Abstract:
Game systems and methods of use thereof. Such a game system includes a pair of game boards each having a platform that defines an inclined surface, a pair of stakes each configured to protrude from one of the surfaces of the game boards, and at least two sets of game pieces, each game piece having two weighted tossable objects tethered to one another by a connecting member, each set of game pieces being readily identifiable from the other. A game may be played by tossing the game pieces towards the surfaces of the platforms and calculating a score based on the interaction between the game pieces and the stakes of the game boards and their surfaces, wherein the game ends when a predetermined total score is reached.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/245,479, filed Oct. 23, 2015, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention generally relates to entertainment games. The invention particularly relates to a recreational toss game in which objects are thrown at a game board and points are scored according to the interaction between the thrown objects and the game board. 
         [0003]    Recreational toss games have been known for many years and include various types of game pieces and rules of play. Examples include toss games such as traditional horseshoes where metal horse shoes are thrown at stakes protruding from the ground, more contemporary horseshoe-type games such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,802,795 to Bos, bag tossing games such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,943,065 to DeLapa, U.S. Pat. No. 4,961,586 to Conville, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,871,216 to Sparacino, and tethered ball tossing games such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,308,956 to Reid, U.S. Pat. No. 7,328,902 to White, and U.S. Pat. No. 7,703,771 to Hunt et al. 
         [0004]    While many recreational toss games are already known, a recent increase in popularity of such games has created an ongoing demand for new types of toss games. 
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The present invention provides recreational toss game systems and methods of play thereof in which objects are thrown at a game board and points are scored according to the interaction between the thrown objects and the game board. 
         [0006]    According to one aspect of the invention, a recreational toss game system includes a pair of game boards each having a platform that defines an inclined surface, a pair of stakes each configured to protrude from one of the surfaces of the game boards, and at least two sets of game pieces, each of the game pieces comprising two weighted tossable objects tethered to one another by a connecting member, each set of game pieces being readily identifiable from the other. 
         [0007]    According to another aspect of the invention, a method is provided for playing a recreational toss game system with a pair of game boards each having a platform that defines a surface having a stake protruding therefrom, and at least two sets of game pieces. The method includes tossing the game pieces toward the surfaces of the platforms, calculating a score based on the interaction between the game pieces and the stakes of the pair of game boards and the surfaces, and terminating the game when a predetermined total score is reached. 
         [0008]    Technical effects of the game systems and methods of play described above preferably include the ability to provide entertainment that combines challenges of the types presented by conventional games such as bag toss (cornhole), tethered ball toss (ladder ball), and horseshoe-type games. 
         [0009]    Other aspects and advantages of this invention will be better appreciated from the following detailed description. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  schematically represents a perspective view of a nonlimiting example of a game board in an upright orientation with a stake secured thereto suitable for playing a recreational toss game according to certain aspects of the invention. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  schematically represents a side view of the game board of  FIG. 1  in an upright position. 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  schematically represents a top view of a game surface of the game board of  FIG. 1  excluding the stake. 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  schematically represents a bottom view of the game board of  FIG. 1 , excluding a folding leg and fasteners used to hold the stake for storage. 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  schematically represents a perspective view of the game board of  FIG. 1  in an upside-down orientation, and shows a folding leg connected to the game board by two hinges. The folding leg folds in for storage and folds out to set a rear end of the game board at a certain height off the ground. 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  schematically represents a perspective view of the game board of  FIG. 1  in an upside-down orientation, and shows a nonlimiting example of how the folding leg of the game board can be stowed when the game board is not in use. Two fasteners are located on one side of the game board to secure the stake. 
           [0016]      FIG. 7  schematically represents a bottom view of the game board of  FIG. 1 , in an upside-down orientation, and shows a nonlimiting example of how the folding leg of the game board can be stowed and secured by the stake when the game board is not in use. When secured with the fasteners, the stake may be positioned so that when the folding leg is folded in completely to its stowed position, one end of the stake rests against the leg to hold the leg in place while transporting the game board. 
           [0017]      FIG. 8  schematically represents a nonlimiting example of how two game boards of the type shown in  FIG. 1  can be arranged for use. 
           [0018]      FIG. 9  schematically represents a nonlimiting example of a game piece that may be used with the game boards of  FIG. 1  to play a recreational toss game in accordance with certain aspects of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0019]    The present invention generally relates to a recreational toss game meant to entertain and bring enjoyment to many.  FIGS. 1-9  represent nonlimiting examples of portable game boards and pieces that together constitute a game system that may be used to play the game. While specific game boards and pieces are shown for the game system, it is foreseeable that functionally-equivalent structures could be used to play the game, such as game boards and pieces having different sizes, shapes, marks, and materials. 
