THIMBLE WARRIOR GAME

Abstract

A toy for use in connection with the playing of a thumb-wrestling game comprises a thimble, adapted to be mounted upon a player's thumb, and a combat-ant figurine attached to the thimble. The figurine may be fixedly attached to the thimble or detachably attached to the thimble such that various different figurines may be interchangeably mounted upon a single thimble. Scoring indicia are also provided upon either the thimble or both the thimble and figurine, and still further, arithmetic operational indicia may also be provided, such scoring indicia and arith-metic operational indicia being utilized in connection with the scoring of points after the thumb-wrestling match.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS

This patent application is a Continuation-in-Part (CIP) of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/119,530 which was filed on May 13, 2008, the priority benefits of which are hereby claimed.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to games, and more particularly to the well-known children's game of thumb wrestling wherein toy implements, in the form of various figurines, warriors, and the like, are adapted to be removably attached to each one of the two players' thumbs so as to in fact enable the two players to engage in a game of thumb wrestling.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Modernization and technological advances have currently created an atmosphere wherein children in the modern society often spend a vast amount of time watching television, playing with their computers or video games, and the like. In addition, many video games can be played by one player, and therefore, children are becoming less social, less cooperative, less communal, and more isolated and independent. Society needs more games that enable children to play with their friends, and considering the nature of children, it is preferable that such games are those that effectively comprise a contest with the objective of winning.

A need therefore exists for a toy or game which requires that the game to be played by two children with the objective of winning the game. In addition, it is preferable that the game include a point calculation system which will stimulate or improve the children's thought processes while, of course, being relatively simple so as to still enable them to play the game properly. A further objective of the present invention is to provide a game that is portable and therefore readily capable of being carried by the children so as to be taken to various locations at which the children can play the game.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The foregoing and other objectives are achieved in accordance with the teachings and principles of the present invention through the provision of a new and improved thumb-wrestling game with toy components wherein each toy component comprises a thimble that is adapted to fit a child's thumb, and, of course, the thimbles can be of different sizes so as to be capable of fitting the thumbs of different children of different ages. Obviously, for example, the thumb of a six or seven-year old child will be different from the thumb of, for example, a four-year old child. Furthermore, a figurine, warrior, dinosaur, well-known sport team player, either at the university level or professional level, soldier of a particular country, monster, a police officer, a thief, or the like, is adapted to be detachably mounted atop the thimble. It is envisioned that each figurine, warrior, dinosaur, well-known sport team player, soldier, airplane, ship, tank, monster, police officer, or thief will also be one of a set of similar figurines, warriors, dinosaurs, well-known sport team players, soldiers, airplanes, ships, tanks, monsters, police officers, thieves, or the like, such that the various toy components will comprise different sets from which the two players can choose which one of the individual toy components they actually want to play the game with as their individual combatants or representatives. The actual number of thimbles and toy combatants within a game can, of course, vary, however, it is envisioned that the number of combatants within a single game, as purchased from the manufacturer or from an authorized distributor or retailer, should be at least ten, or even a dozen, so as to provide the two players with a sufficient variety or choice as to their individual combatants There should also be a multiplicity of thimbles upon which different score values are noted. Alternatively still further, the number of different combatants may comprise, for example, two dozen, particularly where the set of toy components permits. For example, if the particular set of toy components or combatants comprises soldiers, it would be relatively easy and interesting to provide toy combatant soldiers as representatives from at least two dozen different countries.

In accordance with the present invention, each player will initially select or choose a particular combatant that the player wants to play with, and the player will attach that particular combatant to one of the two thimbles which also comprises the game set. Subsequently, in accordance with the well-known game of thumb-wrestling, the two players will then intertwine or engage the four fingers of their hands, other than the thumbs, while the thumbs, with the combatants projecting upwardly therefrom, are disposed in vertically upstanding or raised positions. The two sets of four intertwined fingers are not permitted to be separated from each other throughout the game or match. The thumb-wrestling match is then ready to begin. After an agreed-upon signal, the two players will manipulate their thumbs, and their attached combatants, such that each player will try to bring down and pin the thumb and combatant of the other player for a predetermined amount of time, such as, for example, three seconds, whereupon the game or match will have been won. When in fact a game or match is completed as a result of the thumb and combatant of one player bringing down or pinning the thumb and combatant of the other player, the winning player will have scored a point or a predetermined number of points. In its simplest form, and for young children, each game or match is worth one point. Alternatively, however, for older children who are capable of engaging in relatively simple mathematical processes, such as, for example, addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division, other scoring themes or processes are possible. For example, each combatant is provided with a number upon its thimble portion. This number represents a score value. It can be agreed, prior to the beginning of a game or match, how the score values are to be used in connection with the game or match scoring. At the end of a particular game or match, the two players may engage in a second game or match with the same combatants, or alternatively, they may select different combatants to be mounted upon the same or different thimbles, with different score values, and/or they may choose to derive the winning score in accordance with a different scoring mode. The player with the highest score after one or more games or matches is the winner.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Various other features and attendant advantages of the present invention will be more fully appreciated from the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

