BEANBAG FOOTBALL GAME
A toss football game has an image of a full-length football field including a far end zone and a yard line area extending the length of the rectangular planar surface from a far end zone and a plurality of through-holes for passage of a hand tossed football-shaped beanbag. A touchdown hole is located over the far end zone to simulate realistic play. A safety hole is located over the near end zone. Reward-hazard pairs of holes are arranged with hazards down slope from rewards. Grid markings extend the length between the end zones along yard numbers, tick marks and a stick-on center field logo. Orange pylons protrude at corners of end zones. A scoring mechanism tracks series and points. Instructions prescribe an extra point earned when a next toss lands on the planar surface and an untimed game having a limited number of tosses per series and a limited number of series per quarter, extendable when tossing though a first down hole until an upper limit and, after a touchdown (or subsequent field goal or two point conversion), any other beanbags in that series can still continue to be thrown by the same team.
1. Technical Field
The present inventions relate to toss games and, more particularly, relate to beanbag toss games for simulating football.
2. Description of the Related Art
Beanbag toss games, also known as corn hole games, provide entertainment by the tossing of a beanbag at a distance though one hole in a board. Corn hole style boards have been provided with football themes. Other toss games use a beanbag tossed at more then one home in a board to simulate a football game. Toss games corn hole style boards were incapable of providing a full football game experience.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONSAn object of the present inventions is to provide a full football game experience.
A further object of the present inventions is to provide an image of a full-length football field upon a top surface of thereof.
Another further object of the present inventions is to provide an image including a far end zone and a yard line area extending the length of the field.
Another object of the present inventions is to provide grid markings and yard numbers.
A further other object of the present inventions is to provide a touchdown hole at a far end zone.
An additional object of the present inventions is to provide holes arranged in pairs representing a reward action and hazard action, the hazard action hole are located down slope below reward action holes.
Another additional object of the present inventions is to provide a full sequence of football plays.
An additional further object of the present inventions is to provide an exciting and realistic method for teams to toss beanbags to simulate downs and turnovers.
A toss football game has an image of a full-length football field including a far end zone and a yard line area extending the length of the rectangular planar surface from a far end zone and a plurality of through-holes for passage of a hand tossed football-shaped beanbag. A touchdown hole is located over the far end zone to simulate realistic play. A safety hole is located over the near end zone. Reward-hazard pairs of holes are arranged with hazards down slope from rewards. Grid markings extend the length between the end zones along yard numbers, tick marks and a stick-on center field logo. Orange pylons protrude at corners of end zones. A scoring mechanism permits players to keep track of series played and points earned. Instructions prescribe an extra point being earned immediately subsequent to a toss passing through a touchdown through-hole when a next toss lands on the planar surface and also prescribe an untimed having a limited number of tosses per series and a limited number of series per game, extendable when tossing though a prescribed hole until an upper limit.
The present invention is illustrated by way of example and is not limited by the accompanying figures, in which like references indicate similar elements. Elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale.
The details of the preferred embodiments and these and other objects and features of the inventions will be more readily understood from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:
The image includes a far end zone 123, a near end zone 125 and a yard line area 127 extending the length of the rectangular planar surface 110 between the far end zone and the near end zone. The image 120 is preferably painted on an outer, top surface of the board. The image of the yard line area on said rectangular planar surface 110 preferably illustrates grid markings extending the length of the rectangular planar surface 110 substantially between the end zone images 123, 125 and include images of yard numbers 129 consisting essentially of number images 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 40, 30, 20 and 10 in this specified order to further cause a realistic football game feeling.
The image of the yard line area on said rectangular planar surface further comprises a centerfield logo 121 such as image of a team logo near the center of the field. The centerfield logo 121 can preferably be implemented as a stick-on-sticker image of a team logo which a retailer sticks on at purchase or an end customer sticks on after purchase. The end zones can contain a team logo or lettering 122. The lettering or logo of the near and the far end zone images 123, 125 can preferably be implemented as a stick-on-sticker image. A stick-on-sticker image of a logo will be further illustrated and described with respect to
The board 105 is preferably made of wood or plastic such as poly vinyl chloride PVC foam board expanded, wood pressboard, plywood of a thickness of preferably approximately ½ inches. The board is preferably approximately 48 inches in length and approximately 29 inches in width.
