Patent Publication Number: US-2018037368-A1

Title: Playing Card Cups

Description:
PRIORITY CLAIM 
     The present application claims the priority benefit of U.S. provisional patent application No. 62/202,977 filed Aug. 10, 2015 and entitled “Playing Card Cups,” the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     SUMMARY 
     Embodiments of the invention relate in general to an apparatus that comprises a set of playing card cups, wherein at least one of the playing card cups comprises an image of a specific playing card configured to elegantly and easily identify the cup&#39;s user. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIGS. 1A-1D  depict two views each of two different playing card cups. 
         FIG. 2  depicts a view of a playing card cup comprising a first, image side, the image side comprising an image of a specific playing card configured to elegantly and easily identify the cup&#39;s user, the playing card cup further comprising a second, opposite side that does not comprise an image of a playing card. 
         FIGS. 3A-3D  depict two views each of two different playing card cups, wherein the playing card cup comprises an image of a specific playing card configured to elegantly and easily identify the cup&#39;s user. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     While the present invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail one or more specific embodiments, with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as exemplary of the principles of the invention and not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiments shown and described. In the following description and in the several figures of the drawings, like reference numerals are used to describe the same, similar or corresponding parts in the several views of the drawings. 
     Embodiments of the invention relate in general to a set of playing card cups, wherein at least one of the playing card cups comprises an image of a specific playing card configured to elegantly and easily identify the cup&#39;s user. For example, each playing card cup comprises an image of a unique playing card. For example, each playing card cup comprises an image of a unique playing card selected from a standard deck of 52 playing cards. 
     For example, one of the playing card cups may comprise an image of the four of spades. The person using the four of spades cup needs only to remember the card corresponding to his or her cup. There is no need to find a marker, to mark his or her name on the cup, to scratch one&#39;s name in a template, and so on, as is typically required by the prior art. This is a simple, elegant solution, valid for groups of up to 54 persons, to elegantly and easily identify a user of a cup. For example, the apparatus is configured to elegantly and easily identify the user without need for a writing implement. For example, the apparatus does not comprise a writing implement. 
     Further embodiments of the invention relate to the set of playing card cups, wherein at least one of the playing card cups comprises an image of a specific playing card, the playing card image being usable in a playing card game. For example, the playing card image comprised in the playing card cup may be used similarly to how the corresponding playing card would be used in a standard playing card game. For example, the playing card game comprises one or more of hearts, bridge, poker, solitaire, double solitaire, old maid, crazy eights, go fish, rummy, and another card game. 
     Typically, although not necessarily, one side of the cup comprises the image of the specific playing card, with another side of the cup not comprising the image of the specific playing card. For example, an image side of the cup is on an opposite side of the cup from an opposite side of the cup. For example, the image side of the cup and the opposite side of the cup are approximately 180 degrees apart. 
     Accordingly, the identity of an opposing player&#39;s card may be concealed from other players by facing the opposite side of the cup toward the other players. 
       FIGS. 1A-1D  depict two views each of two different playing card cups, wherein the playing card cup comprises an image of a specific playing card configured to elegantly and easily identify the cup&#39;s user.  FIG. 1A  depicts a perspective view of a playing card cup  110  comprising an image  120  of an ace of spades.  FIG. 1B  depicts a front view of the playing card cup  110  comprising the image  120  of an ace of spades.  FIG. 1C  depicts a perspective view of a playing card cup  130  comprising an image  140  of a four of clubs.  FIG. 1D  depicts a front view of the playing card cup  130  comprising the image  140  of a four of clubs. 
       FIG. 2  depicts a view of a playing card cup  210  comprising a first, image side  220 , the image side  220  comprising an image  230  of a specific playing card configured to elegantly and easily identify the cup&#39;s user, the playing card cup  210  further comprising a second, opposite side  240  that does not comprise an image of a playing card. The depicted cup comprises an image side  210  that comprises an image  220  of the ace of spades. 
     For example, the opposite side comprises no image. For example, the opposite side is blank. For example, the opposite side comprises an advertisement. For example, the opposite side is located approximately 180 degrees from the side comprising the image of the specific playing card. 
     In this example, one side of the cup comprises the image of the specific playing card, with another side of the cup not comprising the image of the specific playing card. 
     According to embodiments of the invention, a set of playing card cups is provided, at least one of which comprises an image of a specific playing card configured to elegantly and easily identify the cup&#39;s user, wherein the playing card cup comprises an image of a specific playing card usable in a playing card game. For example, each of the playing card cups comprises an image of a specific playing card configured to elegantly and easily identify the cup&#39;s user, wherein each cup comprises an image of a specific playing card usable in a playing card game. For example, each of the playing card cups comprises an image of a different playing card. 
     For example, at least one of the 52 standard playing card playing card cups comprises an image of a standard-deck playing card. Preferably, each of the 52 card playing card cups comprises an image of a standard-deck playing card that does not appear on any of the other playing card cups. Preferably, therefore, the 52 standard playing card playing card cups comprise an image of each playing card in a standard 52-card playing deck, with each playing card image comprised in a different playing card cup. 
     For example, the set of playing card cups comprises a set of 54 playing card cups. For example, the set of 54 playing card cups comprises 52 standard playing card playing card cups, a first joker playing card cup, and a second joker playing card cup, wherein the second joker is different from the first joker. 
     For example, the first joker comprises a big joker. For example, the second joker comprises a small joker. For example, the big joker has larger dimensions than the small joker. 
       FIGS. 3A-3D  depict two views each of two different playing card cups, wherein the playing card cup comprises an image of a specific playing card configured to elegantly and easily identify the cup&#39;s user.  FIG. 3A  depicts a perspective view of a playing card cup  310  comprising an image  320  of a big joker.  FIG. 3B  depicts a front view of the playing card cup  310  comprising the image  320  of a big joker.  FIG. 3C  depicts a perspective view of a playing card cup  330  comprising an image  340  of a small joker.  FIG. 3D  depicts a front view of the playing card cup  330  comprising the image  340  of a small joker. 
     For example, at least one image comprises a photograph of a playing card. For example, at least one image comprises a drawing of a playing card. For example, at least one image comprises an image of a playing card other than a photograph and other than a drawing. For example, some of the playing card cups comprise drawings of a playing card, and other playing card cups comprise photographs of a playing card. For example, each image comprises a photograph of a playing card. For example, each image comprises a drawing of a playing card. 
     For example, one side of at least one playing card cup is left blank. For example, one side of at least one playing card cup is left blank, for use in playing card games such as poker and bridge in which the identities of one player&#39;s playing cards needs to be concealed from the opposing player. 
     For example, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the number of variations of the cup designs, colors, location of the playing card images, and the like are virtually limitless. It is intended, therefore, that the subject matter in the above description shall be interpreted as illustrative and shall not be interpreted in a limiting sense. 
     While the above representative embodiments have been described with certain components in exemplary configurations, it will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that other representative embodiments can be implemented using different configurations and/or different components. For example, it will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that the order of certain steps and certain components can be altered without substantially impairing the functioning of the invention. 
     The representative embodiments and disclosed subject matter, which have been described in detail herein, have been presented by way of example and illustration and not by way of limitation. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the form and details of the described embodiments resulting in equivalent embodiments that remain within the scope of the invention. It is intended, therefore, that the subject matter in the above description shall be interpreted as illustrative and shall not be interpreted in a limiting sense.