Patent Publication Number: US-2005115849-A1

Title: Play and stow lawn game packaging

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      This invention relates generally to packaging for a lawn game. More particularly, the invention relates to packaging that may be used to hold game components in a disassembled state for point of sale display. The packaging may also be used to store assembled game components by a purchaser once the components have been assembled.  
      2. Background  
      Lawn games are a popular form of recreation. An example of a popular lawn game is croquet. In croquet, play involves striking a ball with a mallet. The player, or striker, directs the mallet to strike the striker ball. By striking the striker ball the player may cause the striker ball, or any other ball hit by the striker ball to move and/or to score a point.  
      During play, a player is afforded one shot in a turn, after which the turn ends unless the striker ball has scored a wicket point or hit another ball. When a wicket is scored, the striker is entitled to play an additional or continuation shot. When any other ball is hit by the striker ball, the striker is said to have made a “roquet” on that ball and the striker ball is entitled to two extra shots and becomes “dead” on that ball. The first of these two shots is known as the “croquet” shot, and is made after placing the striker ball in contact with the roqueted ball. The second shot is a continuation shot. If, in the croquet shot, the croqueted ball is sent off the court or the striker ball is sent off the court without first having made another roquet, the turn ends. During a turn, each ball the striker ball is “alive” on may be roqueted once, and the striker ball may make another roquet on each ball provided that since last roqueted, the striker ball has scored a wicket point for itself and has thus cleared itself of its “deadness”. Thus, by a series of shots, roquets, croquets and continuation shots it is possible to make many points during one turn. Such a series is known as “making a break”.  
      Commonly accepted rules of croquet define croquet equipment as including wickets, stakes, balls and mallets. Wickets must be 12 inches in height above the ground, measured from the ground to the top of the crown of the wicket. The crown must be straight and at right angles to the uprights. A distance between the inside of the uprights for normal play must not be less than 3{fraction (11/16)}, or more than 4 inches apart. The stake must be vertical and extend 12 inches above ground level when fixed in the ground. Croquet balls must be 3⅝ inches in diameter with a milled surface and of even weight, not less than 15¾ ounces, nor more than 16¼ ounces. The head of the mallet must be of wood or any other material, provided that the player gains no advantage over wood.  
      As can be appreciated from the above described equipment, the purchase of a complete croquet set involves the purchasing of a substantial amount of bulky equipment including balls, mallets and wickets. Such an assortment of equipment presents problems for a retailer who is desirous of minimizing shelf space for individual items. One solution is to provide disassembled mallets to minimize the size of a container that is required to contain playing equipment. By disassembling the mallets, the mallet heads, mallet handles and stakes may be stacked in a parallel arrangement to minimize container size.  
      A problem with containers sized to contain disassembled components is that after the equipment is purchased and the purchaser desires to replace the equipment in the storage container, the purchaser must disassemble the components so that the components will fit once again within the container. Repeated assembly and disassembly of game components is both bothersome and potentially damaging to the playing equipment.  
      Therefore, packaging that functions to minimize space for retail purposes and that also functions to easily store assembled components for a purchaser after use is desirable.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      According to the present invention there is provided an improvement in packaging for a lawn game having game components and mallets, such as croquet. The packaging includes a container having an interior sized for enclosing game components including disassembled mallets. The container includes a door for providing access to the interior. The container is provided with a visible portion to facilitate viewing of the game components when the door is closed for the benefit of prospective purchasers. In one embodiment, the container is constructed of wire mesh. In another embodiment, the container is constructed of flexible material.  
      A plurality of receptacles are provided on the container for receiving a stick portion of an assembled mallet for facilitating ease of storage of the game components after the mallets are assembled. In one embodiment, the receptacles are constructed of fabric loops affixed to an outside of the container, such as on the door or on an opposite surface of the container. In another embodiment, the receptacles are orifices defined by the container. Flexible restrictors may be located in the orifices for engaging radial grooves formed in the sticks of the mallets when the sticks are located within the receptacles.  
