Target Game

Description

RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/688,270 filed Aug. 28, 2024, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

Water toys and games are popular among children and adults alike. During hot weather, water games allow players to enjoy the outdoors and also provide cooling relief from the hot sun. For example, during hot weather—such as during the spring and summer months in the American Midwest—families and communities gather for recreation at street fairs, carnivals, fund-raisers, parks, in back yards, at community centers, and at local restaurants and bars.

Toys and games using projectiles to strike a target are popular recreational items. In general, players enjoy the skill involved in projecting balls, bean bags, darts, and other items toward a target. Toys and games of this nature provide enjoyment and camaraderie.

BRIEF SUMMARY

A drinking game assembly provides a target attached to a hinged support. An upright cup is attached to the hinged support. When the target is hit, the target causes the hinged support to rotate about a hinge. Thereby, the cup rotates downward and empties its contents into a funnel. A hose is connected, at one end thereof, to a bottom of the funnel and thereby receives the contents from the funnel. An opposite end of the hose can dispense the contents in the hose to a user or a container.

Other systems, methods, features, and advantages of the disclosure will be, or will become, apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following figures and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features and advantages be included within this description, be within the scope of the invention, and be protected by the following claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present drinking game assembly according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the present drinking game assembly according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a front view of the present drinking game assembly according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a rear view of the present drinking game assembly according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a top view of the present drinking game assembly according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the present drinking game assembly according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 7 is a partial side view of the present drinking game assembly in use according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 8 is another partial side view of the present drinking game assembly in use according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 9 is a partial perspective view of the present drinking game assembly according to another exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 10 is a partial perspective view of the present drinking game assembly according to a further exemplary embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

We disclose a toy and game that releases fluid to a player when another player successfully projects a projectile onto a target, according to an embodiment. The toy and game may also be used to release fluid, such as a beverage, from a cup and into a funnel when a player successfully projects a projectile onto a target, in an embodiment. The cup may hold a container of fluid, while both may remain substantially stationary and upright throughout game play, in an embodiment. When a player throws a projectile and successfully strikes the target, the target may cause the cup (and container therein) to rotate and empty its content into a funnel, in an embodiment. The funnel can dispense the contents to a hose which can be received by another player, in an embodiment.

The drinking game may be made of light materials which are easy to assemble, disassemble, store, and carry. The drinking game may be scaled to various sizes. For example, the drinking game may be scaled to alter the size of the cup and/or container therein and thereby alter the amount of fluid to the player.

In an exemplary embodiment, a drinking game assembly 100 may include a bottom support assembly 110, a top support assembly 111, an actuator assembly 112, a target 113, a cup 114, a funnel 115, and a hose 116.

As shown in FIGS. 1-6, in an exemplary embodiment, the bottom support assembly 110 may include a plurality of horizontal members 110a. In an exemplary embodiment, one or more of the horizontal members 110a may extend radially from a bottom end of a vertical member 110b. In an exemplary embodiment, one or more of the horizontal members 110a and the vertical member 110b may have a pipe-like configuration.

In an exemplary embodiment, the top support assembly 111 may be supported by and affixed to an end of the vertical member 110b which is at an opposite end of where the horizontal members 110a are located. The top support assembly 111 may include a plurality of perimeter members 111a, such as three perimeter members 111a in a U-shaped configuration, according to an embodiment. The top support assembly 111 may further include an interior member 111b that extends between two opposing perimeter members 111a, in an embodiment. The interior member 111b may be affixed to an end of the vertical member 110b of the bottom support assembly 110, in an embodiment. The top support assembly 111 may further include a pair of upstanding members 111c respectively located at each of the ends of two perimeter members 111a that represent the distal ends of the U-shaped configuration, in an embodiment.

Still referring to FIGS. 1-6, the actuator assembly 112 may be a rotating structure, according to an embodiment. For example, the actuator assembly 112 may be a hinged support structure. In an embodiment, the actuator assembly 112 may include a hinge 112a, a planar member 112b on one side of the hinge 112a, and an L-shaped member 112c on an opposite side of the hinge 112a. In an embodiment, the planar member 112b may be supported by one or more of the perimeter members 111a, such as the perimeter member 111a that is between the two perimeter members 111a that represent the legs of the U-shaped configuration of the top support assembly 111. The L-shaped member 112c may have one side that can rest on the planar member 112b when the actuator assembly 112 is in a “closed” position, in an embodiment. The other side of the L-shaped member 112c may support the target 113 thereon, in an embodiment.

In FIGS. 1-6, the cup 114 may be supported by and affixed to the side of the L-shaped member 112c that does not support the target 113, in an embodiment. The cup 114 may be configured to hold a liquid when the cup 114 is in an upright position, such as when the actuator assembly 112 is in a “closed” position, in an embodiment.

In FIGS. 1-6, the funnel 115 may be oriented in an upright position with the wider opening (top opening) 115a above the smaller opening (bottom opening) 115b, in an embodiment. The funnel 115, such as at the top opening 115a, may be oriented between the two opposing perimeter members 111a of the top support assembly 111, in an embodiment. A part of the funnel 115 adjacent the top opening 115a may be affixed to the top support assembly 111, such as at the interior member 111b, in an embodiment.

In FIGS. 1-6, the hose 116 may have one end affixed to the bottom opening 115b of the funnel 115, in an embodiment. An opposite end of the hose 116 may be suitably configured to enable a player to hold such end in the player's mouth and/or dispense the liquid into a container, in an embodiment.

In FIGS. 1-6, the target 113 may be sized and configured to actuate the actuator assembly 112, in an embodiment. The target 113 may provide such actuation when the target 113 is hit by the player, such as by an object thrown by the player, in an embodiment.

FIGS. 7-8 depict the drinking game assembly 100 in different stages of use, according to an exemplary embodiment. In FIG. 7, the drinking game assembly 100 has not been actuated, in an embodiment. For example, in FIG. 7, the player may be attempting to hit the target 113, such as with an object like a bean bag, but has been unsuccessful. Thus, the actuator assembly 112 may be in a “closed” position. In FIG. 8, for example, the player may have successfully hit the target 113. Thus, the target 113 has actuated or caused the actuator assembly 112 to move from a “closed” position to an “open” position. Thereby, the cup 114 moves from an upright position to a rotated or tilted position so that liquid contents therein are emptied into the funnel 115, in an embodiment. From the funnel 115, the liquid contents may pass through the hose 116, and to the player.

In FIGS. 9-10, in an embodiment, the drinking game assembly 100 is constructed with the same components as that shown in FIGS. 1-8. However, in the embodiments of FIGS. 9-10, the cup 114 can hold a container 114a that holds a liquid. For example, the container 114a may be a soft drink can (FIG. 9) or may be a bottle (FIG. 10).

The drinking game assembly 100 may be made of many materials. For a light and sturdy construction, the drinking game assembly may be made of PVC pipe. However, the drinking game assembly may alternatively or additionally be made of metal, plastic, rubber, or other composite or similar materials. If made of PVC pipe, the entire drinking game assembly may weigh under 30 pounds, for example. The drinking game assembly may be completely assembled and disassembled simply and quickly, may be stored in a compact box, and may weigh very little, making it simple to store, transport, assemble, and use.

In one variation, the drinking game may be scaled for table-top use; for example, the object of the game may be to strike the target 113 to trigger a beverage to pour out of the hose 116. In this variation, the materials may be PVC pipe; alternatively or additionally, the materials may be metal, plastic, rubber, composite, or otherwise. The weight of the table-top drinking game may be about or less than 7 pounds. The drinking game may be completely assembled and disassembled simply and quickly, may be stored in a compact box, and may weigh very little, making it simple to store, transport, assemble, and use.

The drinking game assembly may have additional configurations, including a double, triple, or other variation. For example, two drinking game assemblies may be set up side-by-side or back-to-back for team play, and etc.

The drinking game assembly may also have variations in the size of the target, or may have the addition of a water hose or other device for re-filling the cup 114 between uses.

While various embodiments of the invention have been described, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that many more embodiments and implementations are possible that are within the scope of the invention. For instance, steps of a method as displayed in the figures or reflected in the claims do not require a specific order of execution by way they are presented, unless specified. The disclosed steps are listed as exemplary such that additional or different steps may be executed or the steps may be executed in a different order