Vehicle designer

Abstract

A board game for developing skills in the functional and ornamental design of a land vehicle and land vehicle systems comprising an assortment of tiles magnetically retained to a board, having images of portions of a vehicle, for creating alternate vehicle designs that share common tiles, a board for assembling an arrangement of some of the tiles to images of vehicles that share common files and a design aid for creating a new ornamental and functional vehicle design comprised of a reference underlay for defining a minimum envelope for circumscribing a vehicle design.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to board games and more particularly to a board game for developing skills in creating functional and ornamental land vehicle designs.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Board games exist in which pieces form structures, such as houses, on boards or simulate a process. They are games of chance whose outcomes depend on throws of dice or rotations of spinners. None develop skills in creating functional and ornamental vehicle designs. Twining, U.S. Pat. No. 2,506,184 and Zelazny, U.S. Pat. No. 4,179,128 are exemplary of the board games of chance.

Twining U.S. Pat. No. 2,506,184 discloses a board game in which boards and pieces that have images of parts of homes and garages are distributed to players. The pieces are placed on individual boards until a pointer points to an image on a spinner that cannot be played. The first player to place all of his pieces on his board wins the game.

Zelazny U.S. Pat. No. 4,179,128 discloses a board game in which players compete to maximize profits. A board is divided into areas that correspond to phases of a project, such as an apartment building or parking garage. The phases represent phases of construction (excavation, structural steel work, etc.), define the costs of the phases and determine profit and loss. Generic icons are advanced on the board according to a throw of a dice. A game is ended when all projects are completed or a time has expired. The player with the most money at the end of a game wins. Neither Twining nor Zelazny teach skills in the art of functional and vehicle ornamental design.

A proficient vehicle designer must have knowledge of subjects that are indirectly related to vehicle design. He must be familiar with the attributes of vehicle systems including their function, environmental effects, government regulations and industry practices that affect vehicle design. In many cases, he will be directed to modify an ornamental vehicle design or to change its function by developing a derivative model, e.g., a convertible, cross-over vehicle or mini van, that shares common parts.

Vehicle manufacturers divide vehicles into systems and sub-systems, for example, body, engine, transmission and suspension systems and sub-systems such as instrument panels, underbodies, hoods, fenders and roofs.

Vehicle systems and sub-systems must provide space for a driver, passengers, engine, fuel tank and cargo. They must conform to government standards, e.g. the bumper height standard; they must not conflict with the environment, e.g. ground clearance; and must meet a purchaser's requirements, e.g. comfort, cargo space, unobstructed driver vision and vehicle ingress and egress. The designer must be aware of vehicle systems and sub-systems and meet these requirements.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide an entertaining game for children and adults. Another object is to inform how the ornamental and functional designs of a land vehicle or land vehicle system are influenced by factors as the environment, functional and government mandated requirements. Another object is to provide a design aid for new and attractive ornamental land vehicle designs and land vehicle systems.

With the foregoing objects in mind, a board game is provided that is comprised of one or more game boards; an assortment of tiles that contain images of portions of land vehicles or land vehicle systems; a reference underlay that defines a minimum envelope for an ornamental land vehicle design; a writing instrument such as a soft pencil or fine tip marker; sheets of semi-transparent paper and a releasable means for retaining the tiles on the game board.

By assembling tiles on the game board, a player gains an understanding of how derivative models, such as sedans, cross-over vehicles and convertibles that share common parts can be derived from a land vehicle. A reference underlay is provided for creating entirely new ornamental and functional vehicle designs.

One feature of the invention is that it applies to commercial as well as passenger land vehicles and land vehicle systems such as engines, transmissions and suspensions.

In employing the teaching of the present invention, a plurality of alternate constructions can be provided to achieve the desired results and capabilities. In this disclosure, only several embodiments are presented for the purpose of disclosing our invention. However, these embodiments are intended as examples only and should not be considered as limiting the scope of our invention.

The foregoing features, benefits, objects and best mode of practicing the invention as well as additional benefits and objects will become apparent from the ensuing detailed description of a preferred embodiment and the subject matter in which exclusive property rights are claimed is set forth in the numbered claims which are appended to the detailed description of the preferred embodiment.

Further features and benefits will become apparent by reference to the drawings and ensuing detailed description of a preferred embodiment that discloses the best mode contemplated in carrying out the invention. The exclusive rights that are claimed are set forth in each of the numbered claims following the detailed description of the preferred embodiment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be better understood and further objects, characterizing features, details and advantages thereof will appear more clearly with reference to the diagrammatic drawings illustrating a presently preferred specific embodiment of the invention by way of non-limiting example only.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a game board and a group of tiles mounted on the board.

FIG. 2 is-a left side view of the FIG. 1 board and tiles.

FIG. 3 is a tilted left hand view of the FIG. 1 board and tiles.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of one of the tiles taken on the line 4-4 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment of the tile taken on the line 4-4 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the board shown in FIG. 1 without the tiles.

FIG. 7 is a left side view of the FIG. 6 board.

FIG. 8 shows the FIG. 6 board in a tilted position with a vehicle assembled with the tiles of FIG. 1.

FIG. 9 is a left side view of the FIG. 8 board and vehicle.

FIG. 10 is a reference underlay for an ornamental and functional design of a vehicle.

FIG. 11 is a left side view of the reference underlay.

FIG. 12 is a plan view of a board for creating a new vehicle design.

FIG. 13 is a left side view of the FIG. 12 board.

FIG. 14 is a front view of a foldable game board.

FIG. 15 is a plan view of the FIG. 14 game board.

FIG. 16 shows a half portion of the FIG. 14 game board tilted upwardly.

FIG. 17 is a plan view of a second folded game board.

FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 18-18 in FIG. 17.

FIG. 19 is an alternate embodiment of a game board according to the invention.

FIG. 20 is a left side view of a pick-up truck.

FIG. 21 is a left side view of an extended cab derivative of the pick-up truck of FIG. 20.

FIG. 22 is a left side view of a panel delivery truck derivative of the pick-up truck of FIG. 20.

FIG. 23 is a board and tiles for developing skills for an ornamental and functional design of a vehicle instrument and control system.

FIG. 24 is a left side view of the FIG. 23 board and tiles.

FIG. 25 is a reference underlay for designing a vehicle instrument and control system.

FIG. 26 is a left end view of the FIG. 25 reference underlay.

FIG. 27 is a board and arrangement of tiles for a vehicle instrument and control system.

FIG. 28 is a left side view of the FIG. 27 board and arrangement of tiles.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to the drawings wherein like numerals designate like and corresponding parts throughout the several views, in FIG. 1 a board game 30 is shown comprised of a random assortment of tiles 31 that have images of portions of vehicles and a game board 32. Although only a small number of tiles 31 are shown for the purpose of describing our invention, it is our intention to provide a small number of tiles in board games for young children and larger number of tiles in board games for adults and older children. One feature of the invention 30 is that the tiles 31 can be combined in various ways to create ornamental vehicle designs and models that share common tiles. Another feature of the tiles 31 is that they may differ in color as well as image.

Another feature of our invention is that the tiles 31 are releasably retained to the board 32. Several ways are available for releasably retaining the tiles 31 to the board 32. A preferred way is to magnetically retain the tiles 31. Another way is to retain them with a releasable adhesive. Several ways are available for magnetically retaining the tiles 31 to the board 32. One way is to make the board 32 and tiles 31 from a material with finely dispersed magnetic particles.

The tiles 31 may be made entirely from magnetic material such as a single magnetic layer 33, as shown in FIG. 4 or a lower magnetic layer 34 joined to a non-magnetic upper base layer 35, as shown in FIG. 5. As shown in FIG. 2, for the board a magnetic layer 36 is an upper layer and a non-magnetic layer 37 is a base layer. Magnetic coatings are available which can be used instead of a magnetic sheet material.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a pair of legs 38 is pivotally mounted to corners of the board 32. The legs 38, which are optional, are used to tilt the board 32 as shown in FIG. 3.

With reference to FIG. 6, reference marks 39 may be provided on the board 32 to locate a vehicle on the board 32. The reference marks 39 consist of a horizontal ground line 40 and centerlines 41 for locating apertures 42 in front 43 and rear 44 wheels. In FIG. 8 a 4-door sedan 45 is shown which has been assembled on the board 32 from the tiles 31 of FIG. 1. The ornamental design of the vehicle 45 can be changed by replacing the roof 46, front fenders 47, rear fenders 48, and/or the wheels 49 with the roof 50, front fenders 51, rear fenders 52 and wheels 53 of FIG. 1.

Referring now to FIGS. 10 through 14, a design aid 54 is shown for creating new ornamental and functional designs. The design aid 54 is comprised of a reference underlay 55 which defines a minimum envelope 56 for an ornamental design, a drawing board 57, a usual writing instrument such as a soft pencil or fine tip marker (not shown), and usual transparent or semi-transparent paper, commonly referred to as vellum (not shown). The reference underlay 55 is preferably a sheet of paper that is retained in a frame 59 of the drawing board 57. The frame 59 also locates the transparent paper on the board 57. The reference underlay 55 may also be on a sheet of magnetic paper retained to a magnetic drawing board 57. New ornamental designs are created by placing the transparent or semi-transparent sheet over the reference underlay 55 and covering the reference underlay 55 with the new design.

With reference to FIGS. 14 through 16, an embodiment 60 is shown in which two half boards 61, 62 are joined together to form a foldable board. At the center of one of the half boards 61, a leg 63 is pivotally attached to the underside of the half board 61. As shown in FIG. 16, when the leg 63 is rotated away from the half board 61, a free edge 64 of the half board 61 is raised to tilt the half board 61 about an axis 65 that lays in the junction of the half boards 61, 62. When the half board 61 is not tilted, the leg 63 is stored against the half board 61 and retained with a pair of facing magnets 62 on the leg 63 and half board 61.