A pair of legs 107 support the board at a tilted angle so that the rectangular planar surface 110 slopes up with an end of the rectangular planar surface having the far end zone image 123 being higher than an end of the rectangular planar surface near the near end zone image 125.
A plurality of through-holes 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136 and 137 are formed in the board. Each of the through-holes 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136 and 137 is formed of a size and shape sufficient to permit passage of a hand tossed beanbag. The through-holes are preferably approximately 5 inches in diameter. An image illustrated upon a top surface of the rectangular planar surface includes textual indicia associated with each of the plurality of the through-holes 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136 and 137 to indicate various plays. In the preferred embodiment of
Each of the through-holes holes 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136 and 137 represent either a reward action or a hazard action via the textual indicia image associated with each through-hole. The reward actions include the through-holes holes 130, 131134, 135 and 137 corresponding to “TOUCHDOWN” and “Field GOAL”, and “1st DOWN/2 pt. CONVERSION.” The hazard actions include the through-holes holes 132, 133 and 136 corresponding to “INTERCEPTION”, “PENALTY”, and “SAFETY.” The reward action textual indicia image associated with each through-hole is preferably in predominately white lettering. The hazard action textual indicia image associated with each through-hole is preferably in predominately red colored lettering. This preferred lettering is predominately either white or red with a black outline.
The a reward action and hazard action labels are chosen such that through-holes are arranged in pairs representing a reward action and hazard action, wherein the hazard action is located down slope from a reward action. This causes additional excitement of play upon an imperfect toss and further simulates the risk in a game of football. In the preferred embodiment of
A pair of “TOUCHDOWN” labeled beanbag-sized through-holes 130 & 131 is located in the rectangular planar surface substantially over the far end zone 123. Locating a pair of touchdown holes over the far end zone provides a more realistic game play and subjects a player to the hazards of some of the through-holes closer to the player, in the mid-field down slope form the far end zone.
The “SAFETY” labeled beanbag-sized through-hole 136 is located in the rectangular planar surface substantially over the near end zone 125. Locating a safety hole over the near end zone also provides a more realistic game play.
The pair of “Field GOAL” labeled through-holes 134 and 135, the “INTERCEPTION” labeled through-hole 132, and the “PENALTY” labeled through-hole 133 are located in the rectangular planar surface 110 substantially over the yard line area extending the length of the rectangle between the end zones 123 and 125.
Orange pylons 140 are provided preferably protruding from the planar surface 110 at corners of the image of the end zones 123 and 125 to further create a realistic play. The orange pylons 140 also provide action points for a tossed beanbag to hit, touch or deflect when tossed or sliding across the planar surface 110 of the game board 105. The orange pylons 140 can be made of a blaze orange painted wood dowel or preferably made of a flexible plastic material set into a hole in the planar surface 110 of the game board 105.
The instruction sheet describes rules for how to play the game. The rules on the instruction sheet specify an untimed game to be played by a plurality of teams, each team having a limited number of tosses per series and a limited number of series per game. The rules on the instruction sheet specify a limit of series for a team is extended by one when a player of the team passes a beanbag through a first down through-hole. The rules on the instruction sheet for the toss football game specify an extra point being earned immediately subsequent to a toss passing through a touchdown through-hole when a next toss lands on the planar surface.
The method for playing an untimed game of toss football will be described. Initially a decision is made as to whether the first or the second team goes first. This decision is preferably made by an actual or a simulated coin toss 703. A series of beanbags are then hand tossed by members of the team to go first. Each series used M or N is counted by a person or a counter 705 or 735. Before each new series, a check is made at 705 or 735 to assure that for a team's next series, M or N, the team has not exceeded its permitted number of series X or Y. A series of beanbags are hand tossed, one at a time, towards a plurality of through-holes in a planar surface located a distance from a player of a team. Each subsequent toss B is counted by a person or counter 711 or 741. The initial number of tosses is initially set to zero at 709 or 739. An additional series of beanbags are continued to be hand tossed from a player of the same team, until a number of series tossed reaches a limit as detected by comparison at 713 or 743. The limit of series for the team is extended by one 723 or 753 when a player of the team passes a beanbag through a first down through-hole 717 or 747.
