Patent Publication Number: US-6210248-B1

Title: Book useable with a game piece, such as a book with an internal passageway

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The invention relates generally to a book, and more particularly to an interactive book that uses one or more game pieces. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Children&#39;s books and games have traditionally been available on not only a variety of topics, but also in a variety of shapes, sizes and styles. Children&#39;s books are often designed to induce children to read, as well as to keep the child&#39;s interest throughout the book. For example, children&#39;s books have been designed with, among other things, bright illustrations, scratch and sniff areas, pop-up figures, and lift-up flaps. Many of these features in the books are designed to teach children new skills, such as dexterity, memory, or imagination and reasoning. 
     Developing children continuously learn new cognitive and physical skills. Books have been recognized as helping children with letter and word recognition, as well as improving their small motor skills. The more interactive the user was with the book, on both a cognitive level as well as being able to physically manipulate portions of the book, the greater opportunity there was for the user to learn on a variety of levels. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention improves upon the prior art and provides additional benefits. Under one aspect of the invention, a book is usable with a game piece such as candy or the like. The book includes a front cover, a back cover, and a plurality of pages, wherein one of the pages has an internal passageway for the game piece. The internal passageway includes an inlet and an outlet. The inlet is shaped and sized to receive the game piece. The outlet is spaced apart from the inlet and sized to allow the game piece to exit the passageway. Under another aspect of the invention, multiple pages of the book contain internal passageways, wherein an outlet from a first page is substantially aligned with an inlet from an adjacent page such that the game piece is allowed to travel through the internal passageways and adjacent pages. Under another aspect of the invention, an actuator, such as a rotatable wheel or a pullable tab, interconnects discontinuous portions of the passageway and moves the game piece between a first portion of the passageway and a second portion of the passageway. Under still another aspect of the invention, a game piece dispenser is attached to the book. In one embodiment, the game piece dispenser has an opening aligned with an inlet aperture of an internal passageway such that game pieces are selectively dispensed into the internal passageway of the page. Under another aspect of the invention, a game piece container is mounted to the book to retain game pieces when not in use. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a schematic isometric view of a book in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the book having a plurality of pages connected together at a spine, and a candy or game piece container is mounted to the book&#39;s spine. 
     FIG. 2 is a plan view of one page of the book shown in FIG. 1, the page includes an internal passageway with an inlet aperture and multiple outlet apertures. 
     FIG. 3 is a plan view of a book page in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the page includes an internal passageway having an inlet and an outlet aperture, the outlet aperture of this page aligns with the inlet aperture of a subsequent adjacent page. 
     FIG. 4 is a plan view of an adjacent page to the page in FIG. 3, wherein the outlet aperture of the page in FIG. 3 aligns with an inlet aperture of this page shown in FIG.  4 . 
     FIG. 5 is a plan view of one page of a book in accordance with an alternate embodiment, the page includes an internal passageway extending between an inlet aperture and two outlet apertures, and two pullable tabs with slots in communication with the passageway. 
     FIG. 6 is a plan view of a page of a book in accordance with an alternate embodiment, the page includes an actuator lever with a slot in communication with the internal passageway in the page. 
     FIG. 7 is a plan view of a page of a book in accordance with another alternate embodiment, the page includes an actuator with a slot in communication with the internal passageway in the page. 
     FIG. 8 is a plan view of a page of a book in accordance with another alternate embodiment, the page includes an internal passageway extending between an inlet and an outlet aperture and an internal actuator wheel, shown in hidden lines in the passageway. 
     FIG. 9 is a side view of a book in accordance with another alternate embodiment, the book including a game piece dispenser. 
     FIG. 10 is a front plan view of a page of the book of FIG. 12, the page includes an outlet aperture and the internal portion of the page includes a game piece actuator with a slot in communication with the passageway. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     A book  10  in accordance with embodiments of the invention is shown in the drawings for purposes of illustration. The book  10  is usable with a piece of candy  40  that becomes a game piece in an interactive game played by a user, such as a child or the like. The book  10  has a plurality of pages  20  and at least one page with an internal passageway  34 . During game play a child or other user places the candy in the passageway  34 , and depending upon the game or book configuration, the candy may come out of the passage at selected or random positions or locations on the page. 
