US4083564A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Board game
Assignee: Epoch Co Ltd
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Filing: 1977-04-19
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Granted: 1978-04-11
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Expires: 1997-04-19
Abstract
Abstract A board game combining both skill and chance including a plurality of playing pieces provided with rotatably mounted carriages having surfaces thereof provided with multiple indicia indicating the number of moves that the playing pieces are permitted to make and magnets, a playing surface divided into a plurality of contiguous areas on which the playing pieces are positioned and along which the playing pieces move, and a plurality of magnets positioned below the playing surface and arranged in a pre-determined pattern to attract the magnets of the playing pieces to rotate the carriages and the indicia different degrees as the playing pieces are moved from one area to another so as to continuously change the number of moves that the same playing pieces may make depending on their positions on the playing surface.
Inventors
- 👤 Teruo Matsumoto
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 03:43
CPC Classifications
A; A63; A63F; A63F3/00; A63F3/00694; A63F3/00697; A63F2003/00826; A63F2003/00845; A63F2003/00864; A63F11/00; A63F11/0051; A63F2011/0062
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
100 words
A board game, comprising a plurality of playing pieces each provided with a rotatably mounted carriage having a surface provided with multiple indicia indicating the number of moves the playing piece may make and a magnet, a playing surface provided with a plurality of areas on which said playing pieces are positioned and along which said playing pieces are moved, and magnet means positioned below said playing surface and arranged in a pattern to attract said magnets of said playing pieces to rotate said carriages and said indicia thereof as said playing pieces are moved through different of said areas.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
100 words
A board game, comprising a plurality of playing pieces each provided with a rotatably mounted carriage having a surface provided with multiple indicia indicating the number of moves the playing piece may make and a magnet, a playing surface provided with a plurality of areas on which said playing pieces are positioned and along which said playing pieces are moved, and magnet means positioned below said playing surface and arranged in a pattern to attract said magnets of said playing pieces to rotate said carriages and said indicia thereof as said playing pieces are moved through different of said areas.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
37 words
A board game as in claim 1, wherein said areas of said playing surfaces are squares, and said magnet means comprises a plurality of circular magnets that are positioned at the intersections of fours of said squares.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
A board game as in claim 2, wherein said magnet of each of said playing pieces is elongated such that the ends thereof may extend to the vicinity of said circular magnets.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
A board game as in claim 2, wherein said circular magnets are orientated such that the polarities thereof are in alternating relationship.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
64 words
A board game as in claim 2, further comprising a cabinet provided with a wall having upper and lower portions, said playing surface defined by said upper portion of said wall, a plurality of cavities formed within said lower portion of said cabinet within which said circular magnets are positioned, and a member attached to said cabinet holding said circular magnets within said cavities.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
35 words
A board game as in claim 5, wherein said upper portion of said wall of said cabinet is provided with partition walls extending upwardly therefrom defining said areas on which said playing pieces are positioned.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
131 words
A board game as in claim 1, wherein said carriage comprises a plate provided with a plurality of hubs provided with openings therein, said magnet having an opening therein through which one of said hubs passes such that said magnet rests on said plate, and a disc, said surface provided with indicia being located on said disc, said disc being provided with a plurality of legs extending into said openings of the remainder of said hubs and an opening therein, and wherein each of said playing pieces is provided with a bottom portion having a stem which extends through the opening of said one hub and said opening of said disc such that said carriage is free to rotate about said stem relative to said bottom portion of said playing piece.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
32 words
A board game as in claim 7, wherein each of said playing pieces is provided with a top portion provided with an opening therein, said indicia selectively being visible through said opening.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
A board game as in claim 1, wherein said multiple indicia of certain of said playing pieces include the digits "1", "2", "3" and "4".
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
A board game as in claim 9, wherein the sequence of said digits of said playing pieces varies.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
93 words
In a board game provided with a playing surface having a plurality of contiguous areas along which pieces of the players are moved in a pre-determined manner, the improvement comprising a plurality of first magnets positioned below said playing surface at the intersections of selected of said areas and rotatably mounted carriages provided in said pieces having second magnets attracted by said first magnets to rotate said carriages and multiple indicia indicative of the number of moves the playing pieces may make, which indicia are selectively viewable through openings provided in said pieces.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
93 words
In a board game provided with a playing surface having a plurality of contiguous areas along which pieces of the players are moved in a pre-determined manner, the improvement comprising a plurality of first magnets positioned below said playing surface at the intersections of selected of said areas and rotatably mounted carriages provided in said pieces having second magnets attracted by said first magnets to rotate said carriages and multiple indicia indicative of the number of moves the playing pieces may make, which indicia are selectively viewable through openings provided in said pieces.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1981-04-10 | 1981-10-10 | 1982-04-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1985-04-10 | 1985-10-10 | 1986-04-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1989-04-10 | 1989-10-10 | 1990-04-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |