Stacking game tool

Abstract

To provide a stacking game tool that can continuously provide players with high-level stimulation and a feeling of tension even when players play the game several times and can continuously be used for a long term as effective training for the brain.SOLUTION: From an assembly 2 of pieces 3 including an arc surface 3a projecting upward and an arc surface 3b projecting downward in a cross-sectional view and formed into a flat outer shell body of which vertical height H is smaller than a lateral width W, a player picks up a piece 3 one by one using a pair of chopsticks 9, opposes the arc surface 3a projecting upward of a piece 3 disposed on a lower side to the arc surface 3b projecting downward of a piece 3 disposed on an upper side, places and stacks the piece 3 on the piece 3 disposed on the lower side while considering the horizontal weight balance of the piece 3 disposed on the upper side, and stacks a piece 3 sequentially in the same manner.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] To provide a stacking game device, and more particularly to a stacking game device which can provide a player with a high level of stimulation and tension even when played many times and can be used continuously for a long period of time, and is more effective for training the brain. [Background technology]

[0002] As medical advances have extended people's life spans, the issue of dementia resulting from the deterioration of brain function in the elderly has come into focus. Medical experts say that just as human muscles gradually grow and improve physical strength when trained through regular exercise, the function of the brain can also be improved by regular training.

[0003] In the past, a method of training brain functions in this way has been proposed that involves having fun with toys (play equipment) (see Patent Document 1). The play equipment proposed in Patent Document 1 is designed to allow players to stack multiple ice cream balls one after another, with multiple plastic balls provided with indentations that differ in diameter, depth, direction, etc., and balls are stacked one after another by fitting the spherical surfaces of other balls into the indentations.

[0004] In this toy, even if the combination of the spherical surface and the recessed portion is loosely fitted, the ball rarely falls out. Therefore, the player does not feel very tense while playing, so the brain is not stimulated very much. Therefore, after playing a certain number of times, the player becomes bored and stops playing continuously, so there is a concern that the brain function cannot be improved. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2022-72907 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] To provide a stacking game device which can give a player a high level of stimulation and tension even when the game is played many times, and which can be used continuously for a long period of time and is more effective for training the brain. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The stacking play device of the present invention, which achieves the above-mentioned object, comprises an assembly of pieces which have an upwardly protruding arc surface and a downwardly protruding arc surface when viewed in cross section, and which are formed into a flattened outer shell whose vertical height H is smaller than its width W, and which is configured so that the pieces are removed one by one from the assembly and the pieces are stacked in sequence by opposing the upwardly protruding arc surface of the piece located lower to the downwardly protruding arc surface of the piece located upper. Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to the present invention, the pieces are stacked one after another with the arcuate surfaces facing each other vertically in a cross-sectional view of the flat shell body, so that if the horizontal weight balance of the pieces to be stacked is not skillfully maintained, the stacking will fail and the pieces will easily fall off. Therefore, compared to conventional stacking play equipment, the player's sense of tension during play is improved, and the stimulating effect on the brain can be increased. As such, since the stacking game has a suitable degree of difficulty, the player will not get bored even if he plays it many times. Therefore, the present invention can continue to give the player a high level of stimulation and tension, and can be used as a more effective means for training the brain that can be used continuously for a long period of time. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a stacking play device of the present invention. [Diagram 2] 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the piece of FIG. 1 in a plan view. [Diagram 3]2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the piece of FIG. 1 as viewed from the side. FIG. [Figure 4] 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the piece of FIG. 1 as viewed from the front. FIG. [Diagram 5] 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 2. [Figure 6] 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a state in which the divided bodies in FIG. 5 are joined together to form pieces. FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a game of stacking pieces. [Figure 8] 13 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an internal structure of a modified example of the piece in a plan view. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A stacking play device according to the present invention will now be described

[0011] The embodiment of the stacking play equipment 1 illustrated in Fig. 1 includes an assembly 2 of pieces 3. There may be more than one piece 3, but the stacking play equipment 1 is configured with an assembly 2 of, for example, 3 to 20 pieces 3, preferably 6 to 18 pieces 3, and more preferably 10 to 15 pieces 3, as one unit. Each piece 3 can be stacked upside down.

