupled to the book. There can also be a plurality of game pieces disposed in the container and being selectively removable from the container for use with the board in the board game. The game pieces can include at least one card, at least one interactive element such as clay or dough, at least one timer, at least one spinner, and at least one playing piece which can be used to identify a particular player. There can also be a method for playing a game which can include opening a book, presenting a game board coupled to the book, removing a playing piece from a container, answering a question and then selectively moving the playing piece on the game board in response to the answer to the question.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to a book and game combination device that allows a user to transport an entire board game in a book form. The invention can also relate to a method for playing a game using a book and a game such as a board game.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The invention relates to a book and game combination device that allows a user to transport an entire game in a book form. In one example, the device can comprise a book and a board for a board game coupled to the book. There can also be at least one container coupled to the book. There can also be a plurality of game pieces disposed in the container and being selectively removable from the container for use with the board in the board game. The game pieces can include at least one card, at least one interactive element such as clay or dough, at least one timer, at least one spinner, and at least one playing piece which can be used to identify a particular player.  
         [0003]     There can also be a method for playing a game which can include opening a book, presenting a gaming surface coupled to the book, removing a playing piece from a container, and then starting the game. One optional step can include answering a question and then selectively moving the playing piece on the game board in response to the answer to the question. This optional step may involve answering the question by writing the answer on a writing surface or by manipulating a malleable element to create a three-dimensional figure. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0004]     Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings. It should be understood, however, that the drawings are designed for the purpose of illustration only and not as a definition of the limits of the invention.  
         [0005]     In the drawings, wherein similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views:  
         [0006]      FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of a first embodiment of the device;  
         [0007]      FIG. 2  shows a front view of the device shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0008]      FIG. 3  shows a side perspective view of the device with the board in a closed position;  
         [0009]      FIG. 4  shows a front close up view of the receptacle of the device shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0010]      FIG. 5  shows a cross-sectional view of the device shown in  FIG. 1  taken along the line I-I;  
         [0011]      FIG. 6A  is a front view of the device shown in  FIG. 1  in its closed position;  
         [0012]      FIG. 6B  is a back view of the device shown in  FIG. 1  in its closed position;  
         [0013]      FIG. 7  is a side view of the device;  
         [0014]      FIG. 8  shows a perspective view of another embodiment of the device which includes a side sliding board;  
         [0015]      FIG. 9  shows a front perspective view of the device shown in  FIG. 8  in a closed manner;  
         [0016]      FIG. 10  shows a back view of the device shown in  FIG. 8  in a closed position; and  
         [0017]      FIG. 11  shows a front view of another embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0018]     Turning now in detail to the drawings,  FIG. 1  shows a device  10  which can be in the form of a book and game combination which can include a housing  12  shaped as a book, a playing surface such as a board  20  for a board game, and a plurality of game pieces  30 , which can be stored inside of a container or receptacle  40 . Other optional features can include an additional container or receptacle  50  which can be used to store a timer  37 . There can also be a tabbed booklet  60 , and a writing book  70  which can be stored inside of a pouch  72 .  
         [0019]     A closure  80 , formed integrally with housing or book  12 , can be used to selectively close the book so that it remains closed until opened.  
         [0020]     Housing or book  12  can include a first cover a second cover and a spine wherein the first cover and the second cover are coupled to the spine. In this example, the first cover is shown as a front cover  14  and the second cover can be shown as a back cover  16  wherein front cover  14  is coupled to back cover  16  via a spine  18 . Front cover  14  can include an inside face  14   a  and an outside face  14   b  (See  FIG. 6A ). Back cover  16  can also include an inside face  16   a  and an outside face  16   b  (See  FIG. 6B ) while spine  18  can include an inside face  18   a , an outside face  18   b  (See  FIG. 7 ) and also be coupled to front cover  14  and back cover  16  via hinges or creases  18   c  and  18   d . (See  FIG. 2 ) Hinges  18   c  and  18   d  can be in the form of a living hinge which allows a continuous cover that is foldable along an axis. However, these hinges can be formed in any known way as well.  
         [0021]     Coupled to housing  12 , is a game board  20  which can include a tab  22  and at least one game board section  24 . There can be an additional game board section  26  which can be coupled to first section  24  via a hinge  28 . Additional game board section  26  can fold over first game board section  24  via hinge  28  wherein this game board can be slidably insertable into a slot, housing or receptacle  29  which is coupled to housing  12  (See  FIGS. 2 and 3 ). In this case, housing  29  can be in the form of. a three sided housing which has at least one open end to allow game board  20  to slide out therefrom. In this example, game board  20  can slide open from receptacle  29  in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of spine  18 . However, the invention can be designed so that the game board  20  can also slide out from housing  12  in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of spine  18  as shown in  FIG. 2 .  
