(19)
(11) EP 0 934 767 A2

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(43) Date of publication:
11.08.1999 Bulletin 1999/32

(21) Application number: 98500190.8

(22) Date of filing: 10.08.1998
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)6A63H 33/00
(84) Designated Contracting States:
AT BE CH CY DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE
Designated Extension States:
AL LT LV MK RO SI

(30) Priority: 09.02.1998 ES 9800349 U

(71) Applicant: Martomagic, S.L.
08210 Barberà del Vallès, Barcelona (ES)

(72) Inventor:
  • Bella Martorell, David
    08210 Barberà del Vallès (Barcelona) (ES)

(74) Representative: Ponti Sales, Adelaida et al
C. Consell de Cent, 322
08007 Barcelona
08007 Barcelona (ES)

   


(54) Game


(57) It is formed by a substantially spherical body (1) and a plurality of elements (2) that can adhere to the surface of said spherical body (1) and is characterized in that said substantially spherical body (1) comprises a couple of recesses (3) provided at opposed positions, each one of said recesses (3) housing a piece (4) of a material provided with a plurality of hooks in its external surface, said pieces (4) being joined together by a couple of tapes which are also provided with a plurality of hooks on their external surface; said elements (2) being provided with a textile surface complementary to the surface provided with a plurality of hooks, so that these elements (2) can adhere by contact to the substantially spherical body.
It is obtained a game with a low cost of production.




Description


[0001] The present invention refers to a game, formed by a substantially spherical body and a plurality of elements that can adhere to it.

[0002] In Spanish utility model no. U9601368 an ability toy is described that is constituted by a spherical body provided externally with a textile surface. On this surface of the spherical body are fixed, in an indiscriminate way by means of bounces, a plurality of laminar elements with a plan polyform configuration, provided on its upper and lower face with a velcro® sheet or the like.

[0003] This spherical body can be constituted as a solid spherical body, or a body filled with compressed air, partially filled with air or of a material of a low weight, and, at the same time, it can also incorporate, optionally, the end of a flexible element sensibly elongated, fixed to the spherical body by conventional means.

[0004] This toy presents some drawbacks, like its high cost of production, due mainly to the fact that the whole spherical body is covered with a textile surface and that the laminar elements are covered on their two faces with a velcro® sheet.

[0005] Furthermore, the presence of the velcro® sheets on the two faces of the laminar elements precludes the presence of a printed surface in these elements.

[0006] With the game of the invention it is possible to solve the mentioned drawback, presenting other advantages that will be described.

[0007] The game of the invention is characterized in that said substantially spherical body comprises a couple of recesses provided at opposite positions, each one of said recesses housing a piece of a material provided with a plurality of hooks on its external surface, these pieces being joined together by a couple of tapes which are also provided with a plurality of hooks on their external surface; said elements being provided with a textile surface complementary to the surface provided with a plurality of hooks, so that these elements can adhere by contact to the substantially spherical body.

[0008] Thanks to this characteristic, a game is obtained whose cost of production is substantially lower than the cost of the above mentioned game, since the substantially spherical body is only partially covered by the surface provided with hooks that allows the adhesion of the elements.

[0009] Also, thanks to the placement of the pieces in the corresponding recesses the elements can adhere more easily on the areas provided at the substantially spherical body.

[0010] Another advantage lies in the fact that only the surface of the elements that adhere to the body is covered with the textile surface, allowing the printing of the other surface with the desired symbols or characters. The presence of these symbols allows the elements to be collected.

[0011] Preferably, the substantially spherical body is of a vinylacetate-ethylene polymer. This material is ideal for this type of applications, since it is innocuous and it is not toxic.

[0012] For a best understanding of what is described in the present specification, some drawings are accompanied which, only by way of non-limitative example, show a practical case of embodiment of the game of the invention.

[0013] In these drawings, figure 1 is a plan view of the substantially spherical body that is part of the game of the invention; and

figure 2 is a view of this substantially spherical body in cross section, having adhered a couple of elements.



[0014] As have been mentioned previously, the game of the invention is formed by a substantially spherical body 1 and a plurality of elements 2 that can adhere to determined areas of it.

[0015] As may be seen in the figures, the substantially spherical body 1 comprises a couple of recesses 3 provided at opposite positions thereof. In these recesses 3 there are placed a couple of pieces 4 that present an external surface provided with a plurality of hooks. These pieces 4 are joined by means of a couple of tapes 5 also provided at their external surface with said hooks.

[0016] On the other hand, the elements 4 that adhere to the body 1 comprise on one of their faces a textile surface complementary to the surface provided with hooks of the body 1. The other face of the elements 4 is printed with the desired symbols or characters, thus allowing the different elements 4 to be collected.

[0017] It must be indicated that the elements 4 adhere to the body 1 by means of the described surfaces, which are habitually of the type known as velcro®.

[0018] Preferably, the material of the substantially spherical body 1 is a vinylacetate-ethylene polymer for microcelular foams, since it has been proved that it has the features desired for this application, since it is innocuous and it is not toxic.

[0019] The game itself consists in adhering, thanks to the user's skill, these elements 4 on the body 1. As it has been said, these elements 4 will adhere by contact, either bouncing or rotating the body 1 on them.

[0020] Although reference has been made to a specific embodiment of the invention, it is evident for a person skilled in the art that the game described is susceptible of numerous variations and modifications, and that all the mentioned details can be substituted by other technically equivalent ones, without departing from the scope of protection defined by the enclosed claims.


Claims

1. Game formed by a substantially spherical body (1) and a plurality of elements (2) that can adhere to the surface of said spherical body (1), characterized in that said substantially spherical body (1) comprises a couple of recesses (3) provided at opposed positions, each one of said recesses (3) housing a piece (4) of a material provided with a plurality of hooks on its external surface, said pieces (4) being joined together by a couple of tapes (5) which are also provided with a plurality of hooks on their external surface; said elements (2) being provided with a textile surface complementary to the surface provided with a plurality of hooks, so that these elements (2) can adhere by contact to the substantially spherical body (1).
 
2. Game according to claim 1, characterized in that the substantially spherical body (1) is of a vinylacetate-ethylene polymer.
 




Drawing