Electrical hidden movement game

• US 4,616,832 A
• Filed: 03/01/1985
• Issued: 10/14/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Guy H. Groner
• Original Assignee: Guy H. Groner
• Inventors: Groner, Guy H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pinkham, Richard C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Schneider, Matthew L.
• Application Number:
  US06/707,238
• Time in Patent Office: 592 Days
• Field of Search: 273/265, 273/237, 273/238, 273/1 E, 434/341
• US Class Current: 273/238
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2003/00419 with a shield in the middle A63F2003/00406 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2003/00652 Light-emitting diodes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/00075 War games
• 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

Abstract

A game comprising a game board having at least a pair of substantially identical playing surfaces, one for each game player, with each playing surface positioned so that the playing surface for any one game player is obscured from the view of all other game players, and a plurality of playing pieces. Each playing surface has a plurality of receptacles arranged in substantially identical patterns for positioning playing pieces. Receptacles on one playing surface have respective electrical terminals for common connection to one terminal of an A.C. power source while the receptacles on a second playing surface have respective electrical terminals adapted to be connected to an opposite polarity terminal of the A.C. power source. The playing pieces have a pair of electrical contacts with a first diode connected thereacross, and a second diode and an electrically powered light source also connected across said contacts with the anode of one diode and the cathode of the other diode being commonly connected to the same contact. Each of the playing pieces has one of its contacts positioned to contact a receptacle terminal and its other contact positioned to be brought into electrical contact connection with the other contact of a playing piece positioned in a corresponding receptacle on a second playing surface whereby both light sources are energized.

Claims

1. A game comprising:

a game board having at least a pair of substantially identical playing surfaces, one for each game player, with each playing surface positioned so that the playing surface for any one game player is obscured from the view of all other game players;

each playing surface having a plurality of receptacles, each representing a location for positioning a playing piece, said receptacles being arranged on the respective playing surfaces in substantially identical patterns, the receptacles on any one playing surface having respective correspondingly positioned receptacles on each other playing surface, a plurality of said playing piece receptacles on one playing surface each having an electrical terminal adapted to be commonly connected to one terminal of an A.C. power source, a plurality of said playing piece receptacles on a second playing surface each having an electrical terminal adapted to be connected to an opposite polarity terminal of the A.C. power source;

a plurality of first playing pieces each adapted to mate with any receptacle and having a pair of electrical contacts, a first diode connected across said contacts, and a second diode and an electrically powered light source also connected across said contacts with the anode of one diode and the cathode of the other diode being commonly connected to the same contact;

each of said playing pieces having one of its contacts positioned to contact a receptacle terminal and its other contact positioned to be brought into electrical contact connection with the other contact of a playing piece positioned in a corresponding receptacle on a second playing surface whereby both light sources are energized.

2. A game as set forth in claim 1 wherein a light-emitting diode comprises the second diode and the light source.

3. A game as set forth in claim 1 which further includes a second type of playing piece which has a pair of electrical contacts and a diode and an electrically powered light source connected across said contacts, the diode in the second type of playing piece being connected between the contacts thereof with its polarity opposite to that of the second diode of the first said playing piece whereby when two different types of playing pieces are positioned in corresponding receptacles on two playing surfaces one contact of each piece contacts the electrical terminal of its respective receptacle and the other contact of the first type playing piece is brought into electrical contact connection with the corresponding other contact on said second type playing piece and only the light source of the latter piece is energized.

4. A game as set forth in claim 3 wherein a light emitting diode comprises the diode and the light source of the second type of playing piece.

5. A game as set forth in claim 3 which further includes a third type playing piece which has a pair of electrical contacts and a pair of light-emitting diodes connected thereacross with opposite polarity whereby when either the first or second type playing piece is positioned in a receptacle on one playing surface and a third type playing piece is positioned in a corresponding receptacle in a second playing surface at least one of the light-emitting diodes of the third type playing piece and the electrically powered light source of the first type or the second type playing piece are energized and emit light.

6. A game as set forth in claim 5 wherein the pair of light-emitting diodes in said third type of playing piece comprises a bipolar light-emitting diode.

