Patent Publication Number: US-2005116419-A1

Title: Game apparatus

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION  
      This application claims priority of British Application Serial No. 0324460.5, filed Oct. 20, 2003.  
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      This invention relates to a strategy game apparatus.  
     BACKGROUND  
      A wide variety of known games involve the placement of tiles or other pieces in desired combinations. The object of such games may be to form a line of pieces of a particular color, to create words from lettered tiles or to create particular numbers from numbered tiles. The tiles or pieces are generally placed on a board, but vertical frames for holding the pieces are also known. It would, however, be advantageous to provide a game apparatus of a novel type, which stretches players&#39; imaginations in a new direction.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      This invention relates to a game including a frame of substantially constant cross-section, and a plurality of guides each running along the frame and spaced at regular intervals around the frame that guide playing pieces into positions between the guides, the positions being arranged continuously around the frame.  
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      In order that the invention may be more readily understood, specific embodiments thereof will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:  
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a frame according to aspects of the invention;  
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an alternative frame of  FIG. 1  with a set of tiles; and  
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an alternative frame in accordance with aspects of the invention with an alternative set of tiles. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
      It will be appreciated that the following description is intended to refer to specific embodiments of the invention selected for illustration in the drawings and is not intended to define or limit the invention, other than in the appended claims.  
      This invention provides game apparatus comprising a frame of substantially constant cross-section, the frame having rails each running along the frame and spaced at substantially regular intervals around the frame, for guiding playing pieces into positions between the rails, the positions being arranged continuously around the frame. In this way, horizontal or diagonal lines of pieces can be formed which extend around the frame.  
      In one particular embodiment, the frame has a substantially circular cross section. If the frame has a transparent outer wall, the pieces may be viewed therethrough. The rails may extend between the outer wall and an inner wall, which may also be transparent. If the frame comprises a hollow tube, playing pieces can conveniently be stored inside it prior to use. For this purpose, the frame may be provided with a base and a removable lid. In another embodiment of the invention, the positions between the rails are accessible at one end only of the rails, the frame being intended to sit substantially vertically with the accessible end uppermost so that playing pieces can be dropped into the positions.  
      The game apparatus may include a set of playing pieces, in particular, of different colors or bearing letters, numbers or other symbols. The pieces may be tiles and may be curved to fit into a frame having a curved wall. The pieces may be contained within an inner enclosed space of the frame.  
      Turning to the Drawings,  FIG. 1  shows a generally cylindrical, hollow frame  1  formed from clear plastics material. The frame comprises an inner cylindrical wall  3  and an outer cylindrical wall  5  and is closed at its lower end by a base  7 . A number of parallel, radial rails  9  join the inner and outer walls  3 ,  5 . In this example there are six rails defining six slots  11  between adjacent pairs of rails, the slots being open at an upper end of the frame  1 .  
       FIG. 2  shows a frame similar to that of  FIG. 1 , together with a set of colored tiles  13 . The tiles are generally square, but are curved to fit into the slots  11 . The tiles  13  are provided in at least two contrasting colors. In particular, the number of different colors can correspond to the number of players for which the game is intended. The tiles can be translucent to enhance the aesthetic qualities of the game.  
       FIG. 2  also shows a lid  15 , which fits snugly over the top of the cylindrical frame  1  so that the tiles  13  can be stored either in the central cavity of the frame or in the slots  11 . Thus, the game apparatus is remarkably compact and portable.  
      The apparatus of  FIG. 2  can be supplied with a set of rules stating that each player inserts a tile  13  of his or her color into one of the slots  11 . The first tile inserted into any slot  11  slides down to the bottom of the slot. The players continue in turn to insert their tiles  13 , the second and subsequent tiles in any slot  11  coming to rest on the uppermost tile present in that slot. The object of one game in accordance with one aspect of the invention is to form a line of a given number of tiles (e.g., four) in one&#39;s color in any direction, i.e., vertically in one slot  11  or horizontally or diagonally around the frame  1 .  
       FIG. 3  shows an alternative apparatus comprising the frame of  FIG. 2  and tiles  17  bearing letters of the alphabet. Optionally, the tiles or letters can be of contrasting colors to distinguish one player&#39;s tiles from another&#39;s. In use, players take turns to draw a tile, for example, from a store of tiles in the upturned lid, and insert the tile into one of the slots  11 . The first player to make a word (e.g., a four-letter word) in any direction, vertically, horizontally or diagonally, wins the game.  
      The invention can include tiles bearing symbols other than letters. For example, the tiles can bear numbers. In a game in which the numbers one, two and three are used and the tiles or numbers are of different colors, the winner is the first player to make a line of numbers in his or her color adding up to seven and extending in any direction.  
      In another aspect of the apparatus, each tile depicts a section of piping which may be straight, angled or branched. Again, the tiles are in sets of contrasting colors. Players take turns to insert their tiles into the slots such that subsequent tiles appear to connect a further piping section to the existing pipe of the same color. If a player cannot do this, the opponent(s) continue(s) to play. The object of the game is to create the longest pipe or pipes, and thus to have the fewest tiles remaining.  
      An alternative set of tiles depicts playing cards or poker dice so that a game similar to poker can be played.  
      It will be appreciated from the above-mentioned examples that a wide variety of games, suitable for different age groups, can be played using the invention. As one example, the tiles can resemble dominoes and a similar game play made. As another example, tiles can be parts of a picture puzzle so that the whole puzzle is built as the tiles are inserted into the apparatus. Memory games can be played with the tiles facing down and players are able to use the tiles in the apparatus in the correct sequence if they remember where they are according to a game play.  
      The invention involves a frame in which it is possible to place lines of tiles extending continuously around the frame, but the frame does not have to be circular in cross-section for this purpose. If the frame is polygonal (e.g., hexagonal or the like) in cross-section, the tiles do not have to be curved, and can be used reversibly by printing on both sides. In a circular frame, the rails and slots can extend spirally instead of straight and the tiles can be circular, allowing them to roll down the rails.  
      As an alternative to a frame with a transparent wall, the frame can define apertures through which the playing pieces are visible. The apparatus can be used in conjunction with a game board made of plastic, card or fabric so that the players may move their tiles over a pattern on the game board to reach the apparatus where they may be inserted as normal.