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(11) | EP 1 579 891 A1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | Balance game and apparatus |
| (57) The invention relates to the apparatus which is provided for balance, said apparatus
including a board with a top surface on which a person can place their feet. On the
underside of the board there is provided a balance portion which contacts the support
surface such as a floor. The balance portion is angled so as to allow the user adjustment
of the distribution of their weight to cause the angular adjustment of the board.
The apparatus includes sensing means positioned to allow the angular adjustment to
be detected. A control unit can be provided to be used in conjunction with the sensing
means for game play. |
[0001] The invention to which this application relates is the provision of apparatus which can be used in the playing of a game, and/or to provide fitness and/or education to a person and particularly, although not necessarily exclusively, a child, using said apparatus.
[0002] The use of apparatus which requires control by a person positioned on the apparatus, by using the selective distribution of their weight is known. One form of this apparatus is to provide a board which has an underside upon which there is provided a balance portion which locates on a support surface such as the floor, and a top surface which includes location points for the feet of said person.
[0003] Typically, the balance portion on the underside is mounted at or close to the centre of the said board so as to allow the person to place their feet on the top surface to either side of the location of the balance portion on the underside. In use, the balance portion serves to separate the board and hence the user's feet from the support surface, such as a floor, by a given distance so that the only contact which a person has with the floor is via the board and, in turn, via the contact of the balance portion with the floor.
[0004] The spacing from the floor also allows the board to be angularly adjustable by the selective application of weight onto the top side of the board by the player via their feet so that, for example, the board can be angularly adjustable side by side or front to back, or in any of the other angular positions intermediate the same, by the selective movement of a person's weight via the contact of their feet on the board. It is found that selective adjustment of weight can be used for game play to a limited extent, to provide fitness to the lower parts of a person's body as a result of the control which they are required to exert on said parts of the body to allow the selective positioning of their weight.
[0005] However, use of apparatus of this type for game play is limited largely to visual representations provided on the top surface of the board, or to the provision of labyrinth type games in which the movement of a ball along a series of passages in a chamber in the apparatus is controlled by the selective tilting of the board of the apparatus. However, there is no form of response or feedback from the apparatus as the result of a particular player's actions, therefore there is no provision of interactivity between the apparatus and the player.
[0006] The aim of the present invention is to provide interactivity between the apparatus of the type described and the player when using the apparatus so as to provide further entertainment to the player, potential educational benefit and to widen the range of activities which can be participated in when positioned on the board.
[0007] In a first aspect of the invention, there is provided apparatus for a person to balance on, said apparatus comprising a board and provided for the reception of at least one part of the anatomy of a player thereon, said board separated from a support surface on which the apparatus is supported via a balance portion which depends from the board to the surface and contact therewith, said balance portion formed so as to allow angular adjustment of at least the top surface of the board by the selective positioning of weight by the player on said board and wherein said board includes sensing means, to detect change in the angle or orientation of the apparatus and/or contact with the support surface.
[0008] In one embodiment, the sensing means are provided such that a detection is made when the sensing means contacts with the support surface. Alternatively, the sensing means are positioned such as to react to a change in angular position of the portion of the board to which each sensing means are attached or located.
[0009] In whichever embodiment, it is envisaged that a plurality of sensing means are provided, said sensing means provided at spaced locations with respect to said board such that angular adjustment of the plane of the top surface of the board in a particular orientation, is detected by one of said sensing means at a particular location, typically that which is closest to the support surface at each instant.
[0010] Typically, the position of each of the sensing means on the board is known by a control unit. In one embodiment, the control unit is mounted on the board element or alternatively may be provided remotely to said board element. In whichever embodiment, the sensing means can be connected to the control unit via cable connections or, alternatively, via a wireless connection so as to allow data to be transferred from the sensing means to the control unit. In one embodiment the sensing means are proximity sensors, contact sensors or any suitable sensing means.
[0011] In one preferred embodiment, the control unit acts as an instruction means so as to instruct a particular sequence of use or to select particular tasks to be achieved by the person using said apparatus. For example, the weight is required to be adjusted to allow particular sensing means to be activated in a particular sequence.
[0012] In one embodiment, for example, a particular sequence of angular orientations of the board can be instructed by the control unit and the angular orientation positions can be identified by the sending out of identities of particular identifiable portions of the top surface of the board which can be viewed by the player. A change in the angular orientation is sensed by one of the sensing means upon each change of angular orientation of the board and a signal which is unique to that particular sensing means is passed to the control unit. The control unit then compares the identity of the sensing means from which the signal was received to determine whether the signal received from the sensor matches the signal which should have been received as a result of the angular orientation instruction given to the player.
