Abstract:
This invention is directed to chess pieces for playing chess, more specifically to large three dimensional game pieces that are associated with outdoor game playing surfaces in which oversize game pieces are physically moved about a board representation that the player actually walks on. Each of the game pieces has a plurality of radially positioned interconnected panel elements which are removably secured to a support base and are collapsible upon one another after use for storage and transportation.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   This device relates to oversized lawn/patio game pieces such as chessmen that are formed from multiple flat panels and wire like frames which are arranged to emulate a free standing three dimensional oversized chess game pieces. 
   2. Description of Prior Art 
   Prior art devices of this type have been developed in a variety of different structural configurations; see for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,759,523, 3,806,128, 5,895,046, 6,513,809 and D277,015. 
   In U.S. Pat. No. 3,759,523, chess game pieces are disclosed having a spool like construction in which individual game piece designation for identification is indicated by indicia on the top spool surface. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 3,806,128 shows a game piece for a chess set in which the pieces are registerably interlinked with one another in top to bottom orientation in a tubular storage and transportation configuration. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 5,895,046 claims a sectional chessman for playing chess in which each piece is made from a composite of two dimensional elements comprising a base, an upstanding universal body section and a distinctive piece identification head section that is selectively fitted into the free upper edge of the universal body section. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 6,513,809 illustrates chess pieces and chess sets formed of hardware components such as nuts and bolts. A threaded bolt extends vertically from a base with a plurality of correspondingly sized apertured beads placed thereon and secured by a threaded nut and locking hardware fastening elements to designate different game pieces. 
   Design Pat. No. D277,015 discloses an ornamental design for a set of stackable chess pieces in which conical shaped pieces are stacked or nested one on top of the other for storage purposes. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   An enlarged collapsible three dimensional chess game pieces which are used in playing the game of chess are formed from a plurality of pre-positioned interconnected two dimensional panel elements. Each game piece has distinctively shaped repetitive panels that are radially arranged and extend from an annular shaped support base. The panel elements are interconnected to one another for support and collapsible storage together. Alternately, the panels are defined by elongated wire-like framing with an attached flexible exterior fabric covering that overlies the assembled frame elements defining a solid three dimensional surface representation of the configured game piece. 

   
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a multiple panel formed game piece; 
       FIG. 2  is an enlarged perspective view of a portion thereof; 
       FIG. 3  is a top plan view thereof; 
       FIG. 4  is a top plan view of the support base; 
       FIG. 5  is a side elevational view of a collapsed panelized game piece removed from its support base for storage and transportation; 
       FIG. 6  is a side elevational view of an alternate panel construction of a distinctive chess game piece; 
       FIG. 7  is a front elevational view with portions broken away of a second alternate game piece construction utilizes multiple wire frame like elements with a cover thereover; 
       FIG. 8  is a side elevational view of the wire support frame thereof; 
       FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a collapsed stack wire frame elements for storage and transportation; 
       FIG. 10  is an enlarged illustrative partial top graphic view of a partially assembled wire support frame with a flexible exterior attached cover representation portions of which are broken away on a support base with frame engagement clips extending therefrom; and 
       FIG. 11  is an enlarged cross-sectional view on lines  11 — 11  of  FIG. 10 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1–6  of the drawings, a large scale collapsible game piece  10  can be seen having an annular support base  11  with a top engagement surface  12  and oppositely disposed bottom  13  and interconnected annular sidewall  14 . The top surface  12  has a plurality of trans-sectional mounting radially spaced grooves  15  therein. The grooves  15  define a central recessed area  16 . A plurality of identical flat panels  18  having a contoured distinctive edge  19  are secured together along their respective oppositely disposed edges  20  by a flexible sheet member  21 , best seen in  FIG. 3  of the drawings which allows for aligned storage engagement as will be described in greater detail hereinafter. 
   The interconnected multiple panels  18  are registerably aligned in upstanding relationship co-frictionally engaged within the corresponding support grooves  15  and additionally supported therein by multiple brackets  22  engaged between the top surface  12  of the base  11  and some of the adjacent panels side surface portions  18 A. It will be seen that the multiple contoured edges  19  form a specific three dimensional chess game piece representation such as illustrated in  FIG. 1  as a pawn. 