7. A game as set forth in claim 1 wherein two playing surfaces comprise opposite sides of a vertical game board and the pattern of receptacles on one surface is a mirror image of the pattern of receptacles on the other playing surface.

8. A game as set forth in claim 7 wherein the receptacles are sockets into which the playing pieces are inserted, each socket on one playing surface being aligned with the socket of its respective corresponding receptacle on the other playing surface.

9. A game as set forth in claim 8 wherein pieces of conductive material are sandwiched between the opposed playing surfaces to block visual communication between corresponding sockets on opposed playing surfaces while providing electrical continuity therebetween.

10. A game as set forth in claim 9 wherein certain of the pieces of conductive material are large enough to span the distance between a plurality of receptacles whereby a playing piece positioned in any one of said receptacles on one playing surface will have its light source energized if there is a playing piece positioned in any one of a corresponding plurality of receptacles on the other playing surface.

11. A game as set forth in claim 1 wherein the receptacles are sockets and the playing pieces are generally tubular in shape having one end adapted to be inserted in any receptacle socket and with the light source positioned adjacent the other end thereof, said one end carrying one of said contacts spaced from the socket'"'"'s surfaces and the other playing piece contact positioned on a surface adjacent said one end of the playing piece and adapted to contact the surface of the socket, said electrical terminal of each receptacle comprising electrically conductive material positioned on the inside surface of each playing piece receptacle.

12. A game as set forth in claim 11 wherein the receptacles are unsymmetrical in cross section and the generally tubular shaped playing pieces have a complementary shaped cross section in the portion adjacent said one end thereof.

13. A game as set forth in claim 11 wherein the portion of the tubular shaped playing pieces adjacent said other end thereof have a shape adapted to have removably secured thereto different indicia representing different symbols used in playing different games.

14. A game as set forth in claim 1 which further includes a first pair of corresponding receptacles on the two playing surfaces which have their respective electrical terminals connected in reversed polarity relative to the plurality of receptacles on said respective playing surfaces, a piece of conductive material interposed between said first pair of receptacles and insulated therefrom, and a removable jumper conductor adapted to connect said electrically conductive piece of material to a piece of electrically conductive material interposed between two other corresponding receptacles on the two playing surfaces whereby when one end of said jumper conductor is positioned in one of said first pair of receptacles on one playing surface and the other jumper end is positioned in another receptacle on the same playing surface, a playing piece positioned in the other of the corresponding receptacles on the other playing surface will have its light source energized upon positioning another playing piece in the other of the first pair of receptacles on the other playing surface.

15. A game as set forth in claim 1 which further includes corresponding receptacles on the two playing surfaces having their respective electrical terminals adapted to be commonly connected to one terminal of said A.C. power source and each adapted to be contacted by one of the contacts of a playing piece and a piece of electrically conductive material positioned to be contacted by the other contact of a playing piece positioned in either one of the last said receptacles, said electrically conductive piece of material being connected to the opposite polarity terminal of said power source, whereby a playing piece may be tested for operativeness by insertion into either of the last said corresponding receptacles.

16. A game as set forth in claim 1 wherein the game board comprises a pair of first panels of electrically nonconductive material each having a plurality of holes therethrough arranged in the same pattern, each panel having a plurality of commonly connected electrically conductive contact portions each of which is secured to an interior surface of a receptacle to form an electric terminal therefor, a pair of overlay panels one for positioning on the surface of each said first panels and carrying game indicia removably facially secured thereto, said overlay panels each having a plurality of holes arranged in the same pattern as those in the aforesaid pair of panels and for alignment therewith thereby to form a plurality of receptacles for playing pieces.

17. A game as set forth in claim 16 which further includes an electrically nonconductive sheet with a plurality of areas of conductive material arranged in a pattern to correspond generally to the pattern of receptacles to block visual communication betwen the first panels while providing electrical continuity therebetween.

18. A game as set forth in claim 16 wherein said first panels are hinged along one edge thereof and which further includes latch means on an opposite edge thereof to hold said first panels together in assembled aligned relationship.

19. A game as set forth in claim 18 further comprising pairs of doors respectively hingeably connected to opposite side edges of the game board and which when closed enclose and cover both playing surfaces of the game board and when opened at an angle to the plane of the game board support it in an upright position.