Floating Inflatable Beer Die Game

Abstract

A system and method for playing Beer Die in an aquatic environment is disclosed. A system for playing a game in an aquatic environment can comprise a floatable gaming table. The floatable gaming table can have a playing surface and a cup holder at each corner of the playing surface. The playing surface can comprise a line that divides the playing surface into a first territory and a second territory. The floatable gaming table is inflatable and buoyant, said floatable gaming table when inflated having a density sufficiently low enough such that said playing surface can float above a surface of water when said floating gaming table is placed within the aquatic environment.

Claims

1. A system for playing a game in an aquatic environment comprising a floatable gaming table comprising a playing surface, said playing surface comprising a line that divides said playing surface into a first territory and a second territory, and a cup holder or a cup at each corner of said playing surface; wherein said floatable gaming table is inflatable and buoyant, said floatable gaming table when inflated having a density sufficiently low enough such that said playing surface can float above a surface of water when said floating gaming table is placed within the aquatic environment.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said playing surface is substantially flat.

3. The system of claim 1 further comprising one or more dice, each of said dice comprising a plurality of flat faces, a plurality of edges, and a plurality of corners, wherein said one or more dice each have a density less than the density of water.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said plurality of edges, said plurality of corners of said die are beveled.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein said plurality of edges and said plurality of corners are rounded.

6. The system of claim 3 wherein each of said dice comprises a rubber material.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein said cupholder or cup is each a cup affixed to said playing surface.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein said cupholder or cup is a cupholder that extends into said playing surface.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein said cupholder or cup is each a cup affixed to said playing surface.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein said cupholder or cup is a cupholder that extends into said playing surface.

11. A method for playing beer dice in an aquatic environment comprising: placing a floatable gaming table in an aquatic environment, wherein said floatable gaming table comprises a tabletop comprising a playing surface, said playing surface comprising a line that divides said playing surface into a first territory and a second territory, and a cup holder or a cup at each corner of said playing surface; wherein said floatable gaming table is inflatable and buoyant, said floatable gaming table when inflated having a density sufficiently low enough such that said playing surface can float above a surface of water when said floating gaming table is placed within the aquatic environment. playing a game using said floatable gaming table, said game comprising bouncing one or more dice off said playing surface of said floatable gaming table, said one or more dice each having a density less than the density of water.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of deflating said floating gaming table after said game.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein each of said one or more dice comprises a rubber material.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] FIG. 1 illustrates a floatable gaming table.

[0012] FIG. 2 illustrates a die impacting playing surface of a floatable gaming table.

[0013] FIG. 3 illustrates a die being launched by playing surface.

[0014] FIG. 4 illustrates a floatable gaming table and a die floating on water.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] Described herein is a system and method for playing beer dice in an aquatic environment. The following description is presented to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the invention as claimed and is provided in the context of the particular examples discussed below, variations of which will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. In the interest of clarity, not all features of an actual implementation are described in this specification. It will be appreciated that in the development of any such actual implementation (as in any development project), design decisions must be made to achieve the designers' specific goals (e.g., compliance with system- and business-related constraints), and that these goals will vary from one implementation to another. It will also be appreciated that such development effort might be complex and time-consuming but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking for those of ordinary skill in the field of the appropriate art having the benefit of this disclosure. Accordingly, the claims appended hereto are not intended to be limited by the disclosed embodiments but are to be accorded their widest scope consistent with the principles and features disclosed herein.

[0016] FIG. 1 illustrates a floatable gaming table 100 having a playing surface 101. Floatable gaming table 100 is capable of being inflated and deflated, and floats when inflated. In a preferred embodiment, playing surface 101 comprises polyvinylchloride (PVC)-coated vinyl or PVC-coated nylon. Playing surface 101 can have a line 102 that divides playing surface 101 into a first territory 103 and a second territory 104. In one embodiment, each corner can have a cup holder 105 for holding a cup 106. In such embodiment cup holder 105 forms when floatable game is inflated. In another embodiment, cup 106 can attach to playing surface at a corner using a fastener such as hook and loop or a snap. In one embodiment, playing surface 101 consisting of a rectangular inflatable float can measure roughly 6 ft.3 ft. However, this disclosure contemplates the use of playing surfaces of a variety of shapes and sizes, with a variety of designs printed, painted, or embedded on its face.

