Playing cards, a deck comprised thereof, and a method for playing cards that employs such deck

Abstract

A playing card that is suitable for use in a deck of playing cards to teach young children (i.e., ages 3 to 6 years) an alphabet or other basic skill has a playing face and a rear face where (a) the playing face bears an (1) indicia, (2) a first smaller version of the same indicia in the upper left hand corner, and (3) a second smaller version of the same indicia in the upper right hand corner, and where all versions of the indicia on the playing face are in an upright position and the upper left and upper right hand corners of the playing face are at the top of the playing card; and (b) the rear face bears a design that indicates the top of the playing card. Preferably, the playing face is devoid of any other graphics other than the indicia. A deck comprises one or more sets of the forgoing playing card can be used to play concentration, rummy, war, old maid, go fish, and many other card games.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A playing card suitable for use in a deck of playing cards, the playing card having a playing face and a rear face where: 
 (a) the playing face bears an indicia, a first smaller version of the same indicia in the upper left hand corner, a second smaller version of the same indicia in the upper right hand corner, a third smaller version of the same indicia in the lower left hand corner and a fourth smaller version of the same indicia in the lower right hand corner, the upper left and upper right hand corners of the playing face being at the top of the playing card;    (b) all versions of the indicia on the playing face are in an upright position;    (c) the playing face of the playing card is substantially devoid of any other graphics;    (d) the rear face bears a design that indicates the top of the playing card; and    (e) the playing card is about 3.5 inches (8.89 cm) ±1 inch (2.54 cm) high by about 2.5 inches (6.95 cm) ±0.5 inch (1.27 cm) wide.    
     
     
         2 . The playing card of  claim 1  where the indicia are selected from the group consisting a single letter of an alphabet, a single character of a language, a single geometric shape, and a single color.  
     
     
         3 . The playing card of  claim 1  where the indicia are selected from the group consisting a single letter of an alphabet and a single character of a language.  
     
     
         4 . The playing card of  claim 1  where the playing face of the playing card is devoid of any other graphics.  
     
     
         5 . The playing card of  claim 1  where the playing card is about 3.5 inches (8.89 cm) ±0.5 inch (1.27 cm) high by about 2.5 inches (6.95 cm) ±0.25 inch (0.635 cm) wide.  
     
     
         6 . The playing card of  claim 1  where the playing card is about 3.5 inches (8.89 cm) high by about 2.5 inches (6.95 cm) wide.  
     
     
         7 . A playing card suitable for use in a deck of playing cards, the playing card having a playing face and a rear face where: 
 (a) the playing face bears an indicia, a first smaller version of the same indicia in the upper left hand corner, a second smaller version of the same indicia in the upper right hand corner, the upper left and upper right hand corners of the playing face being at the top of the playing card;    (b) all versions of the indicia on the playing face are in an upright position;    (c) the playing face of the playing card is substantially devoid of any other graphics;    (d) the rear face bears a design that indicates the top of the playing card; and    (e) the playing card is about 3.5 inches (8.89 cm) ±1 inch (2.54 cm) high by about 2.5 inches (6.95 cm) ±0.5 inch (1.27 cm) wide.    
     
     
         8 . The playing card of  claim 7  where the indicia are selected from the group consisting a single letter of an alphabet, a single character of a language, a single geometric shape, and a single color.  
     
     
         9 . The playing card of  claim 7  where the indicia are selected from the group consisting a single letter of an alphabet and a single character of a language.  
     
     
         10 . The playing card of  claim 7  where the playing face of the playing card is devoid of any other graphics.  
     
     
         11 . The playing card of  claim 7  where the playing card is about 3.5 inches (8.89 cm) ±0.5 inch (1.27 cm) high by about 2.5 inches (6.95 cm) ±0.25 inch (0.635 cm) wide.  
     
     
         12 . The playing card of  claim 7  where the playing card is about 3.5 inches (8.89 cm) high by about 2.5 inches (6.95 cm) wide.  
     
     
         13 . A deck of playing cards comprising at least one set of the playing cards where 
 (a) each set comprises at least n playing cards;    (b) each of the n playing cards of each set has a playing face and a rear face;    (c) each playing face of the n playing cards of each set bears a different indicia selected from the group consisting a single letter of an alphabet comprising n letters and a single character of a language comprising at least n characters, a first smaller version of the same indicia in the upper left hand corner, and a second smaller version of the same indicia in the upper right hand corner, the upper left and upper right hand corners of the playing face of each playing card being at the top of the playing card;    (d) all versions of the indicia on the playing face of each of the n playing cards are in an upright position;    (e) the rear face of each of the n playing cards bears a design that indicates the top of each of the n playing cards; and    (f) each of the n playing card is about 3.5 inches (8.89 cm) ±1 inch (2.54 cm) high by about 2.5 inches (6.95 cm) ±0.5 inch (1.27 cm) wide.    
     
     
         14 . The deck of  claim 13  comprising at least two sets of playing cards, where n is  26  and each playing face of the  26  playing cards of each set bears a different single letter of the English alphabet, the first smaller version of the same single letter of the English alphabet is in the upper left hand corner, and the second smaller version of the same single letter of the English alphabet is in the upper right hand corner.  
     
     
         15 . The deck of  claim 14  where the playing face of each of the  26  playing cards is substantially devoid of any other graphics.  
     
     
         16 . The deck of  claim 14  where the playing face of each of the  26  playing cards is devoid of any other graphics.  
     
     
         17 . The deck of  claim 13  where n is  26 , each playing face of the  26  playing cards of each set bears a different single letter of the English alphabet, the first smaller version of the same single letter of the English alphabet is in the upper left hand corner, and the second smaller version of the same single letter of the English alphabet is in the upper right hand corner, and each playing face of the  26  playing cards further bears a third smaller version of the same single letter of the English alphabet in the lower left hand corner, and a fourth smaller version of the same single letter of the English alphabet in the lower right hand corner.  
     
     
         18 . The deck of  claim 17  where the playing face of each of the  26  playing cards is substantially devoid of any other graphics.  
     
     
         19 . The deck of  claim 17  where the playing face of each of the  26  playing cards is devoid of any other graphics.  
     
     
         20 . The deck of  claim 13  where each of the n playing cards is about 3.5 inches (8.89 cm) ±0.5 inch (1.27 cm) high by about 2.5 inches (6.95 cm) ±0.25 inch (0.635 cm) wide.