MAGNETIC TABLE GAME

Description

Field of the invention

[0001] The present invention relates in general to table games, and more in particular regards a magnetic table game that simulates a sports match, typically but not exclusively soccer, hockey, and the like, with two opposing teams managed by respective players.

State of the prior art

[0002] Known from the document No. WO-2005/105234 is a table game of the type defined above, comprising a non-magnetic playing surface, a pair of goals arranged at the opposite ends of the playing surface, a plurality of first pieces, and a plurality of second pieces simulating two opposing teams that can be displaced manually on the playing surface by the two players, each defending a respective goal, and a body simulating a ball or the like. Each piece and the body simulating the ball include respective permanent magnets, the poles of which are in use aligned substantially perpendicular to the playing surface and are arranged on the same side, in such a way that when the body simulating the ball is approached by or approaches one or other of the aforesaid pieces, it is subjected to a motion of magnetic repulsion along the playing surface.

Summary of the invention

[0003] The present invention proposes to improve the table game according to the aforesaid document No. WO-2005/105234, and more in particular to implement it with new and useful functions.

[0004] According to the invention, this object is achieved thanks to the fact that the game is equipped with a table score-board provided with optical displays and incorporating a receiver operatively connected to said optical displays, and to the fact that each goal includes a photocell designed to detect entry of said body simulating the ball or the like inside it, and a transmitter operatively connected to said photocell and designed to send a signal to the receiver of the score-board when the entry into a goal of the body simulating the ball or the like is detected by the corresponding photocell and hence signalled by the aforesaid optical displays.

[0005] According to the invention, there may moreover be conveniently provided means for preventing detection by the photocell of the possible entry into the goal of said pieces, and a sound emitter associated to the score-board and activated in synchronism with the aforesaid optical displays.

Brief description of the drawings

[0006] The invention will now be described in detail with reference to the annexed drawings, provided purely by way of non-limiting example, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective overall view of the magnetic table game according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view that shows in greater scale one of the goals of the game; and

Figure 3 is a view in still larger scale of the body simulating a ball or the like of the game.

Detailed description of the invention

[0007] With initial reference to Figure 1, the magnetic table game according to the invention basically comprises a playing surface 1 made of non-magnetic material with a low coefficient of friction, for example a flexible plate made of plastic material simulating a soccer pitch (or else a pitch for hockey, rugby, American football, etc.), with two goals 2 set at its opposite ends.

[0008] In the case of the example illustrated, the game includes two teams each formed by a plurality of pieces 4, 5 in the form of dolls, resting on the playing surface 1 and positionable, i.e., displaceable manually thereon, by two opposing players.

[0009] The game moreover includes a body 6 simulating a ball or disk, which is also displaceable on the playing surface 1 as a result of the interaction with the pieces 4 and 5, in the way clarified in what follows.

[0010] Each piece 4, 5 includes a base 7, for example in the form of a circular disk, incorporated in which is a permanent magnet, not visible in the drawings, the North/South poles of which are aligned with one another along the axis of the base 7 and hence, when the corresponding piece 4, 5 is resting on the playing surface 1, perpendicular to this. The North/South poles of the magnets of all the pieces 4, 5 are arranged on the same side, i.e., for example with the North pole facing upwards and the South pole facing downwards.

[0011] Likewise, the body simulating the ball 6 incorporates a respective permanent magnet, which is also set and oriented as the magnets of the pieces 4, 5, i.e., with the respective North/South poles arranged on the same side. For reasons that will be clarified in what follows, the body 6 is in the form of a disk having a small axial dimension.

[0012] According to one of the peculiar characteristics of the invention, the game is moreover equipped with a table score-board 8, designed to be positioned, for example, alongside the half-way line of the playing surface 1. The table score-board 8 incorporates, in a way not illustrated in detail but generally within the reach of a person skilled in the branch, a radio receiver and an electronic device, which are operatively connected to optical displays arranged on the front face of the score-board 8 and include light emitters 9 and indicators of the score 10. The electronic device associated to the radio receiver can moreover be operatively connected to a sound emitter 11, and there may also be provided a programmable timer 12 to fix the duration of the match.

[0013] The radio receiver incorporated in the table score-board 8 is prearranged for receiving radio signals from a pair of radio transmitters, each of which is incorporated in the base 13 of a respective goal 2.

[0014] As is illustrated in greater detail in Figure 2, each goal 2 is provided with a photocell 14 preset for detecting entry inside it of the body simulating the ball 6 and for then signalling said event, via the corresponding radio transmitter, to the radio receiver of the score-board 8, the electronic device of which will cause activation of a corresponding luminous display 9 and of a corresponding score-counter 10, as well as generation of a sound or music via the possible sound emitter 11.

[0015] Each goal 2 is moreover provided with an arrangement for preventing detection by the corresponding photocell 14 of the possible accidental entry inside it of one of the pieces 4, 5. In the case of the example illustrated, said arrangement consists of a transverse barrier 15, for example constituted by a transparent tape or thread, set in front of the photocell 14 at a height from the playing surface 1 only slightly larger than the thickness of the disk simulating the ball 6, but smaller than the height of the pieces 4, 5.

[0016] With the arrangement described above, the interaction between the pieces 4, 5 and the disk simulating the ball 6 is such that, when this is approached by or approaches one or other piece 4, 5, it is subjected to a motion of magnetic repulsion along the playing surface. In this way, it will be possible to simulate a football match (or a hockey match, rugby match, etc.) by appropriately displacing the pieces 4, 5 with the aim of pushing the disk 6 in the opponent's goal 2. In said eventuality, the corresponding radio transmitter activated via the photocell will activate the score-board 8, with the modalities clarified previously, through the corresponding radio receiver.

[0017] Of course, the details of construction and the embodiments may vary widely with respect to what has been described and illustrated herein, without thereby departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the ensuing claims.

Claims

1. A table game, comprising a non-magnetic playing surface (1), a pair of goals (2) arranged at the opposite ends of the playing surface (1), a plurality of first pieces (4) and a plurality of second pieces (5), which simulate two opposing teams and can be displaced manually on the playing surface (1) by two players, each defending a respective goal (2), and a body simulating a ball or the like (6), wherein each piece (4, 5) and the body simulating the ball or the like (6) include respective permanent magnets, the poles of which are in use aligned substantially perpendicular to the playing surface (1) and are arranged on the same side in such a way that, when said body simulating the ball or the like (6) is approached by or approaches one or other of said pieces (4, 5), it is subjected to a motion of magnetic repulsion along the playing surface, said table game being characterized in that it is equipped with a table score-board (8) provided with optical displays (9, 10) and incorporating a receiver operatively connected to said optical displays, and in that each of said goals (2) includes a photocell (14) designed to detect entry of said body simulating the ball or the like (6) inside it, and a transmitter operatively connected to said photocell (14) and designed to send a signal to said receiver of the score-board (8) when entry into a goal (2) of said body simulating the ball or the like (6) is detected by the corresponding photocell (14) and hence signalled by said optical displays (9, 10).

2. The table game according to Claim 1, characterized in that it moreover includes barrier means (15) for preventing detection by said photocell (14) of the possible entry into the goal (2) of said pieces (4, 5).

3. The table game according to Claim 2, characterized in that said body simulating the ball or the like is a flat disk (6) and in that said barrier means include a transverse tape or thread (15) situated in front of the photocell (14) at a height from the playing surface (1) only slightly greater than the thickness of said disk (6).

4. The table game according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said score-board (8) moreover includes a sound emitter (11) that can be activated in synchronism with said optical displays (9, 10).

5. The table game according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said transmitters of the goals (2) and said receiver of the score-board (8) operate at radiofrequencies.

Ansprüche

1. Tischspiel, umfassend eine nichtmagnetische Spielfläche (1), ein Paar an den gegenüberliegenden Enden der Spielfläche (1) angeordneter Tore (2), eine Vielzahl erster Figuren (4) und eine Vielzahl zweiter Figuren (5), die zwei gegnerische Mannschaften simulieren und durch zwei Spieler, die jeweils ein entsprechendes Tor (2) verteidigen, und einen Körper (6), der einen Ball oder dergleichen simuliert, manuell auf der Spielfläche (1) bewegbar sind, wobei jede Figur (4, 5) und der Körper (6), der einen Ball oder dergleichen simuliert, jeweils Dauermagneten beinhalten, deren Pole im Gebrauch im Wesentlichen senkrecht zur Spielfläche (1) ausgerichtet und auf derselben Seite angeordnet sind, sodass, wenn sich der Körper (6), der den Ball oder dergleichen simuliert, einer der Figuren (4, 5) nähert oder wenn sich eine der Figuren (4, 5) dem Körper, der den Ball oder dergleichen (6) simuliert, nähert, Letzterer einer magnetischen Abstoßungsbewegung entlang der Spielfläche ausgesetzt wird, wobei das Tischspiel dadurch gekennzeichnet ist, dass es mit einer Tischanzeigetafel (8) ausgestattet ist, die mit optischen Anzeigen (9, 10) bereitgestellt ist und einen Empfänger beinhaltet, der mit den optischen Anzeigen operativ verbunden ist, und dass jedes der Tore (2) eine Photozelle (14), die gestaltet ist, um den Eintritt des Körpers (6), der den Ball oder dergleichen simuliert, in selbiges zu erfassen, und einen Sender, der mit der Photozelle (14) operativ verbunden und gestaltet ist, um ein Signal an den Empfänger der Anzeigetafel (8) zu senden, wenn von der entsprechenden Photozelle (14) der Eintritt des Körpers (6), der den Ball oder dergleichen simuliert, in ein Tor (2) erfasst und somit durch die optischen Anzeigen (9, 10) signalisiert wird, beinhaltet.

2. Tischspiel nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass es ferner Begrenzungsmittel (15) beinhaltet, um die Erfassung des eventuellen Eintritts der Figuren (4, 5) in das Tor (2) durch die Photozelle (14) zu verhindern.

3. Tischspiel nach Anspruch 2, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der Körper (6), der den Ball oder dergleichen simuliert, eine flache Scheibe (6) ist und dass die Begrenzungsmittel ein(e) querverlaufende(s) Band oder Schnur (15) beinhaltet, das (die) sich vor der Photozelle (14) in einer Höhe von der Spielfläche (1), die nur geringfügig größer als die Dicke der Scheibe (6) ist, befindet.

4. Tischspiel nach einem der vorangehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Anzeigetafel (8) ferner einen Lautgeber (11) beinhaltet, der gleichzeitig mit den optischen Anzeigen (9, 10) aktivierbar ist.

5. Tischspiel nach einem oder mehreren der vorangehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Sender der Tore (2) und der Empfänger der Anzeigetafel (8) bei Radiofrequenzen betreibbar sind.

Revendications

1. Jeu de table, comprenant une surface de jeu non magnétique (1), une paire de buts (2) placés aux extrémités opposées de la surface de jeu (1), une pluralité de premières pièces (4) et une pluralité de secondes pièces (5), qui simulent deux équipes opposées et peuvent être déplacées manuellement sur la surface de jeu (1) par deux joueurs, chacune défendant un but respectif (2), et un corps simulant un ballon ou similaire (6), dans lequel chaque pièce (4, 5) et le corps simulant le ballon ou similaire (6) comportent des aimants permanents respectifs, dont les pôles sont, en utilisation, alignés de manière sensiblement perpendiculaire à la surface de jeu (1) et sont placés du même côté de telle sorte que, lorsque ledit corps simulant le ballon ou similaire (6) est approché par l'une ou l'autre desdites pièces (4, 5) ou s'en approche, il est soumis à un mouvement de répulsion magnétique le long de la surface de jeu, ledit jeu de table étant caractérisé en ce qu'il est équipé d'un tableau d'affichage de table (8) doté d'affichages optiques (9, 10) et intégrant un récepteur connecté opérationnellement auxdits affichages optiques, et en ce que chacun desdits buts (2) comporte une cellule photoélectrique (14) conçue pour détecter l'entrée dudit corps simulant le ballon ou similaire (6) à l'intérieur de celui-ci, et un émetteur connecté opérationnellement à ladite cellule photoélectrique (14) et conçu pour envoyer un signal audit récepteur du tableau d'affichage (8) lorsque l'entrée dans un but (2) dudit corps simulant le ballon ou similaire (6) est détectée par la cellule photoélectrique correspondante (14) et par conséquent signalée par lesdits affichages optiques (9, 10).

2. Jeu de table selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce qu'il comporte en outre des moyens de barrière (15) pour empêcher la détection par ladite cellule photoélectrique (14) de ladite entrée possible dans le but (2) desdites pièces (4, 5).

3. Jeu de table selon la revendication 2, caractérisé en ce que ledit corps simulant le ballon ou similaire est un disque plat (6) et en ce que lesdits moyens de barrière comportent un ruban ou fil transversal (15) situé devant la cellule photoélectrique (14) à une hauteur de la surface de jeu (1) seulement légèrement supérieure à l'épaisseur dudit disque (6).

4. Jeu de table selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, caractérisé en ce que ledit tableau d'affichage (8) comporte en outre un émetteur sonore (11) qui peut être activé de manière synchrone avec lesdits affichages optiques (9, 10).

5. Jeu de table selon une ou plusieurs des revendications précédentes, caractérisé en ce que lesdits émetteurs des buts (2) et ledit récepteur du tableau d'affichage (8) fonctionnent à des fréquences radioélectriques.

Drawing