Gameboard

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates to gameboards, and particularly to a gameboard having a top surface configured to accommodate the playing of a game thereon and a bottom surface configured to be disposed on a gameboard support surface. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a gameboard movable on the gameboard support surface.

SUMMARY

In accordance with the present disclosure, a gameboard includes an upper portion and a lower portion. In an illustrative embodiment, the upper portion includes a top surface that is configured to accommodate the playing of a game thereon and the lower portion includes a bottom surface having means for allowing smooth movement of the gameboard along a gameboard support surface in rotational and radial directions.

In an illustrative embodiment, the means includes a plurality of movers. The movers include, for example, roller balls which contact and move along the gameboard support surface.

In an illustrative embodiment, the gameboard includes two halves coupled to one another by a hinge. The hinge includes a hinge axis lying in a plane above a plane of the top surface of the gameboard and configured to allow rotation of the two halves relative to one another between a use position and a folded position of the gameboard.

Other aspects of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following descriptions when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The detailed description particularly refers to the accompanying figures in which:

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view, with portions broken away, of a gameboard, in accordance with the present disclosure, showing the gameboard including two halves and each half including an upper portion having a top surface configured to accommodate a game thereon and a lower portion having a bottom surface including a plurality of movers configured to allow movement of the gameboard along a gameboard support surface in rotational and radial directions, as suggested by the movement arrows.

FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective view of the gameboard of FIG. 1, showing the plurality of movers arranged in a pattern on and extending from the bottom surface of the gameboard, and the gameboard further including a plurality of ribs arranged in a pattern on and also extending from the bottom surface.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial sectional view, with portions broken away, showing one of the movers including a housing having an upper portion coupled to the bottom surface and a lower portion extending downwardly from the lower portion and including a roller ball contained therein, the roller ball being configured to contact and also move smoothly along the gameboard support surface.

FIG. 4 is a partial side elevational view of the gameboard of FIG. 1 showing the gameboard in a use position and further showing a hinge coupling the two halves of the gameboard, the hinge including a hinge axis lying in a plane above and substantially parallel to a plane of the top surface of the gameboard, and the hinge being configured to allow each half of the gameboard to rotate relative to the other half, as suggested by the movement arrows.

FIG. 5 is a partial side elevational view, similar to FIG. 4, showing the gameboard in a folded position.

FIG. 6 is a bottom view of another embodiment of a gameboard, according to the present disclosure, showing ten movers arranged in a pattern on the bottom surface of the gameboard and a plurality of ribs arranged in a circular and radial pattern on the bottom surface.

FIG. 7 is a bottom view of another embodiment of a gameboard, according to the present invention, showing fourteen movers arranged in a pattern on the bottom surface of the gameboard and a plurality of ribs arranged in a circular and radial pattern on the bottom surface.

FIG. 8 is a bottom view of another embodiment of a gameboard, according to the present disclosure, showing twelve movers arranged in a pattern on the bottom surface of the gameboard and a plurality of ribs arranged in a rectangular and diagonal pattern on the bottom surface.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A gameboard 10, according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure, is shown in FIGS. 1-5. Gameboard 10 includes an upper portion 12 having a top surface 14 configured to accommodate the playing of a game thereon, as represented by, for example, rectangular slots 16 having ridges 17 and tiles 18, shown, for example, having the letter E thereon. The tiles 18 are configured to be inserted in slots 16 and to be contained therein by ridges 17. Gameboard 10 further includes a lower portion 20 having a bottom surface 22. Bottom surface 22 includes means 24 for allowing a substantially smooth movement of gameboard 10 along a gameboard support surface 26 in rotational and radial directions, as suggested by movement arrows R_O, R_R, respectively, as shown in FIG. 1.

Means 24 are shown, for example, in FIGS. 1-5 as a plurality of movers 28 arranged in a pattern on and extending downwardly from bottom surface 22. Movers 28 are configured to contact gameboard support surface 26 to allow the movement of the gameboard 10 in the rotational and radial directions R_O, R_R, respectively, as suggested in FIG. 1.

Each mover 28 includes a housing 30 having an upper portion 32 coupled to bottom surface 22 and a lower portion 34 extending downwardly from upper portion 32. Each mover 28 further includes a roller ball 36 contained within housing 30 and configured to extend beyond lower portion 34 to contact and move smoothly along gameboard support surface 26, thereby making it easier and more convenient for a user or game-player to move the gameboard 10 in any direction along gameboard support surface 26 and place it, for example, in front of another game-player.

