Recreational Game Apparatus

Abstract

The invention is a portable and customizable Skelzies-like game that includes multiple customizable mats and game pieces, which are each adapted to allow the game pieces to slide upon the mats

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Priority is claimed to Provisional Application No. 62/591,981 filed on Nov. 29, 2017, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein by reference as if part of the present specification.

BACKGROUND

Field of the Invention

Today, in a fast-paced world, children of all backgrounds are losing a sense of community and engagement. Their social skills are limited as many hide behind smart phones and tablets. As well, with the onset of video games, our youth simply engage very little in physical activity. The present invention will allow for face to face interaction thus building social skills, planning skills, dexterity and physical activity, all with the ability to play both outdoors in a park or in a home setting, with ease.

Description of the Related Art

Games that involve physical exertion do exist and provide entertainment, but lack portability and customization. Game tables, such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,467,985, are bulky and often require electricity, which is not always readily available. As such, transport is very difficult and often impractical. Other games, such as those described in US. Patent Application No.: 2009/0256311, describe a game apparatus that comprises an impassable outer barrier and several inner barriers.

These games are not ideal for those hoping to play a game that is closer to Skelzies, primarily because the games are played on a board with an outer barrier, and aren't customizable to a set room size. Skelzies is a street game traditionally played without borders or external barriers on the asphalt streets of an inner city.

SUMMARY

One object of the invention is to provide a customizable game. Another object of the invention is to provide a transportable game. A further object of the invention is to provide a game that can be played almost anywhere.

These and other objects of the invention are accomplished by the recreational game apparatus described herein that includes a plurality of mats adapted to be removably marked with playing data, the mats having a periphery with a beveled edge; and game pieces, having beveled edges.

In a specific embodiment of the invention, the recreational game apparatus includes thirteen mats each marked sequentially and four game pieces.

Methods are provided that include distributing mats about a surface and sequentially flicking game pieces toward each mat.

The present invention addresses various objects of the invention, which include providing a portable game that that is customizable and does not involve the use of boards or require electricity. In the novel aspects of the invention, a recreational game apparatus is providing that comprises

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an illustrative perspective view of the one embodiment of the mats of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an illustrative top view of one embodiment of a game piece of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a cut-away side view of a specific embodiment of a game piece of the invention; and

FIG. 4 is an illustrative top view of one embodiment of the mat of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With reference to the Figures, and in one embodiment of the invention, recreational games 2 and methods comprise at least one game piece 6 (FIGS. 2-3) and at least one mat 4, each mat 4 having beveled edges 8 about the periphery, which allow game pieces 6 to slide thereupon each mat 4. With specific reference to FIG. 4, beveled edge 8 of each mat 4 is beveled such that top surface 18 of each mat 4 slopes downward toward the floor, ground or other base in order to accept game pieces 6. With reference to FIG. 3, base 10 of game piece 6 is beveled along the periphery of its edge 12 such that top portion 14 of game piece 6 slopes toward a center point of base 10 to allow game piece 6 to slide upon beveled edges 8 of mats 4 when flicked during play.

Top portion 14, of game piece 6, therefore, has a larger diameter than base 10. Without beveling of both mats 4 and game pieces 6, game pieces 6 could not slide upon the top surface of mats 4 during play. Because of the beveling properties one can create their own Skelzies cap in the traditional fashion of taking a bottle cap, filling it with wax and shooting it through the playing field, thus playing the game as it was originally intended. Top surface 18 of mats 4 has a lesser surface area than a base portion of mats 4. In specific embodiments of the invention, game piece 6 is comprised of two parts. In the specific embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG. 3, game piece 6 is one unitary part, with no separate pieces.

Mats 4 are of any size, shape, and thickness so long at edges 8 are sufficiently beveled in accordance with the invention sufficiently to allow game piece 6 to be flicked thereupon by a player. In one embodiment of the invention, mats 4 are about one-eighth of an inch thick. In another embodiment of the invention, mats 4 are one-half inch thick. In various embodiments of the invention, mats 4 are at least one of octagonal, hexagonal, or circular.

In one embodiment of the invention (FIG. 1) mats 4 are each of the same size, shape and thickness. In another embodiment of the invention (not shown), at least one mat 4 is a different size, or shape when compared to at least one other mat 4. In specific embodiments of the invention (not shown), mats 4 increase in size as the level information thereupon increases. For example, and in a specific embodiment of the invention, mats 4 marked with levels 1, 2 and 3 are 8″×8″, mats 4 marked 4, 5, 6 are 7″×7″, mats 4 marked 7, 8 and 9 are 6.5″×6.5″ and any remaining mats 4 are 6″×6″. Mats 4 may be marked in any way in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.

Mats 4 may be made of any material or mixture thereof that allows game pieces 6 to slide upon top surface 18 of mat 4. In specific embodiments of the invention, mats 4 are comprised of plastic, foam, acrylic, or rubber.

