Patent Abstract:
A game device that safely emulates a game of Russian Roulette using balloons and the method thereof. The game device resembles a revolver, but without a barrel, and with the muzzle adjacent the cylinder. The game device contains a protected pin instead of a bullet for puncturing a balloon. An expandable ring is rotatably mounted adjacent the muzzle of the device that allows exposure of the pin only when a fully blown balloon is positioned therein to be punctured. Upon actuation of the pin, it is only exposed for a very short period of time to further prevent unnecessary exposure and injury to the user.

Full Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The invention relates to a game device that safely emulates a game of Russian Roulette using balloons and the method thereof. In particular, a game device that resembles a revolver that contains a protected pin instead of a bullet for puncturing a balloon in a game of Russian Roulette. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Russian Roulette is a lethal game of chance involving the use of a revolver. A single bullet is placed in the revolver, and each participant of the game takes turn to place the muzzle against his/her head and pulls the trigger. There are different methods of playing Russian Roulette. One method is that each participant gets to spin the cylinder that contains the one bullet before pulling the trigger, such that each player has an equal chance of discharging the bullet. Another method is that the cylinder does not get reset after each participant, and the chance of discharging the bullet increases with each subsequent participant. 
         [0003]    Due to the lethal nature of Russian Roulette, it is not a popular game. An entertaining variation of the Russian Roulette using balloons was previously marketed. This prior art variation includes a device that resembles a revolver, but without the barrel. The muzzle of this device is adjacent the cylinder. Instead of using a bullet, a spring loaded pin is located in one of the chamber of the cylinder. A rigid plastic ring having a tab is removably and frictionally held on top of the device adjacent the muzzle, with the plane of the plastic ring in a horizontal position. A balloon is blown in the center of the plastic ring such that when the balloon exceeds the diameter of the ring, it is snuggly fitted and held by the ring. When the hammer hits the chamber containing the pin, the pin extends beyond the chamber to puncture the balloon held by the ring in front of the muzzle. A player can place the balloon adjacent his/her head or ear to make the game more exciting. This prior art variation has a number of disadvantages. First, with the pin located within the cylinder, a player can easily spot the chamber containing the pin (taking the fun out of the game). Second, after the pin punctures the balloon, the pin remains extending until the hammer is cocked to rotate the cylinder. The extended pin can easily injure a player. Finally, the plastic ring is easily disengaged from the top of the device, disrupting the momentum of the game. 
         [0004]    Therefore, there is a need for an improved game device that safely emulates the game of Russian Roulette by providing a device that resembles a revolver and having a protected pin and a rotatably mounted ring that does not dislodge easily. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The present invention provides a game device for safely playing a game of Russian Roulette with balloons instead of bullets. 
         [0006]    The game device of the present invention resembles a revolver, but without a barrel, and with the muzzle adjacent the cylinder. An expandable ring is rotatably mounted adjacent the muzzle of device allows exposure of the pin only when a fully blown balloon is positioned therein to be punctured. 
         [0007]    The game device of the present invention comprises a main body that resembles a revolver without a barrel and an expandable ring mounted on the main body. The main body comprises a handle, a rotatably mounted cylinder, and a firing mechanism that are similar to and operate the same way as those components of a revolver. Instead of placing bullets in the chambers of the cylinder, a spring loaded piston is positioned in one of the chambers of the cylinder. A spring loaded pin is positioned outside and adjacent the cylinder and cooperates with the spring loaded piston. The expandable ring is rotatably attached to and positioned adjacent the muzzle of the main body for receiving a balloon to be blown therebetween. The expandable ring has at least one pin protection member that is positioned adjacent the muzzle to conceal the pin if no balloon is positioned between the ring. When a balloon is blown and positioned between the ring, the ring expands and the pin protection member is displaced from its original position concealing the pin to allowing the exposure of the pin. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    Preferred embodiments of the present invention have been chosen for purposes of illustration and description and are shown in the accompanying drawings forming a part of the specification wherein: 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the game device of the present invention removably positioned on a base. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is side view of the game device, with the expandable ring rotated ninety degrees. 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is an exploded view showing the components of the game device of the present invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is another exploded view showing the components of the game device of the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged view of the firing mechanism of the present invention with half of the main body removed. 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  is another view of the firing mechanism of the present invention similar to  FIG. 5 , but with the other half of the main body removed. 