         [0022]     There are also a plurality of game pieces  30  which can be used to play on or with game board  20 . Game pieces  30  may include one or more of the following elements: a spinner  32 , at least one card  34 , which can include a plurality of game cards positioned in different stacks, at least one writing instrument  36 .which can include an erasable marker  36   a  and/or an optional pencil  36   b , a timer  37 , and at least one playing piece or game marker  38  which can include a plurality of playing pieces or game markers  38   a ,  38   b ,  38   c ,  38   d . There can also be at least one interactive element  39  (See  FIG. 2 ) which can be malleable, formable, or adaptable. For example, this interactive element  39  may be in the form of a putty, moldable clay, or dough like substance that may be moldable into different shapes.  
         [0023]     There is also at least one receptacle, container or holder  40  which can be formed from any known material but could be formed from a plastic blister packaging type material which has a plurality of indents, which can be used to hold game pieces  30 . Receptacle  40  can be coupled to inside face  14   b  of front cover  14  of housing  12 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , receptacle  40  can include one or more of the following components: a spinner holder  42  for spinner  32 , at least one card holder  44  which can include a plurality of card holders,  44   a ,  44   b ,  44   c ,  44   d , for a plurality of cards  34   a ,  34   b ,  34   c ,  34   d ; at least one writing instrument holder  46  which can include instrument holders  46   a  and  46   b  which can be used to receive the associated writing instruments  36   a  and  36   b.    
         [0024]     A shown in  FIG. 1 , additional container  50  has a cover  52  which can be coupled to container  50  via a hinge  54 . Hinge  54  can be in the form of a living hinge that allows cover  52  to rotate up and out from container  50 . There can also be a cover  56  which is adapted to fit over receptacle  40  so that game pieces  30  can be secured therein. Cover . 56  can include a tab  57  which can be used to allow a user to grasp and then lift cover  56  off of receptacle  40 . Cover  56  can be used to help contain game pieces or game elements  30  so that these elements do not fall out.  
         [0025]     Once the cover has been removed, the individual game pieces can be removed. For example, as shown in  FIGS. 1, 2 ,  3 , and  4  each of these individual compartments have at least one recessed or indented section which allows a user to reach in and lift out these individual sections. For example, as shown in  FIG. 4 , spinner compartment  42  can contain a semicircular region  42   a  which allows a user to insert a finger inside of that region to lift out spinner  32 . The other compartments can also include this feature as well. For example, as shown in  FIG. 4 , the following compartments  38   a ,  38   b ,  38   c ,  38   d  each have a respective associated indent  47   a ,  47   b ,  47   c ,  47   d  and  49   a  which can be used to allow access to these pieces. In addition, compartments  44   a ,  44   b ,  44   c , and  44   d  have associated indents  45   a ,  45   b ,  45   c  to allow a user access to cards  34 .  
         [0026]     Coupled to housing  12  is a plurality of pages forming a book or booklet  60  which can be coupled to inside face  16   a  of cover  16  in any known manner. For example, there can be a spiral binding  66  which is coupled to inside face  16   b  and also couples pages  64  to inside face  16   a . To differentiate between the different sections in this book  60 , there are a plurality of tabs  62  which allow a user to pick different sections. This book can be used to supply game rules or a story, as well as provide an interactive interface for a user so that the user can write in the book with either of the two writing instruments. For example, pages  64  can be laminate pages which allow a user to write on these pages with erasable marker  36   a . Erasable marker  36   a  can also include an eraser  36   c  which allows a user to erase any of the erasable marker writing in this book.  
         [0027]     There is also an additional writing surface or book  70  which can be in the form of a book which allows a user to sign-in and write with either one of the writing instruments such as with writing instrument or erasable marker  36   a  or with instrument or pencil  36   b . Writing surface or book  70  can be stored inside of a container  72  which can be in the form of a pouch made from any known material such as plastic.  
         [0028]     Book  70  slides in and out of pouch  72  via an opening in pouch  72 . As shown in  FIG. 2  this book  70  can be accessible from the pouch such that a semicircular cut out can be formed in pouch  72  so that it is easier to slide a book outside of this pouch  72 .  
         [0029]      FIG. 5  shows a top cross sectional view through line I-I (See  FIG. 1 ) of housing  12  in its closed form. This view shows that additional cover  50  can be disposed or embedded in a cut out  57  of spine  18  via arms  58  such that at least a portion of cover  50  is viewable from an outside region such as shown in  FIG. 7 . In addition,  FIG. 5  also shows that front cover  14  has at least one cut out section  59  which allows spinner  32  to be seen from an outside region as shown in  FIG. 6A .  
         [0030]      FIG. 5  also shows how closure  80  works with the book in its closed form. Closure  80  is shown in  FIG. 1  and in greater detail in  FIG. 3 . For example, closure  80  can include a first closure element  82  and a second closure element  84 , wherein first closure element  82  can be in the form of a foldable section of front cover  14  along crease or hinge  85 , while second closure element  84  can be in the form of a foldable section of back cover  16  along crease or hinge  87 . A magnet or magnetic material  86  can be disposed inside of first closure element  82  while a second magnet or magnetic material  88  can be disposed inside of second closure element  84 . Once housing  12  is closed, these closure elements  82  and  84  can be folded up adjacent to each other so that the magnetic properties of elements  86  and  88  react to form a magnetic connection, thus selectively closing the book. Once closed, the magnetic connection can be weak enough to allow most users to easily move one closing element away from an adjacent closing element to open the book.  
         [0031]      FIGS. 8, 9  and  10  show another embodiment of the invention  100  which can include a book  110 , a side sliding game board  120 , with a receptacle or container  140  attached to the board. For example,  FIG. 8  shows the device in its open form,  FIG. 9  shows a front view of the device in the closed form while  FIG. 10  shows a back view in this closed form. This container or receptacle  140  can be used to hold a plurality of game pieces  130 . To cover container  140 , there can be a cover  142  which can be slidably coupled to container  140  or coupled to the container via a hinge. With this design, board  120  can slide out from a side edge  116   c  of a back cover of a book, wherein this side edge  116   c  extends parallel to a spine  118  of the book.  
         [0032]     Container or receptacle  140  can be formed integral with game board  120  so that it always remains attached to board  120 . Conversely, container  140  can also be attachable to or detachable from board  120  as well.  
         [0033]     In use, the device  100  can be used so that book  110  can be opened so that associated pages  116  are exposed. In this case, board  120  can slide out to present a board for a board game. Receptacle  140  can be opened so that game pieces or manipulative elements are removed and then used to play a game.  
         [0034]     For example, in a first embodiment, a user can open book or housing  12 , lay it flat in an open position, and then using tab  22 , pull out a game board  20  from book or housing  12 . The user can then unfold game board  20  by rotating section  26  via hinge  28  so that both sections  24  and  26  are exposed. Next, the user can open container  40  by removing cover  56  by pulling on tab  57  and then detaching cover  56 . The user can then remove spinner  32  from its section or holder  42 , remove one or more sets of cards  34 , and remove one or more game pieces  38 . The user can open additional container  50  and remove timer  37 . At this point, the users can also remove at least one writing instrument  36  and manipulative element  39  (See  FIG. 2 ). Each user can select a playing piece  38  to represent that player. Once all players are represented, at least one of the users spins the spinner  32 , wherein a player is selected to proceed with play. Based upon the results of the spin, that player can choose a card  34  and then answer a question. The answer to the question can be presented either via spoken voice, writing using a writing instrument  36 , or by molding or shaping moldable or manipulatable element  39 . The writing can occur on a separate sheet of paper or on page  64  of book or booklet  60 . In addition, the writing can be on the spinner such as the back surface of the spinner as well.  
         [0035]     The game can then proceed until based upon the rules, a desired result is achieved. For example, after successfully answering a question, a user can proceed to move his or her playing piece to a different location on a game board.  
         [0036]     With the second embodiment, the user can open a book  110 , slide out a game board  120  from book  110 , and then remove at least one game piece  130  from a container  140  coupled to game board  120  to proceed with the game.  
         [0037]      FIG. 11  shows a front perspective view of a third embodiment of the invention. This design is similar to the design shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . However, this design also includes additional writing instruments such as pencils  136   a ,  136   b ,  136   c , and  136   d  and an eraser  137  stored adjacent to spinner  32 . This design can also include a puzzle  170 , which can be magnetic, stored in pouch  72 , and a sheet of stickers  180  also stored in pouch  72 . This design also includes additional writing instruments such as pencils  136   a ,  136   b ,  136   c , and  136   d  and an eraser  137 . These additional optional elements can be used to enhance the interactivity of a game.  
         [0038]     Thus, the invention and its above-identified embodiments can provide-a book and a game combination device which can be easily portable and used for game play.  
         [0039]     Accordingly, while a few embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it is to be understood that many changes and modifications may be made thereunto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.