         [0020]    Referring to  FIGS. 1-9 , a nonlimiting example of the game board  10  includes a planar surface  12  and sides  16  of a platform  18 . A single hole  32  is provided through the surface  12  of the platform  18 . The sides  16  of the platform  18  define a cavity  50  on an underside of the platform  18 . A support  40  is located in the cavity  50  below the hole  32  and covers the hole  32  on the underside of the platform  18 . A stake  14  or other rod-like body is provided and configured to have a lowermost end of the stake  14  removably inserted into the hole  32  and retained therein such that the remainder of the stake  14  protrudes upwards above the surface  12  of the platform  18 . In the embodiment represented in  FIG. 1-7 , once inserted into the hole  32  the lowermost end of the stake  14  contacts the support  40  which consequently supports the stake  14  in its upright position. Although represented as being retained and supported by the support  40 , the stake  14  may be retained and supported within the hole  32  by any means known in the art. For example, the stake  14  may include an outer circumference that is tapered such that only its lowermost end has a circumference capable of being inserted into the hole  32  and other portions of the stake  14  have outer circumferences large enough to be supported by uppermost edges of the hole  32 , or the hole  32  may not be formed entirely through the surface  12  and instead define a blind hole or cavity in the surface  12  complimentary to the lowermost end of the stake  14 . For convenience, the platform  18  will be referred to as comprising a front end  15  and a rear end  16  and having a front-rear direction therebetween and a side-to-side direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction. Preferably, the hole  32  for the stake  14  is located in a position that is generally centered across a width of the surface  12  (side-to-side direction) and further towards the rear end  17  of the platform  18  than the front end  15 . 
         [0021]    As will be described hereinafter, the game is preferably performed using a pair of the game boards  10 . During the game, the surfaces  12  of the game boards  10  are preferably inclined at an acute angle to horizontal (earth, ground, or other surface beneath and supporting the game boards  10 , hereinafter, “ground”  100 ), for example, twenty to forty degrees. To this end, the game boards  10  preferably include legs, sides  16  with tapered bottom edges, or other means for supporting the game boards  10  such that the surface  12  of each board  10  is inclined, with a front edge of the surface  12  of the platform  18  (at the front end  15 ) being lower than its oppositely-disposed rear edge (at the rear end  17 ). For example,  FIGS. 1, 2, and 5-7  represent the game board  10  as including a single supporting leg  30  near the rear end  17  of the platform  18 . The leg  30  is configured to raise the rear end  17  of the platform  18  such that the platform&#39;s surface  12  has the desired inclination relative to the ground  100  beneath the board  10 . In this nonlimiting embodiment, the front end  15  of the platform  18  does not include supporting legs, and instead rests directly on the ground  100 . However, it is foreseeable that the game board  10  could include any number of supporting legs located at any number of locations on the platform  18 . According to one nonlimiting example, each game board  10  may be set up such that the rearmost edge of surface  12  is approximately twelve inches (about 30 cm) off of the ground  100 . In addition, during the game each stake  14  is located within a respective hole  32  and secured to its game board  10  so as to be vertical or at least nearly vertical relative to horizontal (i.e., as determined by the ground  100  beneath and supporting the game boards  10 ) as represented in  FIGS. 2 and 8 . Since the game boards  10  are inclined relative to horizontal, it is necessary that the stake  14  protrudes from the surface  12  at an angle that is not perpendicular to the surface  12 . This aspect may be accomplished in any suitable matter. Nonlimiting examples include creating the hole  32  so that its axis is at an angle other than perpendicular the surface  12 , or creating the stake  14  to comprise a bend or curve at the lowermost end thereof such that the remainder of the stake  14  protruding from the surface  12  is vertical or at least nearly vertical relative to horizontal. 
         [0022]      FIGS. 5, 6, and 7  represent the supporting leg  30  as being capable of pivoting about the rear end  17  of the platform  18  such that the supporting leg  30  may be stowed and stored within the cavity  50  on the underside of the platform  18 . In the nonlimiting embodiment shown, the pivoting capability is provided by hinges  34 . Fasteners  60  such as but not limited to clips or clamps are provided on an inside of one of the sides  16  of the platform  18  to provide means for storing the stake  14  within the cavity  50  of the underside of the platform  18 . According to one embodiment of the invention,  FIG. 7  shows that the stake  14  may be stored in a manner such that a portion of the stake  14  provides a barrier that prevents the supporting leg  30  from pivoting from within the underside of the platform  18 . Such an arrangement provides for securing the leg  30  in the cavity  50  without the need for additional components. The platform  18 , leg  30 , and stake  14  of the game board  10  may be formed of any material, nonlimiting examples including wood, metal, composite, and polymer materials. 
         [0023]    According to a preferred aspect of the invention, the game system further comprises tethered game pieces  20  used by players during the game to interact with the game boards  10  according to a set of game rules or rules of play in order to score points to win the game.  FIG. 9  represents a game piece  20  as including a pair of bags (or any other weighted tossable objects)  22  tethered to one another by a flexible connecting member  24 . As a nonlimiting example, the bags  22  may include a small fabric bag or other container filled with a granular filler material such as but not limited to beads, sand, or corn. Nonlimiting examples of the connecting member  24  include rope, cord, or any other pliable material capable of retaining the pair of bags  22  to one another while freely allowing movement of the bags  22  relative to each other and to the connecting member  24 . Although in the nonlimiting embodiment shown the bags  22  are represented as relatively square-shaped pillow-like articles, it will be understood that the bags  22  may have any suitable external shape. In general, players toss the game pieces  20  toward the surface  12  of each game board  10  in an attempt to wrap the connecting members  24  of the game pieces  20  around the stake  14  or have the game pieces  20  land and remain on the surface  12  of the game board  10 , which results in two different ways to score points. In order for an individual player or team of players to win the game, the player or team must obtain a predetermined total number of points scored, for example, twenty-one points. 
         [0024]    Nonlimiting aspects of the rules of the game will now be described in reference to the game boards  10  and the game pieces  20  shown in the drawings. While the game procedure described below is believed to be preferred, other variations of play are foreseeable and within the scope of the invention. The game is preferably played with two game boards  10  and two or more sets of separately identifiable game pieces  20 . Prior to playing the game, the game boards  10  are placed at a predetermined distance from one another with the front edge of each game board surface  12  facing one another, for example, approximately 21 feet from the front edge of one board  10  to the front edge of the other game board  10  resulting in a fixed distance between both stakes  14 , for example approximately 27 feet, represented in  FIG. 8  as distances d 1  and d 2 , respectively. The game boards  10  are arranged such that their surfaces  12  are at an incline relative to horizontal, and their stakes  14  are secured to the game boards  10  so as to be approximately vertical relative to earth. In the following nonlimiting examples, the rules of the game will be described as played between two teams of players, each team using one of two sets of game pieces  20 , each set comprising four game pieces  20  comprising bags  22  that are a different color (or different combination of colors) from the other set of game pieces  20  for identification between the two sets. However, the rules may be modified to accommodate any number of players, teams, sets of game pieces  20 , or number of game pieces  20  within a set. 
         [0025]    Upon the start of the game, each player preferably stands anywhere behind a foul line coinciding with the front end  15  of the platform  18  or another location relative to their respective game boards  10 . The players choose a team that will toss first. The players individually toss their respective game pieces  20  toward the surface  12  of the game board  10  opposite from the game board  10  at which they stand. Players will alternate turns until all game pieces  20  are tossed. All tossing is preferably underhand only. In general, all game pieces  20  previously thrown which stay on the surfaces  12  of the game boards  10  remain in place as subsequent game pieces  20  are thrown such that it is possible that subsequently thrown game pieces  20  may interact with previously thrown game pieces  20 . Once all game pieces  20  are tossed, a round is over and points are totaled based on the game pieces  20  remaining on the surfaces  12 . If the total score of both teams is below the predetermined total score, for example twenty-one points, a subsequent round will begin, repeating the above process. The team that wins an individual round by accumulating the most points preferably tosses first at the start of the next round. If a round results in a tie and no points are awarded (as explained hereinafter), the team that tossed first in the previous round preferably tosses first again. Game play continues until a team reaches the score of the predetermined total score. 
         [0026]    Team scoring for tossed game pieces  20  may be tallied as follows. Zero points are awarded for an individual game piece  20  that does not land on the surface  12  of the game board  10  or if the toss is considered a “dead throw.” A dead throw may occur if a game piece  20  bounces off of the ground  100  and then lands on the surface  12  of the game board  10 , or the player tossing the individual game piece  20  steps across the foul line of their respective game board  10  during their toss, regardless of where the game piece  20  lands. In these instances, the individual thrown game pieces  20  are removed from the game board  10  prior to remaining tosses, and do not count toward the score. In addition, if a game piece  20  lands on the surface  12  of the game board  10  such that one of its bags  22  is on the surface  12  and the other bag  22  is hanging off an edge of the surface  12  and is touching the ground  100 , the toss is considered a dead throw. However, in this instance while the game piece  20  does not count toward the score, it is not removed from the game board  10  until all game pieces  20  have been tossed and points are totaled. One point is awarded for an individual game piece  20  that lands on the surface  12  of the game board  10  and both bags  22  remain on the surface  12  of the game board  10 , or for a game piece  20  that lands on the surface  12  of the game board  10  and one bag  22  is on and the other bag  22  is hanging off the edge, but not touching the ground  100 , that is, the other bag  22  is suspended in the air. Three points are awarded for an individual game piece  20  that is tossed and makes a “ringer.” A ringer may occur if an individual game piece  20  is tossed and the connecting member  24  wraps around the stake  14  and remains around the stake  14 , or if a game piece  20  slides up the game board  10  and both bags  22  pass a line (not shown) that extends across the surface  12  in the side-to-side direction and passes through the stake  14  (for example, parallel to the front and rear edges of the surface  12 ). In the instance of both bags  22  passing this line, the connecting member  24  is not required to wrap around the stake  14 ; however, this type of ringer requires that both teams agree that the game piece  20  results in a ringer at the time of totaling points. 