FIGURE I is a schematic diagram of a pair of game pieces, each com-prising a thimble, with score indicia thereon, having a combatant figurine fixedly se-cured to the thimble;

FIG. 2 is an exploded schematic diagram of a game piece comprising a thimble and a combatant figurine removably mounted upon the thimble by means of a suitable stud connector;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the game piece thimble having a screw thread connector incorporated therein for threadedly mounting a figurine thereon; and

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the use of a pair of game pieces as attached to the thumbs of two players engaged in a game of thumb-wrestling.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIG. 1 thereof, a pair of game pieces, each comprising a thimble 100, with score value indicia 120 thereon, and a combatant figurine 110 fixedly secured to the thimble 100, is disclosed. Each one of the thimbles 100 is adapted to be placed upon the thumb of one of the two players that will engage each other in the thumb-wrestling game, and as has been previously noted, each one of the combatant figurines may comprise, for example, a warrior, dinosaur, well-known sport team player, soldier, airplane, ship, tank monster, or the like. A game set, when purchased as a retail product, will comprise several thimbles, having different score value indicia 120 denoted thereon, and a combatant figurine 110 fixedly secured thereon. In order to render the game more interesting and variable, the combatant figurines 110 may be detachably attached to the thimbles 100, as will be more fully described hereinafter, and may therefore be readily interchanged. In this manner, while the number of thimbles provided within a game set may comprise, for example, one dozen, with differing score value indicia 120 thereon, the number of combatant figurines 110 to be attached, detached, and interchanged upon different thimbles 100, may comprise one, two, or three dozen in order to truly provide the game with a large number of permutations and combinations of thimbles and figurines.

It is to be noted that in conjunction with the score value indicia 120 noted upon each thimble 100, each game piece thimble 100 is also provided with an arithmetic operational indicia 130. In connection with utilizing such score value indicia 120, and the arithmetic operational indicia 130, at the end of each thumb-wrestling game, match, or bout, different scoring options are presented or may be implemented. In particular, both score value indicia 120 appearing upon both game pieces are to be utilized. For example, the scoring value indicia 120 appearing upon the left game piece as viewed in FIG. 1 has a score value of 770. In a similar manner, the scoring value indicia 120 appearing upon the right game piece as viewed in FIG. 1 has a score value of 100. Therefore, in accordance with a first scoring mode or manner in which the thumb-wrestling game may be played and scored, if the player using the left game piece wins the first game, match, or bout, then since his arithmetic operational indicia 130 is a minus sign, the player that used the left game piece will accumulate or be awarded a score of 670 as derived from the subtraction of 100, the score value of the right game piece, from 770 which is the score value of the left game piece. If the player that used the right game piece is the winner of the game, match, or bout, then he would also accumulate or be awarded a score of 670. Continuing further, if the two players also agreed that the arithmetic operational indicia 130 of the right game piece was likewise to be invoked, then a different scoring mode could be achieved. For example, if it were agreed that the multiplication indicia 130 of the right game piece was two, then the right game piece would effectively be worth 200 points. Accordingly, the winning player would receive or be awarded 570 points. Similarly, or alternatively, if it was agreed that the multiplication indicia 130 of the right game piece was one-half, then the right game piece would effectively be worth only 50 points with the winning player being awarded 720 points. In addition to the subtraction and multiplication arithmetic operational indicia 130 as illustrated, other arithmetic operational indicia, such as, for example, addition or division, are also of course possible.

