A three-dimensional game piece and board system that allows players to understand the orientation, faction, movement directions, and state changes of board game pieces through tactile information.

Abstract

This invention provides a game tool that allows users to intuitively understand the orientation, faction, movement directions, and state changes of board game pieces, including promotion, solely through touch, without relying on sight, and that allows the board configuration to be changed according to educational purposes. [Solution] The three-dimensional game pieces are composed of a body, detachable legs and a cap, and the body is designed to be held in a predetermined orientation on the board, while the arrangement of the legs tactilely indicates the direction of movement. The caps have different three-dimensional shapes to allow tactile identification of factions, and the crown shape, if necessary, tactilely indicates changes in the game state, including promoted pieces. Furthermore, the game board system is equipped with board units that can be attached and detached in units of one square, allowing the board configuration to be changed, and grooves are provided to prevent the three-dimensional pieces from moving around on the board.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to pieces and boards for board games, and more particularly to three-dimensional solid pieces that enable understanding of the orientation, faction, movement direction, and state changes of the pieces by touch alone without relying on vision, and a board system used in combination with such solid pieces.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, as tools for visually impaired people to enjoy board games, tools have been proposed that fix pieces on the board surface and enable identification of the type, front and back, and orientation of the pieces by touch or braille. These are configured so that in board games such as shogi, the pieces are inserted into insertion holes on the board surface and the piece arrangement does not collapse even when touched by hand.

[0003] However, these conventional technologies mainly rely on reading braille or symbols for piece identification, and it was difficult to intuitively grasp the enemy / ally relationship and orientation at the moment of touching the piece. In addition, an operation of accurately inserting into the insertion hole was required, which was a structure difficult to handle especially for infants and beginners.

[0004] Furthermore, the conventional technologies assume users who already understand the rules of shogi and the movement of each piece, and it was difficult to tactilely understand the movable directions of the pieces and the relationships in the game situation. Therefore, it was not sufficient as an educational tool for visually impaired people and infants who do not know shogi.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005] In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-253499, a shogi tool has been proposed in which insertion holes are provided on the board, pieces are inserted and arranged, and braille is provided on the pieces.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] The present invention aims to provide a game tool that allows users, including those with visual impairments, to understand the orientation of pieces, possible movement directions, and changes in positions and states solely through touch, without relying on sight, even if they have no prior knowledge of board games, and that is also suitable for educational purposes. Furthermore, the present invention aims to provide a board game tool that allows users to intuitively understand the game through tactile sensation by imbuing meaning into the three-dimensional structure of the pieces and board itself. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The three-dimensional game piece according to the present invention is constructed as a three-dimensional solid shape for use in board games, and the three-dimensional piece consists of a body, legs that are detachably attached to the body, and a cap provided on the upper part of the body.

[0008] The body of the piece has a structure that maintains a predetermined orientation regardless of whether it is placed on the board facing the opponent or the player, allowing the user to instantly grasp the direction of the piece's movement by touch alone. The body may also have a structure that maintains a predetermined orientation on the board through the shape of its underside, the placement of its center of gravity, engaging protrusions, or groove structures.

[0009] The legs are positioned around the body and are elevated above the ground. This allows the user to intuitively understand the possible directions of movement of the piece by tactilely recognizing the position of the legs. The legs are positioned relative to the body by an engagement structure, preventing misalignment during use. The number, length, and position of the legs can be arbitrarily set according to the type of piece or the game content.

[0010] The hats are composed of multiple types, each with a different three-dimensional shape, allowing players to distinguish between one side and the other solely by touch. By changing the hat when acquiring a piece, the change in side can be clearly indicated tactilely.

[0011] Furthermore, in this invention, the cap portion corresponding to a specific piece may be configured to be crown-shaped. In this case, the state in which the crown-shaped cap portion is attached makes it possible to grasp changes in the game state, including promoted pieces, win / loss conditions, ability changes, or the assignment of special roles, solely by touch, without relying on sight.

[0012] The present invention includes a board system, used in combination with the three-dimensional chess pieces, consisting of board units that can be attached and detached in units of one square. The board units are configured to be interlocking with each other, allowing the user to arbitrarily change the board configuration. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to the present invention, understanding is achieved through tactile perception based on the three-dimensional structure and physical arrangement, without relying on memorization of the placement and movement of pieces or prior learning of rules, as in the conventional method. This allows the user to intuitively grasp the orientation, camp, possible movement directions, and state changes of the pieces simply by holding them, without relying on their vision.

[0014] Furthermore, by allowing users to freely change the board configuration, even users without prior knowledge of shogi can gradually deepen their understanding starting with a small configuration, resulting in a high educational effect. This invention induces tactile perception based on a three-dimensional structure and physical arrangement, ensuring understanding regardless of the user's prior knowledge of shogi. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0015] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a three-dimensional game piece according to the present invention. Figure 2 is an exploded view of a three-dimensional chess piece, illustrating the structure of the body, legs, and cap, as well as their interlocking mechanisms. Figure 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the replacement state of the hat portion and its educational use. Figure 4 is a perspective view of the control panel unit according to the present invention. Figure 5 is an explanatory diagram showing panel units and examples of panel configurations combining them. Figure 6 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a modified configuration using a control panel unit.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0016] The three-dimensional solid piece according to the present invention includes a body part, leg parts, and a hat part. The body part has a three-dimensional shape that is easy to grip and maintains a predetermined direction when placed on the board.

[0017] The leg parts have a tactile arrangement indicating the movable direction, are arranged floating above the ground, and are positioned and fixed to the body part by an engagement structure.

[0018] The hat part has a three-dimensional shape for identifying the camp and is replaceable. By adopting a crown shape for a specific piece, the state related to the winning or losing condition can be presented tactilely.

[0019] The board system is composed of board units in units of one square and can be expanded step by step according to the user's level of understanding.

Example

[0020] In this example, an example of applying the present invention to shogi will be described. The three-dimensional piece for shogi according to this example has a three-dimensional structure including a body part, leg parts, and a hat part. The body part has a three-dimensional shape that is easy for the user to grip and has a structure that maintains a predetermined orientation regardless of whether it is placed in the enemy's or one's own direction when placed on the board. Thereby, the user can immediately grasp the advancing direction of one's own piece only by touch. The leg parts are arranged around the body part, and the arrangement of each leg tactilely indicates the movable direction of the piece. The leg parts are configured to float slightly above the ground and are configured to be easily touched. Also, the body part and the leg parts are coupled by an engagement structure to prevent the leg parts from shifting during operation. The hat part is detachably provided on the upper part of the body part, and a plurality of types having different three-dimensional shapes are prepared. By wearing a round hat part on one side and a triangular hat part on the other side, the user can immediately distinguish between the enemy and the ally only by touch. When a piece is acquired, by replacing it with the hat part corresponding to the side that acquired it, the change in the camp can be clearly shown tactilely. Furthermore, in this embodiment, a crown-shaped hat part is provided as at least a part of the hat part. The three-dimensional piece with the crown-shaped hat part is configured to indicate a change in the state during the game, victory or defeat conditions, ability change, or special role including a promoted piece different from other pieces, and the user can understand that the piece has a target or special role during the game by touching the crown shape. By making the crown-shaped hat part detachable, the state change accompanying the progress of the game can be displayed tactilely. The board system according to this embodiment is composed of board units that are detachable in one-square units. Each board unit is configured to be engageable with each other, and the user can form a board surface by arbitrarily combining them. As a result, it is also possible to start with a small-scale configuration of about three squares, gradually increase the number of squares, form a deformed board surface, or a board surface having a gap in part. Each board unit is provided with a groove part, and when a three-dimensional piece is placed, the piece is configured to be difficult to move around by the groove part. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the piece from moving inadvertently during the tactile inspection, and stable games and learning that do not depend on vision become possible. Thus, according to this embodiment, even a user who does not have knowledge of shogi, an infant, or a visually impaired person can learn shogi step by step while understanding the direction, camp, movable direction, and target or special role during the game of the piece only by touch without relying on explanations. Note that the present invention is not limited to shogi, and can also be applied to uses for expressing the roles, movement rules, or states of each piece as a three-dimensional structure in chess, checkers, othello, and other board games.

Industrial Applicability

[0021] This invention can be used as a board game tool, a household toy, an educational material, an assistive device for the visually impaired, and a game based on inclusive design. Specifically, it can be used in homes, childcare facilities, kindergartens, schools, after-school facilities, special needs schools, visual assistance facilities, welfare facilities, or medical institutions as a shogi (Japanese chess) educational material, a tactile learning material, or a plaything for cognitive function support. This invention can be used not only for shogi but also for board games using pieces such as chess, and can be applied as an educational material that allows users to tactilely understand the function, role, or rule structure of each piece, as well as as an accessibility-friendly toy or a rehabilitation material. Furthermore, because this invention does not require a power supply or display device, it is highly safe, can be manufactured and supplied at low cost, and can be provided to a wide range of users from children to the elderly. In addition, the structure that allows the board configuration to be changed enables diverse applications according to the educational stage, level of understanding, or rehabilitation purpose, and can be widely used in the education industry, welfare industry, toy industry, and rehabilitation-related fields. [Explanation of symbols]

[0022] 1 3D solid piece 2 Hat section 3. Torso 4 legs 5-Panel Unit

Claims

[Claim 1] A three-dimensional game piece comprising a body that can be grasped by the user, legs and a cap that are detachably attached to the body, the legs being arranged around the body to indicate the direction of movement and changes in the state during a game, the legs being structured to float above the ground, the engagement structure between the body and the legs preventing misalignment, and a plurality of caps being detachably provided on the upper part of the body and having different three-dimensional shapes from each other.

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