Circular gamepiece with protector

#Adults and children alike have amused themselves for years by propelling puck-like gamepieces with finger flicks. Such gamepieces are commonly propelled across surfaces, such as table tops, with the objective of impacting other gamepieces, crossing designated boundaries or stopping in designated areas. As this recreational pastime has developed, games using the finger flick technique have emerged to simulate well-known sports such as soccer, hockey and others. Additionally, games have been developed which simulate activities in which multiple balls or objects interact such as pool, billiards and others.

#Experience in propelling a planar gamepiece across a surface with a finger flick has shown that the gamepiece will tend to flip over if the gamepiece is not of sufficient weight. Also, the gamepiece may fail to slide a sufficient distance if it does not have sufficient momentum. Experimentation has revealed that a weighted gamepiece will slide farther and will also remain substantially in contact with the surface during the slide. The additional mass of the weighted gamepiece provides the gamepiece with greater momentum, resulting in longer sliding distances in response to finger flicks. The weighted gamepiece also tends to remain on the surface and will not flip over when a finger flick is applied.

#Weighted gamepieces also enhance the interaction of multiple gamepieces. The increased mass of a weighted gamepiece provides greater momentum which can be transferred between gamepieces when the gamepieces collide. The motion created by a finger flick to one weighted gamepiece can be transferred to other gamepieces upon impact. This results in multiple gamepieces in motion and increases the skill of the game when the object is to score points by effecting controlled collisions of gamepieces.

#For a more complete understanding of the present invention, and the advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

#FIG. 1 is an elevation view of a first embodiment of gamepiece 10, disclosing an outer perimeter 12 and a recess 14.

#FIG. 1A is an elevation view of a second embodiment of gamepiece 10, disclosing an outer perimeter 12 and an alternatively shaped recess 14.

#Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, gamepiece 10 is substantially planar and has an outer perimeter 12 of substantially circular shape. Gamepiece 10 also has a recess 14 therein. Referring to FIG. 1, a first embodiment of gamepiece 10 has a substantially circular shaped recess 14. In FIG. 1A, a second embodiment of gamepiece 10 has a polygonally shaped recess 14. As shown in FIG. 2, in a one embodiment, recess 14 extends partially through gamepiece 10. FIG. 2A shows another embodiment of gamepiece 10 in which recess 14 extends completely through gamepiece 10.

#Referring to FIG. 3, recess 14 of gamepiece 10 receives weight 26 in a snug fit thereby operatively retaining weight 26. As shown in FIG. 4, gamepiece 10 is propelled across surface 40 by applying a finger flick to outer perimeter 12.

#Referring now to FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, protector 20 is also substantially planar, and provides a substantially circular hole 22 therein. Hole 22 has an inner perimeter 24. As shown in FIG. 7, the size and shape of inner perimeter 24 is predetermined to match substantially the size and shape of outer perimeter 12 of gamepiece 10, so that gamepiece 10 fits snugly when received into hole 22.