Abstract
Board game (1) with a board (2) having at least one playing surface (3) comprising multiple playing fields (4) and with playing pieces (5) and at least one holding device (6) for holding a playing piece (5) releasably attached to the playing field (4), with the board (2) being arranged such that the orientation of the playing surface (3) deviates from a horizontal orientation, wherein a rotating device (7) is provided for holding the playing piece (5) in a same vertical orientation for any rotation of the board (2) about an imaginary axis (A) substantially orthogonally to the playing surface (3).
Claims
1. A board game (1) with a board (2) having at least one playing surface (3) comprising multiple playing fields (4) and with playing pieces (5) and at least one holding device (6) for holding a playing piece (5) releasably attached to the playing field (4), with the board (2) being arranged such that the orientation of the playing surface (3) deviates from a horizontal orientation, wherein a rotating device (7) is provided for holding the playing piece (5) in a same vertical orientation for any rotation of the board (2) about an imaginary axis (A) substantially orthogonally to the playing surface (3).
2. The board game (1) according to claim 1, wherein the rotating device (7) comprises a rotating part (7) rotating about a rotation axis (R) and connected to the playing piece (5) or to the holding device (6) or lo the playing field (4) of the board (2) and comprises a bearing (8) for rotating the rotating part (7), in particular a radial bearing (8b).
3. The board game (1) according to claim 2, wherein the radial bearing (8b) comprises a pin (8b) rotating in a bore hole (8b) or in a sleeve (8b).
4. The hoard game (1) according to claim 2, wherein the centre of gravity of all rotating components (7, 5) connected to or part of the rotating part (7), including the playing piece (5), does not coincide with the rotation axis (R) in order to hold the playing piece (5) in a same vertical orientation by gravity.
5. The board game (1) according to claim 4, wherein at least one of the playing piece (5), the holding device (6) and the rotating device (7) comprises a weight clement (9).
6. The board game (1) according to claim 1, wherein the rotating device (7) is arranged within or attached to the playing piece (5).
7. The board game (1) according to claim 1, wherein the rotating device (7) is arranged on or within the board (2).
8. The board game (1) according to claim 7, wherein the rotating device (7) comprises a bore hole (8b) or a sleeve (8b) in the playing field (4) of the board (2).
9. The board game (1) according to claim 7, wherein the rotating device (7) comprises a circular ring (10) or a circular disk (10a) accommodated in a part of the board (2) associated with the playing field (4) in rotating manner.
10. The board game (1) according to claim 1, wherein the holding device (6) is arranged on the playing piece (5) only and preferably comprises one of an adhesive element, an electrostatically loaded element or a suction cup.
11. The board game (1) according to claim 1, wherein the holding device (6) is arranged on or in the playing piece (5) and connected to the playing field (4) of the board (2) and comprises one of a magnet (6a)/magnetizable element (6a) connected to the playing piece (5) interacting with a magnetizable element (6a)/magnet (6a) connected to the playing field (4), hook and loop fastener (12,12) connected to the playing piece (5) and on the playing field (4) or a pin (6p) connected to the playing piece (5)/playing field (4) inserted into a bore hole or sleeve (2p) in the playing field (4)/playing piece (5).
12. The board game (1) according to claim 1, wherein the holding device (6) is arranged on or in the playing field (4) of the board (2) only and comprises a platform (6b) for supporting a playing piece (5), the platform (6b) being connected to the playing field (4) of the board (2) at an angle () different to 0 between the platform (6b) and the playing field (4).
13. The board game (1) according to claim 12, wherein the platform (6b) of the holding device (6) is connected to a first leg (6b) via a second leg (6b), the first leg (6b) being arranged at the playing field (4), preferably at the centre of the playing field (4), in rotating manner in a bore hole (8) or in a sleeve (8) in the playing field (4) of the board (2).
14. The board game (1) according to claim 9, wherein the platform (6b) of the holding device (6) is connected to the circular ring (10) or to the circular disk (10a) of the rotating device (7).
15. The board game (1) according to claim 1, wherein the playing field (4) is a rotatable element (4r), the rotatable element (4r) being connected to the board (2) by the rotating device (7).