The limit of series for the team can be extended no higher than a predetermined number, preferably a number double an initial number of permitted series. Preferably the predetermined number is six and the initial number of permitted series is three. The limit of series for the team can be extended no higher than a predetermined number, preferably up to no more than four beanbag tosses. If a turnover is thrown at 719 or 749, the other team begins unless the limit of series has been reached.
When a team passes a beanbag through a safety, 2 pt conversion or touchdown hole, a score is detected at 721. The same team then continues play.
In the flowchart of
If a Penalty is thrown, the next beanbag is lost, but any other beanbags in that series can still be thrown by that team. (If it is the last beanbag, then the team is done with that series). If a Safety is thrown, opponent is awarded two points and any other beanbags in that series are lost by that team.
If a Touchdown is thrown, the same team continues play and there is no turnover requirement, even after a Field Goal or two Point Conversion. After the Touchdown (or subsequent Field Goal or Two Point Conversion), any other beanbags in that series can still continue to be thrown by the same team. (If it is the last beanbag, then the team is done with that series).
This is unlike conventional American football where the opposing team gets the ball after a touchdown. If an interception is thrown, however, that series is over for that team (all remaining beanbags in the series are lost), and the opposing team now gets to throw any remaining series.
Because the game flow of the present inventions is based on a limited number of series per team, and per quarter, the toss football game does not need to be limited by time and no clock is necessary, unlike conventional American football where each quarter is limited in minutes.
The objective of the game, known as the FourOnFour football game, is to score more points in four (4) quarters and/overtime than your opponent. The rules specify the game board 105 is distanced from the beanbag tossing player approximately twenty (20) feet from a beanbag toss line. A shorter distance may be used for players under the age of twelve (12) (to be agreed upon the players.) All Tournament games will be from twenty (20) feet.
The instructions specify that the start of the game is preferably determined by an actual coin toss. The team/player(s) who won the toss of the coin typically tosses first. There are four quarters per game. Opponent(s) will toss first to start the 3rd quarter.
When tossing a football-shaped beanbag, a toss is a toss, no matter if the beanbag lands on the playing field or not, even if the beanbag bounces off the ground first.
While the game can be played with only one beanbag of any shape, it is preferred to use four (4) brown football-shaped beanbags, plus one (1) orange football-shaped extra point beanbag.
The game consists of four (4) tosses (downs) per series unless a Penalty/Safety or an Interception is tossed (see later in rules) per team/player(s). There are three (3) series per quarter per team/players. There are four (4) quarters per game unless game goes into overtime.
Team/player(s) will toss one (1) beanbag at a time towards the playing field. The playing field will be cleared of beanbag at the end of each team/player(s) series. A beanbag must fall completely through the opening to count.
If a team/player(s) tosses a beanbag during their downs and it hits another beanbag into an opening, whatever opening the beanbag goes into counts. If both beanbags fall in, double the points. You must still toss an extra point beanbag for each touched scored (even for double touchdowns) Penalty would be two (2) beanbag forfeited. Safety would be four points to the opponent plus remaining tosses forfeited. You cannot receive double First Downs, although you still get one (1) new set of downs even if both beanbags fall in, (See First Down rules). If a beanbag falls into any Interception/Safety/Penalty opening when another beanbag is tossed, and the other beanbag falls into a Touchdown/Field Goal or First Down opening, the Interception/Safety/Penalty overrules any points scored from that toss.
If an Interception is tossed, the tossing team/player(s) forfeits their remaining tosses left in that series. If a penalty is tossed, the tossing team/player(s) forfeit(s) one (1) toss in that series. If a safety is tossed, opponent is awarded two (2) points and forfeits all remaining tosses in that series. If any interception/safety or penalty toss was on the fourth toss no other tosses are forfeited.
If a First Down is tossed, the tossing team/player(s) are/is awarded another four (4) tosses (a new set of downs). It does not matter if the toss the first, second, third or fourth. The new set of downs will start immediately. The playing field will be cleared of beanbags prior to starting new series. Limit three (3) first downs per Quarter. If a fourth First Down is tossed in one Quarter that will be considered a lost toss. Two Point Conversion is just that. Once a Touchdown is scored and you wish to attempt a two point conversion it must be made clear ahead of time that you are tossing for two points. Rules apply to two point conversion as for the extra point attempt. The team/player(s) that did not start the 4th Quarter will have the last toss unless Overtime is necessary.
