Hockey game

Abstract

I have invented an Improved Hockey Game. The preferred embodiment of the game comprises hingedly connected critically spaced upper and lower transparent plate assemblies, two corresponding sets of magnetically coupled playing pieces, with inner pieces slidably set between the plates and outer pieces slidably set on the outside surface of the upper and lower plates, a goal permanently set between the plates at either end of the playing surface, a non-magnetic puck with a hard spherical center and a flexible resilient band around its perimeter, and a means for moving the magnetic playing pieces contained between the plates from the outside surfaces of the upper and lower plates comprising cobalt magnets covered with an ultra thin highly polished polymer.

1 . An Improved Game comprising: 
 a. An enclosed playing surface comprising upper and lower critically spaced parallel plates, in which at least said upper plate is transparent, said upper and lower plates connected by at least one sidewall;    b. Said critical space being the height at which a magnet on the outer surface of the upper plate will not attract a magnet embedded in a playing piece on the inner surface of the lower plate;    c. Two goal assemblies at either end of the enclosed playing surface,    d. A non-magnetic puck slidably set between said upper and lower plates;    e. At least one coupled magnetic playing piece comprising an inner piece slidably set between said plates and an outer piece placed along the outer surfaces of said transparent plates; and    f. Means of propelling said non-magnetic puck into said goal assemblies comprising oppositely polarized rare earth cobalt magnets embedded in said inner pieces and said outer pieces, allowing a user to control movement of said inner piece by moving said outer piece.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  in which said sidewalls are lined with a resilient material.  
   
   
       3 . An Improved Hockey Game comprising: 
 a. An enclosed playing surface comprising upper and lower critically spaced parallel plates and at least one sidewall;    b. In which at least said upper plate is transparent;    c. And at least one of said plates is connected to at least one sidewall with at least one hinge;    d. In which said critical space is the height at which a magnet on the outer surface of said upper plate will not attract a magnet embedded in a playing piece slidably set on the inner surface of said lower plate, and a magnet on the outer surface of said lower plate will not attract a magnet embedded in a playing piece slidably set on the inner surface of said upper plate;    e. At least one goal assembly is set inside said enclosed playing surface;    f. A non-magnetic puck slidably set between said upper and lower plates;    g. At least one coupled magnetic playing piece comprising an inner piece slidably set between said plates and an outer piece placed along the outer surfaces of said transparent plates; and    h. Means of propelling said non-magnetic puck into said goal assembly comprising oppositely polarized rare earth cobalt magnets embedded in said inner pieces and said outer pieces, allowing a user to control movement of said inner piece by moving said outer piece.    
   
   
       4 . An Improved Game comprising: 
 a. Upper and lower plate assemblies;    b. Said upper and lower plate assemblies each comprising a plate set in a frame;    c. A means of coupling said upper plate assembly with said lower plate assembly to form an enclosed playing area.    d. At least said upper plate is transparent;    e. A non-magnetic puck slidably set between said upper and lower plate assemblies;    f. At least one coupled magnetic playing piece comprising an inner piece slidably set between said plates and an outer piece placed along at least one of the outer surfaces of said transparent plates; and    g. Means of propelling said non-magnetic puck comprising oppositely polarized rare earth cobalt magnets embedded in said inner piece and said outer piece, allowing a user to control movement of said inner piece by moving said outer piece.    
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 4  further comprising at least one goal assembly permanently set between said upper and lower plates.  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 4  further comprising at least one goal assembly permanently set between said upper and said lower plates in which the inner wall of said goal assembly is lined with a resilient material.  
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 4  in which said upper plate and said lower plate are permanently set in an upper frame and lower frame respectively, said upper and lower frames forming four sidewalls of appropriate height to ensure said critical space between said upper plate and said lower plate.  
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 4  in which said upper plate and said lower plate are permanently set in an upper frame and lower frame respectively, said upper and lower frames forming four sidewalls of appropriate height to ensure said critical space between said upper plate and said lower plate, and said upper frame is hingedly connected to said lower frame.  
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 4  in which said non-magnetic puck comprises a circular disc with a hard spherical center and a flexible resilient band around its perimeter.  
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 4  in which said non-magnetic puck comprises a circular disc with a glass spherical center and a flexible resilient band around its perimeter.  
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 4  in which said non-magnetic puck comprises a circular disc with a spherical center and a flexible rubber band around its perimeter.  
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 4  in which said non-magnetic puck comprises a circular disc with a glass spherical center and a groove to receive an elastic resilient band around its perimeter.  
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 4  in which said non-magnetic puck comprises a circular disc with at least one sphere embedded in said disc.  
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 4  further comprising sound effects to be activated during game play.  
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 4  further comprising lights to be activated during game play.  
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 4  further comprising sensors to activate lights or sounds.  
   
   
       17 . The apparatus of  claim 4  further comprising a score board.  
   
   
       18 . The apparatus of  claim 4  in which said magnetically coupled playing pieces comprise three dimensional inner and outer pieces with facing sliding surfaces and opposing non-sliding surfaces, said inner and outer pieces containing cobalt magnets of opposite polarity.  
   
   
       19 . The apparatus of  claim 4  in which said magnetically coupled playing pieces comprise three dimensional inner and outer pieces with facing sliding surfaces and opposing non-sliding surfaces, said sliding surfaces of said inner and outer pieces containing cobalt magnets of opposite polarity; said cobalt magnets embedded directly beneath said sliding surfaces of said inner and said outer pieces.  
   
   
       20 . The apparatus of  claim 4  in which said magnetically coupled playing pieces comprise three dimensional inner and outer pieces with facing sliding surfaces and opposing non-sliding surfaces, said sliding surfaces of said inner and outer pieces containing cobalt magnets of opposite polarity; said cobalt magnets embedded directly beneath said sliding surfaces of said inner and said outer pieces; and an ultra thin sheet of a highly polished polymer covering said magnets embedded in said sliding surfaces of said inner and outer pieces.  
   
   
       21 . The apparatus of  claim 4  in which a means for further reducing friction is provided comprising a friction-reducing lubricant applied to the sliding surfaces of said inner and outer pieces.  
   
   
       22 . The apparatus of  claim 4  in which said critical space between said upper and said lower plates is 1¼″; said inner piece is 1 3/16″ tall; said magnets are 1″ by ½″by ¼″ deep and rectangular shaped.  
   
   
       23 . The apparatus of  claim 4  in which said critical space between said upper and said lower plates is 1¼″; said inner piece is 1 3/16″ tall; said magnets are 1″ by ½″ by ¼″ deep and rectangular shaped; and a 1/16″ thick highly polished polymer is placed over said magnets flush with the sliding surface of said inner and outer pieces.  
   
   
       24 . The apparatus of  claim 4  further comprising at least one opening in said enclosed playing area to allow said non-magnetic puck to be propelled by an outside force.