Flexible Foldable Game Board for Travel
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional board games are cumbersome and not resistant to elements, making them difficult to travel with and store, especially in outdoor settings where space is limited and exposure to water, rain, or snow is common.
Innovation Solution
A foldable and rollable game board made of flexible materials, such as fabrics or polymers, with a washable and water-resistant coating, designed to be lightweight and compact for easy storage and transport, featuring interchangeable gaming patterns and components like playing cards and markers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of moving object
If a traditional board game uses a large wooden playing board, then the playing area is substantial, but the board becomes cumbersome to store and transport
Solution Approach 1:
The game board is divided into multiple flexible panels that can be folded together to form a substantial playing area when needed, and collapsed into a compact configuration for storage and transport. This segmentation allows the board to transition between a large playing surface and a portable folded state.
Solution Approach 2:
The game board transitions from a static rigid wooden board to a dynamic flexible structure that can change its configuration. The board can be folded, collapsed, and reconfigured between a large playing area state and a compact portable state, adapting to different usage and storage requirements.
2Area of moving object
If a traditional board game uses a large wooden playing board, then the playing area is substantial, but the board becomes heavy and cumbersome
Solution Approach 1:
The traditional thick wooden board is replaced with thin flexible panels that can be laminated or attached together. These thin flexible materials provide the necessary playing surface area while dramatically reducing the weight and bulk of the board, making it easier to carry and store.
Solution Approach 2:
The game board uses composite construction with multiple layers of flexible material laminated together, creating a structure that is both lightweight and sufficiently rigid for gameplay. This composite approach allows the board to maintain its playing area while minimizing weight.
3Area of moving object
If a traditional board game uses a large wooden playing board, then the playing area is substantial, but the board is not resistant to water, rain, snow, and other elements
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible panels are treated with water-resistant coatings or made from inherently water-resistant materials, allowing the game board to be used in outdoor conditions. The flexible nature of these panels also allows them to be easily wiped clean or washed, maintaining reliability in various environmental conditions.
4Ease of operation
If a traveling game uses a miniaturized version of the full-sized game board, then the portability is improved, but the playing experience is compromised due to shortened scope of play and reduced dexterity
Solution Approach 1:
The game board dynamically transitions between a compact portable configuration for travel and a full-sized expanded configuration for gameplay. This dynamic transformation ensures that the board provides a substantial playing area and full playing experience when in use, while remaining portable when folded.
Data Source
AI summary
A flexible game board, and related gaming system, for easier travel. The flexible game board comprises a flexible material imprinted with a gaming pattern, and it is foldable from a playing position to one or more folded storage positions or rollable from the playing position to a rolled storage position. The gaming system may comprise the flexible game board, all components used to play the game, and a storage pouch. The gaming system may have a total weight of less than half the standard board game while maintaining the full-sized gaming experience of the standard board game.