Multi-Passage Game Board for Vertical Piece Alignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional game devices limit strategic play by allowing only horizontal or diagonal alignment of differently colored balls, lacking in vertical alignment possibilities.

Innovation Solution

A game device with a game board featuring passages, striking devices, movable stoppers, and piece input ports, allowing pieces to be launched and aligned vertically, horizontally, or diagonally, with disk-shaped pieces and rotary stoppers for enhanced strategic play.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If two different colored balls are inserted alternately in the iron rods, then the balls can be launched toward the squares, but vertical alignment of balls of the same color becomes impossible

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvealignment capabilityVSAvoidgame strategic quality
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The game board is divided into multiple independent passages (first passage, second passage, etc.), each capable of receiving and launching pieces independently. This segmentation allows players to choose different input ports for different colored pieces, enabling vertical alignment of same-colored pieces while maintaining device simplicity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention introduces multiple passages arranged in different directions (vertical and horizontal arrangements), adding dimensional versatility to the game board. This allows pieces to be aligned not only horizontally or diagonally but also vertically, significantly enhancing game strategic quality without complicating the basic launching mechanism.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Ease of operation

If conventional striking devices are used, then pieces can be launched, but strategic play is limited due to restricted alignment options

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepiece launchingVSAvoidgame strategic quality
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple independent striking devices are provided, each corresponding to a specific passage and input port. Each striking device can independently launch pieces through its associated passage, providing操作简单性 (ease of operation) while the collective arrangement of multiple passages enables diverse alignment strategies, resolving the contradiction between simplicity and strategic depth.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Device complexity

If pieces are launched through a single type of passage, then the structure remains simple, but vertical alignment of same-colored pieces cannot be achieved

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepassage structureVSAvoidalignment capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The game board incorporates passages arranged in multiple dimensions - both vertically and horizontally. The first passages extend in one direction while the second passages extend in another direction, enabling pieces to be aligned vertically, horizontally, or diagonally. This multi-dimensional arrangement significantly enhances alignment capability while maintaining relatively simple passage structures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Enables players to strategically align pieces vertically, enhancing game complexity and inclusivity for colorblind players through tactile differentiation, with reduced component count and improved piece flowability.

Implementation Method 1

in a normal state, the movable stopper takes a position that blocks the passage by its own weight, and moves out of the passage when the piece is contacted from the striking device side

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGravity: Gravitation

Implementation Method 2

the striking devices use leverage principles to launch pieces by pushing downward

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLeverage: Lever

Data Source

PatentEP4684850A1Game device
Publication Date: 2026.01.28 TOMY CO LTD
  • EP4684850A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4684850A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4684850A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A game device rich in strategic qualities is provided. The game device comprises a plurality of pieces, and a toy body, where in the toy body, provided are a game board with a plurality of passages for the pieces to pass through, arranged lined up in a prescribed direction, a plurality of striking devices which individually launch the pieces loaded into a piece loading section at the bottom end of the passage toward the passage, and movable stoppers disposed below rooms provided at prescribed intervals along the passages, that allow the pieces to pass through from the striking device side and that block passing through and retain the pieces from the side opposite to the striking device side, wherein provided are a plurality of piece input ports that are provided corresponding to the plurality of passages, and in which the pieces are input individually from outside in the piece loading section of the passage.