[0013] In another embodiment, the player may be required to move the board to a particular angular orientation and back to a centre position and repeat this as many times as possible in a given time period, with the control unit acting as a timing and counting means.
[0014] It is envisaged that the balance portion can include angled and/or rounded walls and at a centre point thereon, a flattened portion, which acts as a datum or starting position when lying flat on the support surface so that the top surface of the board is parallel with the support surface. In one embodiment, a further sensor is provided so as to sense when the apparatus is in said datum position and only when that is sensed, can a particular game be started or a particular count of angular orientation(s) be completed.
[0015] In one embodiment, the sensing means are provided on the underside of the apparatus board and are provided so as to react to impact on the support surface. The underside of the board and/or balance portion can be angled such that the thickness of the board element decreases from the balance portion outwardly towards the peripheral edge of the said board.
[0016] In one embodiment, the board top surface of the board element has a geometric shape such as a hexagon with each straight edge of the hexagon defining a segment triangle which depends outwardly from the centre point of the board.
[0017] Typically, two opposing segments are allocated as feet location portions and these portions of the board may include material which aids the gripping of the feet on the board.
[0018] In one embodiment, the angled underside of the board is also split into segments which match the segments depicted on the upper side of the board.
[0019] Specific embodiments of the invention are now described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:-
Figure 1 illustrates a plan view of apparatus in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;
Figure 2 illustrates a plan view from the underside of the apparatus of Figure 1;
Figure 3 illustrates the apparatus of Figures 1 and 2 in a balanced or datum position;
Figures 4a and b illustrate angular orientations apparatus in accordance with the invention in play; and
Figures 5a-c illustrate the use of the apparatus in play.
[0020] Referring firstly to Figures 1-3, there is illustrated apparatus in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. The apparatus comprises a board 2 which is split into a series of segments 4, each of the segments identified by particular markings, in this case numbers, with each of the segments being further divided into subsections 8, 10 so that the same can have different colours, patterns or the like thereby increasing the game permutations.
[0021] Two portions 12,14 which are located at opposing sides of the board and are for the location of a player's feet 15 on the respective portions. Intermediate said portions, are provided a control unit 16 and in the control unit, there can be provided a power source, data processing means, and speaker and/or audio means to allow instructions to be generated to the user of the board and/or indications to be generated which are indicative of the performance of the player over a given time. Figure 2 illustrates the underside of the apparatus and therefore shows the underside of the board element 2 and the balance portion 20 which is located substantially centrally of the board. The balancing portion includes a central, flat area 22 from which the side walls 24 of the balancing portion depend upwardly, in this case in a curved manner.
[0022] From the balancing portion towards the peripheral edge 26 of the board, the underside 28 is sloped so that the thickness of the board decreases as it approaches the peripheral edge of the same. Also provided on the underside are a series of sensing means 30 with, in this embodiment, one sensing means provided for each segment 4 and located with respect to said segments.
[0023] Each of the sensing means is connected either wirelessly or more typically by cabling which passes through the interior of the board, to the control unit 16 so as to allow detection signals to be passed from the sensing means to the control unit for further processing.
[0024] Figure 3 illustrates the apparatus in elevation in a datum or start position in which the plane of the top of the board surface 32 is substantially parallel with the support surface 34 on which the same is mounted via the balance portion 20 as shown. In this position, the flat area 22 of the balancing portion is the part which is in contact with the support surface.
[0025] In this position, the player can get onto the board typically having selected a particular game or exercise instruction which is to be emitted from the control unit during use of the board. In response to the instruction received from the control unit, the player then selectively tilts the board to an angular orientation with respect to the support surface as is illustrated in Figures 4a and b where, in Figure 4a, the player has moved the board to an angular orientation which is angled to one side and in Figure 4b, the player has selectively altered their weight distribution via their feet to tilt the board to have an angular orientation from front to back and it should be appreciated that the angular orientation can be achieved at any position around 360 degrees of the board.
[0026] Once the angular orientation achieved is sufficiently large, the sensing means located with respect to the segment of the board which lies closest to the support surface will contact the support surface. When this is achieved, the sensing means is activated and an electrical signal is generated at the control unit. This signal is indicative, firstly, of the impact being achieved and secondly, of the particular location of the sensing means.
