Abstract:
A pair of Styrofoam floating asymmetric targets are advantageously selectively tethered to either a side of the swimming pool or to the bottom of the swimming pool to maintain their spacing and alignment, facilitating a tossing game such as “cornhole” or “toss across” that are generally known for use on land.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Pat. Appln Ser. No. 60/675,364 of the same title filed on 27 Apr. 2005, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates, in general, to amusement devices used in swimming pools, and more particularly to tossing games that involve a floating goal.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     Games played in swimming pools have long been popular. Some of these require an elaborate goal that is placed upon a hard surface or diving board adjacent to the swimming pool, such as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,715,599 and 4,220,337. However, it is often inconvenient or undesirable to retrieve a ball or other thrown object from outside of the swimming pool. Some swimming pool games (e.g., water polo) avoid this difficulty by including a goal that is in the water, yet supported by the side of the pool, such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,220,975. Yet other games sit upon the bottom of the pool, such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,499,822. In addition, other games include a horizontally symmetric goal that floats freely, typically a horizontal ring supported upon three spaced support legs that attach a larger base ring that supports foam floats.  
         [0004]     A popular game that is not played in a swimming pool is a “cornhole” game, such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,056,796, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety, wherein an angled deck with a through hole serves as a target for bean bags, traditionally filled with dried corn kernels. Such games generally require that a pair of such goals remain aligned toward each other at a nominal spacing. This may be inconvenient for a portable game used in swimming pools or bodies of water of varying dimensions.  
         [0005]     Consequently, a significant need exists for a swimming pool tossing game wherein a floating target goal may be easily tethered for alignment with a player.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     The invention overcomes the above-noted and other deficiencies of the prior art by providing a floating target having an angled deck that floats. An aperture in the angled deck, as well as the deck itself, serve as a means for scoring tossed objects thrown at the floating target. A tether maintains the target in position. Thereby the target goal may be temporarily anchored and aligned at a desired position in a body of water, such as a swimming pool. Thereby, an amusing game may be played without the target floating away, rotating away from an optimum alignment, or necessarily requiring support from the side of the swimming pool.  
         [0007]     In one aspect of the invention, a game apparatus and method use a pair of targets with two sets of buoyant tossing objects to play the game.  
         [0008]     These and other objects and advantages of the present invention shall be made apparent from the accompanying drawings and the description thereof. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES  
       [0009]     The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention, and, together with the general description of the invention given above, and the detailed description of the embodiments given below, serve to explain the principles of the present invention.  
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is a perspective environmental view of a swimming pool partially cut away wherein a pair of asymmetric floating targets consistent with aspects of the invention are spaced apart and aligned with each other for playing a tossing game, one target being temporarily anchored to a side of the swimming pool and the other to a position away from the opposite side.  
         [0011]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the target of  FIG. 1 .  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0012]     In  FIGS. 1-2 , a pair of asymmetric targets  10  each include an angled deck  12  supported by a vertical rectangular rear wall  14  and two vertical triangular lateral sides  16 . A target through hole  18  in the angled deck is laterally centered and placed closer to a higher end  20 . A top surface  22  of the angled deck  12  may advantageously include a texture that, in combination with a choice of tossed object (e.g., water resistant bean bag)  24 , provides a desired friction so that the tossed object may have a desired tendency to come to rest on the angled deck  12  yet be capable of sliding off.  
         [0013]     In an illustrative version, each target is formed of Styrofoam or other floating, water resistant board-like materials of about 1.5 inches in thickness. The angled deck  12  is 24 inches wide by 30 inches long sloped upward at approximately 12 degrees. The target through hole  18  is 5 inches in diameter and about 10 inches from the back (top) edge. The pieces  12 ,  14 ,  16  may be integrally molded or assembled and affixed or fastened together. In addition, the rear wall  14  and lateral walls  16  may be detachable (e.g., Velcro) so as to pack in a small volume. The top surface  22  may be a thin Styrofoam of denser compensation for wearability and friction as compared to the more buoyant other portions. The top surface  22  also lends itself to being readily printed with aesthetic colors and/or designs.  
         [0014]     In addition, illustrative tossing objects  24  are “bags” filled with plastic pellets approximately 3 inches by 3 inches and flattened to about ¾ inches thickness. The material of the “bags” would be suitable for water play, and sewn around all four edges. Each game set would consist of 8 bags—4 of one color and 4 of another color.  
         [0015]     Each asymmetric target  10  includes a pair of anchors, comprising a left and right tether cord  26 ,  28  tied to back left and right apertures  30  formed in each lateral side  16  with the other end attached to a respective left and right weight  32 ,  34 . In  FIG. 1 , it will be noted that one asymmetric target  10  is tethered to a side  38  of a swimming pool  40  whereas the other target  10 ′ is appropriately aligned and spaced away by tethering to a bottom  42  of the swimming pool  40 . Alternatively, the pair of targets  10 ,  10 ′ may be allowed to float free. An adjustment spool  43  may be incorporated into each tether cord  26 ,  28  to provide a desired length so that the target  10  stays in a desired location. The adjustment spool  43  may advantageously comprise a spring biased spool that tends to reel in slack, drawing the target  10  toward the side wall of the pool  40  or automatically adjusting to the water level when the weights  32 ,  34  are placed on the bottom  42  of the swimming pool  40 .  
         [0016]     The most common way the game is played is that either two individuals  44 ,  44 ′ throw against each other, or two teams of two throw back and forth to team members at opposite asymmetric targets  10 ,  10 ′. Turns at throwing are usually alternated between players, with points awarded for “splashing” (throwing into the target hole) and for landing the bags on the game board. Games are scored to 21, with only one team scoring per turn by using the cancellation method (if “red” team lands 4 bags on the board, and “blue” teams lands 3 bags on the board, the “red” team would score 1 point). The team that most recently scored, starts throwing in the next round. This is done until one team reaches 21 or more.  
         [0017]     While the present invention has been illustrated by description of several embodiments and while the illustrative embodiments have been described in considerable detail, it is not the intention of the applicant to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail. Additional advantages and modifications may readily appear to those skilled in the art. For example, Although this game is designed for water applications, it can also be used equally as well in “dry” areas. This game would be equally as entertaining alongside the pool, in backyards, driveways, the beach, recreation areas and even indoors.  
         [0018]     For example, rather than using weights  32 ,  34  to maintain the target  10  in position, often swimming pools  40  include floating lane lines upon which the target  10  may straddle to maintain position.  
         [0019]     It should be appreciated that other configurations of materials may be used, including nonbuoyant portions. Further, the asymmetric targets may be of varying dimensions. Similarly, different objects can be used to toss at the target board. The “bags” can be substituted with sponges or other soft, water friendly objects. Further, rather than having a single target hole, the target may comprise a plurality of spinning target members (e.g., three-side blank-X-O Tic-Tac-Toe targets) or a labeled target (e.g., dartboard).  
         [0020]     It should be appreciated that any patent, publication, or other disclosure material, in whole or in part, that is said to be incorporated by reference herein is incorporated herein only to the extent that the incorporated material does not conflict with existing definitions, statements, or other disclosure material set forth in this disclosure. As such, and to the extent necessary, the disclosure as explicitly set forth herein supersedes any conflicting material incorporated herein by reference. Any material, or portion thereof, that is said to be incorporated by reference herein, but which conflicts with existing definitions, statements, or other disclosure material set forth herein will only be incorporated to the extent that no conflict arises between that incorporated material and the existing disclosure material.  
         [0021]     It should be appreciated that a version of the game may be played with only one target.  
         [0022]     It should be further appreciated that a plurality of tether lines attached to two or more spaced portions of a target may converge upon a single weight, perhaps at spaced corners thereof, such that one weight may sit upon the floor of the swimming pool and keep the target in position and correctly oriented.  
         [0023]     It should be further appreciated that other rules of game play may be employed and that various orientations, sizes and numbers of target holes may be incorporated consistent with aspects of the present invention. For instance, a skeeball or miniature golf target may be incorporated. Further, the type of thrown object (e.g., ball, bean bag) may be projected toward the target with use of a game instrument (e.g., bat, club, Jai-Alai glove, etc.).