Magnetic dominos game

Abstract

A magnetic dominos game set with pieces that magnetically connect end to end, side to side and side to end, and methods for manufacturing and playing magnetic dominos.

Claims

1. A magnetic dominos game set comprising: a plurality of domino pieces, each piece being formed by the mating of a separate female half and a separate male half, such that each piece when fully assembled after said mating comprises two ends, two sides, a bottom, and a top; each of said domino pieces further comprising a first and a second cavity disposed at each end of said domino pieces; each of said first and second cavities comprising one magnet; said first and second cavities being sufficiently larger than said magnets to allow said magnets to move inside when attracted to a magnet of a different domino piece in said set, or a ferrous metal to form end magnetic connectors disposed at the centers of said ends; each of said domino pieces further comprising a third and a fourth cavity disposed on said sides; each of said third and fourth cavities comprising one magnet inside and comprising elongated shapes with a length shorter than a total length of said pieces and forming a centrally disposed runway along said sides for the magnets in said third and fourth cavities to move along said sides; said centrally disposed runway comprising a final length of about one half a total length of said pieces; said third and fourth cavities being sufficiently larger than said magnets to allow said magnets to move inside when attracted to a magnet of a different domino piece in said set, or a ferrous metal, and to form adjustable side magnetic connectors disposed along said sides and forming adjustable magnetic connections anywhere along the length of said centrally disposed runway; and said domino pieces being magnetically connectable to each other end to end, side to side, side to end, and to ferrous metallic surfaces.

2. The magnetic dominos game set of claim 1 wherein said pieces are made of a material selected from the group consisting of plastic, wood, bone, and aluminum alloy.

3. The magnetic dominos game set of claim 1 wherein said magnets are Neodymium magnet.

4. The magnetic dominos game set of claim 1 wherein said magnets are spherical.

5. The magnetic dominos game set of claim 1 wherein said separate female half and said separate male half mate through female and male step-joints.

6. The magnetic dominos game set of claim 1 wherein said separate female half and said separate male half mate through holes and pegs respectively disposed on them.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated into and form a part of the specification, illustrate one or more embodiments of the present invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. The drawings are only for the purpose of illustrating one or more preferred embodiments of the invention and are not tube construed as limiting the invention. In the drawings:

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective top view of a domino piece;

(3) FIG. 2 is a top view of an embodiment of the present invention showing internal cavities with spherical magnets in dotted lines and six circular pips on each side shown in solid lines;

(4) FIG. 3 shows an end of the embodiment of FIG. 2;

(5) FIG. 4 shows a side of the embodiment of FIG. 2;

(6) FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 2 fully assembled;

(7) FIG. 6 is the embodiment of FIG. 5 with a partial cut-out to show the internal cavities, magnets, holes and pegs;

(8) FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the female half of the embodiment of FIG. 2;

(9) FIG. 8 is a top view of the female half side of FIG. 7 showing the holes and cavities;

(10) FIG. 9 is a side view of the female half of FIG. 7;

(11) FIG. 10 is an end view of the female half of FIG. 7;

(12) FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the male half of the embodiment of FIG. 2;

(13) FIG. 12 is a top view of the male half of FIG. 11 showing the pegs;

(14) FIG. 13 is a side view of the male half of FIG. 11 showing the pegs;

(15) FIG. 14 is an end view of the male half of FIG. 11 showing the pegs.

(16) FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a partially sectioned embodiment of the invention comprising a step-joint around the periphery of the halves;

(17) FIG. 16 is a perspective view of the female half of the embodiment of FIG. 15; and

(18) FIG. 17 is a perspective view of the male half of the embodiment of FIG. 16.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(19) Referring to the accompanying drawings, and particularly to FIG. 1, there is shown atypical domino piece 10 that is about twice as long as it is wide, comprising top face 12, ends 14, sides 16, and bottom face 18. Top face 12 of domino pieces is normally divided with a ridge, for example, ridge 20, which divides piece 10 into halves 22 of more or less square shape. Each half 22 of piece 10 has a value that is shown through dots or pips.

(20) Although there are variations in modern domino sets, the values of each side typically range from zero to six. Different pieces with the same value on one or both of their halves 22 are said to be of the same suit. Pieces with the same values on both halves 22 are said to be doubles. When a player has a turn, the player adds a matching piece to the line of play.

(21) The rules for the line of play often differ from one variant of the game to another. Sometimes doubles are played sideways and sometimes they serve as spinners, i.e., they can be played on all four sides, causing the line of play to branch out. Sometimes, the first piece is required to be a double, and serves as the only spinner. In some games such as Chicken Foot, all sides of a spinner must be occupied before anybody is allowed to play elsewhere. In Mexican Train and other Dominos Trains games, the game starts with a spinner from which various trains branch off. Most trains are owned by a player, and in most situations players are only allowed to extend their own train.

(22) In one embodiment of the invention, magnetic domino pieces allow players to play the conventional dominos game with the added feature that the pieces connect magnetically to each other on their sides 16 and ends 14, and not simply to a ferrous metallic surface.

(23) Referring now to FIGS. 2-6, an embodiment of the present invention illustrates one of many internal arrangements of magnetic dominos pieces according to embodiments of the present invention. Dominos piece 24 preferably comprises two short cavities 26, and two long cavities 28, which are preferably hollow and comprise magnets 30, and 32, respectively.

(24) Preferably, long cavities 28 preferably encasing magnets 32 to function as a runway along the sides of the piece for the magnets (about ½ the total size of the piece with about ¼ of solid material at each end of the runway), and allows them to move and spin around to align their opposite polarities when the magnets of a different dominos piece come near. This allows the pieces to magnetically connect on their sides anywhere along this runway. Similarly, magnets 30 in cavities 26 can move and spin to align their opposite polarities with the polarity of an approaching magnet to magnetically connect the pieces. This embodiment offers the advantage that all the pieces preferably have only four magnets each, which makes them easier and more affordable to manufacture, and more uniform. All pieces in a set being uniform as to the number and location of their magnets helps prevent cheating when they are being played because the players would not be able to tell doubles apart from the rest of the pieces.

(25) An embodiment of the present invention to manufacture magnetic domino pieces with these aspects comprises molding two halves as female half 100 and male half 102 respectively comprising holes 104 and pegs 106 that mate together to form a fully assembled piece. See FIGS. 5-14. Preferably, magnets 30 and 32 are disposed in the cavities during assembly. A variety of known methods to produce pieces with the appropriate shapes are known in the industry including, but not limited to, injection molding, 3D printing, stereolithography, etc. Multiple materials are suitable for the various processes such as plastics, resins, etc.

(26) In a different embodiment, most of the interior of the pieces is left hollow to reduce cost of manufacturing resources by providing walls that create the cavities to house the magnets. Referring more particularly to FIGS. 15-17, in one embodiment, each piece of a game set of magnetic dominos is made by putting together two halves as female half 200 comprising female step-joint 204 around its periphery and male half 202 respectively comprising male step-joint 206 that mates together with female step-joint 202 to form a fully assembled piece. See FIGS. 15-17. Preferably, magnets 208 and 210 are disposed in the end cavities 212 and side cavities 214 during assembly. A variety of known methods to produce pieces with the appropriate shapes are known in the industry including, but not limited to, injection molding, 3D printing, stereolithography, etc. Multiple materials are suitable for the various processes such as plastics, resins, etc.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

(27) The invention is further illustrated by the following non-limiting example.

Example 1

(28) A magnetic dominos game was manufactured out of plastic. The cavities were formed when corresponding female and male halves were assembled. The pieces snapped together through female/male step-joints around the periphery of each corresponding half. Neodymium spherical magnets were placed in the cavities (magnets were smaller than cavities to have room to move) during assembly. A total of four cavities were provided per piece, two short and two long, each contained a spherical magnet. Pips were placed on the pieces in accordance with a typical 28 piece set. The resulting game set had dominos pieces that connected end to end, side to end, and side to side in addition to connecting to metallic surfaces.

(29) The preceding example can be repeated with similar success by substituting the generically or specifically described components and/or operating parameters of this invention for those used in the preceding examples.

(30) Note that in the specification and claims, “about” or “approximately” means within twenty percent (20%) of the numerical amount cited. Although the invention has been described in detail with particular reference to these preferred embodiments, other embodiments can achieve the same results. Variations and modifications of the present invention will be obvious to those skilled in the art and it is intended to cover in the appended claims all such modifications and equivalents. The entire disclosures of all references, applications, patents, and publications cited above are hereby incorporated by reference.