Patent Abstract:
A tossing game including a plurality of moveable targets having an upward facing opening and a plurality of projectiles for being tossed for accuracy into the opening. Indicia on the projectiles match respective indicia on the targets. The target may be constructed as a tube or similar shape. The target is inflatable for portability and flotation.

Full Description:
This application claims the benefit of provisional patent application 60/026,837, filed Sep. 27, 1996. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention is related to a game and a method for playing a game whereby a projectile is tossed at a target and points are scored depending on the accuracy of the toss. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     A number of tossing games have been described: 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,168,066 to Sole et al., granted Sep. 18, 1979, describes a game wherein gliding discs are tossed through target rings for varying point totals depending upon which ring the disc is tossed through. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,204,682 to Brown, granted May 27, 1980, discloses a recessed horizontal target, much like an enlarged version of cups used as targets in golf courses, toward which a “marker” is tossed. Points are scored for tossing the “marker” in varying proximity to the target. U.S. Pat. No. 4,877,256 to Falloon granted Oct. 31, 1989 teaches a tossing game comprising a plurality of cups into which a projectile is tossed. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,316,310 to Nicholas, Sr. et al., granted May 31, 1994, discloses a textured mat with target markers upon which a disc is tossed for varying numbers of points depending on where the disc is tossed in relationship to the mat. 
     The prior art discloses games wherein a projectile is tossed at a target and points are scored for accuracy. The prior art, however, does not disclose a game whereby a projectile is tossed into a tube, wherein the tube is oriented in a substantially horizontal position. 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a tossing game having certain advantages over prior art tossing games. Use of a substantially toroidal tube or similar shapes as a target has certain substantial advantages over the prior art providing for three- or four-tier scoring derived from the unique shape of the target, depending on where the projectile lands in relation to the target. It is also an object of the present invention to provide a target that is easily moveable, where there are no holes to dig and where the target may be used in water. It is a further object of the present invention to provide projectiles and targets which may be large or small, depending upon whether adults or children play, where the game is to be played and the skill level of the players. Lastly, it is an object of the present invention to provide targets and projectiles that are safe for users of all ages. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to a tossing game including a moveable target having an upward-facing opening and a projectile, the projectile being tossed for accuracy into the opening. Points are variably scored for accuracy in tossing the projectile towards the opening. Use of a tube or similar shapes as a target provides three- or four-tier scoring derived from the unique shape of the target, depending on where the projectile lands in relation to the target. The projectiles and targets may be large or small depending on whether adults or children play, where the game is to be played and the skill level of the players. The game can be played by setting the targets afloat in water. 
     Construction of the targets and projectiles can be of a variety of materials. The tubes and projectiles can be of a soft foam for indoor use and safety purposes. The targets can be inflatable, for portability. The targets can have a softer outer wall for safety reasons. The targets, having a large surface area, can have indicia imprinted upon or attached to an outward facing surface, allowing for display of advertisements, playing instructions, warnings and the like. The targets can have hooks for anchoring the targets against unintended movement. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an elevation view of one embodiment of a tossing game; 
     FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of a target having an opening which does not pass completely through the target; 
     FIG. 3 is a side sectional view of a target having a solid cross-section of a single material; 
     FIG. 4 is a side sectional view of a target having an outer wall and a low-density filler; 
     FIG. 5 is a side sectional view of a target showing a pocket of a denser material; 
     FIG. 6 is an elevation view of a target showing an exterior pocket on the target; 
     FIG. 7 is an elevation view of a target floating in water; 
     FIG. 8 is a side sectional view of a flying disc projectile; and 
     FIG. 9 is a side sectional view of the target showing various scoring positions A-E. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     A tossing game according to the present invention is shown in FIG.  1 . FIG. 1 shows one embodiment of the game wherein two targets  12  are used. The tossing game includes one or more targets  12 . Preferably, targets  12  are placed on a horizontal surface, such as on ground, or in water. If two targets  12  are to be used, they may be spaced at a predetermined distance D from each other. Projectile  14  is tossed from a distance, preferably distance D, or another desired distance, toward target  12  for accuracy and to score points if scoring is desired. 
