GAME PIECE ELEMENTS THAT ARE REMOVABLY AFFIXABLE TO A SURFACE AND METHOD OF USE

Abstract

Game piece elements that are removably affixable to a surface have an affixation layer, an artwork layer, and an erasable layer. The affixation layer removably affixes the game piece elements to a surface. The artwork layer enhances game play with high quality, pre-made artwork. The erasable layer allows a player to write or draw on the game piece elements during game play, but allows removal of the writing or drawing so the game piece elements can be reused. A method of using the game piece elements has the player securing the elements to a surface, removing and replacing the elements during game play, and writing or drawing on the elements during game play.

Claims

1. A game piece element that is removably affixable to a surface comprising: a) the game piece element having an artwork layer between an affixation layer and an erasable layer; b) the affixation layer being configured to be affixed to an original surface, removed from the original surface, and reaffixed to the original surface or a second surface; and c) the erasable layer being configured to cooperate with a writing instrument to allow a user to write or draw on the game piece element and erase the writing or drawing from the game piece element.

2. The game piece element that is removably affixable to a surface of claim 1 further comprising: a) the artwork layer having at least one piece of artwork.

3. A method of using a game piece element that is removably affixed to a surface comprising: a) obtaining at least one game piece element, a writing instrument, a surface, and a game; b) affixing the at least one game piece element on the surface as required by a set of rules for the game; and c) playing the game as dictated by the set of rules for the game.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising: a) removing one of the at least one game piece element and replacing it with at least one substitute game piece element during game play; and b) using the writing instrument to write or draw on the at least one game piece element.

5. The method of claim 3 further comprising: a) displaying only a current game environment by removing the at least one game piece element from a past game play environment and replacing it with at least one substitute game piece element to create a current game play environment.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] FIG. 1 depicts a perspective view of game piece elements that are removably affixable to a surface 100 affixed to game board 102 with game board 102 depicted in phantom.

[0015] FIG. 2 depicts a perspective view of game piece elements that are removably affixable to a surface 100 affixed to table 104 with table 104 depicted in phantom.

[0016] FIG. 3 depicts a cross-section view of game pieces elements that are removably affixable to a surface 100.

[0017] FIG. 4 depicts a block diagram of method 200 of this invention.

[0018] Throughout the figures of the drawings, where the same part appears in more than one figure of the drawings, the same number is applied thereto.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0019] Reference will now be made in detail to several embodiments of the invention that are illustrated in accompanying drawings. Whenever possible, the same or similar reference numerals are used in the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts or steps. The drawings are in simplified form and are not to precise scale. For purposes of convenience and clarity only, directional terms such as top, bottom, left, right, up, down, over, above, below, beneath, rear, and front, can be used with respect to the drawings. These and similar directional terms are not to be construed to limit the scope of the invention in any manner. The words attach, connect, couple, and similar terms with their inflectional morphemes do not necessarily denote direct or intermediate connections, but can also include connections through mediate elements or devices.

[0020] Many traditional board games, such as Monopoly or Candy Land, have a static game board. In these games, using a static game board (hereinafter static game), the game board or game environment is laid out or established before game play begins. Once the game board or game environment is established, it is static in that it does not change as game play progresses. Game play follows a predictable and prescribed set of movement through a static game environment.

[0021] Monopoly is a registered trademark with United States Trademark Registration Number 326,723 (among others) owned by Hasbro, Inc. of 1027 Newport Avenue, Pawtucket, Rhode Island, United States 02862.

[0022] Candy Land is a registered trademark with United States Trademark Registration Number 3,858,624 (among others) owned by Hasbro, Inc. of 1027 Newport Avenue, Pawtucket, Rhode Island, United States 02862.

[0023] There are board games, however, in which the game board or game environment is dynamically generated during game play, such as Carcassonne, The Settlers of Catan, or Dungeons and Dragons. In these games with a dynamic game board (hereinafter dynamic games), whether through random placement at the beginning of the game or game piece element placement throughout game play, the game board or game environment is dynamic. The game board or game environment is dynamic in that the game board or game environment changes as game players progress through the game play.

[0024] Carcassone is a registered trademark with United States Trademark Registration Number 3,167,081 owned by Hans im Gluck Verlags-GmbH of Birnauerstr 15, Munich, Germany 80805.

[0025] The Settlers of Catan is a registered trademark with United States Trademark Registration Number 4,328,606 owned by Catan GmbH of Schulgasse 43, Rossdorf, Germany 64380.

[0026] Dungeons and Dragons is a registered trademark with United States Trademark Registration Number 1,166,670 (among others) owned by Wizards of the Coast LLC of 1107 Lake Washington Blvd N, Suite 800, Renton, Washington 98056, United States.

[0027] The terms game board and game environment will be used throughout this disclosure (both previously and after). A game board is a physical structure on which game piece elements may be placed. The game board can be a blank structure, a grid, or have pre-illustrated artwork.

[0028] A game environment is the arrangement of game piece elements of the game and may or may not use a game board. The game piece elements may be placed directly on a table or another surface or may utilize game board to create the game environment.

[0029] The surface is depicted as a game board and a table in the following description. The game board and the table are meant to be examples of surfaces on which the game piece elements that are removably affixable to a surface can affix to. But, the game piece elements that are removably affixable to a surface can affix to any surface including, but not limited to, vertical or horizontal white boards, a desk, a wall, and all such surfaces are encompassed by this disclosure.

[0030] Now adding FIG. 1, FIG. 2, and FIG. 3 to the consideration, the structure and function of game piece elements that are removably affixable to a surface 100 (hereinafter game piece element 100 or game piece elements 100) can clearly been seen. Game piece elements 100 have three layers: an affixation layer 110, an artwork layer 120, and an erasable layer 130.

[0031] Affixation layer 110 is the layer that affixes the game piece elements to game board 102, table 104, or other surface. Affixation layer 110 is preferably made of a micro-suction or nano-suction tape layer with one side of the micro-suction or nano-suction tape being securable to the artwork layer 120 and the other side being removably affixable to the game board 102, table 104, or other surface. A suitable micro-suction tape is available under the trade name REGABOND-S and is available for purchase through Exel Trading Company, LTD., with an address of 123-0842 3-9-2 Kurihara, Adachi-ku, Tokyo, Japan.

[0032] REGABOND-S is an example of a material used as the affixation layer 110, but any suitable material can be used as long as it provides removable affixation between the game piece elements 100 and the game board 102, table 104, or other surface, and some examples include, but are not limited to, tape, micro-suction or nano-suction foam, micro-suction or nano-suction adhesive, and micro-suction or nano-suction sheets, and all such materials are encompassed by this disclosure.

[0033] Artwork layer 120 is between affixation layer 110 and erasable layer 130. Artwork layer 120 can be made of any suitable material including, but not limited to, wood, chipboard, plastic, foam, rubber, vinyl, paper, synthetic paper, or textiles, and all such suitable materials are encompassed by this disclosure.

[0034] The artwork layer 120 has artwork 122. Artwork 122 can be any suitable artwork for game play and the depicted artwork 122 is meant to be an example, but not limiting, of artwork 122. Artwork 122 serves to provide pre-prepared artwork that is high quality. The pre-prepared artwork 122 enhances the game play experience because it provides for faster, more continuous play as it is pre-prepared and does not have to be drawn during game play. Also, pre-prepared artwork 122 enhances game play through high quality artwork 122 and is not reliant on the ability of the game players to draw the desired features on the game board or otherwise add the features to the game environment.

[0035] Erasable layer 130 is made of a material that can be written or drawn on and then, the writing or drawing can be erased so that the game piece element 100 can be reused. Erasable layer 130 can be made of a dry erase layer or any other suitable material and all such suitable materials are encompassed by this disclosure.

[0036] Erasable layer 130 is on top of artwork layer 120 and may be a laminate over game piece element 100 as long as the bottom 112 of affixation layer 110 is still exposed and able to removably affix game piece element 100 to a game board 102, table 104, or other surface. During game play, a player may use any suitable writing utensil such as, but not limited to, a dry erase marker to make drawings or writing on game piece element 100.

[0037] Game piece element 100 may be placed on the game board 102, table 104, or any other suitable surface during game play. In a static game, the game piece elements 100 are placed at the beginning of the game play. In a dynamic game, the game piece elements 100 are placed at the beginning of game play and change and/or are added to as the game play progresses. Game piece element 100a demonstrates a game piece element 100 being placed on the game board 102 and table 104 during game play.

[0038] Game piece element 100b can be placed on top of another game piece element 100 during game play. Referring specifically to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, game piece element 100b is a table and the table is placed on game piece element 100 which is a room. The artwork 122 on game piece element 100 and 100b can be any suitable artwork 122 corresponding with game play. It is also noted that additional game piece elements 100 can be placed on top of game piece element 100b. Or, in other words, a player can create a stack of game piece elements 100 with one game piece element 100b placed on top of game piece element 100 and another game piece element 100 placed on top of game piece element 100b. The game players can continue stacking game piece elements 100 as many times as needed.

[0039] Game piece element 100c is being removed from game board 102 and table 104. Game piece elements 100 are removable from the game board 102, table 104, or other surface. The game piece elements 100 can be removed and replaced during game play or can be removed at the end of game play so that they are reusable.

[0040] One of the advantages of game piece elements 100 is that as play progresses, game piece elements 100 can be removed and new game piece elements 100 can be placed on the game board 102, table 104, or other surface in their place. This is advantageous in games where the game environment changes as the game play progresses. Game piece elements 100 can be removed to eliminate past game environments as game play progresses. New game piece elements 100 can be placed on the game board 102, table 104, or other surface as game play progresses to create new or altered game environments as the game environment changes. This flexibility of adding and removing game piece elements 100 allows only the current game environment to be seen by game players, as past game environments can be removed and future game environments can be easily configured as game play progresses.

[0041] Now adding FIG. 4 to the consideration, method 200 of practicing the invention can be clearly seen. Method 200 comprises the following individual steps. As will be obvious to persons of ordinary skill in the art, the steps, or steps equivalent thereto, may be practiced in any reasonable order which will produce the desired result.

[0042] STEP 202 is the game piece element and surface procurement step. In this STEP 202, the user procures the game, game piece elements 100, a writing instrument, and the game board 102, table 104, or other desired surface. The user may already have one or all of the game, game piece elements 100, writing instrument, and game board 102, table 104, or other desired surface and may not need to obtain all or any of these items.

[0043] STEP 204 is the game play step. In this STEP 204, the game is played. For a static game, the users lay out the game board 102, if any, and set up game piece elements 100 as required by the rules of the particular game and affix the game piece elements 100 to the game board 102, table 104, or other surface. Then, the users play the game as dictated by the rules of the particular 240 game (game piece elements 100 may have to be added or removed to the game environment, but the overall game environment remains stable).

[0044] For a dynamic game, the users follow the rules of the particular game. The users affix game piece elements 100 on the game board 102, table 104, or other desired surface as required by the rules of the particular game. The user removes part or all of game piece elements 100 and replaces them with other game piece elements 100 as the game environment changes.

[0045] It is optional during game play, to write or draw on game piece elements 100 using a writing instrument.

[0046] STEP 206 is the game piece element and surface removal step. In this STEP 206, when game play is finished, all remaining game piece elements 100 are removed. It is optional to remove any writing or drawings on game piece elements 100 at this time. The game board 102, if any, is removed and the game board 102 and the game piece elements 100 are stored for later use.

[0047] While various embodiments and aspects of the present invention have been described above, it should be understood that they have been presented by way of example only, and not limitation. Thus, the breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the above exemplary embodiments.

[0048] This applicationtaken as a whole with the abstract, specification, claims, and drawings being combinedprovides sufficient information for a person having ordinary skill in the art to practice the invention as disclosed herein. Any measures necessary to practice this invention are well within the skill of a person having ordinary skill in this art after that person has made a careful study of this disclosure.

[0049] Because of this disclosure and solely because of this disclosure, modification of this device and method can become clear to a person having ordinary skill in this particular art. Such modifications are clearly covered by this disclosure.