Dice corral

Abstract

An apparatus and method of corralling one or more die when rolled or thrown is disclosed. The apparatus comprises identical segments locked together creating a compartment to receive rolled or thrown dice. The identical segments form the walls of the compartment. The bottom of the compartment is the surface that the compartment is placed upon during use. The apparatus can be quickly and easily assembled and disassembled by a user. The method comprises rolling or throwing one or more die into a compartment formed by locking a plurality of identical segments. The identical segments form the walls of the compartment and the bottom of the compartment is formed by the surface that the compartment is positioned upon.

1 . An apparatus comprising an easily assembled and disassembled compartment for receiving and containing one or more rolled or thrown die comprising:
 a plurality of elongated segments wherein each segment forms a portion of a wall of the compartment, each segment of said segments having a first end and a second end having a notch formed from material of said segment at said first end and said second end of each said segment, each said notch removably locking to a respective notch a first end or second end of an adjacent said segment, whereby each said segment is supported upright along a long edge thereof by adjacent said segments, said notches angled so that said segments form a contiguous compartment, wherein a bottom of the compartment is formed by the surface upon which the segments are assembled, and a die or dice thrown through a top of said compartment are confined within said compartment by walls formed by a height of said segments.   
     
     
         2 . An apparatus as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said notch at said first end and said second end of each said segment further comprises a notch having an opening at an edge closely adjacent to said first end and said second end of each said segment, each said notch extending perpendicular to a long axis of each said segment, and wherein notch openings of respective said notches in said first end and said second end of any given segment are oriented at either an upper edge or a lower edge of said segment, with said notch openings at said first end and said second end of adjacent said segments oriented on an opposite edge to said notch openings of any said segment, with each upwardly facing said notch opening receiving a downwardly facing notch opening, thereby interlocking all said segments together. 
     
     
         3 . An apparatus as set forth in  claim 2  wherein each said notch extends perpendicularly a distance about half of a height of each said segment. 
     
     
         4 . An apparatus as set forth in  claim 2  wherein a width of each said notch is at least as wide as the thickness of said segments. 
     
     
         5 . An apparatus as set forth in  claim 4  wherein an angle between said segments is 90 degrees or greater. 
     
     
         6 . An apparatus as set forth in  claim 5  further comprising at least 6 said segments, with a width of each said notch being slightly wider than a thickness of each said segment so that an angle between said segments, when said segments are interlocked, is about 120 degrees. 
     
     
         7 . An apparatus as set forth in  claim 6  further comprising an opening closely adjacent to at least one of said first end and said second end of each said segment, and a removable lock that extends through each said opening, thereby locking said segments together for storage or transport. 
     
     
         8 . An apparatus as set forth in  claim 7  wherein said locking member further comprises a rod that extends through each said opening, and a spring member attached at one end of said rod, said spring member having a loop at an opposite end that removably engages an opposite end of said rod, said spring member biased to retain said loop around an end of said rod, thereby locking said segments to said rod. 
     
     
         9 . An apparatus as set forth in  claim 2  wherein a length of said segments is 10.0 inches, a height of said segments is 2.25 inches, and a thickness of said segments is 0.25 inches, with said notches located about 1.0 inch from each said first end and said second end. 
     
     
         10 . A method for throwing die or dice to a designated playing area wherein said playing area comprising: forming an compartment comprising a plurality of elongated segments, each segment having a first end and a second end, providing each segment of said segments with a notch at each said first end and said second end, respectively, forming said notch only from material of said segment at each said first end and said second end, removably locking said segments together in angular relation using said notches, thereby supporting each said segment on a long edge thereof to form a contiguous compartment, using the surface on which said compartment rests as a bottom of said compartment.