Description
[0051] The invention will be explained in more detail in the following by means of preferred, non-restricting embodiments with reference to the drawings. There is shown in:
[0052] FIG. 1a a board game according to the invention with a playing piece;
[0053] FIG. 1b the front side of a playing piece;
[0054] FIG. 1c a back side of the playing piece of FIG. 1b;
[0055] FIG. 1d a cross sectional side view of the playing piece of FIG. 1b;
[0056] FIGS. 2a to 2d the board of FIG. 1 with playing pieces in different rotated positions of the board;
[0057] FIG. 3a, 3b a simple illustration of the board, a holding device, a rotating device and a playing piece each;
[0058] FIG. 4a, 4b an arrangement of a holding device and a rotating device each, the rotating device being attached to the playing piece;
[0059] FIG. 5a, 5b an arrangement of a holding device and a rotating device each, the rotating device being arranged within the playing piece;
[0060] FIG. 6 a schematic side view of a rotating device arranged on the board;
[0061] FIG. 7a a schematic front view of a playing field and a rotating device comprising a circular ring accommodated in the board;
[0062] FIG. 7b a schematic front view of a playing field and a rotating device comprising a circular disk accommodated in the board;
[0063] FIG. 8 a holding device comprising an adhesive element and being attached on the board;
[0064] FIG. 9 a holding device which comprises hook and loop fastener on a playing piece and on the board;
[0065] FIGS. 10a to 10c embodiments for holding a playing piece at an angle different to 0 between its vertical axis and the playing surface;
[0066] FIG. 11 a playing piece built of two halves separable from and connectable with each other;
[0067] FIG. 12 a rotating device with a clamping element;
[0068] FIG. 13a a board designed to avoid removement of the playing pieces;
[0069] FIG. 13b a sectional view along line XIII in FIG. 13a;
[0070] FIG. 13c another embodiment of a board designed to avoid removement of the playing pieces;
[0071] FIG. 13d a sectional view along line XIIIc in FIG. 13c;
[0072] FIG. 13e and FIG. 13f other embodiments of parts of a board designed to avoid removement of the playing pieces;
[0073] FIG. 14 another assembly of the board, a holding device, a rotating device and a playing piece;
[0074] FIG. 15 exemplary fastening means comprising a supporting device and a second rotating device;
[0075] FIG. 16a a fastening means comprising at least one magnetic element on the supporting device;
[0076] FIG. 16b the back side of the board with fastening means comprising at least one magnetic element;
[0077] FIG. 17a a schematic front view of a board with rotatable playing fields of circular design;
[0078] FIG. 17b a side view of the board illustrated in FIG. 17a;
[0079] FIG. 18a a schematic front view of a board with rotatable playing fields of squared design;
[0080] FIG. 18b a side view of the board illustrated in FIG. 18a;
[0081] FIG. 19a a schematic front view of a board rotated about a physical axis offset from an imaginary middle axis of the board; and
[0082] FIG. 19b a schematic front view of a board without a physical axis for rotation.
[0083] The invention will be further explained using the example of a chess game, although the board game according to the invention is not limited to a chess game.
[0084] FIG. 1a shows a board game 1 with a board 2, in particular a chess board 2, having a top side T2, a bottom side B2 and a playing surface 3 comprising multiple playing fields 4, and with a playing piece 5, in particular a chess piece 5. Although in a typical board game according to the invention more than one playing pieces 5 will be used, FIG. 1a shows a single playing piece 5 for illustrative purposes. The board game 1 is designed for allowing one or more players to move the playing pieces 5 over the playing surface 3 and for arranging each playing piece 5 at a playing field 4 selected by the players without the playing pieces 5 releasing unintentionally from the playing fields 4. In order to hold the playing pieces 5 releasably at their assigned playing fields 4 a holding device 6 is provided at each playing field 4 and/or at each playing piece 5. Each holding device 6 may therefore be arranged on a playing field 4 of the board 2, on a playing piece 5 or both on a playing field 4 and on a playing piece 5. For holding the playing pieces 5 in a same vertical orientation for any rotation of the board 2 about an imaginary axis A (see FIG. 15) oriented in this example orthogonally to the playing surface 3, with the board 2 arranged in this example in vertical orientation, a rotating device 7 is provided at each playing field 4 and/or at each playing piece 5, see for instance FIG. 1d.
[0085] The board 2 shown in FIG. 1a comprises two horizontal edges W and two vertical edges H or sides respectively, which may be of a length in the range of 10 cm to 3 m, preferably 20 cm to 1 m. The perimeter U of board 2 and/or the playing surface 3 is of rectangular or square design in this example.
[0086] FIG. 1b shows the front side F of a playing piece 5, which front side F is the side seen by a player when playing the board game 1. Front sides F are often designed for providing pleasant visual appearance and are typically free from the holding devices 6 and rotating devices 7, which are therefore arranged on the back side B of the playing pieces 5, as can be seen in FIG. 1c. In the example of FIG. 1b, 1c the playing piece 5 is of flat design, representing a two dimensional appearance of a playing piece 5 and it comprises a top end T5, a bottom end B5 and a vertical axis V. Of course, playing pieces 5 of any other shape may be used with the board game 1.