With reference now being made to FIG. 2, a second embodiment of a game piece, as constructed in accordance with the principles and teachings of the present invention, is disclosed. More particularly, it can be seen that the game piece comprises a thimble 200 that is adapted to be placed upon a child's thumb, and that a figurine 210 can be detachably attached to the thimble 200 by means of a suitable connector 220. Preferably the connector 220 if fixedly secured to the thimble 200 and the figurine 210 is detachably attached to the connector, although it is of course possible that the figurine 210 is fixedly attached to the connector 220 and that the connector 220, with the figurine 210, is detachably attached to the thimble 200. Score indicia may be noted upon both the thimble 200 and the figurine 210 as at 230 and 240, respectively. It is to be noted that before a particular match is to commence, the players will agree as to which scoring indicia 230 or 240 will be utilized. Still further, it can also be seen that the thimble 200 is provided with the letter H, or alternatively, it might be provided with the letter A or L. These designations are provided so as to readily indicate that the thimble is a High thimble, meaning, it can be used by older children or even adults, and in a similar manner, the letter A can designate a thimble for Adult use, or the letter L can designate use by a person with relatively Large thumbs.

Referring next to FIG. 3, the plan view shows a thimble 200 which has incorporated therein a screw-thread portion 250 by means of which a figurine may be readily attached and detached therefrom.

Lastly, with reference being made to FIG. 4, there is schematically illustrated a pair of players engaged in a thumb-wrestling match with the thimbles 100 respectively mounted upon their thumbs 300 and wherein suitable figurines 110 have been attached to the thimbles 100. The fingers 310 of each player, other than the thumbs 300, are entwined or engaged with each other while the bottom portions of the players' hands are disposed substantially horizontally. The thumbs 300, along with the thimbles 100 and the combatant figurines 110, extend substantially vertically upwardly ready to engage in the thumb-wrestling match.

Obviously, many variations and modifications of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the present invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein.

Claims

1. A toy for use by each one of a pair of players in connection with the playing of a game of thumb wrestling between the pair of players, comprising:

a thimble portion adapted to be inserted over and mounted upon a human thumb so as to be manipulated by said human thumb during a game of thumb wrestling;

a figurine mounted upon said thimble portion; and

scoring indicia disposed upon one of said thimble portion and said figurine to be used together in connection with the scoring of the game win between the pair of players.

2. The toy as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said figurine is selected from the group comprising a warrior, a soldier of a particular country, an airplane, a ship, a tank, a policeman, a thief, a dinosaur, a sport team player, and a monster.

3. The toy as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said figurine is fixedly attached to said thimble portion.

4. The toy as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said figurine is detachably mounted upon said thimble portion.

5. The toy as set forth in claim 4, wherein:

said figurine is detachably mounted upon said thimble portion by a stud fastener.

6. The toy as set forth in claim 4, wherein:

said figurine is detachably mounted upon said thimble portion by a threaded male member defined upon one of said thimble and said figurine portions of said toy and by a threaded female member defined upon the other one of said thimble and said figurine portions of said toy.

7. The toy as set forth in claim 4, wherein:

said figurine is detachably mounted to said thimble portion such that different figurines may be interchangeably attached to a particular thimble portion.

8. A thumb wrestling game to be played between a pair of players during a thumb wrestling match, comprising:

a pair of toys for each one of the pair of players wherein each one of said toys comprises a thimble portion adapted to be respectively inserted over and mounted upon the human thumb of each one of the pair of game players so as to be manipulated by the human thumbs of the pair of game players during a game of thumb wrestling;

a pair of figurines respectively mounted upon each one of said pair of thimbles; and

scoring indicia disposed upon one of said thimble portions and said figurines of each one of said toys to be used together in connection with the scoring of the game win between the pair of players.

9. The game as set forth in claim 8, wherein:

each one of said figurines is selected from the group comprising a warrior, a soldier of a particular country, an airplane, a ship, a tank, a policeman, a thief, a dinosaur, a sport team player, and a monster.

10. The game as set forth in claim 8, wherein:

each one of said figurines is fixedly attached to said thimble portion.

11. The game as set forth in claim 8, wherein:

each one of said figurines is detachably mounted upon said thimble portion.

12. The game as set forth in claim 11, wherein:

each one of said figurines is detachably mounted upon said thimble portion by a stud fastener.

13. The game as set forth in claim 11, wherein:

each one of said figurines is detachably mounted upon said thimble portion by a threaded male member defined upon one of said thimbles and one of said figurine portions of said toy, and by a threaded female member defined upon the other one of said thimble and said figurine portions of said toy.

14. The game as set forth in claim 11, wherein:

each one of said figurines is detachably mounted to said thimble portion such that different figurines may be interchangeably attached to a particular thimble portion.

15. The game as set forth in claim 8, wherein:

the number of figurines per game comprises at least one dozen.

16. The game as set forth in claim 8, wherein:

the number of thimbles per game comprises at least one dozen.