[0027] Thus, each of the sensing means has a unique identity with regard to the other sensing means on the board so that the control unit can determine the location of the sensing means which has generated the electrical signal. This therefore means that the control unit can firstly determine that an impact has been achieved via angular orientation of the board and, secondly, can identify the location of the activated sensing means with regard to a particular board segment and then compare that location with the instruction which has been generated and, if the comparison is a match, an indication can be generated to the player or a score is generated. If the comparison is not a match then an alternative signal can be generated to the player or no score is achieved.
[0028] In Figures 5a-c there is illustrated the use of the apparatus in three different embodiments. In each case the apparatus again includes the board 2 with positions 12, 14 for the player's feet, a control unit 16 for emitting sound and/or visual indications and a balance portion (not shown).
[0029] In Figure 5a there is illustrated a first arrangement of operation called freestyle. In this case the control unit is in a setting such that when one of the sensing means on the underside of the board contacts the floor 34 a noise 35 is generated. The noise may be random on each occasion or each sensing means may have a particular noise related thereto.
[0030] In Figure 5b a greater degree of control is provided by the selection via the control unit 16 of a game which, in this case, results in the control unit generating an audio message 41 representing use of the colours which is depicted on the top surface of the board 2 and therefore viewable by the user. The series of drawings in Figure 5b illustrates how the user tries to make the segment of the board which has the same colour as the audio message, contact the floor 34 by altering their weight distribution on the board. By doing this, if they are correct, the sensing means on the underside of the correct colour will be triggered by the contact and the audio message 43 generated to indicate this. A new colour message 41 can then be generated and so on. If the wrong colour means is triggered the game the game is stopped or is repeated until the correct colour is triggered.
[0031] Figure 5c illustrates a further embodiment where the audio message 41 generates a sequence to be followed, in this case of colours, but it could be colours, numbers, shapes or indeed anything depicted on the surface of the board 2. Again the user has to match the sequence successfully to continue playing the game, by ensuring that the appropriate sensing means for each colour is triggered in the required sequencing by contacting the appropriate part of the board with the surface or bringing it close to the surface.
1. Apparatus for a person to balance on, said apparatus comprising a board and provided
for the reception of at least one part of the anatomy of a player thereon, said board
separated from a support surface on which the apparatus is supported via a balance
portion which depends from the board to the surface and contact therewith, said balance
portion formed so as to allow angular adjustment of at least the top surface of the
board by the selective positioning of weight by the player on said board and wherein
said board includes sensing means, to detect change in the angle or orientation of
the apparatus and/or contact with the support surface.
2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the sensing means change condition when the
sensing means contacts the support surface.
3. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the sensing means are positioned to react to
a change in the angular position of at least a portion of the board.
4. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein a plurality of sensing means are provided,
said sensing means provided at spaced locations on or with respect to said board.
5. Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein angular adjustment of the top surface of the
board in a particular orientation is detected by one of said sensing means.
6. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the sensing means are connected to a control
unit provided as part of the apparatus, said control unit including the location of
each of the sensing means.
7. Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein each sensing means issues a signal which allows
the particular sensing means to be detected.
8. Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the control unit instructs a particular sequence
of use and/or the selection of a particular task to be achieved by the person using
said apparatus.
9. Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the control unit instructs a particular sequence
of angular orientations of the board which are required to be generated by the person
on the board.
10. Apparatus according to claim 8 or claim 9 wherein the achievement of a particular
task by the player on the board is sensed by at least one of the sensing means and
a signal which is unique to that particular sensing means and/or task is passed to
the control unit.
11. Apparatus according to claim 1. wherein the balance portion includes angled and/or
rounded walls and a centre point.
12. Apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the centre portion is a flattened portion
which allows the board to be parallel with the support surface when the centre portion
is flat on the support surface.
13. Apparatus according to claim 12 wherein if none of the sensing means are detected,
the control unit assumes the centre portion is flat on the support surface and acts
as a datum or starting position.
14. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the sensing means are provided on the underside
of the board element of the apparatus.
15. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the underside of the board is angled from the
centre portion such that the thickness of the board element decreases from the centre
portion outwardly towards the edge of the board element.
16. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the peripheral edge of the board element has
a geometric shape.
17. Apparatus according to claim 16 wherein the top surface of the board element has a
series of visually distinguishable portions.
18. Apparatus according to claim 17 wherein the underside of the board is split into segments,
the location and shape of which match the location and shape of the portions provided
on the top surface of the board element.
19. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the apparatus includes visual and/or audio
mans, the condition of which changes in response to activation of a sensing means.