Patent Publication Number: US-2018043227-A1

Title: Game board assembly made of composite corn boards

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a United States Non-Provisional Patent Application which claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/373,904 filed Aug. 11, 2016, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     This disclosure relates to a structural assembly for use in bag toss games. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Bag toss games are popular lawn games enjoyed on weekends and while tailgating before a big game, such as a high school, college, or professional sports game. Bag toss games are also known as dummy boards, dadhole, doghouse, Baggo, Bags, or cornhole. Players take turns throwing bags of bean (or corn, sand, or other substances) at a raised and inclined board having a hole in the far end. Each board is usually two feet by four feet, with a six-inch hole centered nine inches from the top. The inclined angle is often defined having the top edge twelve inches from the ground and the bottom edge three to four inches from the ground. A regular court places two boards twenty seven feet apart (measured at the bottom edges). Common gameplay includes scoring one point for landing a bag on the board and three points for throwing a bag into the six-inch hole. 
     Each board often has a smooth top surface such that the players may anticipate the sliding movement of the bags once landed on the top surface. This provides greater forgiveness to the vertical landing point such that a bag may land at a location lower than the hole and continue to slide into the hole for scoring points or position your bag as desired. Such gameplay, however, also requires the top surface to be relatively rigid to avoid substantial elastic bending that changes the inclination angle or causes rebound to the bag. This structural requirement results in many rigid but heavy bag toss games boards in the market. For example, to ensure rigidity, a set of two platforms often weigh about 15 kg or more and are made as a wooden box that is cumbersome to carry and to store. 
     SUMMARY 
     This disclosure describes a structural assembly for use in bag toss games. The structural assembly serves as the toss platforms in the games and enables players to conveniently store and transport the game set. The structural assembly may be sold as pre-assembled or as a kit for later assembly by user. In some embodiments, the structural assembly uses composite corn boards to improve quality and affordability. 
     In a first general aspect, a structural assembly for use in bag toss games includes at least two side supports each having a lower end and an upper end. A first cross bar connects the side supports near the lower ends. A second cross bar connects the side supports near the upper ends. The side supports, in one embodiment, have pre-cut slots for receiving the first and the second cross bars such that the connections between the first and second cross bars and the side supports are achieved using friction. A top surface is affixed onto or adjacent the side supports and the first and second cross bars. 
     In other embodiments, at least two cross bars are provided that connect between two or more supports, such as side supports, and the at least two cross bars may be positioned parallel to each other, at an angle to one another, or in a diagonal relation to one another. 
     In some embodiments, the structural assembly further includes a third cross bar positioned between or near the first and the second cross bars and connecting the side supports (or at least two side supports). The side supports may include pre-cut slots for receiving the third cross bar for a press-fit connection. 
     In some other embodiments, the top surface further includes a hole for receiving a bag in a bag toss games gameplay and a slot pattern for affixing to the side supports and the first and the second cross bars. 
     In yet some other embodiments, a distance between the lower end and the upper end of each of the side supports equals to a length of the top surface such that the top surface aligns with the side supports when placed thereon. The top surface can be press-fitted onto the side supports and the first and the second cross bars. 
     In some embodiments, the side supports, the first and the second cross bars and the top surface are made of composite corn boards manufactured from a mixture of corn byproducts and a binding material. For example, the mixture is compressed to form a board of a standard thickness. The byproducts are corn husks and the binding material is an epoxy resin. 
     In some other embodiments, the side supports further includes an extended leg at each of the lower and the upper ends. 
     In yet some other embodiments, the top surface further includes a left half piece and a right half piece that are assembled during use and disassembled during storage. 
     In some embodiments, the side supports, the first and the second cross bars, and the top surface are disassembled for storage and transportation. 
     In some other embodiments, two sets of the side supports, the first and the second cross bars, and the top surface are packaged into a box no greater than 48 inches in length, 13 inches in width, and 3.5 inches in height before assembly or during storage. 
     In a second general aspect, a bag toss games game platform includes an inclined top surface resting on a pair of side supports, each side support having a lower end and an upper end. A first cross bar connects the side supports at the lower ends. A second cross bar connects the side supports at the upper ends. 
     In some embodiments, the inclined top surface further includes a slot pattern for coupling to the side supports and the first and the second cross bars, and a hole for receiving a bag during a bag toss games gameplay. 
     In some other embodiments, a third cross bar is positioned amid the first and the second cross bars and connected to the side supports. 
     In yet some other embodiments, the top surface, the side supports, and the first, the second, and the third cross bars are made of composite corn boards manufactured from a mixture of corn byproducts and a binding material. For example, the mixture is compressed to form a board of a standard thickness. The byproducts may include corn husks and the binding material may be an epoxy resin. 
     In some embodiments, two sets of the side supports, the first and the second cross bars, and the top surface are packaged into a box no greater than 48 inches in length, 13 inches in width, and 3.5 inches in height before assembly or during storage. 
     In a third general aspect, a method for producing a bag toss games game platform includes first producing a composite board using a mixture of byproducts of corn production and a binding material. The composite board has a standard thickness. A pair of side supports is cut out of the composite board. Each side support has a lower end and an upper end. Each of the side support includes a cut slot near the lower end and a cut slot near the upper end. The cut slots have a width of the standard thickness. A top surface having a left half piece and a right half piece is cut out of the composite board. A hole for receiving a bag is further cut from the top surface for a bag toss games gameplay. A number of cross bar components is cut out from the composite board to be used as a first cross bar and a second cross bar. The side supports are to be connected using the first and the second cross bars are pressed into the cut slots at the lower ends and the upper ends to form a rectangular frame for supporting the top surface. The top surface has a slot pattern for coupling to the rectangular frame by press fit. 
     In some embodiments, the method further includes packaging two sets of the top surface, the side supports, and the first and the second cross bars into a package no greater than 48 inches in length, 13 inches in width and 3.5 inches in height. 
     In some other embodiments, the method further includes cutting an additional cut slot amid the lower end and the upper end in each of the side supports; and wherein a third cross bar of the plurality of the cross bar components is to connect the side slots at the additional cut slots for reinforcing the top surface during gameplay. 
     Detailed disclosure and examples are provided below. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a structural assembly for use in bag toss games; 
         FIG. 2A  is a bottom view of a first embodiment of the top surface of the structural assembly shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 2B  is a bottom view of an alternative embodiment of the top surface of the structural assembly shown in  FIG. 1   
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the side supports and cross-bars shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a side view of the side supports and cross-bars shown in  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of stacking two sets of side supports onto one another in preparation of packaging or storage; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of stacking two sets of structural assemblies for packaging or storage; and 
         FIG. 7  is a flowchart illustrating a method for making the structural assembly for use in bag toss games according to  FIG. 1 . 
       Like elements are labeled using like numerals. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     This disclosure presents a set of easy-to-assemble-and-store platforms for use in bag toss games. Traditional bag toss games game platforms are two pre-assembled boxes taking up to 48 inches by 24 inches by 15 inches in total and cannot be dissembled by players after use. The cumbersome volume discourages many tailgate or camping trips when luggage spaces were insufficient for the bulky boxes. The platforms described herein, in certain embodiments, take (for two sets) no more than 48 inches by 13 inches by 3.5 inches (i.e., about ⅛ of the traditional volume) and can easily be assembled for gameplay and disassembled after use and provided in a convenient carrier or bag for ease of transport. Other sizes and configurations are also covered by this disclosure. 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a structural assembly  100  for use as the platforms in bag toss games. The structural assembly  100  includes a top surface  110 , a pair of side supports  120 , and a number of cross bars  130 . The top surface  110  is inclined to receive bags thrown by players during gameplay. The inclined angle is determined by the geometry of the side supports  120 . Different embodiments of the top surface  110  are illustrated in  FIGS. 2A and 2B . 
       FIG. 2A  is a bottom view of a first embodiment of the top surface  110 . The top surface  110  further includes a first half piece  110   a  and a second half piece  110   b.  The first and the second half pieces  110   a  and  110   b  are assembled during use and disassembled during storage. For a dado joint or a groove joint, a slot pattern  150  is made in the top surface  110  for coupling to the side supports  120  and the cross bars  130 . For example, the slot pattern  150  has a width of the thickness of the side supports  120  and the cross bars  130 . When assembled, the first half piece  110   a  and the second half piece  110   b  will be press-fitted to the side supports  120  and the cross bars  130  at the slot pattern  150 . Other joints, not expressly shown herein, may also be used. Further, although two pieces are illustrated in  FIG. 2A , other embodiments may include a different number of pieces. 
       FIG. 2B  is a bottom view of an alternative embodiment of the top surface  110 , which is a single piece. In this embodiment, the top surface  110  also includes a slot pattern  150  for affixing to the side supports  120  and the cross bars  130 . This embodiment allows the overall packaging to be of a thinner but wider configuration than the alternative embodiment of  FIG. 2A . 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , they respectively are a perspective view and a side view of the side supports  120  and cross-bars  130  shown in  FIG. 1 . Each side support  120  has a lower end  122  and an upper end  124 . Each side support further includes various slots such as, in the one embodiment shown, a first slot  152  at the lower end  122  and a second slot  154  at the upper end  124 . The first slot  152  is created for a cross lap joint with a first slot  151  in a first cross bar  134  that connects the side supports  120  at the lower ends  122  at a distance specified by the slot pattern  150  of the top surface  110 . Similarly, the second slot  154  is created for a cross lap joint with a second slot  153  in a second cross bar  130  that connects the side supports  120  at the upper ends  124 . In some instances, the side supports  120  further includes an extended leg  142  at the lower end  122  and an extended leg  144  at the upper end  124 . The extended legs  142  and  144  provide a ground clearance for better positioning the structural assembly  100  on lawn or beach surfaces. In other embodiments, the slots may be configured only on certain members, and may be oriented or shaped with other configurations. 
     The slots  151  and  152 , in the embodiment shown, have a total depth less than the width of the first cross bar  134  such that the cross lap of the first cross bar  134  protrudes slightly over the inclined side of the side supports  120 , as illustrated in  FIG. 4 . Similarly, the slots  153  and  154  may have a total depth less than the width of the second cross bar  130 . When the top surface  110  is press-fitted onto the frame formed from the side supports  120  and the first and the second cross bars  134  and  130 , the first and the second cross bars  134  and  130  frictionally engage with slot pattern  150  at a greater depth than the depth engaged by the side supports  120 . A distance between the lower end  122  and the upper end  124  of each of the side supports  120  equals to a length of the top surface  110  such that the top surface  110  aligns with the side supports when placed thereon. 
     In some embodiments, each side support  120  further includes a slot  156  positioned in about middle position between the slots  152  and  154 . The slot  156  forms a cross lap joint with a third slot  155  of a third cross bar  132  to reinforce the top surface  110  as optional back support. Unlike the slot pairs  151  and  152 , and  153  and  154 , the slot pair  155  and  156  has a total depth greater than the width of the third cross bar  132  such that the cross bar  132  is below the top surface  110  and does not interfere with the slot pattern  150  to form the groove joint with the side supports  120  and the first and the second cross bars  134  and  130 . In other embodiments, the slot depth may be less than, greater than, or equal to the width of the associated cross bar. 
     In some embodiments, the side supports  120 , the first and the second cross bars  134  and  130 , and the top surface  110  are made of composite corn boards manufactured from a mixture of corn byproducts and a binding material. The mixture is compressed to form a board of a standard or desired thickness that is the same as the width of the slot pattern  150  and the slots  151 - 156 . In some instances, the byproducts include corn husks and the binding material is an epoxy resin. 
     Turning now to  FIGS. 5 and 6 ,  FIG. 5  is a perspective view of stacking two sets of side supports  120  in preparation of packaging or storage; and  FIG. 6  is a perspective view of stacking two sets of structural assemblies  100  for packaging or storage. A bag toss games gameplay often includes two teams competing for scores so two sets of the structural assemblies  100  are often packaged together. However, a single set may also be individually packaged or sold standalone. For example, when only one set is packaged, the illustration in  FIG. 5  may include one layer of the side supports instead of two. As illustrated in  FIG. 6 , when packaged, the two sets of the side supports  120 , the cross bars  130 ,  132 , and  134 , and the top surface pieces  110   a  and  110   b  are packaged into a box no greater than 48 inches in length  166 , 13 inches in width  164 , and 3.5 inches in height  162 . Such packaging configuration substantially reduces the space requirement for storing or transporting two sets of the bag toss games game platforms needed for gameplay. 
       FIG. 7  is a flowchart  700  illustrating a method for making the structural assembly  100  for use in bag toss games according to  FIG. 1 . At block  710 , a composite board is produced from a mixture of byproduct of corn production and a binding material. In some instances, the byproduct includes corn husks and the binding material is an epoxy resin. The mixture is subject to a planar pressure that may either be constant or in variance for reducing gases trapped therein. The mixture is formed at a standard thickness after fully cured. 
     At  720 , a pair of side supports is cut out from the cured composite board. Each of the side supports forms a trapezoidal shape in general and includes a lower end and an upper end. Two or three cross lap joint slots are further cut on the inclined side between the lower end and the upper end. In some embodiments, the side supports further includes extended legs near the lower end and upper end for raising the structural assembly above the ground. 
     At  730 , a top surface is cut out from the composite board. In a preferred embodiment, the top surface is further separated into two left-and-right half pieces for packaging advantages. However, it is optional for the top surface to be one whole piece or two half-pieces. A hole is cut in the top surface as the hole for receiving corn, bean, or other filled bags or projectiles during gameplay. In the backside of the top surface, a slot pattern is cut for providing a groove joint for later press-fitting with other components. 
     At  740 , a number of cross bar components are cut out. These cross bar components may be identical in shape and interchangeable during assembly. In some embodiments, each structural assembly includes at least two cross bar components. A first cross bar component connects the side supports near the lower ends and a second cross bar component connects the side support near the upper ends. The first cross bar component includes corresponding cut slots for engaging with the slots in the side supports to form cross laps. Similarly, a second cross bar component includes corresponding cut slots for engaging with the slots in the side supports to form cross laps. In some embodiments, a third cross bar component may connect the side supports in a similar manner in the middle between the first and the second cross bar components for additional support for the top surface. The top surface is press-fitted to the side supports and the first and the second cross bar components at its slot pattern, which may vary depending on how the cross bars are positioned, for a groove joint. 
     At  750 , the side supports, the top surface (two half-pieces), and the cross bar components are packaged into a box no greater than 48 inches in length, 13 inches in width, and 3.5 inches in height before assembly or during storage. Although a pair of side supports has been mentioned herein, it should be understood that in other embodiments, two or more side supports may be used instead. Such side supports and/or cross bar components may be parallel or angled with respect to one another. 
     Other implementations are possible. For example, the structural assembly may be pre-assembled and sold in a final assembled form. Adhesive or fasteners may further be used to prevent further disassembly, or to couple or connect components.