TARGET GAME

Abstract

An improved ring toss target game and method of playing a ring toss target game utilizes a target assembly including two elongate members that are releasably connected together in an intersecting relationship, wherein each of the two elongate members has a plurality of posts projecting perpendicularly from a plane defined by the intersecting elongate members. In accordance with certain variations of the invention, the posts may be of different heights and the target assembly can be made of material that allows the target assembly to float on water.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of provisional application Ser. No. 61/334,366, filed May 13, 2010, entitled “TARGET GAME,” the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to games, and more particular to game apparatus in which a ring or other circumscriptive element is tossed or thrown toward and onto pegs or posts.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Games and game apparatus comprising simple posts that are driven into the ground or more elaborate target assemblies having single or multiple posts and rings or other circumscriptive elements that are tossed toward the post or posts with the objective of circumscribing the post with the ring or other circumscriptive element are numerous and have been known for well over a century. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 626,328 issued Jun. 6, 1899 to Kroscher and Olsen describes a game apparatus having a board or base and a series of pins that project upwardly from the board or base. Rings are tossed at the pins with the object of the game being to circumscribe the pins with the combination rings. Other game apparatuses involving rings that are tossed at a target assembly include U.S. Pat. No. 3,823,942 to Duncan, U.S. Pat. No. 4,180,266 to Morin et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,198,048 to Rathert and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0006846 to Roy. The target assemblies in these patent documents include a cross-shaped element and pegs or posts that project upwardly from an end of each of the four arms of a cross-shaped element, with Morin et al., Duncan and Roy also including a center post that projects upwardly from the intersection or center of the cross-shaped element. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0097454 to Mattson describes a yard ring-a-peg game which includes pegs or stakes that can be driven into the ground and a plurality of rings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The improved tossing target game of this invention includes a target assembly having two elongate members that are releasably connected together in an intersecting relationship, with each of the two elongate members having a plurality of posts projecting perpendicularly from a plane defined by the intersecting elongate members.

The improved arrangement provides enhanced portability for a target assembly of any given size, and also allows reconfiguration of the game apparatus in non-intersecting arrangements.

The invention also pertains to a method of playing a game by providing a target assembly having two elongate members that are releasably connected together in an intersecting relationship, with each of the two elongate members having a plurality of posts projecting perpendicularly from a plane defined by the intersecting elongate members, and tossing a circumscriptive element at the target assembly, with the objective of the game being to accrue points associated with circumscription of one or more of the posts by the tossed circumscriptive element.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 illustrates, in perspective view, a tossing game set or kit comprising a plurality of target assemblies and a plurality of circumscriptive elements for circumscribing posts projecting from the target assemblies.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the target assemblies floating on water.

FIG. 3 is an elevational view in partial cross-section showing an embodiment in which posts are threaded onto a target assembly.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Shown in FIG. 1 is an example of a complete tossing target game set that includes two target assemblies in accordance with the invention 10A and 10B, and eight circumscriptive elements or rings 12.

Each of the target assemblies 10A and 10B includes two elongate members 14, 16 that are connected together in an intersecting relationship. Various fasteners may be employed for releasably or non-releasably connecting the elongate members 14 and 16 together. For example, threaded fasteners, clips, friction fit connections, snap connections, and various other mechanical fastening means may be employed for releasably connecting elongate members 14 and 16 together. Desirably, the means employed for releasably connecting members 14 and 16 together allow target assemblies 10A and 10B to be easily assembled for use and easily dissembled for storage or transportation.

Projecting perpendicularly from each of elongate members 14 and 16 are a plurality of posts 20 and 22. In the illustrated embodiment, target assembly 10A includes four tall posts 20, each located at or adjacent a corresponding end of each of the members 14 and 16, and four intermediate height posts 22, each located intermediate between one of the tall posts 20 and the center of the elongate members 14, 16. In the illustrated embodiment, there is also provided a short center post 24. The various posts 20, 22 and 24 may be permanently affixed to members 14 and 16, or may be releasably connected to members 14 and 16 as desired, such as by a threaded connection. While the posts 20, 22 and 24 in the illustrated embodiment are of different heights, posts 22 being of a height intermediate between the shorter height of center post 24 and the greater height of end post 20, other arrangements are possible.

In accordance with an embodiment of the invention in which the target assemblies are capable of being floated on water, the elongate members 14 and 16 are comprised of wood, and have threaded female plastic inserts 70 for receiving a threaded male end 72 of posts 20, 22 and 24. As an example, post 20 may be made of polyvinylchloride (PVC) tubing and the threaded male end can be a threaded plug affixed to the lower end of posts 20, 22 and/or 24. This arrangement allows wood members 14 and 16 to be provided with a water proof or water-resistant coating with the female inserts 70 be subsequently affixed to members 14 and 16 to facilitate releasable connection of posts 20, 22 and/or 24 to members 14 and 16 without wearing or abrading the threaded receiving sockets of the elongate members 14 and 16 during attachment and disconnection of posts 20, 22 and/or 24.

Providing a TARGET GAME set as described herein, that is, in accordance with certain embodiments, floatable on water, provides greater variety in the way the game set can be used. For example, at a beach or at a swimming pool, the game can be played either on the ground or on the water increasing the potential for fun and variety in activity.

The illustrated circumscriptive elements 12 are rings. However, other circumscriptive elements, such as those outlining different shapes such as triangles, squares, other polygons, stars, etc., may be used. The spacing between posts and the circumscriptive elements 12 can be configured so that they circumscribe two adjacent posts, but no more than two adjacent posts, such as adjacent posts 20 and 22 or adjacent posts 22 and 24. This is desirable because it provides enhanced scoring opportunities. The circumscriptive elements 12 may be made of generally any suitable material. However, in order to reduce the potential for injury, rubber, or other elastomeric or plastic circumscriptive elements are preferred. Rope or rope-like materials may also be used. Metal or wooden circumscriptive elements may also be employed.

In the illustrated embodiment, the posts are arranged in intersecting rows along each of the elongate members 14 and 16, and the posts 20, 22 and 24 along each of the rows are equally spaced apart. However, the posts 20, 22 and 24 may be arranged so that they are not equally spaced apart. Also, in the illustrated embodiment, each circumscribing element 12 is configured to allow it to circumscribe either one post or two adjacent posts. Each row includes five posts, including one common center post 24, which is located at the intersection of the elongate members 14 and 16.

One method of playing a game using the illustrated target assemblies and circumscriptive elements involves tossing a plurality of circumscriptive elements, one at a time, at a target assembly, with the objective of having the circumscriptive element land or come to rest, circumscribing one or more of the posts 20, 22 and/or 24. A method of playing the game further comprises keeping score by assigning a point value for circumscribing a post or more than one post at the conclusion of a toss, with the score for the toss being zero if none of the posts are circumscribed by the tossed circumscriptive element, the point value of a single circumscribed post, or the sum of the point values of two adjacent circumscribed posts. Center post 24 may have a designated nominal point value when the circumscriptive element circumscribes the center post and an adjacent post, and a value that is an integer multiple of the nominal point value when only center post 24 is circumscribed. The integer multiple can be a fixed multiplier determined before the start of the game or could be randomly determined during the game, such as with the roll of a die. The point value of posts 22 adjacent to center post 24 is generally less than that of center post 24 and the point value of the posts 20, most distant from center post 24, is typically less than that of post 22. As an option, the method of playing the game may include a second step in which point accrual is contingent on correctly answering a randomly selected question or performing a randomly selected task. The randomly selectable questions and/or randomly selectable tasks can be printed or written on a card and the card can be arranged in a stack or deck 60.

Elongate members 14 and 16, as well as posts 20, 22 and 24, can be made of any suitable material, but are preferably made of plastic, wood or a combination thereof. For example, elongate members 14 and 16 may be made of wood, and posts 20, 22 and 24 may be made of plastic material.

In certain embodiments, it is desirable that target assemblies 10A and 10B, especially elongate members 14 and 16, are made or comprised of materials that render target assemblies 10A and 10B buoyant or floatable on water, as in FIG. 2. This allows the game to be played in water if desired. This can be achieved by employing elongate members that have a bulk density substantially less than water in combination with lightweight posts 20, 22 and 24. For example, hollow plastic elongate members 14 and 16 can be used in combination with posts 20, 22 and 24 made of lightweight end-capped hollow plastic posts to provide a target assembly that is capable of floating high in the water. In order to facilitate play on or in the water, it is also desirable that the circumscriptive elements are also made to be buoyant or floatable on water. Various elastomers and/or plastic materials may be employed to make the circumscriptive elements floatable.

The above description is considered that of the preferred embodiment(s) only. Modifications of the invention will occur to those skilled in the art and to those who make or use the invention. Therefore, it is understood that the embodiment(s) shown in the drawing and described above are merely for illustrative purposes and not intended to limit the scope of the invention, which is defined by the following claims as interpreted according to the principles of patent law, including the doctrine of equivalents.

Claims

1. A tossing target game, comprising:

a target assembly including two elongate members that are connected together in an intersecting relationship, each of the two elongate members having a plurality of posts projecting perpendicularly from a plane defined by the intersecting elongate members, the target assembly being floatable on water; and

a plurality of circumscriptive elements that are floatable on water, wherein the spacing between adjacent posts and each of the plurality of circumscriptive elements is configured to allow each of the circumscriptive elements to circumscribe either any one post or two adjacent posts.

2. The game of claim 1, in which the posts are of different heights.

3. The game of claim 1, wherein the plurality of circumscriptive elements are rings.

4. The game of claim 1, wherein the posts are arranged in intersecting rows along each of the elongate members and the posts along each row are equally spaced apart.

5. The game of claim 4, wherein each intersecting row includes five posts, including one common center post located at the intersection of the elongate members.

6. The game of claim 1, in which the elongate members are comprised of wood having threaded female inserts for receiving a treaded male end of one of the posts.

7. A method of playing a game comprising:

providing a target assembly including two elongate members that are connected together in an intersecting relationship, each of the two elongate members having a plurality of posts projecting perpendicularly from a plane defined by the intersecting elongate members, the target assembly being floatable on water; and

tossing a circumscriptive element at the target assembly, the circumscriptive element being floatable on water, and wherein the target assembly and the circumscriptive element are configured to allow the circumscriptive element to circumscribe either one post or two adjacent posts.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising keeping score by assigning a point value for circumscribing a post, or more than one post at the conclusion of a toss, the score for a toss being zero if none of the posts are circumscribed by the tossed circumscriptive element, the point value of a single circumscribed post, or the sum of the point value of two circumscribed posts.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the posts are arranged in intersecting rows along each of the elongated members and the posts along each row are equally spaced apart.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein each row includes five posts, including one common center post located at the intersection of the elongate members.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the point value for circumscribing only the center post is an integer multiple of the nominal point value of the center post when both the center post and an adjacent post are circumscribed.

12. The method of claim 7 wherein point accrual is contingent on correctly answering a randomly selected question or performing a randomly selected task.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein each of the randomly selectable questions or randomly selectable tasks is printed or written on a card and the cards are arranged in a stack or deck.