Patent Publication Number: US-2020282301-A1

Title: Garment gaming apparatus

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     Some implementations relate generally to gaming apparatus coupled to a piece of fabric or garment. 
     BACKGROUND 
     In the case of fashion, there are fairly limited options that incorporate aspects of gaming with garments and other wearable articles. In many cases, these garments only possess the functionality of being able to be worn. Accordingly, there exists a need for an apparatus that can integrate aspects of gaming with wearable garments. 
     SUMMARY 
     Some or all of the above needs and/or problems may be addressed by certain embodiments of the disclosure. Certain embodiments of the disclosure can include a gaming apparatus coupled to a fabric or garment. An embodiment of the gaming apparatus can include a garment, an anchor member, a bearing device and a spinner. The anchor member can be coupled to the garment mechanically or using an adhesive. The anchor member can include a base portion and a neck portion. Further, the base portion can include a magnet. The bearing device can be mechanically coupled to the anchor member. The bearing device is configured to rotate with respect to an axis of rotation passing through the anchor member the bearing device. The spinner is mechanically coupled to the bearing device. 
     A method for utilizing the gaming apparatus can include rotating a spinner with respect to an anchor member that is coupled to the garment. The method can also include identifying an activity based on the location of the spinner with respect to the plurality of sections, upon the ended rotation of the spinner element. The method can further include completing the task as that is indicated by the spinner. 
     Other embodiments, features, and aspects of the disclosure are described in detail herein and are considered a part of the claimed disclosure. Other embodiments, features, and aspects can be understood with reference to the following detailed description, accompanying drawings and claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a diagram of a front view of the gaming apparatus of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a diagram of an isometric view of the gaming apparatus in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a diagram of a side view of the gaming apparatus in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional side view of the diagram depicted in  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5A  is diagram of the top view of the anchor member;  5 B is a side view of the anchor member;  5 C is a bottom view of the anchor member; and  5 D is a perspective view of the anchor member. 
         FIG. 6  is a diagram of an exploded view of the bearing device in the gaming apparatus. 
         FIG. 7  is a diagram of an exploded view of the anchor member, the bearing device and the bracket. 
         FIG. 8A  is diagram of the top view of the spinner  8 B is a side view of the spinner;  8 C is a rear view of the spinner;  8 D is a bottom view of the spinner; and  8 E is a perspective view of the spinner. 
         FIG. 9  is a block diagram displaying a method for utilizing the gaming apparatus of the disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Illustrative embodiments of the disclosure will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which some, but not all embodiments of the disclosure are shown. The disclosure may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. 
     Whenever appropriate, terms used in the singular also will include the plural and vice versa. The use of “a” herein means “one or more” unless stated otherwise or where the use of “one or more” is clearly inappropriate. The use of “or” means “and/or” unless stated otherwise. The use of “comprise,” “comprises,” “comprising,” “include,” “includes,” and “including” are interchangeable and not intended to be limiting. The term “such as” also is not intended to be limiting. For example, the term “including” shall mean “including, but not limited to.” 
     The following description is provided as an enabling teaching of the disclosed articles, systems, and methods in their best, currently known embodiments. To this end, those skilled in the relevant art will recognize and appreciate that many changes can be made to the various aspects of the articles, systems, and methods described herein, while still obtaining the beneficial results of the disclosure. It will also be apparent that some of the desired benefits of the present disclosure can be obtained by selecting some of the features of the present disclosure without utilizing other features. Accordingly, those who work in the art will recognize that many modifications and adaptations to the present disclosure are possible and can even be desirable in certain circumstances and are a part of the present disclosure. Thus, the following description is provided as illustrative of the principles of the present disclosure and not in limitation thereof. 
     As used throughout, the singular forms “a,” “an” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to “a gasket” can include two or more such gaskets unless the context indicates otherwise. 