     As best seen in FIG. 1, the book  10  in accordance with one embodiment includes a front cover  16  and a back cover  18  with the plurality of pages  20  therebetween. At least one of the pages  20  has the internal passageway  34  therein, although a passageway could also be in the front cover  16 , back cover  18 , or both. The passageway  34  defines a travel path through the page for candy  40 . The front cover  16 , back cover  18 , and plurality of pages  20  are bound together along one edge  14  with a binding  12 . The binding  12  may be accomplished by a variety of devices, including, but not limited to, adhesive, staples, clips, rings, or plastic clasps. 
     In the illustrated embodiment, the book  10  also has a candy container  42  securely connected to the binding  12 , and is shaped and sized to contain multiple pieces of candy  40  or other game pieces. The candy container  42  includes a lid  44  that can be securely closed so that the candy  40  does not spill out of the container  42  when the candy  40  is being stored. In alternate embodiments, the candy container  42  may be removably attached to the book. The container  42  may also be removably or fixedly mounted to the front or back cover and may be refillable. In an alternate embodiment, the container  42  contains or is refilled with game pieces. 
     The candy  40  may be any shape, such as, but not limited to, a spherical piece, an elliptical piece, a triangular piece, or a cubical piece. In alternative embodiments, the game piece is a three-dimensional character taken from the theme of the book  10 . 
     The internal passageway  34  contained within the front cover  16 , back cover  18 , or pages  20  may include any number of configurations including, but not limited to, smooth walled tunnels, cylindrical tubes, or angled pathways. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the passageway  34  in the pages  20  extends between an inlet aperture  32  and an outlet aperture  36 . The internal passageway  34 , the inlet aperture  32 , and the outlet aperture  36 , are all configured to allow the candy  40  or other game pieces to travel therethrough. The illustrated internal passageway  34  includes intermediate outlet apertures  38  along the route of the internal passageway  34 . The intermediate outlet apertures  38 , as well as the final outlet aperture  36 , are configured to allow the candy  40  to exit from the passageway  34 . 
     In the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, the passageways  34  are within the pages  20  and substantially hidden from view. Accordingly, the user, such as a child, can see the inlet aperture  32  and the outlet apertures  36 , but cannot see the travel path of the candy  40  through the passageway  34 . So, the candy  40  “disappears” after it is put into the inlet aperture  32  and until it appears at one of the outlet apertures  36 . In one embodiment, the internal passageway  34  is constructed so the candy  40  may appear at a random one of the outlet apertures  36 , and the user may, during game play, guess where the candy  40  will appear. 
     In other embodiments, the passageways  34  may be partially or entirely visible from one or several pages of the book  10 . Thus, although the pages  20  may not contain internal passageways  34 , these pages  20  may contain overlapping see-through windows (not shown) which allow the user to view portions of the internal passageway  34  such that the progress of the candy  40  through the internal passageway  34  can be monitored as a story unfolds. Thus, the pages  20  without internal passageways and the pages  20  with internal passageways  34  are positioned adjacent to each other such that the candy  40  may be visible or manipulatable throughout the story. 
     In one embodiment, the front cover  16 , back cover  18 , and pages  20  that include an internal passageway  34  are constructed with a laminated assembly. The composite assembly includes outer layers sandwiching a core layer therebetween. Channels are formed in the core layer to define the passageways. The channels are configured to allow a piece of candy or game piece to travel through them. When the outer layers are laminated to both a top and bottom sides of the channeled core layer, the composite assembly provides internal passageways within the page or book cover. In an alternate embodiment, at least one of the outer layers is a removable cover. The cover may be removed to provide access to the channel, for example, to dislodge or remove a piece of candy or game piece from the internal passageway. Opaque card stock or other similarly stiff material can be used for the outer layers to form a semi-rigid page with hidden passageways. Alternatively, translucent materials can be used for all or a portion of the outer layer to allow the user to track the progress of the candy in the passageway. In an alternate embodiment, flexible materials can be used to form the page or book cover. Additionally, the core layer can be made out of paper stock, foam, wood, plastic, cardboard, or other material. 
     The pages  20  of the book  10  include text and illustrations that tell the story while encouraging the user and game participant to play along with the candy or game piece. The pages  20  are positioned adjacent to each other between the front and back cover of the book  10  such that the candy  40  is an integral part of the book&#39;s story. The inlet and outlet apertures  32  and  36  may form part of the illustration of the book, such as the mouth of an animal or the entry to a tunnel. The text of the book  10  may direct the user to tilt the book or rotate the book in a certain way before proceeding with the story, thus moving the candy  40  through the passageway  34  toward one of the outlets. In an alternate embodiment, the passageway  34  is accessible to move or dislodge the candy  40  or game piece with, for example, a finger, a tool or a similar devise. Additional apertures can be provided to allow the tool access into the passageway  34  to dislodge the candy  40  or gamepiece. Alternatively, the passageway  34  may be directly accessed by removing the removable cover. As the user follows the instructions and moves through the story, he or she is moving the candy  40  until it is released through the outlet aperture  36  as a reward for completing the story and successfully following the instructions. 
     The movable candy  40  or other game piece provides additional opportunities for the user to learn and participate in the reading ofthe book  10  as well as to practice his or her coordination and physical dexterity skills. In young users who are not yet able to decipher the written word, the tactile manipulation of the game piece through the story also serves to retain their interest and promote cognitive cause and effect thinking skills. 
     In the illustrated embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, the pages  20  are substantially square. In alternate embodiments, the pages  20  are configured in different shapes, such as other geometric shapes, or shapes configured to resemble selected items or characters. Each page  20  of the book  10  may be identical to the adjacent page or may have a unique shape. Adding shape to a page to form, for example, the outline of an animal or toy, reinforces the theme of the book, and will provide additional visual stimulation to the user. 
     In another embodiment, shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the book  10  includes multiple pages  330 ,  431  with internal passageways  334 ,  434  that communicate with each other so the candy  40  or other game piece can move through the passageways and between pages during game play. Each passageway  334 ,  434  includes an inlet aperture  332 ,  432  and at least one outlet aperture  336 ,  436  sized to allow the candy to pass into and out of the passageway. The passageways  334 ,  434  in adjacent pages are configured so the outlet aperture  336  of the one page  330  (FIG. 3) is aligned with the inlet aperture  432  of the adjacent page  431 . Placing the pages adjacent to each other allows the candy  40  to travel from the inlet aperture  332  of the one page  330 , through the internal passageway  334 , and out the outlet aperture  336  into the inlet aperture  432  of the second page  431 . The user turns the page  330  and continues moving the candy  40  through the book  10 . 
     As illustrated in FIG. 4, the candy  40  then travels through the internal passageway  434  of the second adjacent page  431  and out the outlet aperture  436  of the second page  431 . The candy  40  can pass into the passageway in an adjacent page or may be presented to the user as a reward for successfully completing all or portions or the game play. In alternate embodiments, additional pages with internal passageways can be adjacent to the pages  330  and  431  and can include outlet apertures aligned with inlet apertures such that the game piece can travel from adjacent page to adjacent page through a series of internal passageways within the book  10 . Each page can contain a related but unique passageway configuration to provide an array of learning opportunities while keeping the child&#39;s interest. Alternatively, each page may contain a similar passageway configuration for the child to manipulate to provide repetitive practice of a skill. 
