Electronic game

• US 4,288,537 A
• Filed: 01/14/1980
• Issued: 09/08/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/1980
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mattel Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Mattel Incorporated
• Inventors: Knetzger, Robert C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Oechsle, Anton O.
• Application Number:
  US06/111,573
• Time in Patent Office: 603 Days
• Field of Search: 35/9 C, 35/35 A, 273/153 R, 273/1 GA, 46/45, 46/227, 46/232, 84/470, 434/261, 434/169
• US Class Current: 434/169
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/247 audible, e.g. using a loudspeaker
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2494 Battery, e.g. dry cell
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/00097 Board games with labyrinths, path finding, line forming labyrinths in boxes with small balls A63F7/04; other labyrinth games A63F9/0078
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/00643 Electric board games; Electric features of board games electric word or number games A63F3/0421; computer chess G06F; electric raffle games A63F3/081
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/0078 Labyrinth games A63F3/00097, A63F7/04 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/063 with hand-placed probe or plug
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/066 with answer indicating cards, blocks

Abstract

A toy for playing a number of different games having a housing containing a sound generating circuit and a number of removable game boards providing connections to the circuit. A laminate path affixed to the board and a probe provide means for connecting a resistor to the circuit and for carrying the value of resistor to change the frequency of the sound generated. In specific embodiments the path is broken so that a graphite path defined by a pencil may connect the parts of the circuit. The path is included in each of the games as a key to the play thereof.

Claims

1. A toy for playing a plurality of games comprising a sound generating circuit, a game board, a resistor the value of which determines the frequency of the sound generated by the sound generating circuit, and means associated with the game board for connecting the resistor in the sound generating circuit including a pair of conductors affixed to the game board one of which is connected to the sound generating circuit, means for electrically connecting the conductors by placing a graphite connection between the conductors and means for connecting the second conductor to the sound generating circuit.

2. A toy for playing a plurality of games comprising a sound generating circuit, a game board, resistive material affixed to the top surface of the board, viewable by an operator of the toy, and connectable to the circuit and shaped to form both a resistor and a game path, first means for connecting the resistive material to the sound generating circuit including a conductor affixed to a portion of the resistive material, and second means for connecting the resistive material to the sound generating circuit including a movable conductor which is adapted to be guided by an operator of the toy along the game path while maintaining continuous contact with the resistive material, whereby the distance between the first and second means for connecting the resistive material to the sound generating circuit defines the resistor, the value of which determines the frequency of the sound generated by the sound generator circuit.

3. A toy as claimed in claim 2 further comprising means for providing resistive material affixed to the exposed top surface of the board and shaped to form a second resistor and a second game path, and means for connecting the second resistor to the circuit, including the first and second means for connecting the resistive material to the circuit.

4. A toy for playing a plurality of games comprising a sound generating circuit, a game board, a resistor formed by a path of resistive material affixed to the board and connectable to the circuit, the value of which determines the frequency of the sound generated by the sound generating circuit, means associated with the game board for connecting the resistor in the sound generating circuit including a conductor connected to the circuit and adapted to contact the path, and means for connecting a second resistor to the circuit, where the means for connecting the first and second resistors to the circuit lie adjacent one another.