           [0015]      FIG. 7  is a view of the expandable ring in an expanded position if a balloon is blown therebetween (balloon not shown) and with the pin element exposed. 
           [0016]      FIG. 8  is an enlarged view of  FIG. 7 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0017]    With reference to the drawings, wherein the same reference number indicates the same element throughout, there is shown in  FIGS. 1-2  a game device  10  of the present invention. The game device  10  comprises a main body  20  that resembles a revolver without a barrel, and an expandable ring  30  attached to the main body  20 . 
         [0018]    As shown in  FIGS. 1-6 , the main body  20  comprises a handle  201 , a rotatably mounted cylinder  203 , and a firing mechanism  205  that are similar to and operate the same way as those components of a revolver. The main body  20  may be formed from two substantially equal, but corresponding, halves  21   a  and  22   b . The two halves  21   a  and  21   b  provide for axial rotatable support to the cylinder  203  and enclose the firing mechanism  205 . 
         [0019]    The handle  201  allows a user to comfortably grip the game device  10 . The handle  201  can be optionally and removably mounted on a corresponding configured support base  207  to allow the game device  10  to be in an upright position for use, play or display. As shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  3 ,  4  and  6 , a spring loaded button  202  cooperates with a depression  204  on the support base  207  for the removable attachment. 
         [0020]    The cylinder  203  has a plurality of cylindrical chambers  209  evenly distributed around the central axis of the cylinder  203 . There can be any number of cylindrical chambers  209 , such as five, six, seven, or more cylindrical chambers  209 . The cylinder  203  is axially rotatable around its central axis about the main body  20 . 
         [0021]    The firing mechanism  205  comprises a hammer  211 , a trigger  213 , a pawl  215 , a ratchet wheel  217 , first spring  219  and second spring  221 . The ratchet wheel  217  has a disk shape body  225  with a plurality of openings  227  that correspond to the cylindrical chambers  209  of cylinder  203 , a pair of arms  218  extending from the inner planar surface and a plurality of teeth  223  on its outer planar surface. Each tooth  223  has a sloped side and a straight side. The ratchet wheel  217  is mounted onto one end of the cylinder  203  with the openings  227  in alignment with the chambers  209 . 
         [0022]    As shown in  FIGS. 5  (with half  21   a  of the main body  20  removed) and  6  (with half  21   b  of the main body  20  removed), the hammer  211 , trigger  213 , pawl  215 , ratchet wheel  217 , first and second springs  219  and  221  are mounted on the main body  20  and interact and work cooperatively to function like a revolver, as known to one skilled in the art. When the hammer  211  is cocked, the pawl  215  is raised, interacting with the teeth  223  of the ratchet wheel and causing the ratchet wheel  217  (thus the cylinder  203 ) to rotate to the next chamber  209 , and readying the trigger  213 . When the trigger  213  is pulled, the hammer  211  is released, causing it to strike the space or a spring loaded piston  229  (to be described below) in a chamber  209  of the cylinder  203  that is in alignment. In the main body  20 , a dome shape element  247  sized to engage one end of the chamber  209  cooperates with a spring  249  to keep the cylinder  203  from freely rotating about the main body  20  and to allow the indexing of each chamber  209  each time the hammer  211  is pulled. 
         [0023]    As shown in  FIGS. 3-5 , instead of placing bullets in the chambers  209  of the cylinder  203 , a spring loaded piston  229  is placed in one of the chambers  209  and enclosed by the ratchet wheel  217  at one end. The spring loaded piston  229  cooperates and interacts with a spring loaded pin  231  that is placed adjacent the cylinder  203  within the main body  20 . 
         [0024]    The spring loaded piston  229  includes a striking element  233  pivotably connected to a piston element  235  with a spring  237  via a tubular opening  234  and a corresponding cylinder extension  236 . A coil spring  239  overlays the cylindrical portion of the piston element  235  to keep the piston element  235  within the chamber  209  and to allow the piston element  235  to exit the chamber  209  in response to a force applied to it via the hammer  211  by compressing the spring  239 . The traverse bar  238  slides along a pair of axially aligned and opposing grooves  210  (not shown) in the chamber  209  of cylinder  203 . The spring loaded piston  229  is prevented from sliding out of the chamber  209  when arms  218  of the ratchet wheel come into contact with the traverse bar  238  of the piston element  235 . The spring loaded pin  231  includes a pin housing  239  encircling a pin element  241  and a spring  243 . 
