Patent Publication Number: US-2020282278-A1

Title: Ball Toss Game and Method of Playing

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE 
     This application claims priority from Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/816,165 filed on Mar. 10, 2019. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     While at home, at parties, picnics, or other social events, individuals enjoy playing games. A favorite game of skill for many is the game of darts. Dart games can provide hours of entertainment and conversation among players. However, darts can be extremely dangerous due to the sharp edges and points of the projectiles. Darts can cause serious injuries to players and observers alike if not properly handled. Additionally, parents are often hesitant to let children play dart games. 
     Other similar non-projectile games involve tossing a ball, coin, or other object into a basket, cup, or other container. Beer Pong, also known as Beiruit, is a drinking game in which players toss ping pong balls across a table attempting to bounce the ball into a cup of beer or alcohol at the other end. The game typically consists of opposing teams with six to ten cups set up in a triangular formation, similar to a pool rack, on each side. If a player bounces a ball into a cup, the contents of the cup are consumed by the opposing team and the cup is removed from the table. The first team to eliminate all of the cups of the opposing team is the winner. 
     While this may be a fun game for some, it is certainly not child friendly. Additionally, there are many people that do not want to consume alcohol when playing games. While Beer Pong may be played with non-alcoholic beverages, there is still a high likelihood that liquids will be splashed out of the cups or otherwise spilled during the course of the game. 
     Accordingly, there is a great need for a uniquely designed game that mimics dart games that can be played by multiple players. The present invention provides a game that can provide hours of fun and conversation, that is fun, easy to play, and highly entertaining. The game is portable, allowing users to take it to parties, picnics, or other social gatherings. Advantageously, the present invention is much safer to play than traditional dart games. 
     SUMMARY 
     The following presents a simplified summary in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the disclosed innovation. This summary is not an extensive overview, and it is not intended to identify key/critical elements or to delineate the scope thereof. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later. 
     The subject matter disclosed and claimed herein, in one aspect thereof, comprises a ball toss game. The ball toss game comprises a circular game board. The circular game board comprises a target surface side and a back side. The target surface side comprises a plurality of pie shaped sections. The ball toss game further comprises a plurality of container retaining elements. Each of the plurality of container retaining elements are attached to the target surface side of the circular game board. Each of the plurality of container retaining elements comprise a target surface attachment element and a retaining ring. The retaining ring is movably secured to the circular game board by the corresponding target surface attachment element. Each of the plurality of container retaining elements may further comprise a friction element attached to the corresponding retaining ring. 
     The ball toss game further comprises a plurality of containers. Each of the plurality of containers is removably retainable by the corresponding container retainer component. The corresponding friction element helps retain each of the plurality of containers within the corresponding retaining ring. Each of the plurality of containers is substantially identical in size and comprises an opening and a ball retaining portion. 
     The ball toss game further comprises a center container retaining component. The center container retaining component is attached to the target surface side of the circular game board. The center container retaining component comprises a center target surface attachment element and a center retaining ring. The center retaining ring is movably secured to the circular game board by the center target surface attachment element. The center container retaining component may further comprise a friction element similar to the friction elements of the plurality of container retaining components. 
     The ball toss game further comprises a center container. The center container is removably retainable by the center retaining ring of the center container retaining component. The friction element helps retain the center container within the center retaining ring. The center container is smaller in size than the plurality of containers and comprises an opening and a ball retaining portion. 
     The ball toss game further comprises a support component. The support component comprises a back attachment segment and a pair of legs. The back attachment segment is attachable to the back side of the circular game board. The pair of legs are movably attached to the back side attachment segment via a fastener that allows the pair of legs to hinge outward to support the ball toss game when placed on a horizontal surface. 
     The ball toss game may further comprise a wall mount component. The wall mount component comprises a back side attachment portion and a hanger. The back side attachment portion is attached to the back side of the circular game board. The hanger is movably attached to the back side attachment portion. The wall mount component further comprises a wall mount bracket for attaching to a vertical surface. The hanger is attachable to the wall mount bracket to hang the circular game board on a wall. 
     In an additional embodiment of the present invention a method for playing a ball toss game comprises providing a ball toss game and a plurality of balls for at least two players. Each of the players attempts to toss the plurality of balls into an opposing player&#39;s plurality of containers or a center container of the ball toss game. If a ball is successfully tossed into one of the opposing player&#39;s plurality of containers or the center container, one of the opposing player&#39;s plurality of containers is removed from a circular game board. If the ball is tossed into one of the player&#39;s plurality of containers, one of the opposing player&#39;s plurality of containers is replaced back on the circular game board. The method concludes when a ball is tossed by a player into the center container when all of the opposing player&#39;s plurality of containers have been removed from the circular game board. 
