Abstract:
A portable tabletop sporting game apparatus includes a game board having at least one opening formed therein. A pair of legs are attached to the game hoard in order to elevate the game board generally off of the ground. A lever is operatively attached to an underside of the game board and in communication with a man game piece. The man game piece is disposed through the game board opening, such that when the lever is depressed, the man game piece is forced upwardly through the game board opening in order to block or lift a ball, which is being pushed, moved or nudged across the game board.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/232,477, filed on Aug. 10, 2009. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The invention relates generally to the art of tabletop sporting games and more particularly pertains to a tabletop sporting game that utilizes a ball, which is pushed or slid across a tabletop game hoard or field in order to place the ball at a desired location. The tabletop game field includes multiple levers, each one of the levers communicating with a man game piece, whereby when the lever is depressed, the man game piece is forced up through an opening in the game board or field surface in order to block, lift or otherwise alter the path of the sliding ball. 
         [0004]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0005]    Various games require application of a player&#39;s skill in determining the relative effects of inertia and friction to place a sliding puck or game piece at a predetermined location. Most of these games require either a fixed court or an extremely large non-portable table, which restricts the play of such inertia/friction games to a fixed location. Because they are not portable, they are generally not useful for play during unexpected leisure time. 
         [0006]    In addition, sporting games such as football, soccer and hockey, while extremely popular, can normally not be played inside because of the size of the field required. Football, for example requires a 100-yard field and a relatively large leather football. Because of these play restrictions due to the size of the required playing field, various types of tabletop simulated football games have been known in the art. By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,570,888 provides a thumb football game and apparatus, which pertains to a tabletop football game in which a simulated football is thumped by the finger of a player on a tabletop simulated football field. U.S. Pat. No. 5,323,865 provides an amusement game with a simulated playing field and a toy football made of soft material. 
         [0007]    These tabletop games, although portable and generally fun to play, fail to provide a true-to-life game experience, which game experience includes the ire of the coach, the exuberance of a player and the anticipation of a fan all rolled into one. 
         [0008]    The apparatus for a tabletop sporting game of the present invention overcomes the problems associated with the prior art and provides a portable gaming apparatus which includes both offensive and defensive structural components in order to provide a true-to-life gaming experience for the player of the tabletop sporting game apparatus. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    The objectives of the present invention include providing a portable tabletop sporting game apparatus that is easy to use and provides fun and enjoyment to the player of the game. 
         [0010]    Another objective of the present invention is to provide a portable tabletop sporting game apparatus that includes a plurality of openings in the playing surface, through which man game pieces can be forced upwardly in order to block or defend the ball, which is put into play by another player. 
         [0011]    Yet another objective of the present invention is to provide a novel lever and lever attachment device for a tabletop sporting game apparatus that is capable of being activated in order to raise the man game pieces through the openings in the game board surface. 
         [0012]    Still another objective of the present invention is to provide a tabletop sporting game apparatus that is capable of simulating a more true-to life game experience. 
         [0013]    These objectives and improvements are provided by the tabletop sporting game apparatus of the present invention which includes a game board having at least one opening formed therein, a pair of legs being attached to the game board, the legs elevating the game board generally off of the ground, a lever operatively attached to an underside of the game board and in communication with a man game piece, the man game piece being disposed through the game board opening, such that when the lever is depressed, the man game piece is forced upwardly through the game board opening in order to affect a movement of a ball being moved across the game board. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0014]    An exemplary embodiment of the present invention, illustrative of the best mode in which Applicant has contemplated applying the principles, is set forth in the following description and is shown in the drawings. 
