Abstract:
In one of the die structures provided herein, there includes first and second housing structures defined to secure to each other to form a plurality of sides. An internal wheel is provided with an aperture for receiving a peg extending from the first housing structure, such that the internal wheel is rotatably secured thereto. The internal wheel has a perimeter edge defined with spaced apart curved grooves positioned on the periphery thereof. A portion of the perimeter edge is accessible through the first housing structure. Lastly, there is a plurality of labels having indicia printed thereon and separately affixed to the plurality of sides. One of the plurality of labels is defined as an internal wheel label affixed to the internal wheel such that the indicia is visible through a window defined on the first housing structure.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to die and die structure. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     While die are well known and well developed there is always a continual need for improvements. The present invention improves upon the typical dice structure by adding features that can be used to enhance the enjoyment and increase the game play and activities available with the use of the improved dice structure. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a die structure for a child&#39;s game or the like. The die includes a housing, an internal wheel, and a plurality of labels positioned around the housing. The housing has first and second housing structures defined to secure to each other to form a plurality of sides, including a front side, a rear side and at least one intermediate side connected between the front and rear sides. The first housing structure further includes a peg extending inwardly towards an internal region of the housing. 
     The internal wheel has an aperture sized to receive the peg such that the internal wheel is rotatably secured to the first housing structure. The internal wheel further has a perimeter edge defined with a plurality of spaced apart curved grooves positioned on the periphery thereof. A portion of the perimeter edge is accessible through the first housing structure. 
     The plurality of labels have indicia printed thereon and separately affixes to the plurality of sides of the housing. One of the plurality of labels is defined as an internal wheel label affixed to a side of the internal wheel defined to face the first hosing structure, such that the indicia printed on the internal wheel label is visible through a window defined on the first housing structure. 
     The die structure further includes a latch with a locking member secured within the housing. The latch is biased such that when the internal wheel rotates, the locking member slides into and out of engagement with the curved grooves. Therefore, when the locking member is engaging a curved groove, the internal wheel maintains its position. 
     As previously mentioned, access through the first housing structure to the perimeter edge of the internal wheel may be given through a curved notch portion defined on the first housing structure. 
     In another embodiment of the present invention, the die structure can include a housing, external face, and a plurality of labels. The housing is defined to have first and second housing structures defined to secure to each other to form a plurality of sides, including a front side, a rear side and at least one intermediate side connected between the front and rear sides. The external face rotatably secures to the front side of the housing. A plurality of labels have indicia printed thereon and separately affixed to the plurality of sides of the housing, wherein one of the plurality of labels being defined as an external label affixed to the front side of the housing intermediate of the front side and the external face, such that the indicia printed on the external label is visible through a window defined on the external face. 
     The die structure may further include an opening on the front side of the housing to permit the passage of the ballast ball and the window on the external face being similarly sized to the opening, such that when the external face is rotated to align the opening and the window the ballast ball is capable of being removed from the die structure. 
     To rotatably secure the external face to the housing, the external face may include a central peg extending towards and through a central opening defined on the housing. The peg being secured to a gear positioned within the housing to capture the external rotating face against the front side of the housing. The gear having a plurality of notches sized to receive the end of a latch to permit rotation of the external face to various positions. 
     In other aspects, the external face has a shape sized to fit within a recessed section defined by the front side of the housing and the external face includes a plurality of protruding or recessed knobs positioned on the external face. 
     In addition, the die structure housing for any of the embodiments includes an intermediate side that may be defined to include a plurality of angled sections, each angled section defining a pair of adjacent side faces, such that the housing defines at least one of the following shapes, a hexagon, octagon, or decagon. In other aspects, the die structure may include an internal ballast ball enclosed within the housing and capable of freely moving within the housing. 
     Numerous other advantages and features of the invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description of the invention and the embodiments thereof, from the claims, and from the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       A fuller understanding of the foregoing may be had by reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIGS. 1A-1D  are perspective front views of a first embodiment of a die structure with a rotating internal wheel and illustrating different shapes of the die structure; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded view of a die structure in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3A  is a front view of the die structure in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3B  is a cross sectional view taken across line  3 B from  FIG. 3A ; 
         FIG. 4A  is a rear view of the die structure in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4B  is a front view of the die structure in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4C  is a front view of an internal wheel of the die structure in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4D  is a side front perspective view of the die structure in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4E  is a side rear perspective view of the die structure in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIGS. 5A-5D  are perspective views of a second embodiment of a die structure with a rotating external face and illustrating different shapes of the die structure; 
         FIG. 6  is an exploded view of a die structure in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 7A  is a front view of the die structure in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 7B  is a cross sectional view taken across line  7 B from  FIG. 7A ; 
         FIG. 8A  is a rear view of the die structure in accordance with the second embodiment; 
         FIG. 8B  is a rear perspective view of the die structure in accordance with the second embodiment; 
         FIG. 8C  is a front perspective view of the die structure in accordance with the second embodiment; 
         FIG. 8D  is a front perspective view illustrating the rotating of the external face of the die structure in accordance with the second embodiment; 
         FIG. 8E  is a front view of the die structure in accordance with the second embodiment; 
         FIG. 8F  is a view of the label used on the face of the front housing for the second embodiment; 
         FIG. 8G  is a front view of the second embodiment illustrating the rotation of the external face; 
         FIG. 9A  is perspective view of a third embodiment of a die structure with a rotating external face and opening for removing a ballast ball; 
         FIG. 9B  is perspective view of a third embodiment of a die structure with a rotating external face illustrating the rotation of the external face; 
         FIG. 9C  is perspective view of a third embodiment of a die structure with a rotating external face illustrating the rotation of the external face and alignment of opening to removing the ballast ball; 
         FIG. 10A  is a front view of the die structure in accordance with the third embodiment; 
         FIG. 10B  is a cross sectional view taken across line  7 B from  FIG. 7A ; 
         FIG. 11  is a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of the present invention of a die structure with a rotating external dial; 
         FIG. 12A  is a front view of the fourth embodiment; 
         FIG. 12B  is a cross section view taken across line  12 B from  FIG. 12A ; 
         FIG. 13  is an exploded view of the fourth embodiment; 
         FIG. 14A  is a front view of the die structure in accordance with the fourth embodiment; 
         FIG. 14B  is a view of a label having indicia visible through a window on the external rotating dial; and 
         FIG. 14C  is a front view of the die structure in accordance with the fourth embodiment, illustrating the rotation of the external rotating dial. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     While the invention is susceptible to embodiments in many different forms, there are shown in the drawings and will be described herein, in detail, the preferred embodiments of the present invention. It should be understood, however, that the present disclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the spirit or scope of the invention and/or the embodiments illustrated. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1A through 4E , there is shown in various first embodiments a die  100  and more particularly, die  100 A through  100 D illustrated through various shapes, for example, cylinder  100 A, hexagon  100 B, octagon  100 C, and decagon  100 D. Various other shapes may be included without changing the scope of the invention. As is well known functional die structures can have an even number of sides, all of which are easily incorporated into the present invention embodiments. As will be discussed greater hereinbelow, the die  100  incorporates a rotating internal wheel or disk  105  and a window  110  through the front face  115  of the die  100 , which permits viewing of indicia  120  printed on a label  152  that is affixed to a side of the rotating internal wheel  105 . 
     The die  100  includes first and second housing structures,  130  and  135  respectively. The housing structures secure together to form a die housing  125 , which includes a number of sides, including a front side  140  (also referred to herein as a front face  115 ), rear side  142 , and at least one intermediate side  144  between the front and rear sides. The intermediate side  144  may be broken into various side faces  146 , if for example the intermediate side  144  includes an angled section  148 . Each of the faces, includes a region to receive a printed label  150  that includes indicia or game play information. 
     As previously mentioned one or more of the sides and corresponding labels includes a window  110  (and label window  112 ) to view a printed indicia label  152  that is secured to the internal wheel  105 . To rotatably secure the internal wheel  105  to the particular housing structure (illustrated as the second structures  135 ), the second structure  135  includes a peg  154  that inserts through an opening  156  on the internal wheel  105 . The printed label  152  that is particularly affixed to the side of the rotating internal wheel  105  also includes an opening  157  such that the peg  154  may pass through the label  152 . 
     The wheel  105  includes a plurality of curved grooves  158  positioned on the periphery thereof, leaving a perimeter edge  160  between each pair of curved grooves  158 . The second structure  135  includes a curved notch  162  on a portion thereof, such that when the die  100  is assembled, the curved grooves  158  are exposed through the curved notch  160 . This permits the user to rotate the wheel  105  by positioning a finger or fingernail in an exposed curved grooves  158  and moving the wheel  105  in a desired direction. While it is possible to have a freely rotating wheel, which may be used to randomize the indicia through the window, the present die  100  includes a wheel latch  164 , having a locking member  166  that slides into a curved groove and keeps the wheel from moving on its own. The wheel latch  164  is pivotally secured to the die housing  125  such that preferably the wheel can rotate in either direction. In other embodiments, the latch  164  may be biased by a spring to ensure movement of the wheel  105  in only a single direction. 
     Since the shapes are slightly different from a normal die structure, the present first embodiments include a ballast ball  170  positioned within the housing  125  to help randomize the rotation and movement of the die when it is cast or thrown by the user. The ballast ball  170  also helps the die to standup on a narrow side, defined by the intermediate side  144  and further created by wall  172  extending from the first housing structure  130  towards the second housing structure  135 . The ballast ball  170  will typically sit against the wall  172 . 
     Turing now to  FIGS. 4A through 4E , During game play, the faces of the die can contain various gaming information such that when the dice lands with the front face, rear face, or one of the side faces exposed upwardly different events may be triggered by the gaming information. Players may play against each other by rolling their own die(dice) and competing in a game play. Each round can be tracked by rotating the wheel such that a specific number or indicia is shown through the rear face window  110 . 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 5A through 8G  there is shown in various second embodiments a die  200  and more particularly, die  200 A through  200 D illustrated through various shapes, for example, cylinder  200 A, hexagon  200 B, octagon  200 C, and decagon  200 D. Various other shapes may be included without changing the scope of the invention. As will be discussed greater hereinbelow, the die  200  incorporates a rotating external face  205 , which includes a window  210  through which permits viewing of indicia  220  printed on a label  225 . 
     The die  200  includes a two piece housing structure, a first housing structure  230  and a second housing structure  235  that secure together to form a die housing  237 , which includes a number of sides, including a front side  240 , rear side  242 , and at least one intermediate side  244  between the front and rear sides. The intermediate side  244  may be broken into various side faces  246 , if for example the intermediate side  244  includes an angled section  248 . Each of the faces, includes a region to receive a printed label  250  that includes indicia or game play information. One of the labels  250  may include a window  252  to correspond with the window  210  in the rotating external face  205 . 
     To secure the rotating external face  205  to the particular housing (illustrated as the second housing structure  235 ), the rotating external face  205  includes a peg  255  that extends towards the second housing structure  235  and inserts through an openings  257  on the second housing structure  235 . The peg would also insert through an opening  259  on the label  225  that is placed on the front side  240 . Secured to the peg  255 , via a screw  262  is a gear  260  positioned within the second housing structure  235 . The gear  260  includes various notches  265  used in concert with a latch  270 . As the external face  205  is rotated, the gear  260  rotates to a position that corresponds with the latch  270  clicking into place in one of the notches  265  on the gear  260 . Furthermore, when the external face  205  is rotated, the label  225  is fixed in place, such that the window  210  rotates around the label  225  to display different indicia. 
