Playing surface for a game and method of using a game playing surface
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A playing surface, comprising:
- a first boundary wall, which includes a ramp having a first elevation in the vicinity of the first zone separator and a second elevation in the vicinity of the second zone separator, wherein the first elevation is different from the second elevation, and the ramp includes an exit distal from the first zone separator;
a second boundary wall;
a first zone separator extending between the first boundary wall and the second boundary wall, the first zone separator having an angled surface that is sloped to inhibit but not prevent a game piece from traversing the first zone separator;
a second zone separator extending between the first boundary wall and the second boundary wall, the second zone separator having an angled surface that is sloped to inhibit but not prevent a game piece from traversing the second zone separator, the second zone separator being spaced from the first zone separator in order to present a first zone area residing between the first zone separator and the second zone separator;
the angled surfaces of the zone separators being positioned so that a sphere that is rolled toward the angled surface of one of the zone separators must traverse that zone separator in order to access the first zone area, and while traversing that zone separator the sphere is in rolling contact with that zone separator, and the sphere is inhibited but not prevented from leaving the first zone area by the other of the zone separators.
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Abstract
The invention may be embodied as a playing surface. Such a playing surface may include a first boundary wall, a second boundary wall, a first zone separator and a second zone separator. The second zone separator may be spaced apart from the first zone separator in order to provide a first zone area residing between the first zone separator and the second zone separator. The zone separators may each have an angled surface which are positioned so that a sphere may be rolled toward the angled surface of the zone separator, roll over the zone separator and into a zone area.
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Citations
47 Claims
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1. A playing surface, comprising:
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a first boundary wall, which includes a ramp having a first elevation in the vicinity of the first zone separator and a second elevation in the vicinity of the second zone separator, wherein the first elevation is different from the second elevation, and the ramp includes an exit distal from the first zone separator; a second boundary wall; a first zone separator extending between the first boundary wall and the second boundary wall, the first zone separator having an angled surface that is sloped to inhibit but not prevent a game piece from traversing the first zone separator; a second zone separator extending between the first boundary wall and the second boundary wall, the second zone separator having an angled surface that is sloped to inhibit but not prevent a game piece from traversing the second zone separator, the second zone separator being spaced from the first zone separator in order to present a first zone area residing between the first zone separator and the second zone separator; the angled surfaces of the zone separators being positioned so that a sphere that is rolled toward the angled surface of one of the zone separators must traverse that zone separator in order to access the first zone area, and while traversing that zone separator the sphere is in rolling contact with that zone separator, and the sphere is inhibited but not prevented from leaving the first zone area by the other of the zone separators. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A playing surface, comprising:
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a first boundary wall; a second boundary wall; a first zone separator extending between the first boundary wall and the second boundary wall, the first zone separator having an angled surface that is sloped to inhibit but not prevent a game piece from traversing the first zone separator, and wherein the angled surface of the first zone separator does not have a constant slope; a second zone separator extending between the first boundary wall and the second boundary wall, the second zone separator having an angled surface that is sloped to inhibit but not prevent a game piece from traversing the second zone separator, the second zone separator being spaced from the first zone separator in order to present a first zone area residing between the first zone separator and the second zone separator; the angled surfaces of the zone separators being positioned so that a sphere that is rolled toward the angled surface of one of the zone separators must traverse that zone separator in order to access the first zone area, and while traversing that zone separator the sphere is in rolling contact with that zone separator, and the sphere is inhibited but not prevented from leaving the first zone area by the other of the zone separators. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A playing surface, comprising:
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a first boundary wall; a second boundary wall; a first zone separator extending between the first boundary wall and the second boundary wall, the first zone separator having an angled surface that is sloped to inhibit but not prevent a game piece from traversing the first zone separator; a second zone separator extending between the first boundary wall and the second boundary wall, the second zone separator having an angled surface that is sloped to inhibit but not prevent a game piece from traversing the second zone separator, the second zone separator being spaced from the first zone separator in order to present a first zone area residing between the first zone separator and the second zone separator; the angled surfaces of the zone separators being positioned so that a sphere that is rolled toward the angled surface of one of the zone separators must traverse that zone separator in order to access the first zone area, and while traversing that zone separator the sphere is in rolling contact with that zone separator, and the sphere is inhibited but not prevented from leaving the first zone area by the other of the zone separators; a third zone separator having substantially vertical walls defining an interior cup zone area. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A method of playing a game, comprising:
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providing a playing surface having (a) a first boundary wall, which includes a ramp having a first elevation in the vicinity of the first zone separator and a second elevation in the vicinity of the second zone separator, wherein the first elevation is different from the second elevation, and the ramp includes an exit distal from the first zone separator, (b) a second boundary wall, (c) a first zone separator extending between the first boundary wall and the second boundary wall, the first zone separator having an angled surface, and (d) a second zone separator extending between the first boundary wall and the second boundary wall, the second zone separator having an angled surface, the second zone separator being spaced from the first zone separator in order to present a first zone residing between the first zone separator and the second zone separator, providing a substantially spherical game piece; rolling the game piece toward the playing surface, so that the game piece rolls over the angled surface of the first zone separator. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41)
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42. A method of playing a game, comprising:
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providing a playing surface having (a) a first boundary wall, (b) a second boundary wall, (c) a first zone separator extending between the first boundary wall and the second boundary wall, the first zone separator having an angled surface, wherein the angled surface of the first zone separator does not have a constant slope, and (d) a second zone separator extending between the first boundary wall and the second boundary wall, the second zone separator having an angled surface, the second zone separator being spaced from the first zone separator in order to present a first zone residing between the first zone separator and the second zone separator, providing a substantially spherical game piece; rolling the game piece toward the playing surface, so that the game piece rolls over the angled surface of the first zone separator. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44)
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45. A method of playing a game, comprising:
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providing a playing surface having (a) a first boundary wall, (b) a second boundary wall, (c) a first zone separator extending between the first boundary wall and the second boundary wall, the first zone separator having an angled surface, (d) a second zone separator extending between the first boundary wall and the second boundary wall, the second zone separator having an angled surface, the second zone separator being spaced from the first zone separator in order to present a first zone residing between the first zone separator and the second zone separator, and (e) a third zone separator having substantially vertical walls defining an interior cup zone area; providing a substantially spherical game piece; rolling the game piece toward the playing surface, so that the game piece rolls over the angled surface of the first zone separator. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47)
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Specification