[0012] In this embodiment, the stacking play apparatus 1 further includes a seat plate 8 and a pair of chopsticks 9. The seat plate 8 and the pair of chopsticks 9 are not essential components and can be provided as an optional feature.

[0013] 2 to 4, each piece 3 is formed into a flat shell body with a vertical height H smaller than a horizontal width W. In Fig. 2, a dashed line CL is a center line passing through the widthwise center of piece 3, and a dashed line ML is a center line passing through the longitudinal center of piece 3. An intersection G of dashed lines CL and ML is the centroid of piece 3 in a plan view.

[0014] The pieces 3 are formed from, for example, various known resins, rubber, elastomers, wood, etc. When the pieces 3 are manufactured by injection molding, various known injectable resins, such as polypropylene, are used.

[0015] The pieces 3 are of a size that can be easily handled by hand on a table or the like. The vertical height H of the pieces 3 is, for example, 5 mm to 30 mm, and preferably about 10 mm to 20 mm. The width W (maximum width) is, for example, 10 mm to 40 mm, and preferably 15 mm to 30 mm. The length L of the pieces 3 is, for example, 20 mm to 50 mm, and preferably 30 mm to 40 mm.

[0016] In this embodiment, a large number of small protrusions 6 extend from the surface of the flattened outer shell, and the pieces 3 are shaped to resemble the outer shells of peanuts. Therefore, the longitudinal center of the pieces 3 has a smaller diameter than both longitudinal ends. The small protrusions 6 act as a means for preventing lateral slippage between the pieces 3 when stacking the pieces 3. In this embodiment, the pieces 3 are shaped in plan view as being point-symmetrical about their centroid G, and the center of gravity of the pieces 3 is located at the centroid G.

[0017] Openings 3c are formed at both longitudinal ends of the piece 3. Therefore, the inside and outside of the piece 3 are in communication with each other through the openings 3c. The pair of openings 3c that allow the internal space of the piece 3 to penetrate from one end to the other end are provided to prevent choking if a player or the like accidentally swallows the piece 3.

[0018] As shown in Fig. 5, the piece 3 has an arcuate surface 3a that protrudes upward and an arcuate surface 3b that protrudes downward in a cross-sectional view. As shown in Fig. 6, the piece 3 has fitting portions 5a, 5b that protrude from the inside of each of the divided bodies 4A, 4B, which are made of resin and have the same structure, arranged one above the other. One fitting portion 5a is a columnar body, and the other fitting portion 5b is a cylindrical body. By inserting one fitting portion 5a into the other fitting portion 5b, the opposing fitting portions 5a, 5b are fitted together, and the divided bodies 4A, 4B are joined together to form a single integrated piece 3.

[0019] The flattening ratio H / W of the vertical height H of the piece 3 to the horizontal width W is, for example, 0.4 or more and 0.8 or less. The vertical height H and the horizontal width W are dimensions that do not include the microprotrusions 6. The protruding height h of the microprotrusions 6 from the surface of the flattened outer shell is, for example, 0.3 mm or more and 1.0 mm or less.

[0020] In this embodiment, the piece 3 is shaped like a peanut, but various shapes can be adopted as long as it has an arcuate surface 3a protruding upward and an arcuate surface 3b protruding downward in a cross-sectional view. For example, a shape imitating an almond (rugby ball shape), a shape imitating a soybean pod, a flattened cylindrical shape, etc. can be adopted.

[0021] In this embodiment, the pieces 3 have microprotrusions 6 on the surface of the flat shell body, but the pieces 3 may also be designed to have no microprotrusions 6. The microprotrusions 6 may be intermittently extending linear or dot-like. For example, the pieces 3 may have dot-like microprotrusions 6 scattered on the surface of the flat shell body, or the pieces 3 may have linear and dot-like microprotrusions 6 on the surface of the flat shell body.

[0022] The seat plate 8 is a component that stably holds one piece 3 in a horizontally placed state. A hole (recess) shaped according to the outer shape of the piece 3 is formed in the seat plate 8, and the piece 3 fits into this hole (recess) so that it is stably held by the seat plate 8.

[0023] The pair of chopsticks 9 is used to hold and transport the pieces 3. The pair of chopsticks 9 may be general-purpose products, for example, disposable chopsticks. In this embodiment, non-slip parts 9a are detachably attached to the tips of the pair of chopsticks 9. The surface of the non-slip part 9a has a larger static friction coefficient than the surface of the chopsticks 9, and the non-slip part 9a may be, for example, a cap made of rubber, soft resin, or elastomer.

[0024] Next, a method of playing with this stacking play device 1 will be described.

[0025] When using a seat plate 8 as shown in the example of Fig. 7, pieces 3 are stacked one after another on the seat plate 8 in a horizontal state. In more detail, first, the seat plate 8 is placed on a table or the like. Next, the first piece 3 is taken out of the assembly 2 using a pair of chopsticks 9. Then, the first piece 3 is placed on its side so that it fits into the hole (recess) of the seat plate 8.

[0026] Next, the second piece 3 is taken out from the assembly 2 using a pair of chopsticks 9. The second piece 3 is then placed on top of the first piece 3 in a sideways state and stacked. That is, the second piece 3 is placed on top of the first piece 3 with the upwardly protruding arc surface 3a of the first piece 3 arranged on the lower side facing the downwardly protruding arc surface 3b of the second piece 3 arranged on the upper side. Similarly, the third piece 3 is taken out from the assembly 2 using a pair of chopsticks 9 and placed on top of the second piece 3 in a sideways state and stacked. Thereafter, the pieces 3 taken out one by one from the assembly 2 are stacked in sequence in the same manner.

[0027] The pieces 3 may be stacked not only so that the longitudinal directions of the pieces 3 are parallel to each other as shown in Fig. 7, but also so that the longitudinal directions of the upper and lower pieces 3 intersect (orthogonal) and the pieces 3 are abutted at their longitudinal center portions. Alternatively, the pieces 3 may be stacked in a mixture of a method of stacking the pieces 3 so that the longitudinal directions are parallel to each other and a method of stacking the pieces 3 so that the longitudinal directions intersect.

[0028] When stacking the pieces 3, the curved surfaces of the upwardly protruding arcuate surface 3a of the piece 3 placed below and the downwardly protruding arcuate surface 3b of the piece 3 placed above come into contact with each other, so it is necessary to stack the pieces 3 while checking the horizontal weight balance of the piece 3 on the side to be stacked (upper side).

[0029] In other words, unless the horizontal weight balance of the pieces 3 being stacked is skillfully maintained, stacking will fail and the pieces 3 will easily fall off. Therefore, according to this stacking play equipment 1, the player's sense of tension during play is increased compared to conventional stacking play equipment, and the stimulating effect on the brain can be increased.

[0030] The pieces 3 are flat with arcuate surfaces 3a and 3b on their surfaces, allowing them to sway, but they do not roll like a sphere or a simple cylinder. On the other hand, they are not completely immobile like a flat plate with a flat surface. Therefore, stacking the pieces 3 is quite difficult, so players will not get bored even if they play multiple times. This stacking game device 1 can therefore provide players with a high level of stimulation and tension, making it an effective means of training the brain.

[0031] If the aspect ratio H / W of the piece 3 is smaller than 0.4, the surface of the flat shell body is shaped like a flat plate, so the instability when stacked is reduced and the stimulating effect on the player's brain is reduced. On the other hand, if the aspect ratio H / W is larger than 0.8, the surface of the flat shell body is shaped like a cylinder or sphere, so the instability when stacked increases and the difficulty increases significantly. Therefore, it is preferable that the aspect ratio H / W is 0.4 or more and 0.8 or less.

[0032] If the protruding height h is less than 0.3 mm, the micro-protrusions 6 of the upper and lower pieces 3 will not hook together as well, reducing the anti-slip effect of the pieces 3. On the other hand, if the protruding height h is greater than 1.0 mm, it is effective in preventing skidding, but may destabilize the contact between the pieces 3. Therefore, it is preferable that the protruding height h be 0.3 mm or more and 1.0 mm or less.