     As illustrated in FIG. 3, alternate embodiments to further challenge the child include blind holes  337  that are not connected to the internal passageway  334  of the page  330 . The blind holes  337  in FIG. 3 are dead ends, so they make it more difficult to guess the travel path of the hidden passageway  334 . These blind holes  337  challenge the child by providing an illusion of a false inlet, outlet or passageway. The blind holes  337  can also form part of a page illustration or the storyline in the book  10 . 
     In another embodiment, shown in FIG. 5, the book includes one or more pages  530  with internal passageways  534  extending between an inlet aperture  532  and outlet apertures  536 ,  537  (shown in hidden lines). The illustrated passageway  534  is generally a wishbone shape, and the candy  40  moves from the inlet aperture  532  through an inlet passageway  570  into either a left portion  562  or a right portion  563  of the passageway. 
     As shown in FIG. 5, a first pullable tab  550  and a second pullable tab  551  act as actuators to control the travel of the candy  40  within the passageway&#39;s left and right portions  562 ,  563  relative to the outlet apertures  536 ,  537 . The pullable tabs  550 ,  551  slide between a retaining position, shown by tab  550 , in the direction of arrow A into a release position, shown by tab  551 . The pullable tabs  550 ,  551  include an upper portion  552 ,  553  that includes retaining slots  560 ,  561 . The first retaining slot  560  of the first pullable tab  550  aligns with the bottom  566  of the passageway&#39;s left portion  562  when the first pullable tab  550  is in the retained position. The second retaining slot  561  of the second pullable tab  551  aligns with the bottom  567  of the passageway&#39;s right portion  563  when the second pullable tab is in the retained position. Accordingly, the candy  40  can move through the internal passageway  534  and be temporarily captured in the retaining slots  560 ,  561 . 
     The pullable tabs  550 ,  551  have a lower portion  554 ,  555  that is externally visable and accessible to be grabbed by a user. Pulling the lower portion  554 ,  555  causes the pullable tabs  550 ,  551  to slide downwardly. When the pullable tabs  550 ,  551  are moved into the release position, the candy  40  is aligned with the outlet apertures  536 ,  537 , and released to the user. 
     In operation, such as during game play, the candy  40  enters through the inlet aperture  532 , drops through the inlet passageway  570 , and then passes into either the passageway&#39;s left portion  562  or the right portion  563 . When the candy  40  reaches the bottom  566 ,  567  of the left or right portions  562 ,  563 , the candy moves into the retaining slot in either the first or second pullable tabs  550 ,  551 . In the illustrated embodiment, the internal passageway  534  is within the page  530  and not visible to the user, so the user can not see if the candy  40  is in the passageway&#39;s left or right portion  562 ,  563 . Thus, the user must guess where the candy  40  is, and pull the selected pullable tab  550 ,  551  to try to release the candy through one of the outlet apertures  536 ,  537 . By pulling the pullable tab  550  from the retaining position into the releasing position, the first retaining slot  560  moves from a position substantially aligned with the left passageway  562  into a position substantially aligned with the first outlet aperture  536 . If the candy is in the left passageway  562 , it will be released through the first outlet aperture  536  when the pullable tab  550  is pulled into the releasing position. Similarly, pulling the second pullable tab  551  will release the candy  40  if it is temporarily captured in the right passageway  563 . 
     In another embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the book  10  includes one or more pages  630  with an internal passageway  634  extending from an inlet aperture  632 , through a slidable lever  650 , to outlet apertures  636 ,  637  (shown in hidden lines). The passageway  634  is generally a wishbone shape such that the candy moves from a slot  660  in the slidable lever  650  to an upper portion of the passageway  634 , into either a left or a right portion of the passageway  662 ,  663 , and out of a corresponding outlet aperture  636 ,  637 . 
     As shown in FIG. 6, the slidable lever  650  acts as an actuator to control the travel of the candy  40  between discontinuous portions of the passageway  634 . The slidable lever is movable between a retaining position, and a releasing position. When the slidable lever  650  is moved into the releasing position, the slot  660  is substantially aligned with an upper portion of the passageway  634  above the left and right portions  662 ,  663 . Thus, the candy  40  can move from the lever&#39;s slot  660  into the passageway&#39;s upper portion. The candy  40  then enters into either the passageway&#39;s left or right portion  662  or  663 , and drops out through one of the outlet apertures  636 ,  637 . 