     To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, certain illustrative aspects of the disclosed innovation are described herein in connection with the following description and the annexed drawings. These aspects are indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles disclosed herein can be employed and is intended to include all such aspects and their equivalents. Other advantages and novel features will become apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of a player using a ball toss game of the present invention in accordance with the disclosed architecture. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a front view of the ball toss game of the present invention in accordance with the disclosed architecture. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a front view of the ball toss game of the present invention in accordance with the disclosed architecture. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a rear perspective view of the ball toss game supported by a stand component of the present invention in accordance with the disclosed architecture. 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a side view of the ball toss game hanging from a wall mount component of the present invention in accordance with the disclosed architecture. 
         FIG. 6  illustrates a flow chart of a method of playing a ball toss game of the present invention in accordance with the disclosed architecture. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The innovation is now described with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding thereof. It may be evident, however, that the innovation can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to facilitate a description thereof. 
     The present invention discloses a unique ping pong ball toss game designed for multiple players. The game features a plurality of cups placed on a circular game board. Players attempt to toss ping pong balls into the plurality of cups. The game is configured to be played on a table-top or may be hung on a wall to save space as desired. The game is usable by multiple players of all ages. 
     In one embodiment, the game board may include a circular playing surface divided into eight equal pie shapes of alternating colors that are numbered. The colors may correspond to an even or odd number. Each of the pie shapes have a ring to hold a removable cup with a middle bullseye holding a smaller removable cup. The playing surface may be set up on a table or hung on a wall. The game board may be available in a universal size with the exact size, measurement, construction, materials, and design specifications varying upon manufacturing. 
     A method of playing the game may include two players: and odd numbered player and an even numbered player. Each player may receive three ping pong balls each of different colors. During each player&#39;s turn, the ping pong balls may be shot or tossed into the corresponding cups. To win, all of the player&#39;s cups must be cleared from the board along with the center bullseye cup. The game may be played as a regular game or may be used as a drinking game. 
     Referring initially to  FIG. 1 , in one embodiment of the invention a ball toss game  100  for use with a plurality of balls  10  comprises a circular game board  102 . The plurality of balls  10  are typically ping pong balls but may be any balls sized to be used with the ball toss game  100 . The balls  10  may be of differing colors as desired to indicate belonging to a particular player. The circular game board  102  comprises a target surface side  104  and a back side  108 . The circular game board  102  may be manufactured from wood, plastic, composite materials, or the like. Similarly, the dimensions of the circular game board  102  may vary depending on the dimensions or the other components of the ball toss game  100  as described infra. 
     The target surface side  104  comprises a plurality of pie shaped sections  106  of approximately equal dimension. In one embodiment, the target surface side  104  is bisected into eight approximately equally sized pie shaped sections. However, a different diameter target surface side could have more or less sections as desired. Each of the plurality of pie shaped sections  106  may have a numerical indicator  107 , in this case, numbered one through eight. The plurality of pie shaped sections  106  may be alternating in color based on whether the numerical indicator  107  is an even or odd number. For example, each of the even numbered plurality of pie shaped sections  106  could have one color and the odd numbered plurality of pie shaped sections  106  could have a different color improving visibility for the players. 
     As further illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the ball toss game  100  further comprises a plurality of container retaining components  110  and a plurality of containers  118 . Each of the plurality of container retaining components  110  is attached to the target surface side  104  of the circular game board  102  in a generally circular orientation each within one of plurality of pie shaped sections  106 . Each of the plurality of container retaining components  110  comprise a target surface attachment element  112  and a retaining ring  114 . 
     Each target surface attachment element  112  is typically a mechanical fastener, such as a screw, hook, mechanical attachment point, or the like, used to movably attach the corresponding retaining ring  114  to the circular game board  102 . Each retaining ring  114  is manufactured from wire, tubing, string, or other pliable material, and had a diameter large enough to accept and retain one of the plurality of containers  118 . Each of the plurality of container retaining components  110  may further comprise a friction element  116 . Each friction element  116  is manufactured from metal, plastic, or other material that can frictionally engage the corresponding container  118 . 
     Each of the plurality of containers  118  comprise an opening  120  and a ball retaining portion  122 . Additionally, each of the plurality of containers  118  is substantially identical in size with the opening  120  being large enough to accept a ping pong ball  10 . Each of the plurality of containers  118  is retainable by one of the corresponding container components  110 . Each container  118  may be a cup, such as a plastic Solo® cup, a plastic drinking cup, or the like. 
     Prior to accepting one of the plurality of containers  118 , each retaining ring  114  can lie substantially flat against the target side surface  104  of the circular game board  102 . When the container  118  is placed within the retaining ring  114 , the retaining ring  114  hinges outward away from the target side surface  104  substantially perpendicularly to retain the container  118  within the container retaining component  110 . The friction element  116  helps to hold the container  118  in position within the retaining ring  114 . 
     The ball toss game  100  further comprises a center container retaining component  124  and a center container  132 . The center container retaining component  124  comprises a center target surface attachment element (not shown, but similar in configuration and construction to  112 ), and a center retaining ring  128 . The center target surface attachment element is typically a mechanical fastener, such as a screw, hook, mechanical attachment point, or the like, used to movably attach the corresponding retaining ring  114  to the circular game board  102 . 