     As shown in FIG. 1, the target  12  can have a toroidal shape with an opening  16 . The projectile  14  is tossed toward and preferably into the opening  16  to score points. Opening  16  may not pass completely through target  12  as shown in FIG. 2 or it may pass completely through the target  12  as shown in FIG.  3 . Target  12  may have indicia  18  or an indicia assembly, such as a pocket or a hook-and-loop fastener, for placing indicia  18  on an outward facing surface of said target  12 . This is useful for displaying trademarks, advertisements, instructions, point systems, warnings, and the like. One of the advantages of the target  12  is that the large surface area allows for display of the indicia  18  directly on the target  12 . An upper surface of the target  12  can be flattened, as shown in FIG. 2, to provide a scoring surface upon which a projectile  14  may rest. If the opening  16  does not pass through the target, the opening can be closed off with a membrane  17 , as shown in FIG.  2 . The membrane  17  can be flexible and rigid The target  12  can be stabilized by adding ballast (not shown) to the opening  16  to act as an anchor so that the target  12  is resistant to movement on overturning. The ballast can be sand, dirt, water or any other suitable material. 
     As shown in FIG. 3, the target may have a solid cross-section. The target  12  may be made from polystyrene, other foaming plastics or other lightweight materials having sufficient density and strength characteristics. In this case, the target  12  would be both lightweight and inexpensive to fabricate in a variety of shapes and colors as it is composed of a single material. 
     Target  12  may alternatively have a wall  20  filled with a low density filler  30  or a gas  32  as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, respectively. The wall  20  can be made from a variety of materials. In its simplest form, the wall  20  is a coating that compensates for the well-known drawbacks of polystyrene or other low-density fillers  30 , such as crumbling and low strength. The wall  20  may also protect the filler if the filler is other than polystyrene. The wall  20  can be a soft, foaming plastic, such as neoprene, having a fabric outer layer  33 , as shown in FIG. 4, adding the benefits of padding combined with the flexibility of coloring and design patterns found in fabrics or other materials useful in preparing such layers. Alternatively, the wall  20  can simply be a fabric or treated fabric, treated, for instance, with a plastic, a protectant or a waterproofing agent. 
     In another embodiment of the invention, the wall  20  comprises substantially the entire structural component of the target  12 . As shown in FIG. 5, the target is a hollow shell filled with a gas  32 . The gas  32  may be air or other suitable gases. In one embodiment, the target  12  is manufactured pre-inflated with the gas  32 . The wall  20  may be flexible or rigid and have varying thickness. The wall  20  may have a softer coating of one or more of a foaming plastic fabric, a treated fabric or other suitable material. The wall  20  may be made from materials commonly known to those skilled in the art to be suitable to serve as a wall, including, alone or in combination, rigid or flexible plastics such as polyethylene, fabrics, rubber and latex compounds and the like. 
     In a second embodiment, the wall  20  is inflatable by a user of the target  12 . The wall  20  may comprise, alone or in combination, plastics such as polyethylene, treated or untreated fabrics, rubber or latex compounds or other material commonly known to those skilled in the art to be suitable for inflating. The wall  20  has a valve  35 , preferably capable of retracting into the wall  20 , through which the target  12  is inflated with air. The advantage of inflatable targets is that the target  12  is lightweight and can be stored and transported in a minimal volume prior to or after sale, until reaching a destination, such as a warehouse, store, beach or camp site. Upon reaching the destination, the targets  12  can be inflated to their full volume and, preferably, later deflated after leaving the destination. 