[0033] As in this embodiment, the shape of the pieces 3 in plan view is point-symmetrical about the centroid G, and if the center of gravity of the pieces 3 is located at this centroid G, it becomes easier to maintain the weight balance in the horizontal direction when stacking the pieces 3, and it becomes easier to stack the pieces 3 stably. This makes it possible to avoid giving the impression of excessive difficulty to players who are not familiar with this stacking game device 1.

[0034] When the seat plate 8 is not used, the first piece 3 is placed directly on a table or the like in a horizontal state. When the seat plate 8 is not used, the first piece 3 is placed less stable than when the seat plate 8 is used, so it becomes more difficult to stack the pieces 3.

[0035] When the pair of chopsticks 9 is not used, each piece 3 is picked up with the fingertips and stacked sideways in order. When the pair of chopsticks 9 is used, the difficulty level is higher than when the pieces 3 are stacked with the fingertips without using the pair of chopsticks 9. When the pair of chopsticks 9 is used, the stacking plaything 1 can also be used for training chopstick usage.

[0036] It is also possible to stack the pieces 3 using a pair of chopsticks 9 that do not have the non-slip parts 9a. When the pair of chopsticks 9 does not have the non-slip parts 9a, it is more difficult to stack the pieces 3 than when the pair of chopsticks 9 has the non-slip parts 9a.

[0037] In this way, the difficulty of stacking the pieces 3 can be changed depending on the presence or absence of the seat plate 8, the pair of chopsticks 9, and the non-slip portion 9a. Therefore, by changing the presence or absence of these depending on the skill of the player, the difficulty level can be set to suit the skill of the player, which is advantageous in providing the player with a high level of stimulation and tension.

[0038] In this embodiment, all pieces 3 of the assembly 2 have the same specifications, but pieces 3 of different specifications can also be mixed in the assembly 2. Examples of specifications that can be made different include weight, size, and center of gravity position. Thus, pieces 3 that differ only in weight can be mixed, pieces 3 that differ only in size can be mixed, pieces 3 that differ only in center of gravity position can be mixed, or pieces 3 with two or three different types of these specifications can be mixed.

[0039] When pieces 3 of different specifications are mixed in the collection 2, it is advisable to color-code each piece 3 of the same specification with a different color. For example, in the case of a collection 2 having two types of pieces 3 that differ only in weight (light pieces 3 and heavy pieces 3), the light pieces 3 and the heavy pieces 3 are different colors, so that it is possible to distinguish at a glance whether a piece 3 is a light piece 3 or a heavy piece 3. Therefore, depending on the stacking state of the pieces 3, the player can select pieces 3 of the desired weight and stack them, which is advantageous in increasing the enjoyment of the stacking game.

[0040] As shown in Fig. 8, the piece 3 may be designed to house a weight 7 that moves freely inside the flat outer shell. The weight 7 may be made of various known metals, resins, rubbers, elastomers, wood, etc. The shape of the weight 7 is not particularly limited, but the weight 7 may be of a shape and size that does not protrude from the flat outer shell (piece 3) through the opening 3c, and for example, a spherical weight 7 may be used. In the piece 3 in which the weight 7 is housed inside the flat outer shell, the weight 7 moves freely inside the flat outer shell depending on the position of the piece 3, and the position of the center of gravity of the piece 3 changes.

[0041] Therefore, if the pieces 3 contain weights 7 as shown in Fig. 8, the difficulty of stacking the pieces 3 will basically increase. As a result, it is advantageous for providing highly skilled players with a high level of stimulation and tension. Also, it is convenient because the difficulty of stacking the pieces 3 can be changed simply by adjusting the size and weight of the weights 7.

[0042] The present invention is effective for activating the brains of the elderly, but can be widely used by people other than the elderly. For example, when a young person who is still growing uses this stacking plaything 1, it is useful not only for activating the brain, but also for training the delicate movements of the fingertips and for training to improve concentration. In addition, since the difficulty level of this stacking plaything 1 can be easily changed by changing the specifications, it can be used effectively when used for functional recovery training after cerebral infarction, as the training can be set according to the user's condition.

[0043] The present disclosure includes the following inventions. Invention 1: A stacking play device comprising an assembly of pieces formed into a flattened outer shell having an upwardly protruding arc surface and a downwardly protruding arc surface in cross section, and whose vertical height H is smaller than its width W, wherein the pieces are removed one by one from the assembly and the pieces are stacked in sequence by opposing the upwardly protruding arc surface of the piece located lower to the downwardly protruding arc surface of the piece located upper. Invention 2: The stacking play equipment according to Invention 1, wherein the flattening ratio H / W of the vertical height H of the piece to the horizontal width W is 0.4 to 0.8. Invention 3: A stacking play equipment as described in Invention 1 or 2, in which a large number of linear micro-protrusions extend from the surface of the flat outer shell body and / or a large number of dot-like micro-protrusions are scattered on the surface. Invention 4: The stacking play equipment according to Invention 3, wherein the protrusion height of the minute protrusions from the surface of the flat outer shell is 0.3 mm to 1.0 mm. Invention 5: A stacking play equipment according to any one of Inventions 1 to 4, wherein the shape of the piece in plan view is a point-symmetric shape centered on its centroid, and the center of gravity of the piece is located at the centroid. Invention 6: A stacking play equipment according to any one of Inventions 1 to 5, having a seat plate for seating and fixing the piece arranged at the bottom. Invention 7: A stacking play equipment according to any one of Inventions 1 to 6, further comprising a pair of chopsticks for holding and transporting the pieces. Invention 8: A stacking toy as described in Invention 7, in which anti-slip parts are removably attached to the tips of the pair of chopsticks. Invention 9: A stacking play equipment according to any one of Inventions 1 to 8, wherein a weight that floats within the flat outer shell is housed within the flat outer shell. Invention 10: A stacking play device as described in any one of Inventions 1 to 9, wherein the assembly contains a mixture of pieces with different specifications, and each piece with the same specifications is color-coded by being a different color. [Explanation of symbols]

[0044] 1 Stacking play equipment 2 Aggregate 3 pieces 3a, 3b arc surface 3c aperture 4A, 4B split body 5a, 5b mating part 6 Microprotrusions 7 Pyramid 8 Seat board 9 Chopsticks 9a Anti-slip part

Claims

1. The stacking play device comprises an assembly of pieces formed into a flat outer shell having an upwardly protruding arc surface and a downwardly protruding arc surface in cross section, and a vertical height H smaller than a horizontal width W, and is configured so that the pieces are taken out one by one from the assembly and the pieces are stacked in order by opposing the upwardly protruding arc surface of the piece arranged on the lower side to the downwardly protruding arc surface of the piece arranged on the upper side.

2. 2. The stacking play equipment according to claim 1, wherein a flattening ratio H / W of a vertical height H of said piece to a horizontal width W of said piece is 0.4 or more and 0.8 or less.

3. 3. A stacking play equipment according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a large number of linear small protrusions extend on the surface of said flat outer shell body, and / or a large number of dot-like small protrusions are scattered on the surface of said flat outer shell body.

4. 4. The stacking play equipment according to claim 3, wherein the height of said minute projections from the surface of said flat outer shell is 0.3 mm or more and 1.0 mm or less.

5. 3. The stacking play equipment according to claim 1, wherein the shape of said piece in a plan view is point-symmetrical about its centroid, and the center of gravity of said piece is located at said centroid.

6. 3. A stacking play device according to claim 1, further comprising a seat plate for seating and fixing the piece located at the bottom.

7. 3. A stacking plaything according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a pair of chopsticks for holding and transporting said pieces.

8. 8. A stacking toy according to claim 7, wherein anti-slip parts are detachably attached to the tips of said pair of chopsticks.

9. 3. A stacking plaything according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a weight that floats within said flat outer shell is housed within said flat outer shell.

10. 3. The stacking play equipment according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the pieces in the assembly have different specifications, and the pieces of the same specifications are color-coded by different colors.

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