Game board assembly made of composite corn boards

Abstract

A bag toss game platform easy to assemble and store is disclosed. Traditional bag toss game platforms are two pre-assembled boxes taking up to 48 inches by 24 inches by 15 inches in total and cannot be dissembled by players after use. But the platforms described herein take (for two sets), in certain embodiments, no more than 48 inches by 13 inches by 3.5 inches (i.e., about ⅛ of the traditional volume) and can easily be assembled for gameplay and disassembled after use. The platform may include a top surface, at least two side supports, and at least two cross bars connecting the at least two side supports. Because cross lap joints between the side supports and cross bars, and groove joints between the top surface and the side supports and cross bars may be used, the platform is easily assembled for use and disassembled for transportation and storage.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A structural assembly for use in a bag toss game, the assembly comprising:
 at least two side supports having a lower end and an upper end;   a first cross bar connecting the at least two side supports nearer the lower ends than the upper ends;   a second cross bar connecting the at least two side supports nearer the upper ends than the lower ends, wherein the at least two side supports have pre-cut slots for receiving the first and the second cross bars such that the connections between the first and second cross bars and the at least two side supports are at least partially achieved using friction; and   a top surface positioned above the at least two side supports and the first and second cross bars.   
     
     
         2 . The structural assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a third cross bar positioned between the first and the second cross bars and connecting the side supports, wherein the at least two side supports have pre-cut slots for receiving the third cross bar for a press-fit connection. 
     
     
         3 . The structural assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the top surface further comprises an opening formed therein for receiving a bag in a bag toss gameplay and a slot pattern for affixing to the at least two side supports and the first and the second cross bars. 
     
     
         4 . The structural assembly of  claim 1 , wherein a distance between the lower end and the upper end of each of the at least two side supports is less than or about the length of the top surface such that the top surface aligns with the at least two side supports when positioned thereon. 
     
     
         5 . The structural assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the top surface is press-fitted onto the at least two side supports and the first and the second cross bars. 
     
     
         6 . The structural assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the at least two side supports, the first and the second cross bars, and the top surface are made of composite corn boards manufactured from a mixture of corn byproducts and a binding material, wherein the mixture is compressed to form boards of a desired thicknesses. 
     
     
         7 . The structural assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the corn byproducts are corn husks and the binding material is an epoxy resin. 
     
     
         8 . The structural assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the at least two side supports further comprise an extended leg at each of the lower and the upper ends. 
     
     
         9 . The structural assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the top surface further comprises a left half piece and a right half piece that may be assembled during use and disassembled during storage. 
     
     
         10 . The structural assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the at least two side supports, the first and the second cross bars, and the top surface may be disassembled for storage and transportation. 
     
     
         11 . The structural assembly of  claim 1 , wherein two sets of the at least two side supports, the first and the second cross bars, and the top surface are packaged into a box no greater than 48 inches in length, 13 inches in width, and 3.5 inches in height before assembly or during storage. 
     
     
         12 . A bag toss game platform comprising:
 an inclined top surface positioned above at least two side supports, each side support having a lower end and an upper end;   a first cross bar connecting the at least two side supports; and   a second cross bar connecting the at least two side supports; and   wherein the first cross bar and the second cross bar are removably connected between the upper ends and the lower ends of the at least two side supports.   
     
     
         13 . The bag toss game platform of  claim 12 , wherein the inclined top surface further comprises a slot pattern for coupling to the at least two side supports and the first and the second cross bars, and an opening formed therein for receiving a bag during a bag toss gameplay. 
     
     
         14 . The bag toss game platform of  claim 12 , further comprising a third cross bar positioned between the first and the second cross bars and removably connected to the at least two side supports. 
     
     
         15 . The bag toss game platform of  claim 14 , wherein the inclined top surface, the at least two side supports, and the first, the second, and the third cross bar are made of composite corn boards manufactured from a mixture of corn byproducts and a binding material, wherein the mixture is compressed to form boards of desired thicknesses. 
     
     
         16 . The bag toss game platform of  claim 15 , wherein the byproducts are corn husks and the binding material is an epoxy resin. 
     
     
         17 . The bag toss game platform of  claim 12 , wherein two sets of the at least two side supports, the first and the second cross bars, and the top surface are packaged into a box no greater than 48 inches in length, 13 inches in width, and 3.5 inches in height before assembly or during storage. 
     
     
         18 . The bag toss game platform of  claim 12 , wherein the first and the second cross bars are positioned between the at least two side supports at an angle to one another. 
     
     
         19 . The bag toss game platform of  claim 12 , wherein the first and the second cross bars are positioned between the at least two side supports in a diagonal relation. 
     
     
         20 . The bag toss game platform of  claim 12 , wherein the first and the second cross bars are positioned between the at least two side supports such that the first and the second cross bars are positioned at an angle to one another. 
     
     
         21 . A method for producing a bag toss game platform, the method comprising
 producing a composite board using a mixture of byproducts of corn production and a binding material, the composite board having a standard thickness;   cutting, out of the composite board, at least two side supports each having a lower end and an upper end, wherein each of the side support includes a cut slot near the lower end and a cut slot near the upper end, the cut slots having a width configured to receive the standard thickness;   cutting, out of the composite board, a top surface having a left half piece, a right half piece, and a hole for receiving a bag during a bag toss gameplay;   cutting, out of the composite board, a plurality of cross bar components to be used as a first cross bar and a second cross bar; and   wherein the at least two side supports are to be connected using the first and the second cross bar pressed into the cut slots at the lower ends and the upper ends to form a frame for supporting the top surface, and wherein the top surface has a slot pattern for coupling to the frame by press fit.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising packaging two sets of the top surface, the at least two side supports, and the first and the second cross bars into a package no greater than 48 inches in length, 13 inches in width and 3.5 inches in height. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising cutting an additional cut slot between the lower end and the upper end in each of the at least two side supports; and wherein a third cross bar of the plurality of the cross bar components connects the at least two side slots at the additional cut slots for reinforcing the top surface during gameplay.