Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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MAGNETIC (: ARD PICK-UP GAME AND APPARATUS
FIFT n AND P~ACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
5 The present invention relates to games and game apparatus, and,
more particularly, to games and associated apparatus for picking up cards
from a surface vvith the help of a device without the direct use of the hands.
Various games are available wherein the user is required to pick up
one or more objects Iying on a surface without directly using his or her
1 Ohands. For example, in typical 'fishing' games the pla~ er uses a rod at the
end of which is suspended a line which ends in a hook. A number of objects
having a suitable hoop or ring are arranged on a surface. The player is
required to slowly move the rod so as to cause the hool; to engage the hoop
or ring and then to pick up one of the items. The game tests the hand-eye
1 5coordination and the patience of the player. A shortcoming of fishing games
is that the act of fishing items is relatively slow and not conducive to play by
a group of players.
Various games are available wherein the player is required to throw
an iLem at a target. The game of darts is typical. Here. the player is required
20to throw a dart at a target, typically hanging on the wall, and to cause the
dart to hit as near as possible to the very center of the target. A shortcoming
of dart games is that the dart ends up on a faraway board and needs to be
retrieved.
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Still other games involve the throwing of an item which remains
somehow attached to the player's hand and, as a result, returns to the user. A
classic example of this is a yo-yo. A shortcoming of yo-yo's is that they are
not conducive to competitive or multi-player games.
It would be highly advantageous to have a game suitable for fast
multi-person competition and associated apparatus wherein the player is
called upon to accurately throw a device at a target objcct so as to retrieve
the target object.
SUMMAR~ C)~ THF 1 NVFNT~ON
According to the present invention therc is provided a game
apparatus, comprising: (a) a magnet; (b) an elastic cable connected near one
of its end to the magnet, and (c) a plurality of cards attract;ve to the magnet.
Also according to the present invention, there is provided a game
comprising the steps of: (a) providing a game apparatus which includes: (i) a
1 5magnet; (ii) an elastic cable connected near one of its end to the magnet; and
(iii) a plurality of cards attractive to the magnet; and (b) while holding only
the elastic cable, causing the magnet to proximally approach at least one of
the plurality of cards so as to magnetically attract and retrieve at least one of
the cards.
According to further features in preferred cmbodiments of the
invention described below, the cards include a metallic paint, preferably
interposed between two portions of the card.
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According to still further features in the described preferred
embodiments, the game fùrther includes catching the magnet with the
retrieved card.
The present invention successfully addresses the shortcomings of
5presently known games and game apparatus by providing a game and
apparatus which makes it possible to throw a device with the aim of
magnetically attracting and retrieving a certain object.
l~RTFF DFSCRIPTION OF THF DRAWINGS
The invention is herein described, by way of example only, with
1 Oreference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
FI(~. 1 is an overall depiction of a magnetic card pick-up game and
apparatus acGording to the present invention,
FIG. 2 shows an illustrative card according to the present invention;
FIG. 3 is an exploded view of several possible configuration of the
1 5card of ~igure 2.
DFSCRTPTION 0~ THF; PRF.FF.RRED EMBODIMENTS
The present invention is of a magnetic card pick-up game and
apparatus which can be used to pick up cards as part of a competitive or
solitary game.
~ 20 The principles and operation of a game and game apparatus
according to the present invention may be better understood with reference
to the drawings and the accompanying description.
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Referring now to the drawings, Figure 1 illuskates the overall
concept. The game apparatus includes a magnet 10 which is directly or
indirectly connected near one end of an elastic cable 12. Magnet 10 may be
any suitable permanent magnet of proper dimensions and strength. Elastic
5cable 12 may be any cable, wire, line, thread, rope, band, and the like, (any
and all of which are, for convenience, termed 'cable' in the specification and
claims) provided that it has the ability to support magnct 10 and to stretch to
a significant extcnt and return to its former length. Thc elasticity of elastic
cable 12 should allow it to increase in length to at least 110% of its
10unstressed length, preferably it should be able to stretch to at least 150% of
its unstressed length.
Preferably, magnet 10 is not connected directly to elastic cable 12 but
is rather mounted in a body, most preferably. a figure 14, which is, in turn,
connected to elastic cable 12, as shown in Figure 1. Most prefcrably, figurc
1514 is in the form of a face. Figure 14 serves at least two functions. First, it
provides suitable weight so that ensemble of figure 14 and magnet lQ have
the proper total weight for suitable play action. Second, the appearance of
rlgure 14 adds aesthetic value to the game apparatus, for example, allowing
the player to envision that it is the figure which is picking up the cards? as
20described below.
The game apparatus further includes a number of cards 16 which are
attractive to magnet 10 and which, under certain circumstances, can be
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picked up by magnet 10. Cards 16 may be of virtually any shape and may
have virtually any printing or m~rking on one or both of their faces (Figure
2). Pre~erably, cards 16 are substantially flat so that, when placed or thrown
on a reasonably flat surface, such as a floor 18, they lie sub~t~nti~lly
5horizontal, albeit with some deviation whenever cards 16 pile on top of one
another, as shown in cross-section in Figure 1.
Elastic cable 12 is preferably of suff~lcient length that a player
standing up is able to throw magnet 10 (with attendant figure 14, if any)
downward so as to cause magnet 10, after suitable stretching of elastic cable
1012, to impact, or come very near, cards 16 Iying on floor 18. Preferably,
elastic cable 12 features a loop 20 near its top end ~~hich can be f1tted
around one or more of the player's fingers prior to use. For shorter players,
or for play when the surface on which cards 18 are arrayed is higher than the
floor, the player may wrap a suitable portion of elastic cable 12 around his
15finger or fingers so as to effectively shorten elastic cable 12 to the proper
length.
Cards 16 are rendered attractive to magnet 10 through the inclusion
in cards 16 of a metal, such as iron, for example, which is attracted to
magnets. The metal in question can be included in cards 16 through a
20variety of means. For example, cards 16 may include a metallic layer 30
(Figure 3), preferably interposed between an upper portion 32 and a lower
portion 34 o~ card 16, possibly held together with a suitable adhesive (not
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shown). Metallic layer 30 rnay be in the form of a solid layer, such as a foil,
or in the form of a mesh of ap~ iate design.
Preferably, cards 16 include metal which is attractive to magnet 10
which is dispersed in a paint. The metallic paint can be used to paint one or
5both outside faces of card 16 (e.g., Figure 2~ or, preferably, metallic paint
(depicted schematically as 30 in Figure 3) can be painted on one or both of
upper portion 32 and lower portion 34 of card 16 and thc two portions are
combined, with or without the use of a suitable adhesive (not shown) to
form the complete card 16 (Figure 2).
To play a game using the apparatus of the prcscnt invention, the
player holds on to one end of elastic cable 12, preferably by inserting one or
more of his or her fingers through loop 20. A number of cards 16 are places
or thrown onto a surface, such as floor 18. The player now aims and
releases and/or throws magnet 10 (or the combined structure including
15magnet 10 and figure 14) downward toward cards 16. The player attempts
to avoid giving magnet 10 insufficient force to reach cards 16 but not too
much forcc which will result in too large an impact of magnet 10 with one or
more card 16. The aim is to give magnet 10 just enou~h force to closely
approach or lightly impact (referred to hereinafter as "proximally approach")
20card 16 so as to maximize the time the magnet 10 is in close proximity of
card 16 which will maximize the chance of picking up, or retrieving, card 16
with magnet 10.
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Various rules may be applied for solitary and competitive group play.
For example, it may be a requ;rement to catch magnet 10 and the retrieved
card 16 as they come up after a successful retrieval.
For group play, it may be desirable for each player to throw in a
5number of cards. The player then take turns attempting to retrieve the cards,
as described above. The cards may have different point value depending on
their size, shape, markings, and the like. One or more unsuccessfùl attempts
at retrieval may obligate the player to throw in another card. Successfully
retrieving a certain card may provide
10the player with another turn. Many other rules and game configurations
may be envisioned using the basic game apparatus of the present invention.
While the invention has been described with respect to a limited
number of embodiments, it will be appreciated that many variations,
1 5modifications and other applications of the invention may be made.
