Travel and Outdoor Playmat

Abstract

A playmat for receiving and maintaining a plurality of cards in a user-selected configuration comprises a first section and a second section rotatably attached to the first section. Each section comprises a planar support structure configured to receive a plurality of cards. The lengths of the sections and a plurality of rows within each section extend parallel to a common longitudinal axis. Each section comprises a holding structure arranged and configured to clamp the plurality of cards towards the support structure. The length of the holding structure and the height of the rows is selected such that the holding structure can receive and hold at least two non-overlapping cards and the cards can be maintained in the holding structure when in a rotated configuration in which two opposite corners of the card extend along a line parallel with the longitudinal axis.

Claims

1. (canceled)

2. The playmat according to claim 11, wherein the holding structure is made of an elastically deformable material.

3. The playmat according to claim 11, wherein the first section and the second section comprise three rows of holding structures.

4. The playmat according to claim 11, wherein the holding structures extend parallel to each other.

5. The playmat according to claim 11, wherein the holding structures are basically rectangular.

6. (canceled)

7. (canceled)

8. The playmat according to claim 11, wherein the first and second sections are equally sized.

9. The playmat according to claim 11, wherein the end section is smaller than the first section and the second section.

10. A system comprising a playmat according to claim 11 and a number of markers configured to be detachably attached to a card, wherein each of the markers is folded together and comprises two free ends configured to be detachably arranged at each side of a card.

11. A playmat for receiving and maintaining a plurality of playing cards, the playmat comprising: a first section and a second section rotatably attached to the first section, each of the first and second sections comprising a planar support structure and a plurality of holding structures configured in rows and extending parallel to the plane of the support structure; and an end section rotatably attached to the first section by a flexible separation structure, the end section comprising an elastic band extending at least partly along an axis parallel to the flexible separation structure, wherein the elastic band comprises slideably attached indicators configured to slide along a length of the elastic structure.

12. The playmat according to claim 11, wherein the holding structure comprises corner portions, in which material is removed, the corner portions corresponding to quarter circles.

13. The system according to claim 10, wherein the markers indicate a number corresponding to an additional score of the card.

14. The system according to claim 10, wherein the markers are separated from each other before they are attached to the card.

15. The system according to claim 10, wherein perforations are provided between adjacent markers.

16. The system according to claim 10, wherein the markers are configured to be inserted into a holding structure of a section of the playmat.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0070] The invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given herein below. The accompanying drawings are given by way of illustration only, and thus, they are not limitative of the present invention. In the accompanying drawings:

[0071] FIG. 1A shows the inside of a playmat according to the invention;

[0072] FIG. 1B shows the playmat shown in FIG. 1A in a closed configuration;

[0073] FIG. 2A shows a playmat 2 according to the invention. The playmat basically corresponds to the one shown in FIG. 1A;

[0074] FIG. 2B shows the playmat shown in FIG. 2A seen from the side;

[0075] FIG. 3 shows the playmat shown in FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B seen from outside;

[0076] FIG. 4A shows a card and four markers attached to the card;

[0077] FIG. 4B shows a plurality of markers each attached to an adjacent marker;

[0078] FIG. 5 shows a plurality of markers inserted into a holding structure of a second section of a playmat according to the invention;

[0079] FIG. 6A shows a side view (the long side) of a playmat according to the invention in a closed configuration;

[0080] FIG. 6B shows a front view of the playmat shown in FIG. 6A;

[0081] FIG. 6C shows a front view (the short side) of the playmat shown in FIG. 6A and in FIG. 6B;

[0082] FIG. 7A shows a side view of a playmat according to the invention in a closed configuration;

[0083] FIG. 7B shows a front view of the playmat shown in FIG. 7A;

[0084] FIG. 7C shows a front view of the playmat shown in FIG. 7A and in FIG. 7B;

[0085] FIG. 8 shows a playmat shown in FIG. 7A;

[0086] FIG. 9A shows a first view of a playmat according to the invention and

[0087] FIG. 9B shows a second view of a playmat shown in FIG. 9A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0088] Referring now in detail to the drawings for the purpose of illustrating preferred embodiments of the present invention, a playmat 2 of the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 1A.

[0089] FIG. 1A illustrates the inside of a playmat 2 according to the invention. The playmat 2 comprises a first section 4 and a second section 6 interconnected by a flexible and/or bendable separation structure 28. The separation structure 28 allows the playmat 2 to be folded so that the first section 4 and the second section 6 are brought into a configuration in which the second section 6 is brought into contact with and covers the first section 4. The separation structure 28 may be made of an elastic fabric. The first section 4 and second section 6 comprise planar support structures 8.

[0090] The playmat 2 comprises an end section 16 rotatably attached to the first section 4. This means that the end section 16 is configured to be brought into a configuration in which the end section 16 is brought into contact with the first section 4 or alternatively is brought into contact with the outside portion of the second section 6 (if the second section is brought into contact with the first section 4).

[0091] Both the first section 4 and the second section 6 comprise three rows 20, 20′, 20″. Each of the rows 20, 20′, 20″ is configured to receive and maintain a plurality of cards 10 in a fixed position. This can be accomplished by means of the holding structure 12 that extends perpendicular to the length of the sections 4, 6.

[0092] The playmat 2 is configured to receive and maintain a plurality of cards 10. Accordingly, the cards 10 may be arranged in a user-selected configuration.

[0093] The length of the sections 4, 6 extends parallel to a common longitudinal axis Y. It can be seen that the plurality of rows 20, 20′, 20′ extends parallel to the longitudinal axis Y. Each section 4, 6 comprises a holding structure 12 having a length L.sub.4 and a height H.sub.1, H′.sub.1, H″.sub.1 (see FIG. 2A). Each holding structure 12 is arranged and configured to clamp the plurality of cards 10 towards the support structure 8. The holding structures 12 extend parallel to the width axis X indicated.

[0094] The length L.sub.4 of the holding structure 12 and the height of the rows 20, 20′, 20″ is selected in such a manner that:

A) the holding structure 12 can receive and hold three non-overlapping cards of up to 63×88 mm and
B) the cards 10 can be maintained in the holding structure 12 when being in a rotated configuration, in which two opposite corners C.sub.1, C.sub.3 of the card 10 extend along a line being parallel with the longitudinal axis Y. Hereby, it is possible to provide a user-friendly playmat 2 that enables a large freedom of motion with respect to the cards 10.

[0095] It is important to underline that the dimensions of the playmat 2 can be selected differently in order to make the playmat 2 fit to cards smaller or larger than 63×88 mm.

[0096] The cards 10 have a length L.sub.1 that is up to 88 mm. It can be seen that the diameter L.sub.2 of the cards 10 is shorter than the distance L.sub.3 between the bottom portion of a holding structure 12 and the bottom portion of the above-arranged holding structure 12. Accordingly, the card 10 can be rotated without colliding with the above-arranged holding structure 12.

[0097] It can be seen that the length L.sub.4 of the holding structure 12 is greater than three times the width of the card 10. Therefore, the holding structure 12 can receive and hold three non-overlapping cards 10, such as the ones illustrated in FIG. 1A. Since there are three rows 20, 20′, 20″ in each of the two sections 4, 6, the playmat can contain 18 cards in total.

[0098] The playmat can be of great value if a game is suddenly interrupted e.g. because it starts raining or if the train or bus arrives to the final destination. The playmat 2 can be packed up in a fast manner and the card configuration can be maintained. Accordingly, the game can be continued afterwards simply by opening the playmat 2.

[0099] The holding structure 12 is provided with corner portion 18, in which material is removed (an area corresponding to a quarter of a circle). Hereby, it is possible to attach the holding structure 12 to the support structure 8 by a stitching process and achieve a great degree of flexibility in the corner region of the holding structure 12.

[0100] In one embodiment, the upper edge of the holding structure 12 is arranged a non-zero distance from the underlying support structure 8, wherein the non-zero distance is larger than the thickness of the card.

[0101] In one embodiment, the support structure 8 is compressible so that a card 10 can easily be received by the holding structure 12. This can be achieved by pressing down support structure 8 when inserting the card 10 into the holding structure 12.

[0102] The holding structure 12 is made of at least partly transparent material so that the card can be seen through the holding structure 12. In a preferred embodiment, the holding structure 12 is made of an elastic material that regains its original geometry when a deformation object (e.g. a plurality of cards) is removed from the holding structure 12.

[0103] The end section 16 is rotatably attached to the first section 4 by means of a flexible/bendable separation structure 26. The end section 16 comprises a counting structure 14 provided with a list of numbers and two slideably arranged indicators 22, 22′ each comprising a protruding portion 24, 24′ protruding in different directions so that one can tell the difference between the indicators 22, 22′. The first indicator 22 surrounds the number 10 indicating the score of a first player, wherein the second indicator 22′ surrounds the number 5 indicating the score of a second player. The indicators 22, 22′ are configured to slide along the length of the counting structure 14 that extends parallel to the longitudinal axis Y.

[0104] It is important to stress that the end section 16 may comprise a counting structure 14 without any numbers. In fact, a version without any numbers and without any slideably arranged indicators is shown in FIG. 9A.

[0105] FIG. 1B illustrates the playmat 2 shown in FIG. 1A in a closed configuration.

[0106] FIG. 2A illustrates a playmat 2 according to the invention. The playmat 2 basically corresponds to the one shown in FIG. 1A and thus the reference numbers correspond to equal or equivalent elements. All cards 10 except for one card 10 have, however, been removed. Moreover, only the lower portion of the counting structure 14 is complete since the top portion thereof is not shown.