     Since the shapes are slightly different from a normal die structure, the present second embodiments include a ballast ball  275  positioned within the housing  237  to help randomize the rotation and movement of the die when it is cast or thrown by the user. The ballast ball  275  also helps the die to standup on a narrow side, defined by a side wall  245  extending from one of the housing structures ( 235  or  230 ) towards the other housing structure. The ballast ball  275  will typically sit against the side wall  245 . 
     Turing now to  FIGS. 8A through 8G , during game play, the faces of the die can contain various gaming information such that when the dice lands with the front face, rear face, or one of the side faces exposed upwardly different events may be triggered by the gaming information. Players may play against each other by rolling their own die(dice) and competing in a game play. Each round can be tracked by rotating the wheel such that a specific number or indicia is shown through the rear face window  210 . 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 9A through 10B , there is shown a third embodiment die  300  which includes an external rotating face  305 , similar to the second embodiments, except in that the external rotating face  305  includes an aperture  310  which is able to align with an opening  325  on the first housing structure  320 , permitting the user to remove the ballast ball  330 . This would permit the user to replace the ballast ball  330  with another ball, allowing for the die to be personalized. As shown in  FIGS. 10A and 10B , the first housing structure  320  is secured to a second housing structure  335 . One of the housing structures further includes a side  340  extending therefrom and permits a region for which the ballast ball  330  can move within the housing. The external rotating face  305  may further include a peg  345  aligned to rotatably fit into an opening  350  in a face of the first housing structure  320 . 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 11 through 13  there is shown a fourth embodiment of a die  400 . As will be discussed greater hereinbelow, the die  400  incorporates a rotating external face  405 , which includes a window  410  through which permits viewing of indicia  420  printed on a label  425 . 
     The die  400  includes a two piece housing structure, a first housing structure  430  and a second housing structure  435  that secure together to form a die housing  437 , which includes a number of sides, including a front side  440 , rear side  442 , and at least one intermediate side  444  between the front and rear sides. The intermediate side  444  may be broken into various side faces  446 , if for example the intermediate side  444  includes an angled section  448 . Each of the faces, includes a region to receive a printed label  450  that includes indicia or game play information. 
     To secure the rotating external face  405  to the particular housing (illustrated as the first housing structure  430 ), the rotating external face  405  includes a peg  455  that extends towards the first housing structure  430  and inserts through an openings  457  on the first housing structure  430 . The peg would also insert through an opening  459  on the label  425  that is placed on the front side  440 . Secured to the peg  455 , via a screw  462  is a gear  460  positioned within the first housing structure  430 . The gear  460  includes various notches  465  used in concert with a latch  470 . As the external face  405  is rotated, the gear  460  rotates to a position that corresponds with the latch  470  clicking into place in one of the notches  465  on the gear  460 . Furthermore, when the external face  405  is rotated, the label  425  is fixed in place, such that the window  410  rotates around the label  455  to display different indicia. 
     In this embodiment, the external face  405  is similar to a dial positioned on the outside of the housing structure. To rotate the external face  405  a number of protruding or recessed knobs  412  are positioned around the perimeter of the face  405 . The user can grip the protruding knob or rest a finger into the recessed knob and rotate the face. 
     Since the shapes are slightly different from a normal die structure, the present second embodiments include a ballast ball  475  positioned within the housing  437  to help randomize the rotation and movement of the die when it is cast or thrown by the user. The ballast ball  475  also helps the die to standup on a narrow side, defined by a side wall  445  extending from one of the housing structures ( 435  or  430 ) towards the other housing structure. The ballast ball  475  will typically sit against the side wall  445 . 
     From the foregoing and as mentioned above, it will be observed that numerous variations and modifications may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concept of the invention. It is to be understood that no limitation with respect to the specific methods and apparatus illustrated herein is intended or should be inferred.