US4093222A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Miniaturized golf game
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1977-03-23
•
Granted: 1978-06-06
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Expires: 1997-03-23
Abstract
Abstract A game having a contoured game board on which a miniature game ball is moved by manual manipulation. A map depicting in miniature the playing field of a particlar sport is also provided. Movement of the ball on the contoured board is translated onto the map in scale to simulate the playing of the particular sport on the miniature playing field depicted on the map. According to the preferred embodiment, the particular sport simulated is golf and the present invention allows the playing of golf on any properly scaled miniature golf course map, by making shots on a convexly contoured shot board upon which a struck ball will roll, duplicating the line of flight of a real golf shot, into slots designated as to the distance and direction of the shot depending on the golf club chosen. These slot designations correspond to scaled markers which transfer the shot as to distance and direction onto the properly scaled miniature golf course map. The slots on the shot board also represent holes on the golf course greens and markers on the board determine the difficulty and distance of the putt to be made.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert C. Eshleman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 01:00
CPC Classifications
A; A63; A63F; A63F3/00; A63F3/00003; A63F3/00028; A63F3/0005; A63F7/00; A63F7/06; A63F7/0604; A63F7/0628
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
189 words
A skill game simulating in miniature the playing of golf comprising: a miniature golf ball; a contoured game board having a plurality of slots arranged in a "U"-shaped configuration around a playing area convexly contoured with the apex thereof lying on the centerline of said "U" to arcuately accelerate said ball rolling thereon away from said centerline simulating hook and slice; designator means for associating golf shots of particular distances and directions with each of said slots, the distances of the golf shots being generally inversely related to the distances from the associated slots to said centerline, the directions of the golf shots associated with the slots on the legs of said "U" being primarily hooks and slices respectively; at least one miniature golf club for manual striking of said ball for movement on said contoured game board; a map depicting in miniature a golf course; and scaling means for translating the golf shots associated with said slots into corresponding movement on said map to simulate the playing of golf on the course depicted on said map by skilled manual manipulation of said ball on said contoured game board.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
189 words
A skill game simulating in miniature the playing of golf comprising: a miniature golf ball; a contoured game board having a plurality of slots arranged in a "U"-shaped configuration around a playing area convexly contoured with the apex thereof lying on the centerline of said "U" to arcuately accelerate said ball rolling thereon away from said centerline simulating hook and slice; designator means for associating golf shots of particular distances and directions with each of said slots, the distances of the golf shots being generally inversely related to the distances from the associated slots to said centerline, the directions of the golf shots associated with the slots on the legs of said "U" being primarily hooks and slices respectively; at least one miniature golf club for manual striking of said ball for movement on said contoured game board; a map depicting in miniature a golf course; and scaling means for translating the golf shots associated with said slots into corresponding movement on said map to simulate the playing of golf on the course depicted on said map by skilled manual manipulation of said ball on said contoured game board.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said designator means comprises at least one generally U-shaped distance and direction designator adapted to be disposed adjacent said contoured game board carrying indicia associated with each of said slots.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the width of each of said slots corresponds to the difficulty of making the particular golf shot associated with each of said slots.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
42 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said scaling means comprises at least one line of flight arrow indicator bearing a plurality of indicia representative of golf shots of varying direction and distance corresponding to the golf shots defined by said designator means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
52 words
Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein at least one of said line of flight arrow indicators defines a linear scale and a pair of curved outwardly diverging scales disposed on either side of said linear scale to define lines of flight corresponding to a straight shot, a hook and a slice, respectively.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
60 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 comprising a plurality of indicia representative of each of the holes of the golf course, said indicia being disposed adjacent to said slots to associate each slot with a particular hole on the golf course, the golf ball being manipulated into the slot associated with the desired hole on the golf course to simulate putting.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said indicia are carried on interchangeable markers to permit the particular holes associated with the slots to be varied.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
34 words
Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the contoured playing area of said contoured game board includes scaled distance indicia defining the distance from the golf ball to the golf hole for purposes of putting.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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Cited
US2450125A
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US2489676A
Cited
US2684849A
Cited
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Cited
US3819185A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1981-06-05 | 1981-12-05 | 1982-06-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1985-06-05 | 1985-12-05 | 1986-06-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1989-06-05 | 1989-12-05 | 1990-06-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |