US3908998A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Board game apparatus
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1973-04-18
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Granted: 1975-09-30
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Expires: 1993-04-18
Abstract
Abstract A board game on which two opposing players move game-pieces across a plurality of spaces in the board toward a goal thereon. The two players each have a set of a plurality of game-pieces with each game-piece having indicia thereon indicating the ranking, relative to the other game-pieces, of its power or authority to capture other game-pieces on the board. Each goal has a disabling zone adjacent thereto through which all gamepieces entering the goal must pass. When a player''s game-piece is in the disabling zone of an opposing player it temporarily loses its power or authority and may be captured and removed by any opposing game-piece regardless of its ranking of power or authority. Preferably, the board has a protection zone which may be entered by only some of the game-pieces which will thereby be free from capture by other game-pieces while remaining in such protection zone.
Inventors
- 👤 Wai Min Fong
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 08:04
CPC Classifications
A; A63; A63F; A63F3/00; A63F3/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 4
Claim 1
Independent Claim
375 words
A game apparatus comprising a board having a plurality of columns extending longitudinally of said board and each containing a plurality of spaces with laterally adjacent spaces of adjacent columns being generally aligned with each other to form a grid-like array of said spaces defining a playing area on said board, first and second sets of a plurality of game-pieces each adapted to be received on one of said spaces of said board and to be moved on said spaces independently of the other of said game-pieces on said board, each of said game-pieces of each set having animal ranking indicia means individually associated therewith on an upper face thereof visibly exposed to the view of both players of said game apparatus when situated at the opposite longitudinal ends of said board, said ranking indicia means visibly identifying a differing power or rank thereof relaTive to every other of said game-pieces of said set, said ranking indicia means of each set of game-pieces depicting a selected set of members of the animal kingdom each differing from every other said member and characteristically capable of connoting said ranking of the power of the game-pieces relative to one another, goal indicia means on first and second selected ones of said spaces distinguished in appearance from the remainder of said spaces and defining first and second goal spaces disposed on said board respectively adjacent the longitudinally opposed ends of said playing area, and disabling zone indicia means on selected third and fourth sets of said spaces identifying said third and fourth sets of spaces as disabling spaces by differing in appearance from the remainder of said spaces and from said goal spaces, said third and fourth sets of disabling spaces being disposed to surround the associated first and second goal spaces respectively and thereby separate said goal spaces from all of the remainder of said spaces such that members of said first and second sets of game-pieces must pass through said fourth and third disabling spaces respectively in order to enter said second and first goal spaces respectively, each of said disabling spaces being effective to decrease the power or rank of at least some opposing game-pieces only while such opposing game-pieces are in an opposing disabling space.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
375 words
A game apparatus comprising a board having a plurality of columns extending longitudinally of said board and each containing a plurality of spaces with laterally adjacent spaces of adjacent columns being generally aligned with each other to form a grid-like array of said spaces defining a playing area on said board, first and second sets of a plurality of game-pieces each adapted to be received on one of said spaces of said board and to be moved on said spaces independently of the other of said game-pieces on said board, each of said game-pieces of each set having animal ranking indicia means individually associated therewith on an upper face thereof visibly exposed to the view of both players of said game apparatus when situated at the opposite longitudinal ends of said board, said ranking indicia means visibly identifying a differing power or rank thereof relaTive to every other of said game-pieces of said set, said ranking indicia means of each set of game-pieces depicting a selected set of members of the animal kingdom each differing from every other said member and characteristically capable of connoting said ranking of the power of the game-pieces relative to one another, goal indicia means on first and second selected ones of said spaces distinguished in appearance from the remainder of said spaces and defining first and second goal spaces disposed on said board respectively adjacent the longitudinally opposed ends of said playing area, and disabling zone indicia means on selected third and fourth sets of said spaces identifying said third and fourth sets of spaces as disabling spaces by differing in appearance from the remainder of said spaces and from said goal spaces, said third and fourth sets of disabling spaces being disposed to surround the associated first and second goal spaces respectively and thereby separate said goal spaces from all of the remainder of said spaces such that members of said first and second sets of game-pieces must pass through said fourth and third disabling spaces respectively in order to enter said second and first goal spaces respectively, each of said disabling spaces being effective to decrease the power or rank of at least some opposing game-pieces only while such opposing game-pieces are in an opposing disabling space.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
260 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said board includes position indicia means in certain of said spaces other than said disabling or goal spaces indicating the initial position before starting to play the game of at least some of the gamepieces of each of said sets of game-pieces within said playing area, said position indicia means of each set being located in a spaced array occupying selected spaces in a set of rows of said spaces extending laterally of said playing area, said rows being disposed in the vicinity of and at least encompassing and extending laterally on either side of the associated goal and disabling spaces, said position indicia means of each set including a first indicator identifying the initial position of the highest ranking game-piece of said set and being disposed at one lateral end of a first one of said rows disposed closest to the opposing end of said playing area, a second indicator identifying the initial position of the second highest ranking game-piece of said set disposed at the lateral end of a second one of said rows disposed farthest from the opposing end of the said playing area and laterally opposite the location of said first indicator, a third indicator identifying the initial position of the third highest game-piece of said set located at the lateral end of said second row laterally opposite said second indicator, and a fourth indicator identifying the initial position of the lowest ranking game-piece of said set located at the end of said first row laterally opposite said first indicator.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
189 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said board includes protection zone indicia means on first and second selected sets of said spaces distinguished in appearance from said disabling spaces, from said goal spaces and from said game-piece position indicator spaces and defining first and second protection zones on said board each made up of a plurality of said spaces arranged in a contiguous array, said protection zones being separated from one another laterally of said board by at least one longitudinally extending row of said spaces, said zones each extending longitudinally of said playing area intermediate said first rows of said position indicia means and being spaced laterally inwardly of the longitudinal border of said playing area disposed closest thereto by at least one longitudinally extending row of said spaces, said protection zones providing spaces which cannot be entered by some of the ranked game pieces of both of said sets of game-pieces, said longitudinally extending rows of spaces disposed laterally adjacent said zones providing spaceS across which all of said game-pieces can pass around said protection zones in traveling from a starting position toward the opposing goal space.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US1433336A
Cited
US3709498A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-09-29 | 1979-03-31 | 1979-09-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-09-29 | 1983-03-31 | 1983-09-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-09-29 | 1987-03-31 | 1987-09-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |