Patent Publication Number: US-7717431-B2

Title: Table-top football kicking game

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
   This patent application is related to and claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/978,774 filed Oct. 10, 2007. 

   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates, in general, to table-top sports games and, more particularly, this invention relates to a table-top toy football kicking game. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Prior to the conception and development of the present invention, table-top sports games simulating real sports action have been in existence for many decades. A number of these are for simulating American football. Wittstein in U.S. Pat. No. 1,145,955 discloses a mechanical football player for a tabletop football game that uses spinners to simulate playing football wherein kicking is just an occasional part of the game. There are various versions of table-top football that involve players using fingers to flick a small item representing a football for the kicking part of the game. Examples of this can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,733,867, 5,451,050, 5,570,888 and 6,209,876. The game disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,733,867 patent also can be adapted for rugby play. None of the aforementioned prior art incorporates a mechanical kicker used in a kicking only football contest. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention provides a table-top football kicking game which includes a substantially planar and rectangular playing surface having at least three lines extending laterally, and at least one set of goal post uprights attached substantially perpendicular and proximal ends of the rectangular playing surface. Also included are a toy oblong football of proportional length and a kicking means movably placed on the rectangular playing surface for propelling the toy oblong football off of said playing surface toward and preferably through the goal post uprights. 
   In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the goal post uprights at one end are spaced differently than those at the other end to allow for a variable degree of difficulty. Additional options are backstop nets and a score-keeping device. 
   OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
   It is, therefore, one of the primary objects of the present invention to provide an enjoyable table-top game based on football kicking. 
   Another object of the present invention is to provide a table-top game of skill in kicking a toy football for both accuracy and distance. 
   Still another object of the present invention is to provide a novel miniature football kicking device for a table-top game. 
   Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a table-top football game with amenities such as back-stop nets and a scoreboard. 
   In addition to the various objects and advantages of the present invention described with some degree of specificity above, it should be obvious that additional objects and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent to those persons who are skilled in the relevant art from the following more detailed description of the invention, particularly, when such description is taken in conjunction with the attached drawing figures and with the appended claims. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective overview of the table-top football field with a kicker. 
       FIG. 2  provides a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective close-up view of the mechanical kicker for miniature footballs. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PRESENTLY PREFERRED AND VARIOUS ALTERNATIVE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION 
   Prior to proceeding to the more detailed description of the present invention it should be noted that, for the sake of clarity and understanding, identical components which have identical functions have been identified with identical reference numerals throughout the several views illustrated in the drawing figures. 
   Referring initially to  FIG. 1 , a perspective overview of the invention  10  is provided. A substantially flat and rectangular playing field  12  is sized for fitting on common kitchen and dining room tables. The top of the surface may optionally be covered with a synthetic grass mat. There are goal posts  20  and  21  adjacent each end, and the uprights of each are preferably but optionally spaced differently so that a higher degree of difficulty can be introduced in the latter stages of a game as the players become more accomplished. For example, the uprights on goal post  21  may be two inches wider than that of goal post  20 , and both players would kick in the direction of  21  in the first half, and then toward goal post  20  in the second half. In either case, the playing surface  12  has three lateral lines  18  at least part way across the width of the field, not counting any end lines near the goal posts  20  and  21 . These lines  18  mark the kicking location for the first and succeeding kicks of a player&#39;s turn. A player starts at the line  18  closest the target goal post. The miniature toy football  16  is teed up at the designated first of lines  18  and the mechanical kicker  14  is used to propel the football up and through the uprights of a goal post  20  or  21 . If successful, the player continues at the second, then third line, and then back to the first line, etc, until a miss occurs. Then the opponent starts at the first line and tries to make as many field goals in a row as they can. Each successful kick is awarded three points for that team or person on the scoreboard  26 . The lines are spaced approximately 4 to 12 centimeters apart. 
     FIG. 2  is a perspective view depicting an alternative embodiment of the present invention. While the size of the playing surface  12  is much the same as that in  FIG. 1 , the scale of other features is larger. Optional football player  FIG. 32  have been placed on the field surface  12  to enhance the appearance. The goal posts  20  and  21  are proportionally bigger than in  FIG. 1 , and the backstop net  22  and its support  23  are positioned in the same plane as the goal posts  20  and  21 . However, an opening  25  is left uncovered by the net to allow the flying ball  16  of successful field goals to pass through while others are repelled by the optional net  22  to clearly indicate whether an attempt is good or not. One end of the ball  16  is placed in a holding tee  28  positioned at one of the lines  18 . Preferably, but optionally, a permanent tee  28  would be attached at each of the three lines  18 . The mechanical kicker  14  is placed behind the ball  16  and used to propel the ball  16  as shown in more detail in  FIG. 3 . As opposed to the uprights of goal post  20  and  21  being spaced differently as described above, at least one of the goal posts  20  and  21  can be adjustable in width between 5 and 50 centimeters to add a degree of difficulty to the game. This is most commonly done by using a telescoping crossbar  40  and allowing the feet of the uprights of  20  to slide in notches  42 . 
     FIG. 3  is a perspective view showing details of the mechanical kicker  14 , which has a substantially U-shaped frame which stands upright with the aid of two feet  13 . The pendulum leg  15  has a kicking foot  19  at a free end and is pivotally attached at the opposite end to an axle member  34  by way of a bushing, sleeve or ring  36 . An optional helmet  30  enhances the appearance. In use, the player lines up the kicker  14  behind the ball  16  in a manner that he or she believes will propel the ball  16  through the target goal post, not shown in this figure. The pendulum leg  15  is manually drawn back then let go such that the foot  19  strikes the ball  16  sending it up and toward the target goal post. The length of the ball  16  is typically between about one and four centimeters. Preferably, but optionally, a rubber band  38  spans the lower legs of the kicker frame  14  and provides extra impetus to the kicking foot  19 . If the ball successfully passes between the uprights and above the crossbar, that player is awarded 3 points and proceeds to the next kicking line. If the kick misses, then the next player or team takes a turn starting at the line closest to the target goal post. Preferably, a multitude of balls come with the game so that a ball does not have to be retrieved after each kick. Two or more can play individually or as teams, and play continues for a designated amount of time or until one player/team reaches a preselected score. 
   While a presently preferred and various alternative embodiments of the present invention have been described in sufficient detail above to enable a person skilled in the relevant art to make and use the same, it should be obvious that various other adaptations and modifications can be envisioned by those persons skilled in such art without departing from either the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.