[0087] FIG. 1d shows a cross sectional view of the exemplary playing piece 5, which is connected to a magnet 6a and to a rotating device 7 comprising a bearing 8, in particular a ball bearing 8a. The magnet 6a and magnetizable elements 6a (see FIG. 3a) in or on or behind board 2 together represent the holding device 6. The magnetizable elements 6a may be a metal plate at the board 2 or magnetizable pieces, e.g. metallic chips or powdered metal, within the board 2. The holding device 6 holds the playing piece 5 at the playing field 4 assigned by the player while the playing piece 5 can rotate around the magnet 6a which is part of the holding device 6. In order to support the rotation of playing piece 5, a weight element 9 is arranged on the playing piece 5.
[0088] FIGS. 2a to 2d illustrate the rotation of the board 2, oriented vertically in this example, in order to arrange it upside down and the rotation of playing pieces 5 with respect to the board 2 in order to hold the playing pieces 5 arranged on assigned playing fields 4 in a same, unmodified vertical orientation. In particular FIG. 2a shows board 2 in a starting position, FIG. 2b the board 2 in an orientation after rotating it by 60, FIG. 2c the board 2 in an orientation after rotating it by another 60 and FIG. 2d the board 2 in an orientation after rotating it by 180 compared to the starting position, in which FIG. 2d the board 2 is oriented upside down. As can be seen, the playing pieces 5 keep their vertical orientation for any rotation of board 2.
[0089] FIG. 3a shows in a simplified illustration a part of the board 2, a holding device 6, e.g. comprising a magnet 6a, a rotating device 7 and one playing piece 5. The playing piece 5 is connected directly to the rotating device 7 in order to rotate with respect to the holding device 6, which is connected directly to rotating device 7 and held releasably on the playing surface 3 of the board 2. Board 2 may comprise a part of holding device 6, e.g. a metal plate 6a. The weight element 9 may be fully accommodated within playing piece 5 or attached thereto.
[0090] FIG. 3b shows a part of the board 2, two holding devices 6, a rotating device 7 in between the holding devices 6 and one playing piece 5, illustrating that the playing pieces 5 may be connected directly to at least a part of the holding device 6. In FIG. 3b the holding device 6 comprises a pin 6p which can be inserted into a bore hole or sleeve 2p, arranged in board 2, for holding playing piece 5 at playing field 4.
[0091] FIGS. 4a and 4b show different arrangements of a holding device 6 and a rotating device 7, comprising a radial bearing 8b, which rotating device 7 comprises a part 7 fixed to the holding device 6 and a rotating part 7 connected to the playing piece 5 and rotating about a rotation axis R. For holding the parts 7, 7 together, a latch L comprising a web L on the rotating part 7 engaging a groove L in the fixed part 7, or vice versa, or any other means, may be provided. In FIG. 4a the rotating part 7 rotates around the fixed part 7 while in FIG. 4b the rotating part 7 rotates within the fixed part 7. In any case, the centre of gravity of all rotating components connected to or part of the rotating part 7, including the playing piece 5, does not coincide with the rotation axis R in order to hold the playing piece 5 in a same vertical orientation by gravity. FIGS. 4a and 4b show the rotating device 7 attached to the playing piece 5, i.e. external the playing piece 5.
[0092] In embodiments shown in FIGS. 5a, 5b rotating device 7 is arranged within playing piece 5. Rotating device 7 comprises a radial bearing 8b with a pin 8b rotating in a bore hole 8b or in a sleeve 8b.
[0093] FIG. 6 shows a schematic side view of rotating device 7 arranged on board 2, wherein only a part of board 2 associated with a playing field 4 is illustrated. The rotating device 7 comprises a fixed part 7 in the playing field 4 of board 2 and a rotating part 7 rotating within the fixed part 7. Furthermore the rotating device 7 builds or comprises a radial bearing 8b with a bore hole 8b or a sleeve 8b in board 2. The rotating part 7 is connected to or part of a z-shaped holding device 6b which is arranged on board 2 only. As can be seen best in FIG. 6, holding device 6b comprises a horizontal platform 6b for supporting a playing piece 5, which horizontal platform 6b is connected to the playing field 4 of the vertically oriented board 2 via a vertical, second leg 6b and a horizontal, first leg 6b. The horizontal leg 6b is arranged at the centre C of playing field 4, located on rotation axis R, in rotating manner.