     As is shown in both FIGS. 6 and 7, these illustrative embodiments contain multiple travel passageways with corresponding outlet apertures. In FIG. 7, a pullable tab  750  contains an inlet aperture  730  in communication with a slot  760  shaped and sized to receive the candy  40  therein. When the candy  40  is inserted into the inlet aperture  732  and temporarily captured in the slot  760 , the candy can be moved into substantial alignment with the main passageway  732  by pulling the tab  750  from a retaining position to a releasing position. Once the candy enters the main passageway  732 , depending on the manipulation of the book by the child, the candy can travel down one of several branch passageways  762 ,  763 ,  764  to reach any one of the multiple outlets  736 ,  737 ,  738 . It is recognized that many different configurations for the internal passageways exist, and these drawings illustrate but a few. 
     The embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7 show the page with one lever. In other embodiments, additional levers can be used at different positions along the internal passageway so as to control movement of the candy through the passageway and between discontinuous portions of the passageway. Accordingly, a more complex maze-like configuration can be provided to make the process of getting the candy out of the passageway more challenging or require greater cognitive skills from the user. 
     In another embodiment shown in FIG. 8, an internal wheel  850  acts as an actuator to manipulate the candy  40  through the passageway  834  within a page  830 . The candy  40  enters an inlet aperture  832  in the illustrative embodiment and engages in one of several retaining slots  860  formed in the wheel  850 . The wheel  850  is connected to a wheel rotator  870  that is partially accessible to a user along the side of the page  830 . Accordingly, a user can manipulate the wheel rotation  870  to rotate the internal wheel  850 . When the retaining slot  860  of the wheel  850  containing the candy  40  is aligned with an exit passageway  835  leading to an outlet aperture  836 , the candy  40  is released from the wheel  850  through the outlet aperture to the user. 
     In another embodiment shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the book includes an dispenser  980  that releasably contains the candy  40  or other selected game pieces. In the illustrated embodiment, the dispenser  980  is refillabe and is configured to dispense the candy  40  directly into an internal passageway  934  in a page  930  of the book. The dispenser  980  is mounted on a back cover  940  of the book  10 . The dispenser  980  dispenses candy  40  through a supply dispensing aperture  932 , directly into an internal passageway  934  (FIG.  10 ). As further shown in FIG. 10, a pullable tab  950  is slidably positioned adjacent to the supply dispensing aperture  932 . The pullable tab  950  acts as an actuator that moves between a retaining position and a releasing position. In the retaining position, the pullable tab&#39;s retaining slot  960  is aligned with the supply dispensing aperture  932  in the game piece dispenser  980 . In the releasing position, the slot  960  of the pullable tab  950  is substantially aligned with an outlet aperture  936  in the page  930  of the book  10 . Moving the pullable tab  950  into the release position releases a piece of the candy supplied by the dispenser  980  by allowing the candy to travel through the passageway  934  and out through the outlet  936 . The pullable tab  950  may be biased, such as by a spring or the like, to automatically return the actuator from the retaining position to the releasing position. In alternate embodiments, the integral game piece dispenser can form a portion of the binding or may be along an edge of the book  10 . 
     The game piece dispenser provides easy and quick access to the candy  40  or other game pieces. Accordingly, the user can read and play through the book  10  repeatedly without having to search and find another piece of candy or game piece. 
     The various embodiments described above can be combined to provide further embodiments. Aspects of the invention can be modified, if necessary, to provide yet further embodiments of the invention. 
     From the foregoing it will be appreciated that, although specific embodiments of the invention have been described herein for purposes of illustration, various modifications may be made without deviating from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not limited except as by the appended claims.