The game is over when all four (4) quarters have been played and one opponent has more points than their opponent.
For overtime, in the event of a tie once all series have been used up by both Teams/Players, a coin flip will determine which team/player(s) tosses first. Each team/players will only toss two (2) beanbags per overtime period. All rules are in effect in overtime. Whichever team/player(s) scores first in overtime wins.
When a Touchdown is tossed the team/player(s) are/is awarded six (6) points. An Extra Point is awarded when the team/player(s) tosses an Extra Point beanbag onto the playing field. The beanbag must stay on the playing field. (Extra Point toss is a free toss and is not considered a Series toss.) If the Extra Point beanbag falls into a hole no point is awarded. (No points/penalties are awarded for a beanbag that falls into an opening when tossing an extra point beanbag.)
Two Points are awarded when a Player/team wishes to attempt a toss to receive two points after a Touch Down toss. The two point attempt MUST be made clear that is the attempt prior to tossing. If you fail to make the call prior to the toss, that is considered a lost toss and no points will be awarded.
When a Field goal is tossed the team/player(s) are/is awarded three (3) points. When a Safety is tossed the opposing team/player(s) are/is awarded two (2) points. Keep records of all games with the scorekeeper sheet.
The flow of the game will be described. Team(s)/Player(s) have four (4) downs to score points. Player tosses a beanbag shape beanbag towards the playing surface. The player(s) want to toss a beanbag into a reward opening (Touchdown/Field Goal/First Down) and avoid any hazard openings (Safety/Penalty/Interception).
Player(s) toss a beanbag one at a time. When a beanbag lands on the playing surface and does not enter an opening and/or falls off the playing surface, that is considered a down. Every beanbag tossed is a down. When a Touchdown is tossed (6) six points are awarded. The player then tosses an “Extra Point” beanbag to receive the One (1) point or two point conversion. (The Extra Point beanbag is not considered a toss). When a Field Goal is tossed three (3) points are awarded. When a First Down is tossed the player then receives a new set of downs, beginning when the First Down is tossed. If a Safety is tossed the player(s) forfeit(s) the remaining tosses in that series and the opponent receives two (2) points. If an Interception is tossed the player(s) forfeit the remaining tosses in that series. If a Penalty is tossed the Player(s) forfeit one toss in that series.
Once the Player(s) tosses all beanbags for his series the opponent then takes their turn. There are Four Downs per series. Three series equal one Quarter. There are four quarters per game unless overtime OT is necessary.
Without tossing any hazard openings, a Player(s) can toss up to twelve beanbags per quarter (unless a first down is tossed).
When the four quarters are over the Player(s) with the most points wins. There is a maximum of six series per quarter per team.
Any letter designations such as (a) or (b) etc. used to label steps of any of the method claims herein are step headers applied for reading convenience and are not to be used in interpreting an order or process sequence of claimed method steps. Any method claims that recite a particular order or process sequence will do so using the words of their text, not the letter designations.
Unless stated otherwise, terms such as “first” and “second” are used to arbitrarily distinguish between the elements such terms describe. Thus, these terms are not necessarily intended to indicate temporal or other prioritization of such elements.
Any trademarks listed herein are the property of their respective owners, and reference herein to such trademarks is generally intended to indicate the source of a particular product or service.
Although the inventions have been described and illustrated in the above description and drawings, it is understood that this description is by example only, and that numerous changes and modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the true spirit and scope of the inventions. Although the examples in the drawings depict only example constructions and embodiments, alternate embodiments are available given the teachings of the present patent disclosure.
Claims
1. A toss football game comprising:
- a rectangular planar surface comprising an image of a full-length football field upon a top surface of thereof, said image including a far end zone and a yard line area extending the length of the rectangular planar surface from the far end zone and a plurality of through-holes each of a size and shape sufficient to permit passage of a hand tossed beanbag and indicia associated with each of the plurality of through-holes to indicate various plays; and
- a touchdown labeled beanbag-sized through-hole in the rectangular planar surface located substantially over the far end zone.
