Tethered ring toss game apparatus

#This patent specification relates to the field of tethered ring gaming. More specifically, this patent specification relates to a tethered ring gaming apparatus having a number of tethered rings which may be engaged to a number of targets which enables “head-to-head” competition and other types of game play.

#Games that use a tethered ring and target are commonly known as hook and ring games. These hook and ring games have been challenging and amusing the likes of young and old for generations have changed little over time. Typically, these games consist of a single tethered ring attached to a ceiling swung towards a single hook target. These games claim that they are intended for multiple players, however to compete players must take turns using the same tethered ring to try engage the same single hook target, during play each player takes a predetermined number of swings (usually 5), after which a score is determined based on how many times their ring caught the hook. Some other tethered ring toss games that may have multiple hooks differing in size or shape and arranged to vary the degree of difficulty also requires that competing players take turns using the same ring and are played similarly to the game described above except that scoring might take into consideration the point values assigned to the different hooks. There is at least one other hook and ring game that has multiple tethered rings that can be played by multiple players where players use their own rings, however each player's ring is tethered to a different pivot point with each player having their own assigned target. Players during these games can compete at the same time with the winner being the player who is first to “catch” their ring on their target or the player who catches their ring the most times during a certain period of time.

#Current and past hook and ring games although challenging could be said to be more of an amusement game than a game of skill or sport, these games all lack the attributes to be a competitive scoring game of skill for multiple players to compete “head-to-head”. Therefore, it would be desirable to have a multiplayer tethered ring toss target game where players interactively compete to occupy different targets at the same time to score points or compete to occupy the same target at the same time to cancel the scoring points of their opponent. It would also be desirable to have a game where multiple tethered ring devices attached to a single overhead pivot point can be manually propelled towards multiple targets where an objective could be to either engage your ring onto a target or bring about the removal of an opponent's ring from a target. Also desirable is a tethered ring toss target game where during a game round a player can have their tethered ring engage with targets different than the tethered rings of their opponent which can result in points awarded to each player. Furthermore, it is desirable to have a tethered toss target game with a scoreboard that is conveniently located near the targets so that it can be utilized to update a player's point score after each game round.

#Some embodiments of the present invention are illustrated as an example and are not limited by the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which like references may indicate similar elements and in which:

#FIG. 1 depicts a front elevation view of an example of a tethered ring toss game apparatus according to various embodiments described herein.

#FIG. 2 illustrates a side elevation view of the example of the tethered ring toss game apparatus of FIG. 1.

#The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well as the singular forms, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.

#Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one having ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and the present disclosure and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.

#In describing the invention, it will be understood that a number of techniques and steps are disclosed. Each of these has individual benefit and each can also be used in conjunction with one or more, or in some cases all, of the other disclosed techniques. Accordingly, for the sake of clarity, this description will refrain from repeating every possible combination of the individual steps in an unnecessary fashion. Nevertheless, the specification and claims should be read with the understanding that such combinations are entirely within the scope of the invention and the claims.