Summary of the Invention.
[0001] The present invention relates to a device which can point to e.g. one or more parts
of a playing-field or one or more persons in a group.
[0002] The device is a balance constructed in such a way that the action of pointing can
be related to the position of some mobile matter in the device.
[0003] The device includes:
- mobile matter (cf.6 in figures 1 and 2) in a movable balance room;
- the movable balance room (1 in figures 1, 2 and 3) which is formed in such a way that
masses can be attached;
- a connection system for the attachment of the balance room to the balance bridge,
e.g. the balance cube (3); and
- the balance bridge (5).
[0004] The balance room can be a closed tube or a partially opened tube like a groove or
a combination of both.
[0005] The balance room can be made movable in several ways, for example by means of a balance
cube with axle (cf.3 en 4 in figures 1 and 2), by means of a combination of axles,
movable in different areas in relation to one another, by means of a ball-joint, or
a spring, etc.
[0006] The bottom of the balance room can be supported by, or the top can be suspended in
the balance bridge.
[0007] Within the balance room the mobile matter, which can be one or more rolling bodies
or one or more liquids or solutions, can move between two extreme positions which
lie on both sides of the point of suspension or support (S-point) of the balance room.
[0008] The invention is different from all types of known balances in this respect that
when the mobile matter in the lower extreme position of the balance room is set into
motion by the attachment of mass to the upper part of the balance room, this will
result in an uninterrupted decrease of the total moment on the lower part of the balance
room; when the mobile matter passes the point where the totalized moments on both
sides of the S-point have the same value, it will result in an uninterrupted increase
of the total moment on the other part of the balance; the balance room then tips to
the other side where the mobile matter will settle again.
[0009] The action of pointing, which is the purpose of this invention, can be related to
the extreme position of the mobile matter.
[0010] Because of the fact that it is hard to predict how heavy the mass will have to be
to set the matter into motion, which can even be made more difficult by changing the
weight of the mobile matter, the device can be used for a balance game in which players
can tip eachother's balance room to another part of a playing-field by fixing masses
to the upper part of the balance room.
[0011] The invention is elucidated by an illustration in which a construction example with
a hanging axle attachment and with a ball as mobile matter is shown (cf. figures 1
and 2) and by an illustration (fig.3) in which single and double pawn-holders (7),
a system of attachment of the pawn-holders to the balance room and of the balance
room to the balance bridge is shown.
[0012] Figure 1 shows a cross-section of the pointer balance with the balance room suspended
in the balance bridge by means of a balance cube.
[0013] Figure 2 shows a side-view of the pointer balance with a reservoir for liquids or
bodies on both ends of the balance room.
[0014] In the design for the balance game as described in lines 6 to 11 on page 2 the balance
room is equipped with openings, fixed, detachable and replaceable reservoirs, hooks,
etc. on which and in which masses like pawns can be put.
[0015] In figure 2 one of the two possible pointing positions of the pointer balance is
shown with the mobile matter in its extreme position.
Examples of game designs
[0016] There are several possible game designs, e.g. several players using one pointer balance
or each player or group of players using there own pointer balance.
[0017] The games' board can consist of four playing-fields, each divided into two parts.
Each player has one balance which is placed onto the two parts of his playing-field.
[0018] Another possible design is the following: each balance is placed on a separate games'
board divided into two halves (cf. fig.3).
[0019] In figure 3 one half of the playing-field is indicated with L, the other with R.
The balance bridge has the form of a block and it has two couples of bearings (one
couple below the other) in which the balance room with its two axles can move. The
axles of the balance room may be in the centre of gravity, but it is also possible
to place the axles above or below the centre of gravity.
[0020] The balance bridge furthermore has locking-pins to block the balance room. In this
example the balance room has fixed mass-holders on both ends and furthermore the players
can choose to attach loose single or multiple mass-holders to several places along
the balance room.