2. A toss football game according to claim 1, further comprising
- a near end zone and the yard line area extending the length of the rectangular planar surface substantially between the far end zone and the near end zone
3. A toss football game according to claim 2, further comprising
- a safety labeled beanbag-sized through-hole in the rectangular planar surface located substantially over the near end zone; and
- a plurality of other labeled beanbag-sized through-holes in the rectangular planar surface located substantially over the yard line area extending the length of the rectangle between the end zones.
4. A toss football game according to claim 3, wherein the plurality of other labeled beanbag-sized through-holes in the rectangular planar surface located substantially over the yard line area extending the length of the rectangle between the end zones indicate plays chosen from the group consisting of an interception and a penalty.
5. A toss football game according to claim 2, wherein the image of the yard line area on said rectangular planar surface comprises grid markings extending the length of the rectangular planar surface substantially between the end zones.
6. A toss football game according to claim 5, wherein the image of the grid markings extending the length of the rectangular planar surface substantially between the end zones include images of yard numbers consisting essentially of number images 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 40, 30, 20 and 10 in this specified order.
7. A toss football game according to claim 5, wherein the image of the yard line area on said rectangular planar surface further comprises a stick-on-sticker image of a team logo near the center of the field.
8. A toss football game according to claim 1, further comprising
- a plurality of orange pylons, each orange pylon protruding from the planar surface at corners of the image of the end zones.
9. A toss football game according to claim 1, further comprising
- a plurality of other labeled beanbag-sized through-holes in the rectangular planar extending the length of the rectangle indicate plays chosen from the group consisting of a safety, a first down, a two point conversion, an interception and a penalty.
10. A toss football game according to claim 2,
- wherein the toss football game further comprises a support structure for tilting on a slope an end of the rectangular planar surface near the far end zone higher than an end of the rectangular planar surface near the near end zone;
- wherein each of the through-holes represent either a reward action or a hazard action via indicia associated with each through-hole; and
- wherein through holes are arranged in pairs of through-holes representing a reward action and hazard action, wherein the through-holes having indicia representing a hazard action are located generally down slope below the through-holes having indicia representing a reward action.
11. A toss football game according to claim 10, wherein at least half of the through holes are arranged in pairs of through-holes representing a reward action and hazard action
12. A toss football game according to claim 1, further comprising a scoring mechanism permitting players to keep track of series played and points earned.
13. A toss football game according to claim 1, further comprising at least one football-shaped beanbag.
14. A toss football game according to claim 1, further comprising instructions for the toss football game specifying an untimed game to be played by a plurality of teams, each team having a limited number of tosses per series and a limited number of series per quarter, wherein the instructions specify a limit of series for a team is extended by one when a player of the team passes a beanbag through a first down through-hole.
15. A toss football game according to claim 1, further comprising instructions for the toss football game specifying a same team continuing play of its limited number of tosses per series after completion of the group consisting of a touchdown, a field goal and a two point conversion.
16. A toss football game according to claim 1, further comprising instructions for the toss football game prescribing an extra point being earned immediately subsequent to a toss passing through a touchdown through-hole when a next toss lands on the planar surface.
17. A method of playing an untimed game of toss football by hand tossing a series of beanbags one at a time towards a plurality of through-holes in a planar surface located a distance from a player of a team, and continuing the hand tossing of an additional series of beanbags from a player of the same team, until a number of series tossed reaches a limit.
18. A method according to claim 17, wherein the limit of series for the team is extended by one when a player of the team passes a beanbag through a first down through-hole and the limit of series for the team can be extended no higher than a predetermined number.
19. A method according to claim 18, wherein the predetermined number is six and the initial number of permitted series is three.
20. A method according to claim 17, wherein a player of a same team continues play of its limited number of tosses per series after completion of the group consisting of a touchdown, a field goal and a two point conversion.
Type: Application
Filed: Aug 13, 2010
Publication Date: Feb 16, 2012
Inventor: Richard W. McLaughlin, JR. (Island Lake, IL)
Application Number: 12/856,370
International Classification: A63B 63/00 (20060101);