         [0025]    As shown in  FIGS. 3 ,  4 ,  5 ,  7  and  8 , expandable ring  30  comprises a non-continuous circular frame member  251  and a frame expander member  253 . The frame member  251  is discontinuous at a break  257 , defining a first end  251   a  and second end  251   b . Adjacent the first end  251   a  of the frame member  251  is an aperture  259 . Adjacent the second end  251   b  of the frame member  251  is a slot opening  261 . Between second end  251   b  and the slot opening  261  is a pinhole opening  246  and radially extending away from the frame member  251  opposite the pinhole opening  246  is a hollow tube  255  whose axis is in alignment with the pinhole opening  246 . The pinhole opening  246  essentially acts as the muzzle of the game device  10 . The space within the hollow tube  255  receives the spring loaded pin  231  such that pin element  241  is extendable through the pinhole opening  246  (as shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8 ). The outer surface of the hollow tube  255  has a plurality of depressions  267  which cooperates with a spring loaded plunger  269 . The seat  271  of the plunger  269  is pushed against the depression  267  to allow indexed rotation of the hollow tube  255  (and thereby rotation of the expandable  30 ) relative to the main body  20 . The hollow tube  255 , with the spring loaded pin  231 , and the plunger  269  are safely enclosed within a cover  245  within the body  20 . The frame expander member  253  has two small openings  263   a  and  263   b , corresponding to aperture  259  and slot opening  261 , respectively. Fastener  265   a  attaches the frame expander member  253  to frame member  251  through aperture  259  and opening  263   a . Fastener  265   b  attaches the frame expander member  253  to frame member  251  through slot opening  261  and opening  263   b . Frame expander member  253  has a pin protection member  266 . The expandable ring  30  can be rotated to be in a planar vertical position, as shown in  FIG. 2 , for shipping and storage. 
         [0026]    With the expandable ring  30  attached to the main body  20  as discussed above, in the at rest position (contracted position), the perimeter of the expandable ring  30  is formed with the frame member  251 , with no space at the break  257 , and the&#39;frame expander member  253  overlapping the frame member  251  (see  FIG. 1 ). At this position, the pin protection member  266  overlays and conceals the pinhole opening  246 . With the presence of a blown balloon within the expandable ring  30 , fastener  265   b  moves along slot opening  261  such that the perimeter of the expandable ring  30  is formed with the frame member  251  and the frame expander member  253 , with a spacing at the break  257  (see  FIGS. 7 and 8 ); thereby exposing the pinhole opening  246 . 
         [0027]    To safely play a game of Russian Roulette with the game device  10  of the present invention, a balloon is positioned between the expandable ring  30 . The balloon is blown until it is large enough to cause the expandable ring  30  to expand to displace the pin protection member  266  to expose the pinhole opening  246 . The hammer  211  is cocked, raising the pawl  215  to rotate the ratchet wheel  217  (and thereby the cylinder  203 ) to the next chamber  209 , and readying the trigger  213 . Assuming the chamber  209  that is in alignment contains the spring loaded piston  229 , when the trigger  213  is pulled, the hammer  211  is released, causing it to strike the striking element  233  of the spring loaded piston  229  in a forward and downward direction. The striking element  233  is pushed forward, which in turn pushes the piston element  235  forward, which in turn pushes the pin element  241  forward through the pinhole opening  246  to puncture the balloon present in the expandable ring  30 . With a burst balloon, the expandable ring automatically returns to its at rest (i.e. contracted) position such that the pin protection member  266  cover the pinhole opening  246  again to prevent the unnecessary exposure of the pin element  241 . 
         [0028]    Immediately after the hammer  211  pushes the striking element  233  forward, the striking element  233  pivots with respect to the piston element  235  to provide clearance to the downward moving hammer  211  to rest as shown in  FIG. 5 , to prevent the pin element  241  from being continuously exposed at the pinhole opening  246  until the hammer  211  strikes again. Therefore, the pin element  241  is exposed only for fractions of a second, just long enough to puncture a blown balloon placed within the expandable ring  30 . This is an additional safety feature that prevents the unnecessary exposure of the pin element  241 . 
         [0029]    The features of the invention illustrated and described herein are the preferred embodiments. Therefore, it is understood that the appended claims are intended to cover the variations disclosed and unforeseeable embodiments with insubstantial differences that are within the spirit of the claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 0