[0107] FIG. 2A shows the width W.sub.1 of the first separation structure 28 and the width W.sub.2 of the second separation structure 28. Moreover, the widths W.sub.3, W.sub.4, W.sub.5 are indicated in FIG. 2A. Likewise, the heights H.sub.1, H′.sub.1, H″.sub.1 of the holding structures 12 are shown. Moreover, the heights H.sub.3, H′.sub.3, H″.sub.3 of the rows 20, 20′, 20″, respectively, are shown. Finally, the heights H.sub.2, H′.sub.2, H″.sub.2 of the portion of each row 20, 20′, 20″ that is not covered by a holding structure 12 are indicated. The total height of the sections 4, 6 is also shown.

[0108] In one embodiment, W.sub.3 is 100 mm.

[0109] In one embodiment, W.sub.4 is 230 mm.

[0110] In one embodiment, W.sub.5 is 230 mm.

[0111] In one embodiment, H.sub.4 is 360 mm.

[0112] It can be seen that the rows 20, 20′, 20″ are equally shaped and sized. Accordingly, the following equations are fulfilled:

H.sub.1=H′.sub.1=H″.sub.1  (1)

H.sub.2=H′.sub.2=H″.sub.2  (2)

H.sub.3=H′.sub.3=H″.sub.3  (3)

[0113] FIG. 2B illustrates the playmat 2 shown in FIG. 2A seen from the side. It can be seen that the separation structures 26, 28 are thinner than the sections 4, 6. In a preferred embodiment, the separation structures 26, 28 are made of a flexible material.

[0114] FIG. 3 illustrates the playmat 2 shown in FIG. 2A and in FIG. 2B seen from outside. This means that the playmat 2 shown in FIG. 2A has been turned around (rotated 180 degrees) with respect to the longitudinal axis of the playmat 2. The playmat 2 is in an open configuration.

[0115] FIG. 4A illustrates a card 10 and four markers 30, 30′ attached to the card 10. Each marker 30, 30′ is detachably attached to the card 10. The central portions on each side of the contacting portions of the markers 30, 30′ are glued together, wherein no glue is provided at the free ends of the folded marker 30, 30′. Accordingly, markers 30, 30′ are provided with free ends configured to be detachably arranged at each side of a card 10 like shown in FIG. 4A. The markers 30, 30′ indicate a number that can indicate an additional score of the card 10.

[0116] FIG. 4B illustrates a plurality of markers 30, 30′ each attached to an adjacent marker 30, 30′.

[0117] The markers 30, 30′ can be separated from each other before they are attached to a card 10. In one embodiment, perforations are provided between adjacent markers 30, 30′.

[0118] In FIG. 5 a plurality of markers 30, 30′ are inserted into a holding structure 12 of a second section 6 of a playmat according to the invention.

[0119] FIG. 6A illustrates a side view (the long side) of a playmat 2 according to the invention in a closed configuration. The playmat 2 corresponds to the one shown in FIG. 2A, FIG. 2B and FIG. 3.

[0120] FIG. 6B illustrates a front view of the playmat 2 shown in FIG. 6A, whereas FIG. 6C illustrates a front view (the short side) of the playmat 2 shown in FIG. 6A and in FIG. 6B.

[0121] It can be seen that the first separation structure 28 is arced hereby allowing the first section 4 to be brought into contact with the second section 6. Likewise, the second separation structure 26 is arced hereby allowing the second section 6 to be brought into contact with the end section 16.

[0122] FIG. 7A, FIG. 7B and FIG. 7C illustrate different views of a playmat 2 according to the invention in a closed configuration. The playmat 2 basically corresponds to the one shown in FIG. 6A, FIG. 6B and FIG. 6C, however, the playmat 2 does not comprise any indicator like the one shown in FIG. 6B and FIG. 6C.

[0123] FIG. 8 illustrates the playmat 2 shown in FIG. 7A, FIG. 7B and FIG. 7C. It can be seen that the playmat 2 does not comprise any indicator like the one shown in FIG. 6B and FIG. 6C.

[0124] FIG. 9A and FIG. 9B illustrate different views of a playmat 2 according to the invention in an open configuration. The playmat 2 basically corresponds to the one shown in FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B, however, the playmat 2 neither comprises any indicator nor any numbers (on the counting structure) like the playmat 2 shown in FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0125] 2 Playmat [0126] 4 Section [0127] 6 Section [0128] 8 Support structure [0129] 10 Card [0130] 12 Holding structure [0131] 14 Counting structure [0132] 16 End section [0133] 18 Corner portion [0134] 20, 20′, 20″ Row [0135] 22, 22′ Indicator [0136] 24, 24′ Protruding portion [0137] 26 Separation structure [0138] 28 Separation structure [0139] 30, 30′ Marker [0140] L.sub.1, L.sub.2, L.sub.3, L.sub.4 Length [0141] H.sub.1, H′.sub.1, H″.sub.1 Height [0142] H.sub.2, H′.sub.2, H″.sub.2 Height [0143] H.sub.3, H′.sub.3, H″.sub.3, H.sub.4 Height [0144] W.sub.1, W.sub.2, W.sub.3, W.sub.4, W.sub.5 Width [0145] C.sub.1, C.sub.2 Corner