Patent Publication Number: US-4317515-A

Title: Game package

Description:
This invention relates to a game package or kit. It relates more particularly to a packaged set of game playing pieces and parts. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     When merchandising a game, it is desirable that the package containing the components of the game protectively enclose those components during shipping and handling and while the game is being displayed at the point of sale. In addition, however, it is desirable that the purchaser of the game be able to use the same carton in order to store the various game pieces in an orderly and safe manner so that they do not become damaged or lost. 
     Usually, the components of a game are simply placed in an ordinary rectangular box. Sometimes provision is made for isolating the different pieces and maintaining them in selected orientations by compartmentalizing the box using cardboard dividers. However, in time, the dividers tear and become separated from the box so that they no longer perform their isolating function. 
     The game with which we are concerned particularly here employs diamond-shaped game pieces in the form of cards and blocks. The cards may be marked with pips or spots like dominos indicating their values or they may be numbered or alphabetized with suits and in some instances the cards or blocks are used in conjunction with a diamond-shaped game board. Due to their diamond shapes, all of these components occupy a relatively large amount of space unless they are properly oriented and stacked. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved game package. 
     Another object is to provide an improved package for both flexible and rigid game parts. 
     Another object is to provide a package of this type which is particularly suited to accommodating diamond-shaped game parts. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide a package which safely encloses game pieces, a game board and instructions during shipping and handling and also provides a permanent holder for the game pieces. 
     A further object is to provide such a package which helps to market the game itself. 
     Other objects will, in part, be obvious and will, in part, appear hereinafter. 
     The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the following detailed description, and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims. 
     In general, the present package includes diamond-shaped playing pieces in the nature of numbered and/or alphabetized cards with or without suits and diamond-shaped blocks with pips or spots in the nature of dominos. Usually, but not necessarily, the various game pieces are intended to be used in conjunction with a diamond-shaped game board which is flexible and delineated to define an array of diamond-shaped grid areas of approximately the same size and shape as the cards and blocks. The rules for playing the game or games contained in the package are written out in a small information and instruction book which, when closed, is also in the shape of a diamond. 
     The game pieces, board and instruction booklet are all contained or packaged in a carton body having the shape of a parallelepiped whose cross-section has the same general diamond shape and more or less the same dimensions as the game cards and blocks. The carton has removable top and bottom covers which engage over opposite ends of the parallelepiped to form a protective enclosure for the components of the game. 
     In packaging these components, the game board, being flexible, can be rolled up and stuffed into the carton alongside the diamond-shaped instruction booklet. Then the cards and/or blocks can be aligned and stacked in the carton, their orientations being preserved by the matching internal cross-sectional shape of the carton. When the carton covers are in place, the contents of the carton are completely protected during shipping and handling to the point of sale. 
     In the preferred embodiment of the invention, in order to isolate and preserve the proper orientation of the cards so they can be retrieved easily from the carton, the outside cross-sectional dimensions of the carton are made equal to the corresponding outer dimensions of the cards themselves. Thus instead of fitting within the carton body, the cards sit or rest on the upper edges of the carton body. Further, the carton top cover is made appreciably deeper than the bottom cover. More particularly, its internal depth equals or exceeds the height of the stack of cards comprising the game. 
     In this preferred embodiment, then, the cards are stacked inside the carton top cover and the cover thereupon placed over the upper end of the carton body so that the cards are captured between the cover and the upper edges of the carton body side walls. It is desirable also that the shallower carton bottom cover have a larger perimeter or cross-sectional area than the top cover. This enables the top cover containing the cards to be removed from the carton body, inverted, and used as a small holder for those cards, with the removed bottom cover then functioning as a separate closure for that holder. In that event, the carton body is also provided with a bottom wall to retain the game parts stored in the carton body. 
     Thus the carton covers function not only to cover the opposite ends of the overall carton containing all of the game pieces, game board and instruction booklet, but they function also as a separate smaller container or holder for the cards themselves. Accordingly, all of the components of the present game kit are fully protected during their transport to the point of sale. At the same time the components of the game carton itself can be used to properly segregate and orient the game pieces so that they are in the right disposition when it is time to play the game. Accordingly, the package should find wide acceptance in the marketplace. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view with parts cut away of a game package embodying the principles of this invention; 
     FIG. 2 is an elevational view on a larger scale with parts cut away showing a similar game package; 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view on the scale of FIG. 1 illustrating the operation of certain components of the package; and 
     FIG. 4 is a top plan view on a much smaller scale showing the internal elements of the game package in greater detail. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawing, my game package or kit indicated generally at 10 comprises a cardboard carton body 12 having a first pair of spaced-apart parallel side walls 12a and a second pair spaced-apart parallel side walls 12b all interconnected to form a parallelepiped having a diamond-shaped cross-section. In some cases, the carton body may also have a diamond-shaped bottom wall 12c (FIG. 2). 