     As shown in FIG. 5, the target  12  may have an anchor that is an internal pocket  34  of ballast material that is preferably denser than the average density of the target  12 , more preferably, denser than water. In one embodiment, the inner pocket  34  is filled with sand. The inner pocket  34  is oriented, generally, on a bottom side of the target  12 , but can extend to fill most of the volume of the target. The purpose of filling the inner pocket  34  with the denser material is two-fold. First, because the target  12  is generally very lightweight, it is desirable to make the target  12  more stable in wind gusts, and the like. Second, the inner pocket  34  serves to stabilize the target  12  when the game is played by setting the target  12  afloat in water. 
     As shown in FIG. 6, the target  12  can have an anchor that is an external pocket  36 , wherein a dense material can be added either during manufacture of the target  12  or at the will of a player of the game. The primary purpose of having an external pocket  36  is to allow the player to add the denser material whenever the game is played. For instance, the external pocket  36  may be filled with water and/or sand when the game is played at the beach; water, rocks or dirt when the game is played at a campground or at home. If more stability is needed, for instance, where there are higher winds, additional dense material may be added. It will be appreciated that the external pocket  36  may be sealable and, further, that it may be integral with the shape of the target  12  such as the inner pocket  34  shown in FIG.  5 . The external pocket  36  can be used alone or in combination with the inner pocket  34 . Both the inner pocket  34  and the external pocket  36  can extend into the opening  16 , integral with or in addition to the membrane  17  as shown in FIG.  2 . Hooks  37  can be attached to a side of the target  12  to further stabilize the target and prevent unintended movement. The hooks may be fastened to a surface by spikes, or the like, or by lines  38 , for instance, when the target  12  is used in the water, as shown in FIG.  7 . The lines  38  can be weighted, attached to anchors or attached to hooks fixed to a surface (not shown). 
     As shown in FIG. 7, the target  12  may be constructed of a material having a lesser density than water so that the target  12  may float in water and the game may be played in an aquatic setting. 
     FIG. 8 shows a cut-away section of a gliding disc  40  which may be used as a projectile  14  when playing the game. Gliding disc  40  preferably has a peripheral wall  42  that is thicker or denser than an interior wall  44  of the gliding disc  40  to allow a person throwing the gliding disc  40  to more accurately throw the gliding disc  40 ; the thicker or denser peripheral wall adds in-flight stability to the gliding disc  40  when the disc  40  is spun as it is thrown. It will be appreciated that the projectile  14  may be formed or constructed in many different shapes that are more or less aerodynamically stable, such as oblong or spherical balls, i.e., a football or the like. 
     Referring to FIG. 9, the projectile  14  or gliding disc  40  may land in one of four positions, lettered A-C and E in relation to the target  12 . In one embodiment, the game may be scored as follows. If tossed gliding disc  40  lands in position A, in contact with an outside surface or outer circumference of target  12 , one level of points is scored. If gliding disc  40  lands in position B, in contact with an inner, substantially vertical surface, or inner circumference of target  12 , a second level of points is scored. If gliding disc  40  lands in position C, atop the target  12 , a third level of points, is scored. If gliding disc  40  lands in position E, within the opening  16 , not in contact with the target  12 , a fourth level of points is scored. Where opening  16  does not pass completely through target  12 , as shown in FIG. 2, if the gliding disc  40  lands on a substantially horizontal portion of target  12 , not in contact with a substantially vertical wall, or inner circumference of target  12 , the fourth level of points is scored. 
     In one embodiment, the target  12  and projectile  14  or gliding disc  40  have different characteristics, such as color, indicia, patterns or shapes in order to differentiate between the target  12 , projectile  14  and gliding disc  40  of different players. 
     It will be understood that target  12  may have a shape substantially deviating from a traditional toroidal shape. For instance, the target  12  may be squared, hexagonal or other polygonal shapes. It will also be understood that scoring methods may deviate substantially from the described scoring method, depending upon the number of players, the shape of the target and,whether or not the target is placed in water, on land or above ground. 
     The above invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiment. Obvious modifications and alterations will occur to others upon reading and understanding the preceding detailed description. It is intended that the invention be construed as including all such modifications and alterations insofar as they come within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.

Technology Classification (CPC): 0