[0021] These balances provide several game possibilities, for example:
1. Communication Games
2. Balance Duels
3. Number Duels.
1. Communication Games.
[0022] Each player has a balance with a ball in the balance room, two number cards on which
are the following series of numbers:
11 - 16, 21 - 26, 31 - 36, 41 - 46, 51 - 56, 61 - 66, and a collection of game lists
with descriptions. These descriptions are numbered and correspond to the numbers on
the cards.
[0023] Another possible design is that each player, beside his balance and ball in the balance
room, has one or more question or assignment cards for each playing-field. The questions
and assignments are numbered from one to six for each card. By throwing dice the player
gets a choice from the questions and assignments.
[0024] For example, each turn the numbers are thrown with two dice, according to rules.
[0025] Each turn contains the following elements:
* throwing a number with the dice;
* communications according to rules;
* covering or not covering a number on the card;
* placing one or more pawns in the highest pawn-holders.
[0026] The goal of these communication games is to be the first to have covered up all or
a part of the series of numbers on one or both number cards or, in another design,
to be the first to have finished six questions or assignments on both halves of the
playing-field correctly.
[0027] Another goal could be to cover up the most numbers on one or both number cards or
on the question or assignment cards in an assigned playing time.
[0028] The resting position of the ball in the balance room can be related to the playing-field
in which the player is active.
[0029] Near the end of the game especially, players will try to move their balance to a
favourable playing-field and their opponents' balances to a less favourable position
by placing pawns.
[0030] Examples of game lists with descriptions or question and assignment cards are:
* Ups and Downs (experiences from life);
* I think ... (messages);
* Do you think ... (personal questions);
* Do you know ... (knowledge questions).
The last category is infinite and the following themes are possible: general knowledge,
literature, biology, physics, chemistry, spelling, art, pop music, Idols, sports,
etc.
2. Balance Duels.
[0031] The goal of a balance duel is to make an opponent's balance tip over and at the same
time to protect the own balance from tipping over by placing or removing of pawns.
[0032] Pawns of different weight can be used for these duels; for example, these pawns can
be placed in or removed from single or multiple pawn-holders according to rules.
[0033] By using fixed, detachable and interchangeable pawn-holders the players can choose
their own balance construction before the start of the game.
[0034] In the design as shown in figure 3 the balance room can be suspended or supported
in two different positions. Because of the different positions of the centre of gravity
of the balance room in relation to the S-point the number of game possibilities is
increased considerably.
3. Number Duels.
[0035] Before the start of a number duel each player puts a list of numbers on each of his
playing-fields.
[0036] The goal of this type of duel is to be the first to have finished a part or all numbers
on the lists on both playing-fields by throwing dice and according to rules.
Note:
[0037] Enlarged versions of the balance could be used for communication games and balance
duels on television, on fairs and other festivities of this kind.
[0038] The pawn-holders could contain people and/or objects and in this way the differences
in weight of partakers and objects could be an interesting factor.
1. A pointer balance used for pointing at one or more parts of a playing-field, one or
more persons in a group etc., consisting of an in one or more verticle levels 'tippable'
balance room containing mobile matter like one or more balls, liquids or solutions,
which can be made movable by attaching mass to the upper part of the balance room
and/or rotation of the balance room with the mobile matter resulting in the movement
of the mobile matter from one extreme resting position in the balance room to another
extreme resting position, by way of which the balance room will tip over and after
which the action of pointing can be related to the position of the mobile matter.
2. A pointer balance according to claim 1, further including massholders attached to
the balance room at different distances in relation to the tipping axle.
3. A pointer balance according to claim 2, wherein at least a part of the mass-holders
is detachable and interchangeable.
4. A pointer balance according to claim 2 or 3, wherein at least a part of the mass-holders
is designed as a multiple mass-holder.
5. A pointer balance according to claims 1, 2, 3 and 4, wherein the tipping axle of the
balance room is placed in, above or below the centre of gravity of the balance room.