      A better understanding of the present invention, its several aspects, and its advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the attached drawings, wherein there is shown and described the preferred embodiment of the invention, simply by way of illustration of the best mode contemplated for carrying out the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a side view of packaging in accordance with the invention wherein a door is in a closed position;  
       FIG. 2  is a side view of packaging in accordance with the invention wherein a door is in an opened position;  
       FIG. 3  is a side view of packaging in accordance with the invention wherein a door is in an opened position and equipment is located therein;  
       FIG. 4  is a side view of packaging in accordance with the invention wherein a door is in a closed position and equipment is located therein;  
       FIG. 5  is a side view of packaging in accordance with the invention viewed from an enclosed side and equipment is located therein;  
       FIG. 6  is an end view of packaging in accordance with the invention wherein a door is in a closed position;  
       FIG. 7  is an end view of packaging in accordance with the invention wherein a door is in a partially open position;  
       FIG. 8  is a side view of packaging in accordance with the invention wherein a door is in a closed position, equipment is located therein, and assembled mallets are in a stowed location;  
       FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a mallet stick;  
       FIG. 10  is a perspective view of a mallet head;  
       FIG. 11  is a perspective view of an assembled mallet and various playing equipment;  
       FIG. 12  is a side view of a second embodiment of the packaging invention;  
       FIG. 13  is a side view of a second embodiment of the packaging invention, wherein a door is opened;  
       FIG. 14  is a side view of a second embodiment of the packaging invention, wherein a door is opened and equipment is located therein;  
       FIG. 15  is a side view of a second embodiment of the packaging invention, wherein a door is in a closed position, equipment is located therein, and assembled mallets are in a stowed location;  
       FIG. 16  is an end view of a second embodiment of the packaging invention, wherein mallets in a stowed location. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
      Before explaining the present invention in detail, it is important to understand that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of the embodiments and steps described herein. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in a variety of ways. It is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.  
      Referring to  FIGS. 1-16  shown is packaging  10  for a lawn game such as croquet. Packaging  10  is for enclosing a plurality of mallets  12  (shown assembled in  FIGS. 8 and 11 ). Each mallet  12  typically has a head  14  ( FIGS. 3, 4 ,  8  and  11 ) and a stick  16  ( FIGS. 3-5 ,  8 ). Sticks  16  of mallets  12  preferably have threaded tips for threadably engaging holes formed in mallet heads  14 . Also included is a plurality of stakes  18  ( FIGS. 3, 11 ) and a plurality of wickets  20  ( FIGS. 3-5 ,  8 ) and balls  22 .  
      In one embodiment, packaging  10  ( FIGS. 1-8 ) is constructed of wire members. Wire members allow for a sturdy packaging container and allow for viewing container contents. Packaging  10  includes a wire frame member  26  ( FIGS. 6, 7 ) having a straight longitudinal bottom portion  28  and a curved longitudinal upper portion  30 . Packaging  10  additionally includes a front side wire frame member  32 . Front side wire frame member  32  also has a straight longitudinal bottom portion  34  and a curved longitudinal upper portion  36 . Center wire frame member  38  is not continuous to accommodate handle  40  ( FIG. 1 ).  
      Referring now to  FIGS. 2, 3 ,  5 , first border vertical brace members  52  and second border vertical brace members  54  are also positioned in a coplanar relationship with backside wire frame member  26 . First and second border vertical brace members  52 ,  54  span between the straight longitudinal bottom portion  34  and the curved longitudinal upper portion  30  of backside wire frame member  26 .  
      Central vertical brace members  60  are positioned in a coplanar relationship with the backside wire frame member  26 . Central vertical brace members  60  span between the straight longitudinal bottom portion  34  and curved longitudinal upper portion  30  of backside wire frame member  26 .  
      Wire mesh panels  70  are located in a coplanar relationship with backside wire frame member  26 . Wire mesh panels  70  are bounded by the straight longitudinal bottom portion  34  of backside of frame member  26 , the curved longitudinal upper portion  30  of backside wire frame member  26  and by first and second vertical brace members  54 .  
      Package  10  has a top surface  80 , ( FIGS. 6 and 7 ), end surfaces  82 ,  84  and bottom surface  86 . A plurality of circular openings  120  ( FIGS. 6, 7 ) may be found on first end  82  of packaging  10 . A second plurality of circular openings  130  are preferably located on second end  84  of packaging  10 . A flexible restrictor  140  is preferably located in each of the first plurality of circular openings  120  and in the second plurality of circular openings  130 . In the preferred embodiment, sticks  16  of the mallets  12  of a lawn game are preferably provided with circumferential grooves  150  ( FIGS. 3, 10 ) for engaging flexible restrictors  130 ,  140  to assist in maintaining mallets  12  is a desired position within openings  120 .  