[0094] FIG. 7a shows a schematic front view of a playing field 4. The rotating device 7 comprises a circular ring 10 accommodated in a part of board 2 associated with the playing field 4 in rotating manner. The circular ring 10 is accommodated within a groove in playing field 4 and board 2. A horizontal platform 6b of holding device 6 is connected to the circular ring 10. As in the embodiment shown in FIG. 6 a playing piece 5 (not illustrated in FIG. 7) may be placed on the horizontal platform 6b.
[0095] FIG. 7b shows a schematic front view of a playing field 4 in which the rotating device 7 comprises a circular disk 10a, instead of a circular ring 10, accommodated in a part of board 2 associated with the playing field 4 in rotating manner.
[0096] In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 7a and 7b the horizontal platform 6b could be omitted and the playing piece 5 could be releasably connected to the circular ring 10 or circular disk 10a directly.
[0097] FIG. 8 illustrates a holding device 6 which, when the playing piece 5 is not arranged on board 2, is arranged on the playing piece 5 only, e.g. via rotating device 7, i.e. board 2 does not comprise any part of holding device 6. For instance the holding device 6 comprises an adhesive element 11.
[0098] FIG. 9 shows a holding device 6 which comprises hook and loop fastener 12, 12 on a playing piece 5 and on board 2, in particular on playing field 4.
[0099] FIGS. 10a to 10c show embodiments for holding a playing piece 5 at an angle a different to 0 between its vertical axis V and playing surface 3. According to FIG. 10a a playing piece 5 is mounted to holding device 6 in the angular relationship, i.e. the playing piece 5 is mounted to holding device 6 at an angle different to 90, see the angle a between the playing piece 5 and the playing surface 3. According to FIG. 10b the playing piece 5 comprises a base 13 inclined at angle a with respect to an axis X orthogonally to vertical axis V, which inclined base 13 may be placed on the horizontal platform 6b of holding device 6b. According to FIG. 10c the horizontal platform 6b is arranged non orthogonally to the playing surface 3, i.e. the horizontal platform 6b is tilted at the angle , with respect to an axis Y orthogonally to playing surface 3. Of course the angle a may be negative as well in the embodiments of FIGS. 10a to 10c so that, differently to the illustration in FIGS. 10a to 10c, the top end T5 of playing piece 5 is closer to the playing surface 3 than the bottom end B5 of playing piece 5. Therefore the angle a is preferably between 45 and +45, more preferred between 30 and +30.
[0100] FIG. 11 shows a playing piece 5 built of two halves 5, 5 separable from and connectable with each other along a vertical mid-plane P of the playing piece 5. One of the two halves 5, 5 comprises a holding device 6, for being attached to board 2, and a rotating device 7 and therefore represents the playing piece 5 to be held in a same vertical orientation. For re-connecting the halves 5, 5, if desired, they comprise one or more cooperating connecting elements 14, 14.
[0101] FIG. 12 shows a rotating device 7 with a clamping element 15 for connecting a playing piece 5 (not shown in FIG. 12) removably to rotating device 7. The rotating device 7 might be fixed to the board 2 or might be removable from the board 2.
[0102] FIG. 13a illustrates a board 2 designed to avoid removement of the playing pieces 5. Board 2, at the playing surface 3, comprises channels 16 along which the playing pieces 5 can be moved. As can be seen in FIG. 13b, which represents a sectional view along line XIII in FIG. 13a, holding device 6 comprises a pin 17 engaging the channels 16, with a counter element 18 at an end of pin 17. In order to avoid removement of playing pieces 5, diameter D18 of counter element 18 is larger than the width Z of the channels 16 at the playing surface 3. The length S1 of pin 17 is larger than the distance S2 between playing surface 3 and the channels 16 to allow movement of playing pieces 5 with some clearance between playing surface 3 and holding device 6.
[0103] FIG. 13c illustrates another embodiment of a board 2 designed to avoid removement of the playing pieces 5. Again channels 16 are provided along which the playing pieces 5 can be moved. However in contrast to FIG. 13a the channels 16 extend between the playing fields 4 alongside their edges and comprise an extension 16a into each playing field 4, in particular to the centre 4c of each playing field 4. A hole or sleeve 17b may be arranged at the centre 4c for accommodating an end of a pin 17a of a holding device 6. The channels 16 may be provided within a layer 25 preferably of transparent material, e.g. within a glass plate 25, which is arranged in front of and with distance to the playing surface 3.
