Bubble Popper Bingo Game Board Apparatus and Methods of Using the Same

Abstract

A bubble popper game board apparatus has a game board having a grid of elastomeric “bubbles” tor domes hat may be depressed to convert each from a convex configuration to a concave configuration. The grid of elastomeric “bubbles” may be labelled with numerical and/or alphabetic indicia. Preferably, the grid of elastomeric “bubbles” may be utilized in a BINGO game, wherein the grid is utilized as a game board having BINGO letters and/or numbers printed thereon, such that when a letter/number combination is called, the user may press the bubble having the corresponding letter/number combination, thereby effectively marking that the same was called.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A game board apparatus comprising:
 a frame having a top and a bottom;   a five-by-five grid of spaces wherein a plurality of elastomeric domes are disposed within a plurality of spaces of the five-by-five grid, respectively, each of the elastomeric domes having a convex shape when viewing the top of the frame or a concave shape when viewing the top of the frame, wherein each of the elastomeric domes is configured to be converted from the convex shape to the concave shape by pressing each from above the domes and to be converted from the concave shape to the convex shape by pressing each from beneath the domes; and   indicia on each elastomeric domes corresponding to a letter, a number, or a letter and number combination of a BINGO game, such that when a specific letter, number, or letter and number combination is selected pursuant to a game of BINGO, the dome corresponding to the selected letter, number, or letter and number combination is configured to be depressed so as to form the concave shape.   
     
     
         2 . The game board of  claim 1  wherein the first column of the five-by-five grid of spaces has a letter and number combination beginning with the letter “B”, the second column of the five-by-five grid of spaces has a letter and number combination beginning with the letter “I”, the third column of the five-by-five grid of spaces has a letter and number combination beginning with the letter “N”, the fourth column of the five-by-five grid of spaces has a letter and number combination beginning with the letter “G”, and the fifth column of the five-by-five grid of spaces has a letter and number combination beginning with the letter “O”. 
     
     
         3 . The game board of  claim 1  wherein each of the elastomeric domes is made from a silicone material. 
     
     
         4 . The game board of  claim 1  wherein each of the elastomeric domes is sized so as to be to be pressable by a human finger. 
     
     
         5 . The game board of  claim 1  wherein all of the elastomeric domes have the convex shape when viewed from above. 
     
     
         6 . The game board of  claim 1  wherein some of the elastomeric domes have a convex shape and some of the elastomeric domes have a concave shape when viewed from above. 
     
     
         7 . The game board of  claim 1  wherein all of the elastomeric domes have a concave shape when viewed from above. 
     
     
         8 . The game board of  claim 1  wherein each of the spaces of the five-by-five grid has an elastomeric dome. 
     
     
         9 . The game board of  claim 1  wherein each of the spaces of the five-by-five grid has an elastomeric dome except a center space of the five-by-five grid. 
     
     
         10 . The game board of  claim 1  wherein the center space does not have an elastomeric dome therein. 
     
     
         11 . A method of using a game board apparatus within a game, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing a game board apparatus comprising: a frame having a top and a bottom; a five-by-five grid of spaces wherein a plurality of elastomeric domes are disposed within a plurality of spaces of the five-by-five grid, respectively, each of the elastomeric domes having a convex shape when viewing the top of the frame or a concave shape when viewing the top of the frame, wherein each of the elastomeric domes is configured to be converted from the convex shape to the concave shape by pressing each from above the domes and to be converted from the concave shape to the convex shape by pressing each from beneath the domes; and indicia on each elastomeric domes corresponding to a letter, a number, or a letter and number combinations of a BINGO game, such that when a specific letter, number, or letter and number combination is selected pursuant to a game of BINGO, the dome corresponding to the selected letter, number, or letter and number combination is configured to be depressed into the concave shape;   playing a game of BINGO;   selecting a letter, a number, or a letter and number combination;   pressing an elastomeric dome in a space having the letter, number, or letter and number combination corresponding to the selected letter, number, or letter and number combination to convert the elastomeric dome in the space from a convex shape to a concave shape when viewed from above or from a concave shape to a convex shape when viewed from above.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the first column of the five-by-five grid of spaces has a letter and number combination beginning with the letter “B”, the second column of the five-by-five grid of spaces has a letter and number combination beginning with the letter “I”, the third column of the five-by-five grid of spaces has a letter and number combination beginning with the letter “N”, the fourth column of the five-by-five grid of spaces has a letter and number combination beginning with the letter “G”, and the fifth column of the five-by-five grid of spaces has a letter and number combination beginning with the letter “O”. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11  wherein each of the elastomeric domes is made from a silicone material. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11  wherein each of the elastomeric domes is sized so as to be to be pressable by a human finger. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11  wherein all of the elastomeric domes have the convex shape when viewed from above. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11  wherein some of the elastomeric domes have a convex shape and some of the elastomeric domes have a concave shape when viewed from above. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11  wherein all of the elastomeric domes have a concave shape when viewed from above. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11  wherein each of the spaces of the five-by-five grid of spaces has an elastomeric dome. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11  wherein each of the spaces of the five-by-five grid has an elastomeric dome except a center space of the five-by-five grid of spaces. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the center space of the five-by-five grid of spaces does not have an elastomeric dome therein.