     The various components of the game are contained within the carton. Referring particularly to FIGS. 1 and 4, these components may include a set of diamond-shaped cards C. The cards may contain the same indicia as playing cards, i.e. alpha-numerics with suits, or they may be marked with spots much like dominos. In any event, the cards are thin flexible resilient pieces made of plastic or cardboard. 
     Also included in the game package are diamond-shaped blocks B of wood or plastic which are marked with spots in the manner of conventional dominos. Normally, these cards and blocks are arranged to be manipulated on a game board indicated at G which is cross-hatched with lines G&#39; so as to define an array of diamond-shaped areas whose dimensions are comparable to those of the cards and blocks. Preferably, the game board G is made of a flexible material which does not wrinkle so that the game board can be rolled up and stored in the carton body 12 as shown in FIG. 1. To this end, the game board 6 may be made of a thin piece of plastic foam material. 
     Instructions for playing the game or games are contained in an instruction booklet I whose pages are hinged at I&#39; with a spiral binder, staples or other such securement. The booklet I instructs people how to manipulate the game pieces on the board G. Booklet I, when closed, is diamond-shaped to correspond to the shape of the other game parts for aesthetic and marketing reasons and can also be stored in the same container 12. 
     Preferably, to prevent the cards C from falling down inside the carton and becoming disorganized, the dimensions of the cards are made to correspond with the outer dimensions of the carton body 12 cross-section. In other words, the side edges of the cards are arranged to correspond with the mating side edges of the carton body cross-section with the result that the cards can be stacked in register on top of the carton body as shown in FIG. 1. 
     Still referring to FIG. 1, the package also includes a relatively deep, diamond-shaped cover 14 which is arranged to engage over the top of carton body 12 including the stack of cards C thereon. The cover has side walls 14a which surround the cards and extend around the perimeter of the carton body as shown in those figures. In other words, the depth of the cover 14 is sufficient to accommodate the stack of cards C and also enable its side walls 14a to overlap the upper edge margins of the carton body. 
     Finally, the package has a diamond-shaped bottom cover 16 with side walls 16a. The bottom cover is similar to cover 14 except that it is slightly larger in area, but not as deep for reasons to be discussed presently. If the carton body 12 does not include a bottom wall 12c, the cover 16 closes the bottom of the carton. If it does as in FIG. 2, cover 16 engages under and reinforces that bottom wall. 
     If the game package does not include the blocks B, the flexible game board G and the instruction booklet I are positioned in the carton as shown in FIG. 1 with the cards C preferably being stacked on top and maintained there by the cover 14. In the event that the game or games in the package require blocks B, the blocks can be stacked inside the carton as shown in FIG. 2, with the cards reposing at the top of the carton and protectively enclosed by the cover 14. In that event, the outside of the carton 12 may be printed with advertising or game playing instructions as indicated at A in FIG. 2. Alternatively, the written instructions, flexible board and cards C may be placed in the carton void above blocks B, the cards being dimensioned accordingly to fit within the carton body. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, the present package provides a separate holder for the cards C in the event that the user desires to keep them organized in a convenient location on a table or elsewhere without their being too conspicuous. For this, the carton bottom cover 16 is made slightly larger in area than the deeper top cover 14 so that when the two covers are removed from the carton, the inverted cover 14 can function as a holder for the cards C, with the cover 16 serving as a closure for that holder as illustrated in FIG. 3. The carton body 12 and its two covers 14 and 16 thus perform a dual function, namely, as a secure shipping container for all of the components of the game up to the point of sale of the package and as an organizing holder for the cards and a separate repository for the remaining game parts. In addition to those utilitarian functions, the package as a whole serves a unique advertising function in emphasizing the diamond motif of the game and of its various interrelated components. 
     It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those made apparent from the preceding description, are efficiently attained. Also certain changes may be made in the above construction without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, instead of the game pieces and carton having a diamond shape, they can have other mating polygonal shapes such as triangles, octagons, etc. Therefore, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. 
     It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described.