MULTIPLE LABYRINTH GAME
A description is made herein with regard to a game composed of one to up to eight peripheral triangular-shaped playing surfaces referred to as the “small labyrinths”. The peripheral playing surfaces are attached to a central module here referred to as a central hub or the “large labyrinth”. This game that can be played by one person or by teams of players requires the use of an appropriately sized spherical entities that traverse channels engraved into or associated with the small labyrinths and the large labyrinth. The objective of the game is for each player to rapidly direct 4 different spherical projectiles towards a depression in the large labyrinth. The first player to attain this objective is the winner. To initiate play, the spherical entity is placed into the start point of the small labyrinth by each player. The sphere is then directed along a channel towards a maze that terminates in a depression located in the large labyrinth.
Not applicable.
REFERENCE TO A SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM, LISTING COMPACT DISC APPENDIXNot applicable.
A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material, which is subject to (copyright or mask work) protection. The (copyright or mask work) owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all (copyright or mask work) rights whatsoever.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTIONA number of games involving the manipulation of a spherical entity over the surface of a play area have been described in previous patent applications. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,749,575, moveable mazes are suspended over a play area and these mazes are moved in a manner that prevents a spherical entity from gaining access to holes in the board until a desired hole is reached. A similar concept involving the manipulation of a spherical entity over a surface towards a desired point is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,879,039. In this invention, the spherical body traverses track members that are mounted upon a fulcrum. Each track member contains a track on which the spherical body is directed towards a container into which it is deposited. A similar idea is presented in U.S. Pat. No. 5,435,555, which describes a game that involves the manipulation of a spherical entity along a moveable paddle. U.S. Pat. No. 4,055,341 describes a related idea in which a player controls the movement of a spherical entity on the playing surface by standing on the board surface and shifting his or her body weight in a manner that directs the spherical entity in a desired direction. A similar idea is outlined in U.S. Pat. No. 3,967,824. However, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,967,824, the inventor incorporated magnetic forces on the playing surface as a means of influencing the direction of motion of the spherical entity.
BRIEF SUMMARY TO THE INVENTIONIn essence, the invention described in this patent application shares the same principle as previous related inventions in as far as the requirement to direct a spherical entity over a playing surface to a desired target. This present invention is different in that it offers a more versatile playing surface allowing the interaction of a larger group of players. Also, prior art stated above involves the use of bulky playing surfaces that are not portable whilst the present art described in this patent application is portable and can be transported to different play areas. Furthermore, this present invention offers the players the option to increase the weight of the playing surface by adding easily detachable weights so as to increase the difficulty level and also as a means of performing upper body exercises during a desired playing session. An additional difference from previous art is the increase in difficulty level after each round of play involving the players performing balancing exercises or other tasks as they try to direct their spheres towards the central hub.
The aim of this invention is to provide a game in which a spherical projectile is directed by each player from a playing surface through a maze referred to as an “outer labyrinth” towards a depression in an “inner labyrinth” located in the central hub. Each player aims to be the first to deposit the spherical projectile in the inner labyrinth. Each play is initiated by placing a spherical projectile onto the starting point located in the outer labyrinth and directing the spherical entity towards the central hub using range of up, down, sideways and circular motions that project the ball away from the player and through the concentric circles of each play area, through the connecting arm and into the inner labyrinth. The same process is repeated to direct the spherical entity through the inner labyrinth and into the central depression.
The game is played by one or more players standing in a circle holding the peripheral playing surfaces and facing the central hub. Play of game is initiated by all players simultaneously placing the spherical entities into their respective start points (
The spherical entity is then able to access the link tunnel (
Successfully directing the spherical entity towards the main receptacle (
Claims
1. A play unit comprised of multiple play areas that are flat surfaces that can have variable shapes, each containing a maze engraved or attached to the flat surface by appropriate means. Each play area can be moved by a player's hand. The play area is manipulated by holding the playing surface and moving the flat surface in variable directions as desired by the player. All the play areas being attached to a unit called a central hub by a joint that can allow movement of the play surface in variable directions. A spherical playing piece is directed through the maze on the playing surface towards a depression located in the central hub.
2. The invention as claimed in claim 1 whereby the play unit is composed of a single play area as described in claim 1. The single play area not being associated with other play areas by attachment to a unit referred to as a central hub. The spherical entity being directed towards a depression in the centre of the playing surface rather than to a depression in a central hub.
3. The invention as claimed in claims 1 and 2 whereby the play unit is comprised of play area(s) with multiple playing surfaces.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 5, 2010
Publication Date: Dec 8, 2011
Applicant: Sylvester Tumusiime (Metairie, LA)
Inventor: Sylvester Tumusiime (Metairie, LA)
Application Number: 12/794,731