           [0015]      FIG. 1  is a top perspective view of the tabletop sporting game apparatus of the present invention, showing the openings formed in the surface of the game board, the score board, a pair of goal posts and a plurality of levers protruding from each end of the game board apparatus; 
           [0016]      FIG. 2  is a top perspective view of the underside of the tabletop sporting game apparatus of the present invention, showing the plurality of levers operatively mounted on the underside of the game surface by respective saddles and being operatively positioned to force the man game pieces up through the openings in the game board when the lever is depressed; 
           [0017]      FIG. 3  is an exploded view of the tabletop sporting game apparatus of the present invention shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0018]      FIG. 4  is a top view of the tabletop sporting game apparatus of the present invention, showing the American football indicia printed on the game board surface, the bumpers and the plurality of levers extending from each side of the game board; 
           [0019]      FIG. 5  is a bottom view of the tabletop sporting game apparatus of the present invention, showing the plurality of levers, each lever being operatively mounted on the game board by a saddle and also being operatively positioned under the base of the man game piece in order to force the man game piece through the opening in the game board; 
           [0020]      FIG. 6  is a greatly enlarged exploded view of the man base, man game piece, and pair of pins shown in  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0021]      FIG. 7A  is a top perspective view of the saddle shown in  FIG. 6 ; 
           [0022]      FIG. 7B  is a bottom perspective view of the saddle shown in  FIG. 6 ; 
           [0023]      FIG. 8  is an elevational view of each of the levers shown in  FIG. 3 , showing the differing lengths of the several levers; 
           [0024]      FIG. 9A  is a top perspective view of the lever, saddle, pins and man game piece shown in  FIG. 3  isolated from the apparatus of the present invention; 
           [0025]      FIG. 9B  is a view similar to  FIG. 9A , showing the movement of the base and the man game piece along pins  22  when the lever is depressed in a downward direction; 
           [0026]      FIG. 10A  is an elevational view of the lever shown in  FIGS. 9A and 9B  mounted on the tabletop sporting game apparatus of the present invention with the lever in the neutral or non-activated position; 
           [0027]      FIG. 10B  is a view similar to  FIG. 10A , but showing the lever depressed or activated in a downward direction and the base and the man game piece moving upwardly with the man game piece extending through the opening in the game surface; 
           [0028]      FIG. 11  is an alternative lever assembly including the base and the man game piece; 
           [0029]      FIG. 12  is an exploded fragmentary view of the alternative lever assembly shown in  FIG. 11 , showing the man game piece mounting platform on the base and the dimples formed in the base that cooperate with the depressions formed in the end of the lever; 
           [0030]      FIG. 13  is a sectional view of the man game piece, base and lever shown in  FIG. 11  taken along lines  13 ; 
           [0031]      FIG. 14  is top perspective view of the ball used in connection with the tabletop sporting game apparatus of the present invention; 
           [0032]      FIG. 15A  is a top view of the ball shown in  FIG. 14 ; 
           [0033]      FIG. 15B  is a side view of the ball shown in  FIG. 14 ; and 
           [0034]      FIG. 15C  is an end view of the ball shown in  FIG. 14 . 
       
    
    
       [0035]    Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawings. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0036]    Turning now to  FIGS. 1-5 , a preferred embodiment of a tabletop sporting game apparatus of the present invention is shown generally at reference numeral  10  and will be described in detail below. Game apparatus  10  includes a rectangular-shaped planer game board  12 , which is generally sized length to width in a 2:1 ratio. For example, the length of the game board is 48.0 inches and the width of the game board is 24.0 inches. Of course, other ratios such as from about 1-3:1 could also be utilized without changing the overall concept of the present invention. Game board  12  is formed from a rigid material such as wood, plastic, metal, mdf or other similar material. A Formica® or melamine top surface  40  is adhered or bonded to the top of game board  12 . Game board top surface  40  is preferably screen printed with American football field indicia  38 . A paper backer  26  is adhered or bonded to the underside of game board  12  in a manner well known to those having skill in the art. Game board  12  is formed with a plurality of openings  26  that extend through the entire thickness of the game board. Preferably, game board  12  includes twenty-two openings  26 , with eleven of the openings being formed generally at one end of the game board and the other eleven openings being formed generally at the other end of the game board. Game board  12  could also be formed with fewer openings, such as from one to twenty-one openings, or more than twenty-two openings without changing the overall concept of the present invention. Game board openings  26  are preferably round in shape, however, the openings could also be formed into other shapes such as a square, rectangle, triangle, octagon or ellipse or other such shape without changing the overall concept of the present invention. Openings  26  preferably have a diameter of from about 1/16 inch to about 1½ inches, but are most preferably about ¾ inch in diameter. Game board  12  serves as the playing surface for tabletop sporting game apparatus  10 . 