     The center container retaining component  124  is attached to the target surface side  104  of the circular game board  102  at the center intersection of each of the plurality of pie shaped sections  106  similar to a “bullseye” location on a dart board. The center retaining ring  128  is typically manufactured from wire, tubing, string, or other pliable material, and had a diameter large enough to accept and retain the center container  132 . The center container retaining component  124  may further comprise a friction element  130  typically manufactured from metal, plastic, or other material that can frictionally engage the center container  132 . 
     The center container  132  comprises an opening  134  and a ball retaining portion  136 . Additionally, the opening  134  of the center container  132  is large enough to accept a ping pong ball  10  but is smaller than the opening  120  of each of the plurality of containers  118 . The center container  132  is retainable by center container retaining component  124 . The center container  132  is typically a smaller cup, such as a plastic Solo® cup, a plastic drinking cup, or the like. The center container  132  is smaller than each of the plurality of containers  118 . For example, if the plurality of containers  118  are 16 oz cups, the center container may be a 4 oz cup. 
     Prior to accepting the center container  132 , the center retaining ring  128  can lie substantially flat against the target side surface  104  of the circular game board  102 . When the center container  132  is placed within the center retaining ring  128 , the center retaining ring  128  hinges outward away from the target side surface  104  substantially perpendicularly to retain the center container  132  within the center container retaining component  124 . The friction element  130  helps to hold the center container  132  in position within the center retaining ring  128 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the ball toss game  100  further comprises a support component  138 . The support component  138  is movably attached to the back side  108  of the circular game board  102 . The support component  138  comprises a back side attachment segment  140  and a pair of legs  142 . The pair of legs  142  are movably attached to the back side attachment segment  140  by a fastener  146 . The pair of legs  142  are connected by a brace  144  for stability. When the support component  138  is deployed to support the circular game board  102 , the pair of legs  142  hinge outward in an easel like configuration to support the ball toss game  100  when placed on a horizontal surface. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 5 , the ball toss game  100  may further comprise a wall mount component  148 . The wall mount component  148  is attached to the back side  108  of the circular game board  102 . The wall mount component  148  comprises a back side attachment portion  150  and a hanger  152 . The back side attachment portion  150  is typically a mechanical fastener, such as a screw, hook, mechanical attachment point, or the like. The hanger  152  is movably attached to the back side attachment portion  150 . The hanger  152  is typically a wire, string, or the like that is attachable to the back side attachment portion  150 . The wall mount component  148  further comprises a wall mount bracket  154  for attaching to a vertical surface. The wall mount bracket  154  is typically a bracket, hook, or similar hardware that is attachable to the vertical surface. The hanger  152  is attachable to the wall mount bracket  154  to hang the circular game board  102  on a wall. 
       FIG. 6  illustrated a flow chart of a method  200  of playing the ball toss game  100  described supra. The method  200  comprises providing a ball toss game  100  for a player and an opponent at  210 . The player selects either odd or even numbers for his numerical indicators  107 . At  220 , the player attempts to toss a ping pong ball  10  into one of the opponent&#39;s plurality of containers  118  or the center container  132  of the ball toss game  100 . If the toss is successfully placed into one of the opponent&#39;s plurality of containers  118 , the player removes the container  118  with the retained ping pong ball  10  from the corresponding container retaining component  110  at  230 . If the toss is successfully placed into the center container  132 , the player chooses one of the opponent&#39;s containers  118  to remove. At  240 , if the toss inadvertently lands in one of the player&#39;s containers  118 , the player must replace one of the opponent&#39;s containers  118  back into one of the opponent&#39;s container retaining components  110  if any are available. 
     Similarly, the opponent repeats the process by attempting to toss a ping pong ball  10  into one of the player&#39;s plurality of containers  118 , or the center container  132 . If the toss is successfully placed into one of the player&#39;s plurality of containers  118 , the opponent removes the container  118  with the retained ping pong ball  10  from the corresponding container retaining component  110 . If the toss is successfully placed into the center container  132 , the opponent chooses one of the player&#39;s containers  118  to remove. If the toss inadvertently lands in one of the opponent&#39;s containers  118 , the opponent must replace one of the player&#39;s containers  118  back into one of the player&#39;s container retaining components  110  if any are available. 
     Once all of the opponent&#39;s containers  118  have been removed, the player attempts to toss the ping pong ball  10  into the center container  132  at  250 . Similarly, once all of the player&#39;s containers  118  have been removed, the opponent attempts to toss the ping pong ball  10  into the center container  132 . The game ends at  260  when either the player or the opponent successfully tosses the ping pong ball  10  into the center container  132  when all of the player&#39;s or opponent&#39;s containers  118  respectively have been removed. 
     What has been described above includes examples of the claimed subject matter. It is, of course, not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components or methodologies for purposes of describing the claimed subject matter, but one of ordinary skill in the art may recognize that many further combinations and permutations of the claimed subject matter are possible. Accordingly, the claimed subject matter is intended to embrace all such alterations, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, to the extent that the term “includes” is used in either the detailed description or the claims, such term is intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising” as “comprising” is interpreted when employed as a transitional word in a claim.