      A plurality of clasps  190  are preferably provided on upper surface  80  of packaging  10 . A plurality of hinges  194  are preferably provided on longitudinal bottom portion  34  of front side wire frame member  32 .  
      A door wire frame member  200  is provided that has a straight longitudinal bottom portion  202  with a curved longitudinal upper portion  204 . Straight longitudinal bottom portion  202  of door wire frame member  200  is connected to hinges  194 . Curved longitudinal upper portion  204  of the door wire frame member  200  selectively engages clasps  190 .  
      Additionally, central vertical brace members  220  are coplanar with the door wire frame member  200 . Central vertical brace members  220  span between the straight longitudinal bottom portion  202  and curved longitudinal upper portion  204  of the door wire frame member  200 . Wire mesh door panels  230  are coplanar with the door wire frame member  200 . Wire mesh panels  230  are bounded by straight longitudinal bottom portion  202  and top portion  204  of door wire frame member  200 . First and second vertical brace members  242  and  244  are coplanar with door wire frame member  200  and span between bottom portion  202  and top portion  204  of door  200 .  
      Referring now primarily to  FIG. 3 , in the preferred embodiment a leg retainer  260  is provided for retaining legs of a wicket  20 . The first leg retainer  260  is preferably located on an inner surface of wire mesh panels  230  of door frame member  200 . Additionally a first top retainer  264  is provided for retaining a top portion of a wicket  20 . The first top retainer  264  is preferably located on an inner surface of a wire mesh panels  230  of door frame member  200 . A door mounted horizontal member  266  is preferably affixed to an inner surface of door frame member  200 . Further, a ball rack  268  is preferably affixed to first border vertical brace members  52  for receiving a plurality of balls  22  ( FIGS. 3-5 ,  8 ).  
      A second embodiment of packaging  10  is shown in  FIGS. 12-16 . Soft sided packaging  300  is also designed to contain mallets  12 , mallet heads  14 , sticks  16 , stakes  18 , wickets  20 , and balls  22 . Packaging  300  includes a fabric exterior  302  having a bottom surface  304 , a first side surface  306 , a second side surface  308 , and a top surface  310 .  
      A first panel  312  has a border  314  and a see-through interior  316 . See-through interior  316  is preferably constructed of mesh. Interior  316  allows for visibility of contents of the packaging  300 . A second panel  320  also has a border  322  having a see-through interior  324 . Bottom surface  304 , first side surface  306 , second side surface  308 , top surface  310 , first panel  312  and second panel  320  define interior space  326 . A zipper  330  is provided on first side surface  306 , second side surface  308  and top surface  310  for selectively securing first panel  312  to exterior  302 .  
      A first fabric handle  334  has a first length  336  proximate a first end  338 . First length  336  is sewn onto first panel  312 . First fabric handle  334  additionally has a second length  340  proximate a second end  342 . Second length  340  is also sewn onto first panel  312 .  
      A second fabric handle  344  has a first length  346  proximate first end  348 . First length  346  is sewn onto second panel  320  and is preferably affixed to first reinforcing strap  347  ( FIG. 13 ). Second fabric handle  344  additionally has a second length  350  proximate a second end  352 . Second length  350  is sewn onto the second panel  320  and is preferably affixed to second reinforcing strap  351  ( FIG. 13 ). A plurality of loops  360  ( FIG. 15 ) are affixed to first length  346  and second length  350  of second fabric handle  344 .  
      Referring now to  FIG. 14 , a plurality of mallets  12  are located within interior space  326 , which is defined by fabric exterior  302 . Additionally, a plurality of balls  22  may be located within interior space  326 . Further, a plurality of wickets  20  may be located within the space defined by the fabric exterior. Once mallets  12  have been assembled as shown in  FIG. 11 , sticks  16  may be conveniently stored by inserting them within loops  360 .  
      Advantages of the packaging of the invention include attractive and functional packaging for displaying game hardware wherein the packaging also functions as a storage device for game hardware after purchase. In a preferred embodiment, head and stick mallet components are disassembled for shipping to assist in minimizing packaging size. However, the packaging of the invention allows for consumer assembled mallets to be easily affixed to and stored with the packaging of the invention. The result is packaging that is functional for sales and marketing and also is convenient and functional for storage and use by the consumer.  
      While the invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiment(s) set for herein for purposes of exemplification, but is to be limited only by the scope of the attached claim or claims, including the full range of equivalency to which each element thereof is entitled.