Multi-purpose game device

• US 5,692,979 A
• Filed: 11/15/1996
• Issued: 12/02/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: George D. Jones
• Original Assignee: George D. Jones
• Inventors: Jones, George D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Grieb, William H.
• Application Number:
  US08/749,633
• Time in Patent Office: 382 Days
• Field of Search: 473/470, 473/471, 473/472, 473/476, 473/479, 473/485, 473/196, 473/197, 473/446, 273/398, 273/400, 273/401, 273/402
• US Class Current: 473/470
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 63/08 with substantially horizontal opening for ball, e.g. for basketball A63B57/40, A63B63/06 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 67/04 Table games physically beneficial for the human body, modelled on outdoor sports, e.g. table tennis other table games A63F

Abstract

A multipurpose game device comprises a stand having a plurality of detachable standards, each standard containg a webbed hoop with a central aperture and a plurality of plastic spider balls with colored streamers. The balls can be tossed into one of the respective targets in the hoops by the designated player or any one of the standards with its hoop can be detached from the stand with the standard being used as a mallet for hitting one of the plastic balls into a hoop positioned on the ground as in golf, or all of the hoops can be stacked together to form a vertical support with a hoop on the elevated stack for playing basketball. Baseball would be played outdoors with four standards forming a diamond. The homeplate standard would be without a hoop and serves to hold the spiderball, which would be hit with a lightweight bat. Football would be played outdoors with two standards and their hoops placed at an appropriate distance to serve as goal posts and miniature hockey would be played indoors using a smooth rectangular plate in place of the hoops, affixed to the stand with special nets attached at each end. A simulated hockey stick would be used for hitting the ball. The plate absent the nets could be used as a writing table.

Claims

1. A multi-purpose game device for playing indoor and outdoor games that comprises:

a) a stand having a base with tubular members secured to each other with a centrally positioned tee having two coincident ends, a pair of tubular members being coincident and fitting into said ends of said tee, a single tubular member perpendicular to said tubular members and passing through a bore in said tee and adhesively fastened around said bore, all of said tubular members having ends extending outwardly from said centrally located tee and further fitted with tees, a standard projecting vertically upwardly from each of said tees, each of said standards having corresponding additional tees at their upward ends,

b) flexible hoops having four elbows force fitted into said tees in a plane perpendicular to said vertical standards, said hoops being substantially in the form of a square with oval ends,

c) said hoops being fitted with strands of webbing that form radial chords that extend from perforations in said elbows, through perforations in a central rim and then back through adjacent perforations in said hoop, said rim defining a target therein,

d) a plurality of perforated spheres small enough to pass through said target and having a number of colored streamers secured thereto, said colors on said streamers macthing colors on said hoops, said spheres being used to play a tossing game,

e) said standards being detachable from said base and said hoops, said detachable standards and said hoops being adaptable to play a multiplicity of games other than the games played when said hoops are secured to a stand,

f) said hoops per se being detachable from said stand and being replaced by a rectangular plate having an underside to which couplings are adhesively bound, said couplings being located at spaces commensurate with the location of said standards, said couplings force fitted over said standards, said plate having fastened at each end a net, a pair of miniature hockey sticks and a pair of miniature spider balls, the combination of plate, net, balls and sticks being used to play a simulated hockey game, said standards, hoops, balls and said tubular members, when not in use being stored in a weatherproof bag.

2. A multi-purpose game as in claim 1, wherein an outdoor tossing game is played with said detachable standards and hoops attached thereto, said standards being randomly placed in the ground with the aid of a hole starter and a rubberized mat used as a marker from which each player must toss his spider ball into his repective hoop as determined by the color of the streamers attached to said ball.

3. A multipurpose game as in claim 1, wherein a basketball game is played by stacking said standards as a column, said standards being connected together with said couplings, a hoop being fastened to a standard at a top of the column with a tee, said column being supported by said base comprising said tubular members and said column being located at an appropriate place indoors or outdoors.

4. A multipurpose game as in claim 1, wherein an outdoor golf game is played by taking said detached hoops and placing them at random positions on the ground, said tees being oriented to be in a horizontal position, said detached standards being modified to serve as clubs.

5. A multipurpose game as in claim 4 wherein said standards are modified by force fitting a tee at one end thereof, said one end having an inclined plate adhesively bound thereto, said plate being inclined upwardly and inwardly towards the tee opening in which the standard is force fitted.

6. A multipurpose game as in claim 1, wherein a baseball game is played by placing said detached standards in the ground, said standards being arranged to conform to the shape of a baseball diamond, said standards used as bases having said hoops attached thereto and said standard used as home plate being bare and serving as a pedestal for said spider ball, said spider ball having a pair of eyes facing toward said bases, one of said standards functioning as a bat.

7. A multipurpose game as in claim 1 wherein the game of touch football is played outdoors by taking two of said detached standards with said hoops attached and placing said standards in the ground at spaced apart locations to serve as goals, said hoops being inclined rearwardly of said standards.

8. A multipurpose game as in claim 1, wherein said net for playing hockey is fastened to said plate by channel supports, said channel supports having legs that are closely spaced to fit snuggly over said plate, the net having edges stitched over said channel supports.

9. A multipurpose game as in claim 1, wherein said plate fitted over said standards and absent said net is used as a writing table.