     As used throughout, “substantially” with respect to a measure can refer to a range of values comprising +/−10 degrees. For example, substantially orthogonal, normal, or parallel can include embodiments, where the referenced components are oriented +/−10 degrees of being classified as orthogonal, normal or parallel respectively. 
     Ranges can be expressed herein as from “about” one particular value, and/or to “about” another particular value. When such a range is expressed, another aspect includes from the one particular value and/or to the other particular value. Similarly, when values are expressed as approximations, by use of the antecedent “about,” it will be understood that the particular value forms another aspect. It will be further understood that the endpoints of each of the ranges are significant both in relation to the other endpoint, and independently of the other endpoint. 
     As used herein, the terms “optional” or “optionally” mean that the subsequently described event or circumstance may or may not occur, and that the description includes instances where said event or circumstance occurs and instances where it does not. 
     The word “or” as used herein means any one member of a particular list and also includes any combination of members of that list. 
       FIGS. 1 through 3  depict an embodiment of the disclosure. The gaming apparatus  100  can include a garment such as a shirt  102 , an indicia  104  and a spinner  106 . When using the gaming apparatus  100 , a user can manually turn the spinner  106 . When the spinner  106  stops rotating a distal portion  107  of the spinner can point to a section  105  on the indicia of the shirt  102 . The indicia can include words, symbols or text, for example. 
     In a further aspect of the disclosure, the garment  102  can be any garment wearable by a user. For example, the garment  102  can be a sweatshirt, jacket, shawl, blanket, pants or even a pair of shoes. In another aspect of the garment  102 , the garment can be a hat. In yet another aspect of the environment the garment  102  can also be a satchel, a purse, a backpack, a fanny pack, or other element that can be worn by a person or pet, such as a doggie sweater. 
     The garment  102  can further comprise an indicia,  104 , on the surface of the garment  102 . As shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , the indicia  104  can comprise a circular display but the display can be any known shape. In a further aspect, the circular display can be split into multiple sections  105 . These multiple sections  105  can include graphical designs or words indicating an activity that must be performed for that particular section. For example, if the indicia  104  comprises activities for a drinking game then each particular subsection  105  of the circular display defines separate activity that is to be performed when the spinner  106  comes rests on a particular section. In another aspect, the indicia  104  can be other geometric shapes. For example the indicia  104  can be a square shape wherein each subsection  105  is split into separate subsections  105 . The subsections  105 , act as a divider between the indicia  104  to ensure it is clear where the spinner&#39;s distal portion  107  is positioned on or pointed to. It is further considered that a plurality of other geometric shapes can be used. In yet other aspects, the indicia  104  can be the shape of animals, faces or other designs by the design maker. 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , the garment  102  can also further comprise of a metal plate  134  under the garment  102 , on the opposite side of the surface of the shirt where the indicia  104  is. The plate  134  is attached to the magnet  117  through magnetism. As shown in  FIG. 7 , the magnet  117  is positioned or nested inside of the cavity  116  of the base member  114 . The plate  134  is on the underside of the garment  102  and is attracted to the magnet  117  on the top side of the garment  102 , as shown in  FIG. 4 . The metal plate  134  stabilizes the spinner  106  and can give it a flat surface for even spinning around the axis A 1 . The magnetic pull by the magnet  117  on the metal bearing balls  126  during rotation alters the rotational speed of the spinner, causing the spinner  106  to stop sooner and indicate or identify a respective section  105  of the indicia on the garment  102 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 5A-5D , the gaming apparatus comprises an anchor member  113 . In an aspect of the disclosure, the anchor member  113  is used to couple the spinner  106  to the garment  102 . The anchor member  113  can be coupled to the shirt  102  using a fastener or an adhesive. For example, the anchor member can be coupled to the garment  102  using fasteners including but not limited to snaps, rivets, hook and loops, buttons or the like. In a further aspect, the adhesive used couple the anchor member can be of sufficient strength to maintain a connection with the shirt and counteract the moment forces placed on the shirt by the rotating spinner  106 . 
     The anchor member  113  can comprise a plurality of components. In one aspect, the anchor member  113  can comprise a base portion  114  and a neck portion  115 . In a further aspect, the base portion  114  can be comprised of a cylindrical shape. In other embodiments, the base portion  114  comprises a prism shape, such as a cube, rectangular prism or other geometric prism. The base portion  114  can also define a cavity  116  at the external surface in proximity to the garment  102 . Within the cavity  116 , a magnet  117  can be placed by adhesive or mechanically coupling to the base portion  114 . In another embodiment, the magnet  117  can coupled on a top surface of the base portion  114 , diametrically opposite the surface facing the garment  102 . In yet another embodiment, the base portion can be magnetized in the absence of a magnet  117 . In yet another option embodiment, the magnet  117  can circumscribe the base portion  114 . In each of the previous orientations, the magnet placement will have an impact on the rotation of a bearing device  125 . The magnet  117  attracts to the plate  134  to aid in securing the gaming apparatus to the garment. 
     The anchor member  113  can also comprise a neck portion  115 . In a further aspect, the neck portion  115  can comprise a bottom region  118 , a middle region  119 , and a top region  120 . The bottom region  118  of the neck portion  115  can be coupled to a top surface of the base portion  114 . The neck portion  115  can extend distally away from the base portion  114 . The neck portion  115  can extend through a middle region  119  and terminate at a top region  120 . In a further aspect, the neck portion  114  can have a cylindrical shape as shown in  FIGS. 5A, 5B, 5C and 5D . In a further aspect, the top region  120  can have an external circumference C 1  that is greater that the external circumference C 2  of the middle region  119 . 
     To aid in the full coupling of the gaming apparatus  100 , the neck portion  115  can define a channel  121 . The channel  121  in one aspect can span the length L of neck portion  115  and in other aspects the channel  121  can span a portion of the length L. In yet another aspect, the neck portion  115  can have a plurality of channels  121 . In such a configuration, the plurality of channels  121  can be oriented such that the channels are orthogonal to each other. However, additional orientations of channels exist. The channels  121  in the neck portion  115  can serve the purpose of allowing the neck portion  115  to have some pliability when the anchor member  113  is coupled to the bearing device  122 . To minimize wobbling during rotation, spatial clearance between the outer surface of the middle region  119  of the anchor member  113  and the surfaces of in the interior ring  127  of the bearing device  122  can also be minimized. To facilitate coupling of the channeled neck portion allows the circumference C 1  of the top region  120  to be reduced. Accordingly, the top region  120  can fit through the interior ring  127  of the bearing device during construction of the gaming apparatus  100 . Further, the greater dimension C 1  of the top region  120  than the dimension C 2  of middle region  119  also can serve the purpose of creating a locking mechanism between the anchor  113  and the bearing device  122 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the gaming apparatus can further comprise a bearing device  122 . The bearing device  122  enables rotation of the spinner, while reducing friction and handling stress. The bearing device  122  can comprise an exterior ring  123 , a retainer  125 , a plurality of balls  126  and the interior ring  127 . During construction of the bearing device  122 , in one aspect balls  126  can be mechanically coupled to connect with the retainer  125 . The retainer  125  features a cutout portion sized to received the balls  126 . The retainer  125  can ensure that the balls  126  rotate uniformly around the axis A 1 . 
     The balls  126  can further be coupled to contact an outer surface of the interior ring  127 . In a further aspect, to for further facilitate the uniform rotation, the outer surface of the inner ring  127  can comprise an inner groove  128 . In a further aspect, an inner surface of the exterior ring  123  can also be in contact with the bearings  122 . Further, the inner surface of the exterior ring  123  can also define a groove  124 , allowing the balls  126  to contact the inner surface as well as have a path of uniform rotation around the axis A 1 . In a further aspect, components of the bearing device  122  can be magnetized. Magnetization of the bearings will allow the magnetic field of the magnet  117  located in proximity to the anchor  113  to impact the rotation of the bearing device  122 . For example, the balls  126  may be magnetized or made of a metallic material, while the additional components including the exterior ring  123 , the interior ring  127  and the retainer  125  are non-magnetized or are made out of non-metallic materials. A plurality of combinations are possible regarding the material composition of the bearing device  122  to facilitate interaction or non-interaction with the magnet  117 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 8A-8E , gaming apparatus  100  can comprise a spinner  106 . The spinner can be mechanically coupled to the bearing device  122 . In a further aspect, the bearing device  122  can be connected by a plurality of flanges  130  on the external surface  131  of the spinner  106 . In another aspect, the spinner  106 , can further comprise an external surface  131 . The external surface can define a cavity  132  wherein the cavity is of sufficient size to circumscribe the mechanically coupled anchor  113  and bearing device  122  shown in  FIG. 7 . The flanges  130  are positioned around the perimeter of the cavity  132 . The spinner  106  can be coupled to the bearing device  122  using the flanges  130  that extend from the surface  131 , wherein the flanges  130  can lock onto an external surface of external ring  123 . The flanges  130  locking onto the external surface of the bearing device causes the spinner  106  to rotate at substantially the same angular speed as the exterior ring of the bearing device  122 . In, the coupled configuration, as shown in  FIGS. 1-4 , the spinner  106  and the bearing device  122  can rotate around the axis A 1 . 
     The spinner can comprise a plurality of shapes. In one aspect is shown in  FIGS. 1-3 and 8A -E, the spinner can comprise the general shape of a bottle, wherein the shape of the bottle is consistent with the indicia  104  identifying aspects of a drinking game. It is further considered that the spinner  106  can also comprise different shapes, for example an arrow, vegetable, or even some type of animal shape. In yet another aspect, the spinner  106  can have a weight distribution that is uniformly distributed as it rotates around the axis A 1 . The uniform distribution of weight can allow the spinner  106  to spin freely and uniformly. In another, aspect the spinner  106  can have a weight distribution that is asymmetrical. For example, the asymmetrical weight distribution can allow the spinner head  107  to be constantly pointing north when the spinner  106  is at rest. 
     The spinner can comprise a polymer, plastic, silicone or metallic material. They can comprise magnetized plastic, such that the weight of the spinner  106  is not increased dramatically. In another aspect, the spinner  106  can be hollow, while in another aspect the spinner can be solid. In yet another aspect the spinner  106  is filled with a material such as a liquid or a plurality of solid materials for such as beads, wherein the addition of these materials can also impact the rotation speed and subsequent stopping point of the spinner. 
       FIG. 9  is a flowchart representing an example method for utilizing the gaming apparatus. The example method  900  can be implemented by the gaming apparatus. The operations described and shown in the method  900  of  FIG. 9  may be carried out or performed in any suitable order as desired in various embodiments of the disclosure. Additionally, in certain embodiments, at least a portion of the operations may be carried out in parallel. Furthermore, in certain embodiments, less than or more than the operations described in  FIG. 9  may be performed. The method  900 , according to an example embodiment of the disclosure, can include rotating a spinner with respect to an anchor member that is coupled to the garment. Block  910  can include identifying an activity based on the location of the spinner with respect to a section of the indicia, upon the ended rotation of the spinner. Block  915  can include, completing the task or activity that is detailed in the section of the indicia. In other aspects of block  915 , a user may decide not to complete the indicated task, wherein the user may rotate the spinner again with the anticipation of a different activity being identified. 
     While certain embodiments of the disclosure have been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and various embodiments, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiments, but on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the scope of the appended claims. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation. 
     This written description uses examples to disclose certain embodiments of the disclosure, including the best modes, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice certain embodiments of the disclosure, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of certain embodiments of the disclosure is defined in the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal language of the claims.