   The chess game pieces  10  of the invention so assembled are of an oversize scale appropriate for use in outdoor venues in which large game board playing surface representations (not shown) are scaled up to actually be walked on by the player (also not shown). Such large scale game board representations require the player to be able to physically walk up to and move the large scale game piece  10  of the invention around the appropriate designated board playing surface representation as will be well known and understood by those familiar with playing chess. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 5  of the drawings, the multiple interconnected flat panels  18  are shown removed from the base  11  and stacked in abutting aligned registration to one another for ease of transportation and efficient storage. 
   The support base  11  is preferably of a hollow construction of molded synthetic resin material and filled optionally with a weight providing material such as water or sand (not shown) through associated access ports and closure assemblies  11 A therein. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 6  of the drawings, a first alternate form of the invention can be seen as a game piece  23  in which a specific chess game piece such as the “knight” is illustrated. The first alternate game piece  23  utilizes the support base  11  shown in broken lines as hereinbefore described with modified panels  24 ,  25  and  26 . The panels  24  and  25  are of equal full size game piece height in which the panel  24  in this illustration has a contoured edge  27  of a distinctive horse head at  28 A. The distinctive panel  25  correspondingly forms the other half of the “knight” game piece representation silhouette with a distinctive contoured edge  29  and are in planar alignment with one another. 
   The remaining identical panels  26  are of a reduced height with a distinctive contoured edge  30  and extend radially on the base  11  so as to complete the three dimensional game piece representation. All of the aforedescribed panels  24 ,  25  and  26  are interconnected to one another by a flexible sheet member  31  for ease of set up, alignment and collapsibility for storage off the base  11 . 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 7–11  of the drawings, a second alternative form of the invention can be seen wherein a chessman game piece  32  is formed from a plurality of interconnected independent frame elements  33 , best seen in  FIG. 8  of the drawings. The frame elements  33  can be of a wire rod construction or other elongated rod formed material, such as molded synthetic resin material and are configured with a straight base portion  33 A, a right angular extending straight bock portion  33 B and a contoured front portion  33 C interconnecting therebetween and formed so as to define the game piece representation in this example a chess piece representation of a “pawn”. The frame elements are interconnected to one another by a flexible sheet element  33 D interengaging the back portions  33 . Multiple identical frame elements  33  are arranged in an evenly spaced radial pattern on a modified support base  34  having multiple frame engagement clips  35  mounted thereon, as best seen in  FIGS. 15 ,  16  and  17  of the drawings. 
   The support base  34  is hollow in the preferred embodiment and con be filled with a weight inducing material such as sand S or water (not shown) through aperture ports  34 E. 
     FIGS. 7 ,  10  and  11  of the drawings show an integral full fabric frame cover  36  can be seen which is selectively attached to the frame elements  33  which when fully opened will extend around the outside surfaces of the multiple frame elements  33  defining a solid representation of the particular game piece shape defined thereby. Respective elongated cover end edges  37  and  38  have corresponding selectively engageable hook and loop fastener strips  39  and  40  thereon known commercially as Velcro brand thereon which are engageable with one another so as to complete a true three dimensional contoured cover surface of the game piece. 
   It will be evident to one skilled in the art that a variety of different chess game pieces can be so formed by utilization of different select frame elements, size and contoured edge configuration and appropriately matching cover configurations. 
   Additionally, storage strops  41  and  42  may be provided that will hold the collapsible multiple frame elements  33  and attached frame cover  36  together for transportation and storage once removed from the base as graphically illustrated in  FIG. 18  of the drawings. The frame cover  36  extends beyond the base portion  34 A of the respective frame elements  33  and will therefore cover the support base  34  when in open deployed use position as seen in  FIG. 11  of the drawings. The engagement clips  35  are removably secured to registration fittings in the upper surface  35 A of the base  34  and can be removed with the base  34  inverted and used as a secondary game piece in certain game applications, such as checkers. 
   A pair of resilient strapping elements  45  may be used to help stabilize the multiple frame elements  33  by selectively securing assembled adjacent frame portions  33 B towards one another as generally illustrated in  FIG. 8  of the drawings. 
   It will thus be seen that a new and novel large scale collapsible chess game pieces have been illustrated and described and it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention.