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Patent US4070026A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4070026A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Board game apparatus
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1976-08-20
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Granted: 1978-01-24
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Expires: 1996-08-20
Abstract
Abstract A game is provided with a map board subdivided into a plurality of territorial entities such as geographical or political entities, such as the states of the United States of America. Each state is assigned a value corresponding to, for example, its population. A grid of recesses is provided on the top surface of the game board which allows for the movement of game pieces therealong. The grid of recesses is formed into a plurality of vertical rows and a plurality of horizontal rows, and the game pieces move therealong a distance equal to a number shown by a first-game-piece control member, such as an eight-sided die, while the direction of movement of the game pieces along the grid of recesses is also determined by a game-piece control member, such as a second eight-sided die which has a plurality of directions indicated on the surfaces thereof. A state is claimed by any player whose game piece lands in a recess within the boundary of the state. The recesses are such as to minimize interference with the appearance of the board and to minimize erosion of the recesses by the game pieces.
Inventors
- 👤 Nicholas A. Cambardella
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 03:29
CPC Classifications
A; A63; A63F; A63F3/00; A63F3/00003; A63F3/00088; A63F9/00; A63F9/04; A63F9/0415; A63F3/00006
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
176 words
A game for two or more players comprising: a game board having a top surface and a bottom surface, said top surface having a map formed thereon, said map being divided into a plurality of individual territorial entities; a plurality of game pieces for movement along said map in discrete steps, one game piece for each player; and game piece control means for controlling the movement of said game pieces along said map, said game piece control means determining the distance moved along a portion of said map and the direction of movement of a game piece along said map, said top surface of said game board also having means thereon for guiding said game pieces therealong in the direction and distance determined by said game piece control means, each of said territorial entities of said map having formed thereon a number indicating its value for the game, said value being determined by a formula relating a general characteristic of all the territorial entities to each territorial entity, so that a ranking thereof may be derived.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
176 words
A game for two or more players comprising: a game board having a top surface and a bottom surface, said top surface having a map formed thereon, said map being divided into a plurality of individual territorial entities; a plurality of game pieces for movement along said map in discrete steps, one game piece for each player; and game piece control means for controlling the movement of said game pieces along said map, said game piece control means determining the distance moved along a portion of said map and the direction of movement of a game piece along said map, said top surface of said game board also having means thereon for guiding said game pieces therealong in the direction and distance determined by said game piece control means, each of said territorial entities of said map having formed thereon a number indicating its value for the game, said value being determined by a formula relating a general characteristic of all the territorial entities to each territorial entity, so that a ranking thereof may be derived.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
A game as claimed in claim 1 wherein said game piece control means includes first and second game piece control members respectively controlling distance and direction.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
62 words
The game according to claim 2, wherein said game-piece control members are a pair of dice, each of said pair of dice being an octahedron and comprising eight facets, each of said facets being separated from an adjacent facet so as to form a plurality of curved smooth surfaces therebetween, each of said curved smooth surfaces having a hemisperically-shaped projection extending therefrom.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
119 words
The game according to claim 1, wherein said means for guiding said game pieces along said map comprises a grid system of recesses formed in said top surface, said grid forming a plurality of horizontal rows of recesses and a plurality of vertical rows of recesses, each recess in a row being equidistantly spaced from an adjacent recess in that row, said recesses being so dimensioned and arranged as to minimize interference with the appearance of said map, at least a majority of said plurality of territorial entities each having at least one of said recesses therein, whereby said game pieces move along said recesses in the direction and for a distance as determined by said game-piece control means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
The game according to claim 4, wherein each recess extends from said top surface downwardly toward said bottom surface and terminates approximately midway therealong.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
61 words
The game according to claim 5, wherein each of said game pieces has a main body portion for projection into one of said recesses, said main body portion having a length less than the distance said recess extends downwardly from said top surface toward said bottom surface, so that the bottom surface of said recess does not become marred or discolored.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
70 words
The game according to claim 6, wherein each of said game pieces further comprises a top portion having an expanse greater than that of a recess, so as to limit the downward movement of said main body portion into said recess, said main body portion having an expanse less than that of a recess so as to enable the easy insertion and removal of said game piece from said recess.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
65 words
The game according to claim 6, wherein said one of said pair of dice comprises on each of its plurality of surfaces means for indicating the distance a game piece is to be moved, and said other of said pair of dice comprises on each of its plurality of surfaces means for indicating the direction the game piece is to be moved along said map.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
77 words
The game according to claim 8, wherein each of said pair of dice has eight surfaces, said means for indicating formed on each of said surfaces of said one of said pair of dice comprising at least one marker corresponding to one step equal to the distance between a pair of adjacent of said recesses, said means ranging in value from one to eight on said plurality of surfaces of said one of said pair of dice.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
99 words
The game according to claim 9, wherein said means for indicating on each of said plurality of surfaces of said other of said pair of dice comprises a symbol for one direction selected from a group comprising the directions North, South, East, West, Northeast, Northwest, Southeast and Southwest, said means for indicating on one of said plurality of surfaces of said other of said pair of dice having a direction selected from said group different from any other of said means for indicating on the other of said plurality of surfaces of said other of said pair of dice.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
71 words
The game according to claim 4, wherein said game piece control means comprises a pair of dice, each of said pair of dice having a plurality of surfaces, one of said pair of dice being adapted for determining the distance a game piece is moved along said map, and the other of said pair of dice being adapted for determining the direction of movement of the game piece along said map.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
33 words
The game according to claim 1, wherein said map is a map of the United States of America, and said individual territorial entities are the fifty states of the United States of America.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
26 words
The game according to claim 1, wherein said map further comprises a direction legend indicating the directions corresponding to the directions of said gamepiece control means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
72 words
The game according to claim 1, wherein each of said territorial entities has associated therewith a slot, said game further comprising a plurality of groups of stake pieces for insertion into the slot, so that a territorial entity may be claimed by a player upon his landing therein with his game piece, one said group being provided for each game piece, each said group having a color corresponding to one game piece.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
58 words
The game according to claim 1, wherein said top surface comprises a starting location for the initial positions of the game pieces at the start of the game, said starting location comprising a square-shaped box having four corner positions for the initial locations of the game pieces, said starting location being positioned within the boundaries of said map.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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Cited
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Cited
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Cited
DE860162C
Cited
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Cited
US3556528A
Cited
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1981-01-23 | 1981-07-25 | 1982-01-24 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1985-01-23 | 1985-07-25 | 1986-01-24 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1989-01-23 | 1989-07-25 | 1990-01-24 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |