Stackable Game Play Device

Abstract

A game play device comprised of a tapered receptacle in a first embodiment or a semicircular shaped body in a second embodiment, the game play device having an inner surface, an outer surface and a base-mount coupled to the inner surface, and means for stabilizing the game play device for receiving a sport ball, the stabilizing means configured to provide stable positioning of the device on an outdoor surface and stabilized stacking of the device within a shoulder harness.

What I claim is: 
     
         1 . A device comprising:
 a tapered receptacle having an inner surface and an outer surface, the receptacle having an integrally molded base-mount in the inner surface; and   means for stabilizing the receptacle for receiving a sport ball, the stabilizing means configured to provide stable positioning of the receptacle on an outdoor surface.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the receptacle includes a frontal end and a rear wall, the frontal end having a circular opening, the rear wall having an opening approximately equal to the diameter of a human finger. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 2  wherein the frontal end further includes an extended entryway to receive a rolling sport ball. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 3  wherein the sport ball is a golf ball or a croquet ball. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the means for stabilizing the receptacle comprises a plurality of guide channels mounted on opposing sides of the inner surface of the receptacle, each channel having a first opening on an upper portion of the outer surface of the receptacle for receiving a tethering pin and a second opening on a lower portion of the outer surface of the receptacle for extending the tethering pin into the outdoor surface. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 5  wherein the outdoor surface is capable of penetration using the tethering pin, the outdoor surface being at least one of a clay surface, a soil surface, a grass surface, and a sand surface. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 2  wherein the receptacle further includes a guide channel proximate to the rear wall, the guide channel having a first end aligned with an opening on an upper portion of the receptacle for receiving a tethering pin and a second end aligned with an opening on a lower portion of the receptacle for extending the tethering pin into the outdoor surface. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the receptacle is comprised of a plastic material, the plastic material being at least one of Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS), Polystyrene, Acrylic, Polyphenylsulfone (PPSU), Polycarbonate, Polypropylene (PP), or Polyethelene (HDPE). 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 5  wherein the plurality of guide channels in each of a plurality of receptacles comprise the base-mount, the base-mount providing stabilized stacking of each receptacle in the plurality of receptacles. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 5  wherein each tethering pin is slidably inserted into each of the plurality of guide channels. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 5  wherein each tethering pin is screwably inserted into each of the plurality of guide channels, each tethering pin having a plurality of raised spiral grooves located on an outer surface of each tethering pin, each of the plurality of guide channels having a plurality of recesses for receiving the plurality of raised spiral grooves. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the means for stabilizing the receptacle comprises a plurality of external mounts mounted on the outer surface, each external mount having an opening for receiving a tethering pin for stabilizing a position of the receptacle on an outdoor surface. 
     
     
         13 . A device comprising:
 a cylindrical container having a body, a first end and a second end, the first end forming a first semi-circular opening of the body, the second end forming a second semi-circular opening of the body, the cylindrical container having a first extended side and a second extended side; and   means for securing the cylindrical container to an outdoor surface, the securing means coupled to the cylindrical container.   
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 13  wherein the means for securing the cylindrical container comprises a plurality of base plates, a first base plate extending along the first extended side, a second base plate extending along the second extended side, each base plate of the plurality of base plates having an opening for receiving a tethering pin for securing the device and each of the plurality of base plates to an outdoor surface. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 13  wherein the cylindrical container includes an opening on an outer surface for receiving a tethering pin for securing the cylindrical container to an outdoor surface. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 14  wherein each of the plurality of base plates includes a guide channel located within an inner region of the cylindrical container for receiving one or more sport balls. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 15  further comprising a ball-receiving-tray having a first end and a second end, the ball-receiving-tray being slidably insertable into the guide channel within the inner region of the cylindrical container. 
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 13  wherein the cylindrical container further comprises a rear wall, the rear wall including an opening for receiving a finger for clearing a received game ball. 
     
     
         19 . The device  claim 18  wherein the rear wall is secured to the cylindrical container using a micro-hinge, the rear wall being movably adjustable using a human finger to raise or lower the rear wall, the micro-hinge comprising a plastic material flexibly coupling the rear wall to an outer surface of the cylindrical container, wherein the micro-hinge maintains the rear wall in an upright vertical position when raised, and wherein the rear wall is secured to the cylindrical container when lowered. 
     
     
         21 . The device of  claim 19  wherein the rear wall includes a plurality of extension arms for securing the rear wall to the body of the cylindrical container when the rear wall is lowered. 
     
     
         22 . The device of  claim 21  wherein each of the plurality of extension arms includes a secondary extension arm, each secondary extension arm slidably inserted into a receiving hole on each side of the body of the cylindrical container when the rear wall is lowered. 
     
     
         23 . The device of  claim 22  wherein the secondary extension arm on each of the plurality of extension arms form a latch means for securing the rear wall to the body of the cylindrical container when the rear wall is lowered. 
     
     
         24 . The device of  claim 23  wherein each secondary extension arm forming the latch means is comprised of a firm plastic material or other durable material. 
     
     
         25 . The device of  claim 22  wherein the second extension arm on each of the plurality of extension arms is comprised of a flexible plastic material for slidable insertion of each secondary extension arm into a receiving hole on each side of the body of the cylindrical container when the rear wall is lowered. 
     
     
         26 . The device of  claim 19  wherein the rear wall is maintained in an upright vertical position at 180 degrees from a fully closed position when raised during game play. 
     
     
         27 . The device of  claim 17  wherein the first end of the ball-receiving-tray includes an extended entryway to receive a rolling ball. 
     
     
         28 . The device of  claim 27  wherein the rolling ball is a golf ball or a croquet ball. 
     
     
         29 . The device of  claim 13  wherein the means for securing the cylindrical container comprises a plurality of external mounts, a first external mount coupled to the first extended side and a second mount coupled to the second extended side, each mount having an opening for receiving a tethering pin to position the cylindrical container on the outdoor surface. 
     
     
         30 . The device of  claim 17  wherein the second end of the ball-receiving-tray includes a mount having an opening for receiving a tethering pin to secure the ball-receiving-tray to the outdoor surface when slidably inserted into the cylindrical container. 
     
     
         31 . A method comprising:
 providing a tapered receptacle having an inner surface and an outer surface, the receptacle having an integrally molded base-mount in the inner surface; and   positioning the receptacle using a stabilizing means for receiving a sport ball, the stabilizing means provided to secure a position of the receptacle on an outdoor surface.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31  wherein positioning of the receptacle using the stabilizing means comprises providing a plurality of guide channels mounted on opposing sides of the inner surface of the receptacle, each channel having an first opening on an upper portion of the outer surface of the receptacle for receiving a tethering pin and a second opening on a lower portion of the outer surface of the receptacle for extending the tethering pin into the outdoor surface. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 31  wherein positioning of the receptacle using the stabilizing means comprises providing a plurality of external mounts, each external mount having an opening for receiving a tethering pin, the tethering pin extended into the outdoor surface to stabilize a position of the receptacle. 
     
     
         34 . A shoulder harness comprising:
 a support strap having an inner surface and an outer surface, the support strap mounted across at least a shoulder of a user for transport of a plurality of game play devices; and   a plurality of storage pouches attached to the outer surface of the support strap, each pouch having an opening for receiving the plurality of game play devices and one or more means for stabilizing the plurality of game play devices when placed on a ground surface, each pouch having a means for securing the opening when storing each of the plurality of received game play devices.   
     
     
         35 . The shoulder harness of  claim 34  wherein the means for securing the opening of each pouch is a Velcro strap or a zipper, and wherein the means for stabilizing the plurality of game play devices is a plurality of tethering pins. 
     
     
         36 . The shoulder harness of  claim 34  wherein the plurality of received game play devices is comprised of semi-circular cylindrical containers. 
     
     
         37 . The shoulder harness of  claim 36  wherein a plurality of the semi-circular cylindrical containers is arranged in a stacked array when stored in each of the plurality of storage pouches. 
     
     
         38 . The shoulder harness of  claim 34  wherein the plurality of received game play devices is comprised of tapered receptacles. 
     
     
         39 . The shoulder harness of  claim 38  wherein the shoulder harness is comprised of one storage pouch, and wherein the tapered receptacles are stored in the storage pouch and arranged in a stacked array of receptacles.