If you are like me, you may have a ton of good ideas, and no clue what to do with them. Well, when Hasbro gets good ideas, they patent them. If you have never been so bored as to browse through the United States Patent and Trademark Office's website then let me be your guide to the wonderful world of Patents. This week the USPTO is proud to announce online videos about potatoes.
Anyway, Hasbro's inventors have, of course, patented the Attacktix System. If you have never created a patent then you have no idea how much verbiage is required to seal the deal. I will walk you through some of the highlights to what makes a patent.
The Title
Action figure game piece and method of playing action figure game
The Title of the design must identify the article in which the design is embodied by the name generally known and used by the public. Marketing designations are improper as titles and should not be used. A title descriptive of the actual article aids the examiner in developing a complete field of search of the prior art. It further aids in the proper assignment of new applications to the appropriate class, subclass, and patent examiner, as well as the proper classification of the patent upon allowance of the application. It also helps the public in understanding the nature and use of the article embodying the design after the patent has been published. Thus, applicants are encouraged to provide a specific and descriptive title.
Okay, that's the one and ONLY decription I am copying from the USPTO site. You can not believe how long these descriptions are. To educate yourself, see How to Get a Patent.
The Abstract
This is basically a brief summary of the proposed idea. And in this process, brief is good.
An action figure game piece is disclosed. The game piece comprises a game figure character adapted for movement a distance over a surface and a mechanism for indicating the distance of movement over the surface. A method of playing an action figure game on the surface is also disclosed. The method comprises providing for each player a plurality of the game pieces, each game piece having an indicium indicating a point value, a mechanism for indicating a distance the game piece has moved over the surface, and a mechanism for attacking an opponent player's game pieces. The method also comprises selecting for each player a group of the game pieces having point values summing to a predetermined value and selecting a number of actions each player can take per player's turn. An action comprises either a move, comprising moving a game piece a distance up to the particular game piece's point value, or an attack, comprising actuation of the particular game piece's attacking mechanism. Players alternate taking turns, selectively making a move or an attack, until the game is determined to have ended.
The Claims
Here are just a few of the claims that this product is unique and original. Don't worry. If you want to read the whole thing the links are below.
36: A method of playing an action figure game on a surface, the method comprising: providing for each player a plurality of game pieces, each game piece having an indicium indicating a point value, a distance measuring device for indicating a distance the game piece has moved over the surface, and a weapon for attacking an opponent's game pieces, wherein each of the plurality of game pieces includes at least one game piece having a close-acting weapon and at least one game piece having a distance-acting weapon; selecting for each player a group of the game pieces having point values summing to a predetermined value; selecting a number of actions each player can take per player's turn, an action comprising either a move, comprising moving a game piece a distance up to the particular game piece's point value, or an attack, comprising actuation of the particular game piece's weapon; and removing a game piece from the game if the game piece is determined to have been killed by an attack, wherein the players alternate taking turns, selectively making a move or an attack, until the game is determined to have ended.
37: The method of claim 36 wherein at least one of each game piece in each of the plurality of game pieces includes means a reward indicator for randomly providing the player with a reward if that particular game piece is killed.
38: The method of claim 36 wherein a game piece is killed if the game piece is knocked over by an attack.
...
41: The method of claim 36 wherein each player may take up to a predetermined number of actions per turn.
42: The method of claim 41 wherein the number of actions per turn is three.
43: The method of claim 41 wherein each player can take no more than two actions or moves per turn.
...
51: The method of claim 45, comprising: alternately displaying and shielding special character indicia of the game pieces as the game pieces move across the surface; and providing a player with a game award in accordance with the special character indicia of the game piece if the special character indicia are displayed when the game piece is killed.
The Description
This part couldn't be any clearer. Well, not until you start to read through it. I never realized how many lawyers it takes to make a toy. Again, I chopped it up here, see the links at the bottom for the whole thing.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] Action figure games typically require game boards for play. This can make the portability of the game more difficult.
[0002] The present invention is provided to solve this and other problems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0003] It is an object of the invention to provide an action figure game piece.
[0004] In accordance with the invention, the game piece comprises a game figure character adapted for movement a distance over a surface and means for indicating the distance of movement over the surface.
[0005] It is contemplated that the distance indicating means provides an audible and/or visual indication of the distance. In particular, the distance indicating means may comprise an axle, a wheel fixedly secured to the axle and adapted for rotary engagement with the surface, to rotate the axle upon movement of the game piece over the surface, and means for indicating progressive rotation of the axle.
[0006] It is further contemplated that the game piece includes means for attacking another game piece. The attacking means may comprise a means for launching a projectile. Alternatively, the attacking means may comprise a spring, a striking portion, and means for permitting rotation of the striking portion of the game piece in a first direction relative to the spring to bias the striking portion, such that the striking portion will rotate in a second, opposite direction upon release.
...
[0011] It is still further contemplated that the plurality of game pieces includes at least one game piece having a close-acting attacking means and at least one game piece having a distance-acting attacking means.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] FIG. 1 is a perspective of one embodiment of an action figure in accordance with the invention;
[0014] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the action figure of FIG. 1;
[0015] FIG. 3 is a plan view of a base portion of the action figure of FIG. 1;
[0016] FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3;
[0017] FIG. 5 is a view of one side of the base portion of FIG. 3;
[0018] FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 3;
[0019] FIG. 7 is a view of another side of the base portion of FIG. 3;
[0020] FIG. 8 is a perspective of a second embodiment of an action figure in accordance with the invention; and
[0021] FIG. 9 is an exploded view of the action figure of FIG. 8.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0022] A first embodiment of an action figure game piece 10 is illustrated in FIGS. 1-7. The game piece 10 comprises a game figure character 12 and a base portion 14. The base portion 14 is adapted for movement a distance over a surface, such as a table top, not shown. The game piece 10 includes a mechanism, described below, disposed within the base portion 14 for audibly and visually (such as for the hearing impaired) indicating the distance of movement of the game piece 10 over the surface. The game piece 10 further includes a mechanism, also described below, for attacking another game piece.
[0023] As shown in FIGS. 2, 4 and 6, the mechanism for audibly indicating the distance of movement comprises an axle 318, a wheel 20 fixedly secured to the axle 18 and adapted for rotary engagement with the surface to rotate the axle 18 upon movement of the game piece 10 over the surface. The mechanism further includes a pinion gear 24 fixedly secured to the axle 18 and including a plurality of teeth 26. one of the teeth 26 has a tooth extension 26a. A clicker 28 has a first end 28a secured to the base portion 14 and a second end 28b engaging the pinion gear 24. Rotation of the wheel 20 as the game piece 10 is moved over the surface rotates the tooth extension 26a against the clicker second end 28b, providing an audible clicking sound once per revolution of the axle 18.
In Conclusion
I'm not sure if this really helps anyone. But is was a very neat find, and it gives you some insight into how the game was inspired and designed. You can see some of the original ideas, like moves per turn, and must have a striker AND a shooter on each team. Below are the links I promised, including pictures.
Complete Patent Application
Images
Complete Applicatin & Image PDF (Thanks Steve)
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