Physical device applied to playing cards

Abstract

A physical device applied to playing cards comprising a one-piece base card (1) provided with at least one cut or window (2) made in its surface, and characterized by comprising at least one sliding element (3) disposed on a back face of the base card (1), said sliding element (3) being mounted in a displaceable manner with respect to the base card (1) and cooperating functionally with said cut or window (2), such that, depending on the relative position of the sliding element (3) with respect to the base card (1), a different part of the sliding element (3) is visible through the cut or window (2).

Description

PHYSICAL DEVICE APPLIED TO GAMING CARDS Technical field of the invention The invention falls within the technical field of board games and, more specifically, within the field of physical devices applied to playing cards for the visual representation, modification, and management of information associated with game elements. In particular, the invention relates to physical structures integrated into playing cards that allow for the variable display of attributes, states, or values ​​during a game, as well as the organization and partial retention of other cards associated with the player's inventory, without the need for additional external components. From a technical point of view, the invention belongs to the field of interactive physical supports for analog games, aimed at improving the management of variable information directly on the cards, facilitating an immediate, orderly and stable reading of the state of the game and the elements associated with each player. Background of the invention In board games, and particularly in those of a strategic, role-playing, adventure, or exploration nature, players typically have to simultaneously manage multiple attributes, states, or variable values ​​associated with characters, units, or game elements, as well as a set of objects, cards, or resources that make up their inventory during the game. These values ​​and elements often change frequently as a result of actions taken, requiring solutions that allow for clear, fast, and reliable updates of the visible information. In the current state of the art, the management of these attributes and inventory is typically done using loose markers placed on the cards, tokens, or cubes arranged on tracks outside the main deck, handwritten notes on auxiliary sheets, or simply by layering and haphazardly placing cards without any specific means of securing them. These solutions present significant technical drawbacks, as they increase the number of components required, occupy a larger playing area, and are particularly sensitive to accidental displacements that alter the actual state of the game. Furthermore, reading a character's status or a set of game elements is often unintuitive and slow, forcing the player to interpret multiple references scattered across the table. This not only hinders the user experience but also increases the likelihood of errors in managing values, slows the pace of the game, and creates confusion, especially in games with a high density of information or frequent attribute changes. Furthermore, existing solutions do not offer direct physical integration of the means for modifying and displaying information directly onto the playing cards themselves, nor do they provide a structured and stable way to organize the player's inventory while keeping only the relevant portions of the associated cards visible. Therefore, an unsolved technical problem exists: providing a physical device applicable to playing cards that allows for the visible and reliable modification of variable attributes or states, as well as the orderly management of the inventory, reducing the number of external components, minimizing the risk of accidental displacement, and improving the clarity and speed of information readability during gameplay. The present invention arises with the objective of solving this technical problem, providing a solution integrated into the playing cards themselves that improves the stability, organization and visualization of the variable information associated with the game elements. Description of the invention The invention solves the technical problem posed by incorporating a physical device directly applied to playing cards, which integrates into the cards themselves the means necessary for the visible modification of variable information and the orderly management of the elements associated with the game, eliminating the need for external markers or independent auxiliary components. In particular, the invention proposes a base playing card configured in a single piece and provided with a plurality of cuts or windows made in its surface, which cooperate with a plurality of sliding elements arranged on a back face of the card. These sliding elements are configured to move independently of each other, so that, by varying their relative position, they display through the aforementioned cuts or windows different values, states or attributes of the game, allowing the player to immediately modify and view the relevant information directly on the card. Additionally, the invention includes an inventory card, similar in format to a playing card, with multiple slots configured to partially hold other playing cards. These slots allow for the secure insertion of the inventory cards, with only a predetermined portion visible, displaying the relevant information, while the rest remains retained and protected, preventing accidental movement during gameplay. The combination of these essential features allows for the integration of both the dynamic management of attributes or variable states and the structured organization of the player's inventory onto a single physical device. This keeps the playing surface organized and reduces the number of separate elements needed to monitor the game's status. As a result, information is presented clearly, compactly, and in an easily interpretable manner, improving readability and the reliability of value updates during gameplay. Compared to the prior art, the invention offers the advantage of direct physical integration of the modification and display mechanisms into the playing cards themselves. This reduces overall complexity, minimizes errors arising from the handling of separate markers, and improves the stability of the displayed information. Furthermore, the proposed solution is reusable, adaptable to different games and configurations, and can be manufactured using conventional industrial processes, thus increasing its versatility and practical applicability in the board game sector. Throughout the description and claims, the word "comprises" and its variants are not intended to exclude other technical features, additives, components, or steps. For those skilled in the art, other objects, advantages, and features of the invention will become apparent partly from the description and partly from the practice of the invention. The following examples and drawings are provided for illustrative purposes and are not intended to restrict the present invention. Furthermore, the present invention covers all possible combinations of the particular and preferred embodiments indicated herein. Brief description of the figures The following section briefly describes a series of drawings that help to better understand the invention and that are expressly related to an embodiment of said invention which is presented as a non-limiting example thereof. FIG 1. Shows a front view of a preferred embodiment of the physical device applied to playing cards, in which the base card and the plurality of cuts or windows made in its surface can be seen. FIG 2. Shows a rear view of the base card of the device in figure 1, in which the sliding elements arranged on the rear face of the base card can be seen. FIG 3. Shows a perspective view of a sliding element partially displaced from the base chart, illustrating the cooperation of the sliding element with one of the cuts or windows for the display of variable information. FIG 4. Shows a front view of an embodiment of the device further comprising a plurality of slots made in the surface of the base card for the partial accommodation of other playing cards. FIG 5. Shows a front view of a playing card partially housed in one of the slots of the device's base card, with only a portion of the card visible. FIG 6. Shows a rear view of a playing card partially housed in one of the slots of the base card, illustrating the partial retention of the card by the corresponding slot. FIG 7. Shows a view of the reverse of a playing card in use. Exposition of a detailed method of carrying out the invention In a preferred embodiment, the physical device applied to playing cards comprises a one-piece base card (1) made of a rigid or semi-rigid material, such as pressed cardboard, plastic, or any other functionally equivalent material commonly used in the manufacture of components for board games. The base card (1) has dimensions equivalent to those of a conventional playing card, so that it can be easily integrated into the normal course of a game. The base card (1) is provided, on its front surface, with a plurality of cuts or windows (2) made by die-cutting, laser cutting, or other equivalent industrial process. These cuts or windows (2) are preferably arranged in a straight line and separated from each other, although their number, shape, and arrangement may vary depending on the specific needs of the game. Each of the cuts or windows (2) defines an opening through which variable information related to the progress of the game is visible. On the back of the base card (1) are arranged a plurality of sliding elements (3), each configured to move independently of the others. The sliding elements (3) are preferably shaped as elongated, flat, and thin strips, inserted into the base card (1) so that they are held in place but are longitudinally displaceable. To this end, the base card (1) includes internal guiding means that define the path of movement of each sliding element (3), ensuring stable, controlled, and repeatable motion. Each sliding element (3) interacts with at least one of the cuts or windows (2) of the base card (1), such that, depending on the relative position of the sliding element (3), a different portion of its surface is visible through the corresponding cut or window (2). To this end, each sliding element (3) displays along its length a plurality of graphical indications, symbols, numerical values, or equivalent representations, which constitute the game's variable information. Manually moving the sliding element (3) allows for immediate and visible modification of the displayed information, without the need for external markers or additional annotations. In a preferred embodiment, each sliding element (3) is associated with a different cut or window (2), such that each allows independent management of a game attribute, state, or parameter. However, the invention is not limited to this configuration; it is possible for a single sliding element (3) to cooperate with several cuts or windows (2), or for several sliding elements (3) to cooperate with the same cut or window (2), depending on the specific game design. Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment, at least one of the sliding elements (3) is reversible, displaying different information in each of its insertion directions on the base card (1). Thus, the same sliding element (3) can be used for different game configurations simply by removing it and reinserting it in the opposite direction. Accordingly, the sliding elements (3) are preferably removable from the base card (1) and are configured to be reinserted without damaging the device, allowing for their replacement, customization, or reuse in different game contexts. Additionally, in a preferred embodiment, the base card (1) comprises a plurality of slots (4) made in its surface, preferably in an area separate from that occupied by the cuts or windows (2). These slots (4) are configured to partially accommodate other playing cards (5), with said cards (5) being inserted through the slots (4) to a position where only a predetermined portion of each card (5) remains visible. This visible portion may correspond, for example, to a value, icon, or summary information relevant to the player's inventory. The slots (4) are sized and configured to partially retain the stored cards (5), preventing accidental movement during normal use of the device and keeping them stable even if the playing surface shifts. This allows the device to manage the player's inventory in an organized and compact manner directly on the base card (1), without needing to scatter the cards (5) across the table. The set of features described allows for the integration, within a single physical device, of both the visible modification of variable information via sliding elements (3) and cutouts or windows (2), and the structured inventory management via slots (4), significantly improving visual clarity, reducing the number of auxiliary components, and minimizing errors resulting from accidental displacements. The invention is susceptible to multiple constructive variations within the scope of the claims, without departing from the defined inventive concept. Therefore, in alternative implementations, the dimensions, geometry, and relative arrangement of the cuts or windows in the base map and the cooperating sliding elements can vary depending on the specific needs of the game, the type of information to be displayed, or graphic design criteria, without altering the device's operating principle. Specifically, the cuts or windows can be rectangular, circular, elliptical, or polygonal, and the sliding elements can have different lengths, widths, and graphic configurations, provided they allow for the selective display of variable information through their relative displacement with respect to the base map.Likewise, the guiding means that define the displacement path of the sliding elements can be materialized by means of channels, slots, flaps, superimposed layers or any other structural configuration that guarantees a stable, controlled and repeatable movement during normal use of the device. Similarly, the function of visibly modifying attributes or variable states and the inventory management function can be implemented together on a single base card or, alternatively, on separate cards that cooperate with each other within the same game system. In this respect, the invention contemplates both embodiments in which a single card simultaneously integrates the cuts or windows with sliding elements and the inventory slots, and embodiments in which these functions are distributed across separate cards, always maintaining the physical integration of the display and retention means directly into the game media, without resorting to additional external components. Furthermore, although in the described embodiments the information displayed through the cuts or windows and the visible portions of the cards held in the slots primarily corresponds to numerical values, symbols, or icons representing attributes or resources of the game, this information can take any suitable graphic form, including color codes, graduated scales, pictograms, or other equivalent visual representations. The invention is equally applicable to different types of board games, whether recreational, educational, or training-related, and is not limited to a specific set of rules, themes, or game mechanics, being adaptable to multiple contexts without deviating from the defined inventive concept.

Claims

1. A physical device applied to playing cards comprising a one-piece base card (1) with at least one cut or window (2) in its surface, and characterized by comprising at least one sliding element (3) arranged on a back face of the base card (1), said sliding element (3) being mounted movably with respect to the base card (1) and cooperating functionally with said cut or window (2), such that, depending on the relative position of the sliding element (3) with respect to the base card (1), a different part of the sliding element (3) is visible through the cut or window (2).

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein the base card (1) comprises a plurality of cuts or windows (2) and a plurality of sliding elements (3), each sliding element (3) being mounted movably with respect to the base card (1). 3.A device according to claim 2, wherein each sliding element (3) is superimposed on a different cut or window (2) in the base card (1).

4. A device according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the base card (1) comprises guiding means that define the displacement path of the sliding element(s) (3).

5. A device according to any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the sliding element(s) (3) have, along their surface, a plurality of graphic indications, symbols, or numerical values ​​selectively visible through the cut or window (2).

6. A device according to any of claims 1 to 5, wherein at least one of the sliding elements (3) is removable from the base card (1) and reinsertable therein. 7.A device according to claim 6, wherein said sliding element (3) has different graphic markings, symbols, or numerical values ​​in each of its directions of insertion into the base card (1).

8. A device according to any of claims 1 to 7, wherein the base card (1) further comprises a plurality of slots (4) made in its surface, said slots (4) being configured for the partial accommodation of other playing cards (5), such that, once inserted, only a predetermined portion of each playing card (5) remains visible.

9. A device according to claim 8, wherein the slots (4) are sized to retain the accommodated playing cards (5) against accidental displacement during normal use of the device. 10.Device according to any of claims 1 to 9 wherein the base card (1) and the sliding element or elements (3) are made of cardboard, plastic material or a functionally equivalent material.