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 4, top surface 18 of mats 4 are each removably marked with playing data 16. Playing data 16 is any data used to facilitate game play. In preferred embodiments of the invention, playing data 16 includes at least one number selected from a group including 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13. In other embodiments, playing data 16 also includes level information, including, but not limited to decimal valued level information, start and base play information. In specific embodiments of the invention, playing data 16 includes a hyper spot. A hyper spot is an area where if a game piece 6 lands directly onto it, a player will either be allowed to skip two sequential mats 4 or be downgraded to sequential mats 4. Hazards or hazardous mats 4 are to be avoided.

Game piece 6 may be any item capable of sliding onto mat 6 with the force of the flick of the human hand. In one embodiment of the invention, game piece 6 is a disk. In accordance with the invention, game 2 includes multiple game pieces 6. In a specific embodiment of the invention, game 2 includes four game pieces 6. Game pieces 6 each have a beveled edge 12 about the periphery, which allow game piece 6 to slide onto the upper surface 18 of mat 4. Game pieces 6 may be any color, and may include a means for glowing in the dark about top portion 14 of each piece 6.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG. 1, game 2 includes twelve numbered mats 4 that include playing data 16 to indicate game level, a start mat, a base mat, and hazardous zone mats. In alternative embodiments (not shown), the mats 4 are each marked sequentially from 0.25 through 3.25. Each mat 4 may be colored and include a means for glowing in the dark. At least one mat 4 may include a hyper spot. In all embodiments, mats 4 are removably marked, which allows a user to customize game 2.

In one embodiment of the invention, a means for glowing in the dark is about the surface of at least one of mats 4 or game pieces 6. The means for glowing in the dark may be any means capable of making mats 4 or game pieces 6 locatable in low light environments such as after sundown, or inside an interior space with low or no interior light.

In a specific embodiment of the invention, game 2 comprises a total of fourteen sequentially marked mats 4 and four game pieces 6, one per player. If there are two players, game 2 comprises a total of fourteen sequentially marked mats 4 and two game pieces 6 divided equally between the two players. Other mats 4 may also be employed in addition to sequentially numbered mats 4. For example, two to four “hazard” marked mats 4. In this particular embodiment, game 2 also comprises a mat 4 marked “start” and a mat 4 marked “Skelzie Base 13,” as shown in FIG. 1.

In one embodiment, a method for playing game 2 comprises placing mats 4 in various configurations along a surface such as a floor or the ground. Mats 4 may be placed in a traditional Skelzies or Sculley (as used herein “Sculley” and “Skelzies” have the same meaning) layout, or in any imagined layout. The method does not utilize a board, table or the like, which allows play and transport of game 2 anywhere. After laying out mats 4, players then alternatively flick game pieces 6 toward mats in an attempt to place game pieces onto the top surface of mats 4. Game pieces must land on mats 4 sequentially if the playing data 16 includes numbers or levels. As such, a player would initially aim for the first level mat 4. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, a player would initially aim at mat 4 marked “1.” It should be noted that players utilize skill to flick game pieces onto certain mats 4 (level mats 4, start mat 4 and base mat 4), while avoiding other mats 4 (hazardous zone mats). Along the course, there are rules that can either propel a player ahead, such as landing directly into a Hyper spot, or landing on a hazardous mat 4, which results in a lost turn. A player may also advance to his next mat 4 by hitting another player's game piece 6 at any time.

Mats 4 may be used outside or inside and may be placed in any configuration desired by the players. Game 2 does not have a defined playing surface or periphery. Similarly, there is no outer barrier that limits the distance traveled by game pieces during play. The distance traveled by game pieces 6 during play is solely limited by the strength and skill of the payer flicking game pieces.

Other objects, modifications, and features of the inventions described herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art as the detailed description. As such, these modifications, other objects and features are within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A recreational game apparatus comprising:

a plurality of mats, each mat being adapted to be removably marked with playing data, wherein each mat has a periphery with a beveled edge; and

a plurality of game pieces, each game piece having a beveled edge.

2. The game apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a means for glowing in the dark disposed about at least one of said mats or said game pieces.

3. The game apparatus of claim 2 wherein the playing data is at least one of a number selected from a group including 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13, level information, start or base play information, a hyper spot and a hazard.

4. The recreational game apparatus of claim 1 comprising four game pieces.

5. The recreational game apparatus of claim 1 comprising thirteen mats marked sequentially.

6. The recreational game apparatus of claim 1 wherein the game piece is a disk.

7. The recreational game apparatus of claim 1 comprising:

thirteen mats each removably marked sequentially from one through twelve,

a mat removably marked start,

a mat removably marked base,

at least one mat removably marked hazardous, wherein each mat has a periphery with a beveled edge; and

a game piece that is a disk.

8. A recreational game apparatus comprising:

thirteen mats each removably marked sequentially from one through twelve, each mat having a beveled edge specifically adapted to accept at least one disk thereupon,

a mat removably marked start,

a mat removably marked Skelzies base 13

at least one mat removably marked hazardous, and

a plurality of disks, each having a beveled edge.

9. A method of playing a recreational game comprising:

distributing the mats of claim 1 about a surface and sequentially flicking the game piece of claim 1 toward at least one mat.