         [0037]    A pair of longitudinally-extending legs  14  each are rigidly connected to a respective side of game board  12  along the length of the game board by screws or other similar fastening means well known in the art. Legs  14  support game board  12  so that the game board is generally elevated off of the ground. Legs  14  are preferably from about 3.0 inches to about 48.0 inches tall and most preferably from about 5½ inches to about 7.0 inches tall. Legs  14  have a thickness of about ¾ inches. Legs  14  are made of any hard material known in the art, such as wood, metal plastic, and the like. A pair of cross-braces  16  are spaced-apart and extend transversely between respective ones of legs  14 . Cross-braces  16  add additional support to game board  12 . Cross-braces  16  are formed from any hard material known in the art, such as wood, metal, plastic, and the like. Cross-braces  16  have a generally rectangular cross sectional shape, but other cross-sectional shapes such as a square, triangle, or circle, could be utilized without changing the overall concept of the present invention. Although a pair of cross-braces  16  is preferable, from one to eight of the cross-braces could be utilized without changing the overall concept of the present invention. 
         [0038]    A pair of longitudinally-extending bumpers  28  each are rigidly connected to a respective side edge of game board  12  along the length of the game board by screws or other similar fastening means well known in the art. Bumpers  28  serve as a border to game board  12 , prohibit a game ball  30  from sliding off the game board side edge, and keep the ball in play on game board top surface  40 . Bumpers  28  are formed from any hard material known in the art, such as wood, metal, plastic, and the like. Bumpers  28  are preferably shaped as long thin rectangles but may also take any other shape. Bumpers  28  are preferably between about 12.0 inches and 48.0 inches long, but most preferably are about 36.0 inches in length. Bumpers  28  have a width of about ¾ inch but could also be thinner or wider without changing the overall concept of the present invention. Bumpers  28  have a thickness of about ½ inch, but could also have a thickness of less than or more than ½ inch without changing the overall concept of the present invention. 
         [0039]    A scoreboard  32  formed from plastic or other suitable material is mounted on an angled sidewall  42  which is in turn connected to game board  12  and a respective one of legs  14  by fasteners  44 . Scoreboard  32  serves to keep score and time for game play. Scoreboard  32  can be as wide as 48.0 inches and as narrow as 6.0 inches. The height of scoreboard  32  is preferably 6.0 inches but the scoreboard could also be taller or shorter without changing the overall concept of the present invention. Scoreboard  32  preferably includes seven scoring dials, however, less than seven or more than seven dials could also be utilized without changing the overall concept of the present invention. 
         [0040]    A pair of goal posts  34  each are removably mounted onto respective ends of game board  12  via protuberances  48  ( FIG. 3 ) that are formed in the front surface of a base  46  on which the goal post is fixedly mounted and which fit into pre-drilled openings (not shown) formed in each end of game board  12 . The way in which goal posts  34  are mounted allows them to be easily placed and removed during game play. Goal posts  34  serve as a means for scoring extra points or filed goals during game play. Goal posts  34  are made of any rigid material known in the art such as wood, metal or plastic, but are preferably made of plastic. Each goal post  34  is about 11¾ inches tall with uprights and cross bar having a circular cross-section of about ⅜ inch. The post at which the crossbar connects has a circular cross section of about ⅜ inch, but may also be either greater or lesser than ⅜ inch without changing the overall concept of the present invention. 
         [0041]    Eight pylons  36  having a generally square cross-sectional shape are removably mounted into like-shaped openings formed in game board  12  as shown in  FIG. 1 . Pylons  36  serve as a means to mark the beginning and the end of each end zone of the playing surface. Pylons  36  can be made of any pliable or flexible material known in the art but are preferably made of foam. Pylons  36  have a height of about 1.0 inch but may be longer or shorter without changing the overall concept of the present invention. Pylons  36  preferably have a generally square cross-sectional shape, but could also be round or any other shape. 