[0104] FIG. 13d shows a sectional view along line XIIIc in FIG. 13c. The board 2 comprises the hole or sleeve 17b for accommodating the pin 17a which can be moved within the channels 16. As the pin 17a comprises a thickened part 17c, whose diameter D17 is larger than the width Z of channel 16, the playing piece 5 connected to pin 17a can not be pulled out completely of the layer 25.
[0105] FIG. 13e illustrates an alternative embodiment of detail DE of FIG. 13c, showing the extension 16a leading to the centre 4c of playing field 4. In particular the extension 16a is provided from two opposite edges of the playing field 4 to the centre 4c, splitting the layer 25 in two halves.
[0106] FIG. 13f illustrates an other alternative embodiment of detail DE of FIG. 13c in which the extension 16a is provided from four edges of the playing field 4 to the centre 4c, splitting the layer 25 in four quarters.
[0107] FIG. 14 shows an alternative assembly of the board 2, holding device 6, rotating device 7 and playing piece 5. The holding device 6 comprises a magnet 6a having a north pole N an a south pole S which magnet 6a is connected rotatably to board 2 at the front side of board 2, i.e. the side of the playing surface 3, via rotating device 7. Opposite the front side, i.e. at the back side of board 2, a second magnet 6b having a north pole N2 an a south pole S2 is connected rotatably to board 2. As the second magnet 6b comprises a weight element 9 it always keeps the same vertical orientation, independent of the orientation of the board 2. In addition as the north pole N/south pole S of magnet 6a is positioned opposite to south pole S2/north pole N2 of magnet 6b magnetic forces between magnet 6a and magnet 6b will keep the playing piece 5 in a same vertical orientation as well, independent of the orientation of board 2.
[0108] FIG. 15 shows exemplary fastening means 19 comprising a supporting device 20 mounted to a wall M and comprising a second rotating device 21 connecting board 2 to supporting device 20 in rotatable manner. The supporting device 20 may be held on wall M by at least one hook connection 22. Optional spacers 23 guarantee some distance between supporting device 20 and wall M. Because of the second rotating device 21, which may for instance comprise a ball bearing, board 2 can be rotated on supporting device 20 easily.
[0109] FIG. 16a shows a fastening means 19 comprising at least one magnetic element 24 on supporting device 20 for holding supporting device 20 on a vertical wall M of metal.
[0110] FIG. 16b shows the back side of board 2 with fastening means 19 comprising at least one magnetic element 24. If only one magnetic element 24 is provided on the backside of board 2, rotation of board 2 on a wall of metal is facilitated.
[0111] FIG. 17a shows a schematic front view of a board 2 with rotatable playing fields 4 of circular design. The playing fields 4 are connected to board 2 by rotating device 7 and they may rotate in the plane defined by playing surface 3 or at some distance to this plane. The playing piece 5 may be releasably connected to the respective playing field 4 by holding device 6. The rotatable playing fields 4 shall not touch each other.
[0112] FIG. 17b illustrates the assembly of FIG. 17a comprising a part of board 2, rotating devices 7 and the rotatable playing fields 4 in a side view.
[0113] FIG. 18a shows a schematic front view of a board 2 with rotatable playing fields 4 of squared design. Again the playing fields 4 are connected to board 2 by rotating device 7 and they may rotate in the plane defined by playing surface 3 if they are of a size small enough not to touch each other when rotating, or they may rotate at some distance to this plane. In particular adjacent playing fields 4, i.e. playing fields 4hi, 4lo which are closest to each other, may be arranged at different distances to board 2. For instance the playing fields 4hi may be arranged at a larger distance to board 2 than the playing fields 4lo. The playing piece 5 may be releasably connected to the respective playing field 4 by holding device 6.
[0114] FIG. 18b illustrates the assembly of FIG. 18a comprising a part of board 2, rotating devices 7 and the rotatable playing fields 4hi, 4lo, arranged at different distances to board 2 in a side view. The rotation axes Ro of the playing fields 4 closest to each other are arranged at a distance Dro. The playing fields 4 comprise a diagonal extension D4.
[0115] FIG. 19a shows a schematic front view of a board 2 rotated about a physical axis Ph offset from an imaginary middle axis A of the board 2.
[0116] FIG. 19b shows a schematic front view of a board 2 without a physical axis for rotation. Instead the board 2 can be taken off a wall M rotated as needed and fixed to wall M again. In FIG. 19b the board 2 ends up upside down. The board 2 may comprise fastening elements 26 for attaching it to the wall M.