In FIGS. 17 and 18, a folded board 67 is shown that is comprised of a half board 68 magnetically retaining a random assortment of tiles joined to half board 70 for forming a vehicle image with an assembly of some of the tiles and for retaining a reference underlay.

In FIG. 19 a board game 71 is shown that is comprised of a foldable board 72, an assortment of tiles 73 mounted on a first half portion 74 of the foldable board 72 and an image of a truck 75 on a second half portion 76 of the foldable board 72 from an arrangement of the tiles 73, according to the present invention. FIGS. 20, 21 and 22 are exemplary of three commercial vehicles, i.e. a standard pick-up truck 77, extended cab pick-up truck 78, and panel delivery pick-up truck 79 that share common parts.

With reference to FIGS. 23 through 28, a board game 80 and an assortment of tiles 81 are shown for developing skills in creating functional and ornamental designs of a vehicle instrument and control system. In FIGS. 25 and 26 a reference underlay 83 is shown for positioning the instruments and controls. The reference underlay 83 establishes a maximum envelope for locating the instruments and controls. In FIGS. 27 and 28 are shown a board 84 and a design 85 which was created with the assistance of the reference underlay of FIGS. 23 and 24.

Although only several embodiments of our invention have been illustrated and described, it is obvious that other embodiments can be provided by changes that are obvious to persons skilled in the art such as changes or substitutions of material and shape without departing from the spirit thereof.

Claims

1. A board game for developing skills in the functional and ornamental design of a land vehicle or land vehicle system, comprising: an assortment of tiles, said tiles having images of portions of a vehicle for creating alternate vehicle designs that share common tiles; a board for mounting said tiles; and a means for retaining said tiles on said board.

2. The board game recited in claim 1 wherein said land vehicle is a passenger car.

3. The board game recited in claim 1 wherein said land vehicle is a commercial vehicle.

4. The board game recited in claim 1 wherein said means is a magnetic means.

5. The board game recited in claim 4 wherein said magnetic means is comprised of magnetic tiles and a magnetic board.

6. The board game recited in claim 5 wherein each of said magnetic tiles is comprised of an upper base layer and a lower magnetic layer.

7. The board game recited in claim 5 wherein each of said magnetic tiles is comprised of a base layer and a magnetic coating on a bottom surface of said base layer.

8. The board game recited in claim 1 wherein said board is a foldable board comprised of a first half portion for randomly retaining said assortment of tiles and a second half portion for assembling and retaining some of said tiles.

9. The board game recited in claim 8 further comprising a leg having an end portion pivotally attached to a lower portion of said second half portion for raising a rear portion of said second half portion upwardly when said leg is rotated away from said second half portion and a magnetic means for retaining said leg against said second half portion when said leg is adjacent to said second half portion.

10. The board game recited in claim 1 further comprising a reference underlay for defining a minimum envelope that an ornamental vehicle design must circumscribe.

11. The board game recited in claim 10 wherein said reference underlay is a thin sheet and said board game further comprises a board for supporting said reference underlay.

12. The board game recited in claim 11 wherein said board has a frame for locating said reference underlay on said frame.

13. The board game recited in claim 11 wherein said reference underlay is magnetically retained to said board.

14. The board game recited in claim 1 further comprising a set of reference marks on said board for locating said tiles.

15. The board game recited in claim 14 wherein said reference marks are comprised of a ground line and center marks for location apertures in centers of front and rear vehicle wheels.

16. A board game for developing skills in the functional and ornamental design of a land vehicle or land vehicle system, comprising: an assortment of tiles, said tiles having images of portions of a vehicle for creating alternate vehicle designs that share common tiles; a folded board for mounting said tiles, said board having a first half portion for retaining said tiles, said first half portion having a leg for tilting the rear of said first half portion upwardly and a second half portion joined to said first half portion for assembling an arrangement of some of said tiles to create an image, said second half portion having a set of reference marks for locating said image of said vehicle; a magnetic means for retaining said tiles to said first and second folded board half portions.

17. The board game recited in claim 16 wherein said land vehicle is a passenger vehicle.

18. The board game recited in claim 16 wherein said land vehicle is a commercial truck.

19. The board game recited in claim 16 wherein said image is an image of a vehicle instrument panel.

20. A board game for developing skills in the functional and ornamental design of a land vehicle or land vehicle system, comprising: an assortment of tiles, said tiles having images of portions of a vehicle for creating alternate vehicle designs that share common tiles; a board for assembling an arrangement of some of said tiles to create images of vehicles that share common files; a means for retaining said tiles to said board; and a design aid for creating a new ornamental and functional vehicle design, said design aid comprised of a reference underlay for defining a minimum envelope for circumscribing said vehicle design; a sheet of semi-transparent or transparent paper over said reference underlay; and a drawing implement to create said new ornamental and functional design on said semi-transparent or transparent paper.