         [0042]    With additional reference to  FIGS. 6-10B  and in accordance with a primary feature of the present invention, a plurality of levers  18  are each operatively mounted on the underside of game board  12  via a respective one of a plurality of saddles  20 . Because the structure and operation of each lever  18  and saddle  20  is similar to the other levers, for sake of clarity and simplicity only one of the levers will be described in detail below. Lever  18  can be between about 2.0 inches and 48.0 inches in length. Preferably, lever  18  is between about 6.0 inches and 15.0 inches in length and each lever aligns with a respective opening  26  formed in game hoard  12 . Lever  18  can have a width of about ½ inch to about 1½ inches, but is preferably about ¾ inch wide. Lever  18  can be about  1 / 8  inch to about  3 / 4  inch thick, but is preferably about  5 / 8  inch thick. Lever  18  can be angled between 1 degree and 99 degrees, but is preferably angled between about 15 degrees and 40 degrees. Lever  18  can extend about ½ inch to about 4 inches beyond the end of game board  12 , but preferably extends about 2.0 inches beyond the end of the game board. The top side of lever  18  rests against the underside of game board  12  when the lever is inactive. Lever  18  is slightly rounded at end  52  so that a man game piece  26  moves smoothly on the end of the lever in a perpendicular fashion to game board  12 . Saddle  20  is a generally U-shaped piece having two flanged sections  48  that extend upwardly on either side of the saddle. Each flange  48  is formed with an opening  50  to accommodate a screw (not shown) so that the saddle may be attached to the underside of game board  12 . Saddle  20  supports lever  18  and aligns the lever with its respective opening  26  formed in game board  12 . Saddle  20  also provides a pivot point for lever  18 . Saddle  20  may be made of any hard material known in the art, such as metal, wood or plastic, and the like. Preferably, saddle  20  is formed from either plastic or wood. Saddle  20  on which lever  18  rests must fit snuggly and can be of varying diameters to allow for smooth vertical movement of the lever. Because saddle  20  is only slightly wider than lever  18 , the saddle minimizes lateral movement of the lever during operation of the lever. A pair of pins  22  serves as the means by which man game piece  26  and a man base  24  are supported. Pins  22  act as guides for man game piece  26  and man base  24  so that they move perpendicular to game board  12  when lever  18  is depressed. Pins  22  are barbed or knurled at the top which secures it as it is press-fitted into the underside of game board  12 . At the bottom of the barbed section, there is a flange  54  which ensures pin  22  is inserted at the optimal depth into the underside of game board  12 . A second flange  56  located at the other end of pin  22  acts as a stop for man game piece  26  and man base  24 . Pin  22  is formed from plastic or other rigid material. Pin  22  is preferably about 2.14 inches in length, but could be shorter or longer without changing the overall concept of the present invention. When man game piece  26  and man base  24  rest on flange  56 , the top of the man game piece is flush with the top surface  40  of game board  12 . Base  24  serves as the support for man game piece  26 . Base  24  is configured and designed so that when lever  18  is pressed, the base rises causing the man game piece mounted on the base to raise and protrude through its respective opening  26  in game board  12 . Base  24  can be made of any hard material known in the art such as wood, plastic or metal and the like. Base  24  is preferably shaped in a rectangular fashion with a generally flat bottom, but could also be other shapes. Base  24  includes a rounded knotch  58  formed in each of its ends. Knotch  58  cooperates with pins  22  when lever  18  is depressed so that man game piece  26  is forced upwardly through game board opening  26 . 
         [0043]    Turning now to  FIGS. 11-13 , an alternative base  25  may be mounted directly to lever  18 , eliminating the need for pins  22  and base  24 . Man game piece  26  is configured preferably in the shape of a cylinder having a circular cross-section but could be any other shape, such as a square, rectangle, triangle, octagon, ellipse, etc. Man game piece  26  is made of a hard material known in the art. The height of man game piece  26  may range between about ½ inch to about 5.0 inches, but preferably is about 2.0 inches. The diameter of Man game piece  26  is sized slightly less than opening  26  in game board  12 . Man game piece  26  preferably has a flat top so that when lever  18  is inactive, the top of the man game piece sits flush with game board  12 . 