Movers 28 are arranged in a selected pattern on bottom surface 22. At least one mover 28, and shown in the embodiment of FIG. 1 as all twelve movers 28, is displaced from a center point C_P of bottom surface 22. As shown in FIG. 2, the pattern of the plurality movers 28 on bottom surface 22 includes at least some of the plurality of movers 28 being formed in a circular arrangement on an inner portion I_P of gameboard 10, while other movers 28 are arranged in an essentially rectangular pattern along an outer periphery O_P of gameboard 10, as shown in FIG. 2 and the embodiments of FIGS. 6 and 7. The embodiments of FIGS. 6 and 7 will be discussed later herein. The pattern of the plurality of movers 28 on bottom surface 22 may include at least some of the plurality of movers 28 being formed in a rectangular arrangement along an inner portion I_P and an outer periphery O_P, as shown in the embodiment of FIG. 8, which embodiment is discussed later herein. Movers 28 may be formed as a unitary part of lower portion 20. That is, movers 28 may be formed monolithically, integrally, or otherwise coupled to bottom portion 20.

Bottom surface 22 includes a plurality of ribs 38 arranged on and extending downwardly from bottom surface 22. Each rib 38 includes an upper portion 40 coupled to bottom surface 22 and a lower edge 42 lying in a plane P_L essentially parallel to and located between a plane P_B of bottom surface 22 and a plane P_S of gameboard support surface 26, as shown in FIG. 3. Ribs 38 may be formed in a variety of geometric patterns, as suggested in the embodiments shown in FIGS. 2, 6, 7 and 8. For example, ribs 28 may be formed as a concentric series of circles having radii R_i emanating from center point C_P, as shown in FIGS. 2, 6, 7 and 8. Also, for example, ribs 28 may be formed as a concentric series of rectangles having radii R_i emanating from center point C_P. Ribs 38 may be formed as a unitary part of lower portion 20. That is, ribs 38 may be formed monolithically, integrally, or otherwise coupled to lower portion 20. In addition, movers 28 may be formed as a unitary part of ribs 28. That is, movers 28 may be formed monolithically or integrally with or otherwise coupled to one of the ribs 38.

Gameboard 10 may further include a first half 44, a second half 46 and a hinge 48 coupling the first and second halves 44, 46 for rotational movement of the halves 44, 46 about a pivot axis 50 relative to one another, as suggested by the rotational arrows A_R in FIGS. 1 and 4. First and second halves 44, 46 are rotated relative to one another to move the gameboard 10 between a use position U_P, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, and a folded position F_P, as shown in FIG. 5. Pivot axis 50 lies in a plane P_A that is essentially parallel to and above a plane P_T of top surface 14.

As suggested above, another embodiment of the present disclosure, gameboard 110, is shown in FIG. 6. Gameboard 110 includes all of the features of gameboard 10 except that there are ten (10) movers 28 arranged in a combination of circular and rectangular patterns of movers 28 on bottom surface 22, which patterns are differently configured from the patterns of gameboard 10 regarding the location and number of movers 28.

As suggested above, another embodiment of the present disclosure, gameboard 210, is shown in FIG. 7. Gameboard 210 includes all of the features of gameboard 10 except that there are fourteen (14) movers 28 arranged in a combination of circular and rectangular patterns of movers 28 on bottom surface 22, which patterns are differently configured from the patterns of gameboard 10 regarding the location and number of movers 28.

As suggested above, another embodiment of the present disclosure, gameboard 310, is shown in FIG. 8. Gameboard 310 includes all of the features of gameboard 10 except that there are twelve (12) movers 28 arranged in a series of essentially rectangular patterns of movers 28 on bottom surface 22, which patterns are differently configured from the patterns of gameboard 10 regarding the location and number of movers 28.

Lower portion 20 of gameboard 10 includes a plurality of flaps 21 coupled to bottom surface 22 as shown in FIGS. 2, 4 and 5. Thus, when gameboards 10, 110, 210 and 310 are moved to the use position U_P, support flaps 21 limit the rotation of first and second halves 44, 46 relative to one another.

The patterns and thus, the location of movers 28 in each of the embodiments 10, 110, 210 and 310, according to the present disclosure, serves to enhance the smooth movement of gameboards 10, 110, 210 and 310 along gameboard support surface 26 and to prevent or significantly reduce the likelihood of gameboards 10, 110, 210 and 310 tilting when they are placed in the use position U_P, particularly during the playing of a game when gameboards 10, 110, 210 and 310 are moved along gameboard support surface 26 from one game-player to another. Ribs 38 provide additional stability to gameboards 10, 110, 210 and 310 by adding a degree of stiffening to lower portion 20. Other patterns of movers 28 and ribs 38 are conceivable to provide stability, prevention of tilting and smooth movement of gameboards 10, 110, 210 and 310 along gameboard support surface 26.

Gameboards 10, 110, 210 and 310 including movers 28 and ribs 38 may be made of plastic via a molding process or a laminate process or made of other equivalent materials and processes to achieve the embodiments disclosed herein.

Although the present disclosure has been described and illustrated in detail, it is to be clearly understood that this is done by way of illustration and example only and is not to be taken by way of limitation. The scope of the present disclosure is to be limited only by the terms of the appended claims.