         [0027]    The value or points awarded by each of the individual game pieces  20  are not counted until the end of each round. Consequently, interaction between game pieces  20  during a round may change the potential value of an individual game piece  20 . For example, if a game piece  20  is laying on the surface  12  of the game board  10  in position to score one point, but is pushed up (toward the rear end  17  of) the surface  12  by any subsequently-thrown game pieces  20  so that it crosses the line of the stake  14 , the potential value of the pushed game piece  20  changes from one point to three points. Similarly, teams can also lose potential points during any round if their game piece  20  is in originally in a scoring position, but is subsequently pushed off of the surface  12  by later thrown game pieces  20 , regardless of which team threw the later thrown game pieces  20 . As a nonlimiting example of such instance, if a team has a first game piece  20  in position to score one point, and a second game piece  20  is subsequently tossed by either team and pushes one of the bags  22  of the first game piece  20  off the edge of the surface  12  such that it now touches the ground  100 , the first game piece  20  is treated as if it was originally in this position upon being thrown. Therefore, the first game piece  20  remains on the surface  12  of the game board  10  until all game pieces  20  have been tossed, but will not count toward the total score for that round. Notably, it is possible that ringers can also be knocked out of a three-point scoring position and result in one point or zero points based on scoring at the end of the round. 
         [0028]    After both teams have tossed all four of their game pieces  20 , the players count how many points each team earned according to the rules of scoring. The team with the lower number of points subtracts their points from the total score of the points earned by the team with the higher number of points. The remaining points earned by the team with the higher number of points are added to their team&#39;s total score. As such, only one team can earn points per round. For example, if a first team scores six points and a second team scores four points, the first team wins that round and earns a score of two points by taking the first team&#39;s total of six points and subtracting the second team&#39;s total of four points, resulting in two points for that round. The first team then adds two points to their current total of points. Game play continues through subsequent rounds until the total score of a team reaches the predetermined score (e.g., twenty-one points). The team to reach the predetermined score first wins the game. 
         [0029]    The above set of rules represents only one nonlimiting example of a method of playing the game with the game boards  10  and game pieces  20  shown in the drawings. It is foreseeable that the game rules may be altered or modified based on personal preference. Some variations include but are not limited to the requirement that a team must win by two points, a team can only win by scoring the predetermined score exactly without going over or the team returns to the score at the beginning of that round, or a team automatically wins if it earns a certain score (for example eleven points) before the opposing team scores any points. In one example, if the first team has twenty points and the second team has twenty points, either team could be required to score at least two points in a round bringing the total score to twenty-two points in order to win. In this instance, if either team only scored one point making the score 21-20, game play would continue past the predetermined score until one of the teams&#39; total score is at least two more points than the opposing team at the end of a round. In another example, if the teams are required to obtain exactly twenty-one points to win and the first team has eighteen points and the second team has fourteen points, the first team would have to score three points or the second team would have to score seven points to win this round. In this instance, either team could bust on the round. For example, if the first team wins the round but is awarded four points for the round resulting in a total score of twenty-two, the first team would instead have to return to the previous score of eighteen since the score is above twenty-one and eighteen was their score at the beginning of the round. In such a case, the round is over and neither team earns any points toward their total scores. In yet another example, if the first team achieves a total score of eleven points or more and the second team has not scored any points toward their total score, the first team could be said to have “skunked” the second team. In this instance, the game would be over resulting with the first team as the victors. 
         [0030]    In view of the above, games that can be played with the game system represented in the drawings provide entertainment that can be enjoyed by many individuals. Such games can combine challenges similar to those presented by conventional games such as bag toss (cornhole), tethered ball toss (ladder ball), and horseshoe-type games. 
         [0031]    While the invention has been described in terms of specific embodiments, it is apparent that other forms could be adopted by one skilled in the art. For example, components of the game system and the physical configuration of the game boards  10  and game pieces  20  could differ from that shown, and materials and processes/methods other than those noted could be used. Therefore, the scope of the invention is to be limited only by the following claims.