         [0044]    Turning now to  FIGS. 14-15C , a ball  30  having an oblong shape with semi-pointed tips at either end, such as that of an American football, is made of any flexible material known in the art but is preferably constructed of two identically football-shaped pieces of leather. Any known connectors such as string, adhesive, staples, and the like may connect these pieces of leather. The center between the two pieces of leather is filled with any known soft, flexible material causing the center region of ball  30  to bulge slightly outwardly. Ball  30  may or may not have colored tips at either end. Ball  30  is between about 1 inch and about 4 inches from tip to tip, but is preferably about 2¾ inches from tip to tip. The width of ball  30  is from about 1 inch to 2 inches and preferably about 1⅝ inches. Ball  30  is ⅜ inch thick but could also be thicker or thinner without changing the overall concept of the present invention. 
         [0045]    Having now described the structure of the tabletop sporting game apparatus  10  of the present invention, the operation of the invention will now be described in detail below. Ball  30  is flicked, or nudged from one end of the game board  12  toward the other end of the game board. Lever  18  is activated by depressing the end of the lever, which causes the lever to pivot on and around saddle  20 . The pivoting of lever  18  urges or pushes the bottom side of man base  24  upwardly, causing the man base and man game piece  26  to slide upwardly along pins  22 , thereby elevating the man game piece above game board surface  40 , allowing the man game piece to block, flip, lift deflect or impede ball  30 . Spaced-apart bumpers  28  keep ball  30  in the field of play during gameplay. More particularly, when a player nudges, flicks or pushes hall  30  across the playing surface, bumpers  28  cause the ball to be deflected back onto the playing surface so that the ball does not leave the field of play. 
         [0046]    Preferred embodiment tabletop sporting game apparatus  10  is shown and described in conjunction with an American football motif, but other sports motifs are also possible such as soccer, hockey, field hockey, lacrosse, baseball and the like, which could also be utilized in conjunction with the present invention. It should be understood that preferred embodiment tabletop sporting game apparatus  10  of the present invention could be utilized with one or more openings  26  and a corresponding number of levers  18 , saddles  20 , man game pieces  26 , man bases  24  and pins  22  without changing the overall concept or operation of the present invention. It should also be understood that preferred embodiment tabletop sporting game apparatus  10  of the present invention could be utilized with or without scoreboard  32  without changing the overall concept or operation of the present invention. It is even further understood that preferred embodiment tabletop sporting game apparatus  10  of the present invention could be utilized with or without goal posts  34  without changing the overall concept or operation of the present invention. It is contemplated that preferred embodiment tabletop sporting game apparatus  10  of the present invention could also be utilized with or without pylons  36  without changing the overall concept or operation of the present invention. 
         [0047]    The present invention has been described with reference to a specific embodiment. It is to be understood that this illustration is by way of example and not by way of limitation. Potential modifications and alterations will occur to others upon a reading and understanding of this disclosure, and it is understood that the invention includes all such modifications and alterations and equivalents thereof. 
         [0048]    Accordingly, the tabletop sporting game apparatus of the present invention is simplified, provides an effective, safe, inexpensive, and efficient tabletop sporting game apparatus which achieves all the enumerated objectives, provides for eliminating difficulties encountered with prior art tabletop sporting games, and solves problems and obtains new results in the art. 
         [0049]    In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness and understanding; but no unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirements of the prior art, because such terms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadly construed. 
         [0050]    Moreover, the description and illustration of the invention is by way of example, and the scope of the invention is not limited to the exact details shown or described. 
         [0051]    Having now described the features, discoveries and principles of the invention, the manner in which the tabletop sporting game apparatus is constructed, arranged and used, the characteristics of the construction and arrangement, and the advantageous, new and useful results obtained; the new and useful structures, devices, elements, arrangements, parts and combinations, and methods are set forth in the appended claims.