US20090026701A1

US20090026701A1 - USA geographical puzzle game

Info

Publication number: US20090026701A1
Application number: US11/881,092
Authority: US
Inventors: Koresh Khatai
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-07-25
Filing date: 2007-07-25
Publication date: 2009-01-29

Abstract

This game is made of a game board and 50 colorful 3D-plastic blocks. On the game board, page 1, is borderline of USA (10). Inside of borderline is blank (11), while outside the border line (12) is colorful. Outside the borderline including the Canada, Mexico, both in gray color, while surrounding oceans and Gulf of Mexico are blue. Inside borderline is one centimeter deeper than outside borderline in order to hold all blocks easily and smoothly. Mississippi River (13) divide the inside border line in two zones. 50 3D-blocks (16) made of colorful plastic. Each with the elevation of 2-4 centimeter. Each block resembles one state of USA. Name of the each state will be on surface of each state with English and Braille alphabet. The game board able to be fold in half in order to fit in the container along with the 50 plastic blocks.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

None.

FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH

None.

SEQUENCE LISTING

None.

BACKGROUND—FIELD OF INVENTION

This invention is about an educational puzzle game. It is designed in order to help any player from age of 5 and up for pleasure and self-education regarding geography and map of the United States of America. This game is made of 50 3D-colorful plastic blocks, and a game board.
3D-colorful blocks, each with elevation of 2-4 centimeter, look and resemble one state of United States of America. Name of the each state has been written with English and Braille alphabet on the surface of each block. The geographical scale of this puzzle game is: 1: 5,600,000. To accomplish the game player or players should insert all of the 50 blocks, each resembles one state, in their right geographical location.
The game board, with the dimension of 65 by 90 cm, made of cast plastic, able to fold in half while not in use. On this board, you can see the national boundary of United States of America. Inside the boundary is blank with no interstate lines, and one centimeter deeper than out side boundary. It is blank in order to make the game more challenging, and providing no clue to player or players regarding the actual location of each state. It is deeper than the surrounding, in order to hold all the 50 blocks easily and smoothly without jamming. Outside the boundary is colorful. Canada and Mexico are gray while the surrounding oceans are blue. To prevent jamming of these 50 blocks on the game board, a divider, with elevation of one centimeter extends from north to south, divides the inside the boundary of USA into West and East zones. This divider, resembles Mississippi River, begins from Minnesota and end up with Golf of Mexico at state of Louisiana. West zone holds 22 blocks or states, while the East zone rooms for 26 blocks or states. Alaska and Hawaiian Islands have their own identical slots. Alaska has slot in North of British Colombia, and Hawaiian Islands in Pacific Oceans. To insert all the 50 blocks in right geographical location, the player or players should take advantage of the national borderline, unique shape of the each state, and natural landmarks. These landmarks include: Mississippi River, and the Great Lakes on the game board.
In conclusion, insofar as I am aware, no geographical puzzle game, related to any country, including USA, formerly has been developed.

SUMMARY

The invention, USA Geographical Puzzle game, is a puzzle game regarding geographical map of the United States of America. It consists of a game board and 50 3D-colorful blocks. Each block looks and resembles one state of United States of America. To accomplish the game the player or players should insert all the 50 colorful blocks inside the national boundary line in right geographical order.

DRAWINGS

PAGE

1 is 2D drawing of the game board showing the inside the boundary (blank area), and outside boundary of United States of America (Canada, Mexico, Pacific Ocean, and Atlantic Ocean, and Gulf of Mexico). Mississippi River extends from north to south.

PAGE

2 is cross section of the game board, before game begins

PAGE

3 is Perspective of the game board, before game starts, shows inside the boundary of USA, which is one centimeter deeper than outside, along with Mississippi-River, which divide the USA into two geographical zones.

PAGE

4 is a perspective view of six 3D-blocks which each represents one state.

PAGE

5 is a perspective view of the game board along with the 6 plastic blocks on the game board. The blocks resemble states of California, Texas, Maine, North Dakota, and Maine.

PAGE

6 is a perspective view of the accomplished game.

PAGE

7 is a cross section of the game board along with the blocks.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

PAGE 1 is 2D drawing of the game board. Geographical boundary of USA 10, inside the boundary of USA 11, out side of the boundary 12. Mississippi Rive 13. One-centimeter different level between inside and outside boundary 14. Great Lakes are in same level as outside boundary 15.
PAGE 2 is a cross section-through AA, and BB. Showing inside the boundary of the USA 11, outside of the boundary of USA 12, and Mississippi River 13.
PAGE 3 is a perspective of the game board. Inside the boundary of USA 11, and outside of the boundary 12. Mississippi River 13. One-centimeter different level between inside and outside boundary of USA 14.
PAGE 4 is example of the 3D-plastic blocks 16. Each piece represents one state.
PAGE 5 is shows the game board along with six plastic blocks 16. Six plastic blocks resemble states of California, Texas, Florida, Maine, North Dakota, and Montana.
PAGE 6 is a perspective of the game board along with the all fifty blocks (states), placed in their right geographical location, and end of the game.
PAGE 7 is a cross section of the game board along with the inserted blocks (states), and end of the game.

REFERENCE NUMERALS

10 boundary of USA
11 inside of the boundary of USA
12 outside of the boundary of USA
13 Mississippi River
14 one cm different level between inside and outside the boundary of USA.
15 Great Lakes
16 3D-plastic-block

Operation

In operation, the player or players should open the game board, and insert all the 50 plastic blocs in their right geographical location on it, and make a 3D colorful map of the USA. As a guideline, the player or players should take advantage of national borderline, location of Great Lakes, and Mississippi River on the game board. Game board and 50 plastic blocks will be kept in a box while it is not in use.

Claims

1: USA Geographical Puzzle Game, comprising: A game board and 50 3D-colorful plastic blocks. The game board has dimension of 65 by 90 centimeter. On the game board is national boundary of United States of America. Inside the boundary is one centimeter deeper than outside. It is deeper in order to hold all 50 plastic blocks smoothly without jamming. 50 3D-colorful plastic blocks, each resembles one state, and has almost same geographical shape as its representing state. Name of each state has been written on the surface of each block with English and Braille alphabet. To accomplish the game all the 50 blocks should be inserted in their right geographical order.

2: Geographical puzzle game of other countries in the world with similar structure as The one mentioned in claim 1. For example:

a) Geographical Puzzle Game of Mexico: Mexico has 32 states; therefore, Geographical Puzzle Game of Mexico has 32 colorful plastic blocks. Each block represents one state of Mexico, and has same geographical shape, as it's representative state. The structure of the game board will be almost the same as the one in claim 1. That means, inside the national boundary of Mexico is 1 centimeter deeper than outside in order to hold all the 32 states easily and smoothly.

b) Geographical Puzzle Game of Canada: Canada has 10 provinces. Therefore, Geographical Puzzle game of Canada has 10 colorful plastic blocks. Each block represents one province of Canada, and has same geographical shape, as it's representative province. The structure of the game board will be almost the same as the one in claim 1. That means, inside the national boundary of the Canada is 1 cm deeper than outside in order to hold the 10 plastic blocks easily and smoothly.