GB2286131A

GB2286131A - Playing cards

Info

Publication number: GB2286131A
Application number: GB9402361A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Otto Wu
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1994-02-08
Filing date: 1994-02-08
Publication date: 1995-08-09
Also published as: GB9402361D0; CA2115339A1; AU648977B3; FR2717094A3

Abstract

Each card in a pack of playing cards bears standard suit and denomination information and additionally bears superiority relationship information 20A, for example of the "scissors"-"stone"-"paper" variety. <IMAGE>

Description

PLAYING CARDS FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention relates generally to playing cards.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Playing cards have been very popular throughout the world. The most common card games include blackjack, poker, contract bridge, rummy, pinochle, canasta. There are also many other local card games. A complete deck of playing cards includes four suits, CLUB, DIAMOND, HEART and SPADE, each comprising 13 cards, indexed from 2 to 10 and jack, queen, king and ace. This is quite common and well known to ordinary people. However, for a young child or a new player, it may be difficult for them to understand or memorize the relationship between different suits. For example, in contract bridge, there is a suit superiority sequence from SPADE, HEART, DIAMOND to CLUB.

Further, due to the sequential index of the playing cards from 2 to 10 and then jack, queen, king and ace, it is quite easy for the playing cards to be used as a gambling tool rather than an entertainment tool for young children. As a matter of fact, the playing cards are now a very commonplace gambling tool, for example blackjack.

It is therefore desirable to provide a playing card set which may be played in different ways to, at least partially, overcome the above-mentioned problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The principal object of the present invention is to provide a playing card set which comprises four suits, each having thirteen cards, the cards being further divided into five groups each having a particular group mark, the group marks forming a superiority relationship therebetween so as to provide different ways for playing the cards.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a playing card set comprising fourth suits, each having thirteen cards with proper corner indexes thereon. A group mark is also included in all or a portion of the thirteen cards of each of the suits to provide a superiority relationship therebetween for playing the cards.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will be more readily understood from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the present invention taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein: FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a first group of cards of the playing card set in accordance with the present invention; FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a second group of cards of the playing card set in accordance with the present invention; FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a third group of cards of the playing card set in accordance with the present invention; FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a fourth group of cards of the playing card set in accordance with the present invention; and FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a fifth group of cards of the playing card set in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT With reference to the drawings, wherein a playing card set in accordance with the present invention, is shown, the playing card set comprises a first group of cards 10A particularly shown in FIG. 1, a second group of cards 10B, particularly shown in FIG. 2, a third group of cards 10C, particularly shown in FIG. 3, a fourth group of cards 10D, particularly shown in FIG. 4, and a fifth group of cards 10E, particularly shown in FIG. 5.

As shown in FIG. 1, the first group of cards 10A comprises thirteen cards of a first suit, preferably HEART.

Additionally, a group mark 20A which comprises a picture of a hand with the index finger and middle finger stretching out is included in each of the thirteen cards 10A of the first group.

The sign of the hand is used to represent a pair of scissors, for the two stretching-out fingers look like the blades of the scissors. Corner indexes, designated by the reference numeral 30, including 2-9 and J (jack), Q (queen), K (king) and A (ace) are also included in the cards 10A of the first group.

As shown in FIG. 2, the second group of cards 10B comprises thirteen cards of a second suit, preferably CLUB.

Additionally, a group mark 20B which comprises a picture of a hand with all fingers holding together as a fist is included in each of the thirteen cards 10B of the second group. The sign of the hand is used to represent a pebble, for it looks like a round pebble. Corner indexes, designated by the reference numeral 30, including 2-9 and J, Q, K and A are also included in the cards 10B of the second group.

As shown in FIG. 3, the third group of cards 10C comprises thirteen cards of a third suit, preferably DIAMOND.

Additionally, a group mark 20C which comprises a picture of a hand with all fingers stretching out is included in each of the thirteen cards 10C of the third group. The sign of the hand is used to represent a piece of cloth, for it looks like a small piece of fully opened cloth. Corner indexes, designated by the reference numeral 30, including 2-9 and J, Q, K and A are also included in the cards 10C of the third group.

As shown in FIG. 4, the fourth group of cards 10D comprises seven cards of a fourth suit, preferably SPADED.

Additionally, a group mark 20D which comprises a picture of a fire flame is included in each of the seven cards 10D of the fourth group. Corner indexes, designated by the reference numeral 30, including 3, 5, 7, 9 and J, K and A are also included in the cards 10D of the fourth group.

As shown in FIG. 5, the fifth group of cards 10E comprises six cards of the fourth suit, SPADED. Additionally, a group mark 20E which comprises a picture of a glass of and a jar of water is included in each of the six cards 10E of the fifth group. Corner indexes, designated by the reference numeral 30, including 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and Q are also included in the cards 10E of the fifth group.

The fourth and fifth groups together constitute the fourth suit, SPADE, of the playing cards of the present invention.

As shown in the drawings, suit marks, such as V, t and *, which are designated by reference numeral F, are also included in the playing cards 10A, 10B, 10C, 10D and 10E.

In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, the group marks 20A, 20B and 20C provide a cyclic superiority relationship which is that the pebble 20B is superior to the scissors 20A (pebbles may damage the scissors), the scissors 20A is superior to the cloth 20C (the scissors can cut the cloth), and the cloth 20C is superior to the pebble 20A (the cloth can enclose the pebble). Such a cyclic superiority relationship provides an additional way for playing the cards.

The group marks 20D and 20E provide another superiority relationship which is fire 20D can be distinguished by water 20E. This also serves as an aid for young children to learn about the relationship between fire and water.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the group marks 20A-20E provide a further superiority relationship, the sequence of which is the water 20E, the fire 20D, the pebble 20B, the scissors 20A and the cloth 20C. This indicates that the fire 20D is inferior to the water 20E but superior to the pebble 20B, the scissors 20A and the cloth 20C, the latter three items all being items of daily life. This may teach children to know that fire may destroy almost all the daily life items.

A different superiority relationship that can be formulated for these group marks 20A-20E is that the pebble 20B, the water 20E, the fire 20D, the scissors 20A and the cloth 20C. This indicates that the pebble 20B which in a broad sense includes sand, dirt and other contamination that pollute water resources (the water 20E). The remaining items stand at the same positions as described above. By this way, the young children who play the cards may learn something about water pollution.

It is apparent that although the invention has been described in connection with the preferred embodiment, those skilled in the art may make changes to certain features of the preferred embodiment without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the claims. For example, the group marks may include other items that are not described herein to formulate a different superiority relationship or the group marks described herein may be interpreted in a different way to form a different superiority relationship thereof.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS

1. A playing card set comprising a plurality of suits, each having a number of cards, each of the cards having a corner index thereon, the improvement comprising that said cards are divided into a plurality of groups, each of which comprises a portion of the cards of one of the suits, the cards of each of the groups comprising a group mark thereon, said group marks forming a superiority relationship therebetween.

2. The playing card set as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said playing card set comprises four suits, each having thirteen cards.

3. The playing card set as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said playing card set comprises five groups, each having a particular group mark.

4. The playing card set as claimed in Claim 3, wherein said group marks comprise pebble, scissors, cloth, fire and water.

5. The playing card set as claimed in Claim 2, wherein said playing card set comprises a first group comprising the thirteen cards of a first one of the four suits, a second group comprising the thirteen cards of a second one of the four suits, a third group comprising the thirteen cards of a third one of the four suits, a fourth group comprising a portion of the thirteen cards of a fourth one of the four suit and a fifth group comprising the remaining portion of the thirteen cards of the fourth one of the four suit.

6. The playing card set as claimed in Claim 5, wherein said first group has a group mark of scissors, said second group has a group mark of pebble, said third group has a group mark of cloth, said fourth group has a group mark of fire and said fifth group has a group mark of water.

7. The playing card set as claimed in Claim 5, wherein said fourth group comprises seven cards of the fourth suit and the fifth group comprises six cards of the fourth suit.

8. A playing card set substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.