[0017] FIG. 2 illustrates a die 201 impacting playing surface 101 of floatable gaming table 100. The inflatable playing surface is floating in water in the illustration. A system as described herein gives players time to catch die 201 between when it lands on the playing surface and when it lands in the water by using a playing surface made of an inflatable material as described above that is springy or elastic in nature. Such material is commonly used to create inflatable floats for use in a swimming pool. When a die is tossed into the air and then lands on playing surface 101, playing surface 101 gives (meaning indents, bends, compresses, or deforms) slightly. Then, playing surface 101 rapidly and forcefully expands back to its original shape (meaning the material pops back into place).

[0018] FIG. 3 illustrates die 201 being launched by playing surface 101. When the playing surface 101 rapidly and forcefully expands back to its original shape, die 201 is launched back into the air, similar to a child in a bouncy house. When die 201 lands on playing surface, die 201 bounces back into the air instead of rolling off the edge of playing surface 101. Because die 201 is launched back into the air after landing on the playing surface made of inflatable material, as much as second or two can pass between when die 201 lands on playing surface 101 and when it lands in the water. This gives players a chance to play defense by catching die 201 before it hits the water. An additional benefit of playing surface 101 made of an inflatable material is that die 201 often bounces off of it at erratic or unexpected angles. This means players must react quickly and display athleticism and coordination to catch die 201 before it lands in the water. This makes the adaptation more fun to play.

[0019] FIG. 4 illustrates floatable gaming table 100 and die 201 floating on water. In one embodiment, die 201 will be configured to float on water. In one embodiment, die 201 can be made of wood. In another embodiment, die 201 can be made out of other floating material, such as a light plastic or denser material with a hollow center. In another embodiment, die can be made of multiple materials of varying density that together form a die with a density less than that of water (for purposes of this disclosure, the density of water assumed to be 1 g/cm.sup.3).

[0020] In one embodiment, die 201 can be of the same size and shape as standard six-sided dice with slightly rounded corners. However, this disclosure contemplates the use of dice 201 in a variety of shapes and sizes, including, without limitation, six-sided dice with sharp corners, six-sided dice with heavily rounded corners, dice 201 with more or less than six sides and corners of varying sharpness or roundness, and a substitute object used in the place of dice 201, such as a spherical ball or a plain cube with no markings. By combining an inflatable playing surface with dice 201 made out of a floatable material, a system of beer die is formed that can be played in a body of water and have characteristics as described above of beer die on land that make it fun to play.

[0021] In another embodiment, floatable gaming table 100 could suspend a playing surface up to several feet above the surface of the water.

[0022] In another embodiment, floatable gaming table 100 could be made of a hard durable material that has little or no give such as one made of a foam base with a hard plastic surface, with dice 201 made out of a highly elastic material, such as the material used to create bouncy balls.

[0023] This disclosure additionally contemplates the use of substitute objects used in the place of die 201, such as a spherical ball or a plain cube. This disclosure contemplates the improvement of the float that comprises the playing surface through various additions, including, without limitation, extra cupholders, an anchoring mechanism, built-in storage compartments for dice 201 or other objects, and a built-in cooler for beverages.

[0024] Various changes in the details of the illustrated operational methods are possible without departing from the scope of the following claims. Some embodiments may combine the activities described herein as being separate steps. Similarly, one or more of the described steps may be omitted, depending upon the specific operational environment the method is being implemented in. It is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. For example, the above-described embodiments may be used in combination with each other. Many other embodiments will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. The scope of the invention should, therefore, be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. In the appended claims, the terms including and in which are used as the plain-English equivalents of the respective terms comprising and wherein.