Dice game and associated dice game assembly for playing the same

Abstract

A dice game assembly that is easy to assemble, disassemble, store and transport in a low-profile configuration, including: a left sidewall; a right sidewall; a backwall; wherein the left sidewall, the right sidewall, and the backwall form a dice collection region for collecting thrown dice proximate thereto; and twelve numerical gaming pieces, wherein the twelve numerical gaming pieces are independently rotatably displaceable between a first, unplayed position and a second, played position.

Claims

1. A dice game assembly that is easy to assemble, disassemble, store and transport in a low-profile configuration, consisting of: a left sidewall, wherein the left sidewall includes two slots, an inner surface, an outer surface, a front surface, a front canted surface, a top surface, a rear canted surface, a rear surface, and a bottom surface; a right sidewall, wherein the right sidewall includes two slots, an inner surface, an outer surface, a front surface, a front canted surface, a top surface, a rear canted surface, a rear surface, and a bottom surface; wherein the left sidewall and the right sidewall each include an upper aperture adapted for receiving a rod therethrough; a rod, wherein the rod is secured to the left sidewall and the right sidewall; a backwall, wherein the backwall includes two left tabs adapted for releasable securement to the left sidewall, two right tabs adapted for releasable securement to the right sidewall, a front surface, a back surface, a left side surface, a top surface, a right side surface, and a bottom surface; wherein the left sidewall, the right sidewall, and the backwall form a dice collection region for collecting thrown dice proximate thereto; twelve numerical gaming pieces, wherein the twelve numerical gaming pieces are independently rotatably displaceable between a first, unplayed position and a second, played position; wherein the rod secures the twelve numerical gaming pieces above at least a portion of the back wall; and wherein each one of the twelve numerical gaming pieces is secured to a rod via a fastener.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Certain embodiments of the present invention are illustrated by the accompanying figures. It will be understood that the figures are not necessarily to scale and that details not necessary for an understanding of the invention or that render other details difficult to perceive may be omitted.

(2) It will be further understood that the invention is not necessarily limited to the particular embodiments illustrated herein.

(3) The invention will now be described with reference to the drawings wherein:

(4) FIG. 1 of the drawings is a perspective view of a dice game assembly of the present invention;

(5) FIG. 2 of the drawings is a right side view of the dice game assembly of FIG. 1;

(6) FIG. 3 of the drawings is a left side view of the dice game assembly of FIG. 1;

(7) FIG. 4 of the drawings is a front view of the dice game assembly of FIG. 1;

(8) FIG. 5 of the drawings is a rear view of the dice game assembly of FIG. 1;

(9) FIG. 6 of the drawings is a top view of the dice game assembly of FIG. 1;

(10) FIG. 7 of the drawings is a bottom view of the dice game assembly of FIG. 1;

(11) FIG. 8 of the drawings is a cross-sectional view of the dice game taken along line VIII of FIG. 4 showing a numerical game piece in a first, unplayed position; and

(12) FIG. 9 of the drawings is a cross-sectional view of the dice game showing a numerical game piece in a second, played position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(13) While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and described herein in detail several specific embodiments with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiments illustrated.

(14) It will be understood that like or analogous elements and/or components, referred to herein, may be identified throughout the drawings by like reference characters. In addition, it will be understood that the drawings are merely schematic representations of one or more embodiments of the invention, and some of the components may have been distorted from their actual scale for purposes of pictorial clarity.

(15) Referring now to the drawings, and to FIGS. 1-9 in particular, dice game assembly 10, that is easy to assemble, disassemble, store and transport in a low-profile configuration, is disclosed as generally comprising left sidewall 12, right sidewall 14, backwall 16, and numerical gaming pieces or placards 18. These gaming pieces are independently rotatably displaceable between a first, unplayed position (See FIG. 8) and a second, played position (See FIG. 9). Left sidewall 12, right sidewall 14, and backwall 16 form dice collection region 20 for collecting thrown dice proximate thereto. Ideally, the collection region keeps the dice from falling off of the playing surface (e.g., table, desk, counter, etcetera). It also serves as a deflective surface for the pair of dice to be thrown against in addition to the sidewalls and backwall.

(16) Preferably, left sidewall 12 and right sidewall 14 include slots or apertures 22 for releasably retaining tabs from the backwall. Furthermore, left sidewall 12 and right sidewall 14 preferably include inner surface 24, outer surface 26, front surface 28, front canted surface 30, top surface 32, rear canted surface 34, rear surface 36, and bottom surface 38. In addition, left sidewall 12 and right sidewall 14 each include upper aperture 40 which is adapted for receiving rod 42 therethrough. Rod 42 secures the twelve numerical gaming pieces above at least a portion of the backwall. Fasteners 44 secure the twelve numerical gaming pieces to the rod. Rod 42 is secured to the left and right sidewalls via nut 46.

(17) In one implementation of the present invention, backwall 16 includes tabs 48 which are adapted for releasable securement to the sidewalls. Backwall 16 preferably includes front surface 50, back surface 52, left side surface 54, top surface 56, right side surface 58, and bottom surface 60.

(18) In accordance with the present invention, the components of dice game assembly 10 are preferably fabricated from a material selected from the group consisting of a metal, a metal alloy, a natural resin, a synthetic resin, a plastic, a composite, and/or wood.

(19) In one embodiment of the present invention (See FIG. 9), the backwall and the numerical gaming pieces include magnets 62 so the pieces have a snap fit or snap completion to any movement. Essentially, the user flips the particular gaming piece over and it snaps into a final, temporarily locked/played position.

(20) GAME PLAY—The object of the game is to attain the lowest possible total score by rolling the two dice (each six sided). Each player rolls the dice until they run out of choices. You may use a single number or any combination of numbers to reduce the total score. The remaining numbers are then added up to give your final score. For example, if you roll a number 2 and 5 with the dice (by rolling the dice into the containment region (sidewalls, backwall, and/or playing surface of the table)), you may choose to eliminate (i.e., flip over) the numeric game piece(s) that correspond to the number 7 or the numbers 2 and 5. There is no limit to the number of players per game. The lowest possible score per game and/or round is 0 and the highest score is 75 based on a triple role of double ones. You may play one round or a plurality of rounds and total the score, either individually or as a team.

(21) The foregoing description merely explains and illustrates the invention and the invention is not limited thereto except insofar as the appended claims are so limited, as those skilled in the art who have the disclosure before them will be able to make modifications without departing from the scope of the invention.

(22) While certain embodiments have been illustrated and described, it should be understood that changes and modifications can be made therein in accordance with ordinary skill in the art without departing from the technology in its broader aspects as defined in the following claims.

(23) The embodiments, illustratively described herein may suitably be practiced in the absence of any element or elements, limitation or limitations, not specifically disclosed herein. Thus, for example, the terms “comprising,” “including,” “containing,” etcetera shall be read expansively and without limitation. Additionally, the terms and expressions employed herein have been used as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention in the use of such terms and expressions of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, but it is recognized that various modifications are possible within the scope of the claimed technology. Additionally, the phrase “consisting essentially of” will be understood to include those elements specifically recited and those additional elements that do not materially affect the basic and novel characteristics of the claimed technology. The phrase “consisting of” excludes any element not specified.

(24) The present disclosure is not to be limited in terms of the particular embodiments described in this application. Many modifications and variations can be made without departing from its spirit and scope, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Functionally equivalent methods and compositions within the scope of the disclosure, in addition to those enumerated herein, will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing descriptions. Such modifications and variations are intended to fall within the scope of the appended claims. The present disclosure is to be limited only by the terms of the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. It is to be understood that this disclosure is not limited to particular methods, reagents, compounds compositions or biological systems, which can of course vary. It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only, and is not intended to be limiting.

(25) In addition, where features or aspects of the disclosure are described in terms of Markush groups, those skilled in the art will recognize that the disclosure is also thereby described in terms of any individual member or subgroup of members of the Markush group.

(26) As will be understood by one skilled in the art, for any and all purposes, particularly in terms of providing a written description, all ranges disclosed herein also encompass any and all possible subranges and combinations of subranges thereof. Any listed range can be easily recognized as sufficiently describing and enabling the same range being broken down into at least equal halves, thirds, quarters, fifths, tenths, etcetera. As a non-limiting example, each range discussed herein can be readily broken down into a lower third, middle third and upper third, etcetera. As will also be understood by one skilled in the art all language such as “up to,” “at least,” “greater than,” “less than,” and the like, include the number recited and refer to ranges which can be subsequently broken down into subranges as discussed above. Finally, as will be understood by one skilled in the art, a range includes each individual member.

(27) All publications, patent applications, issued patents, and other documents referred to in this specification are herein incorporated by reference as if each individual publication, patent application, issued patent, or other document was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference in its entirety. Definitions that are contained in text incorporated by reference are excluded to the extent that they contradict definitions in this disclosure.

(28) Other embodiments are set forth in the following claims.