| | This subclass is indented under the class definition. Subject matter relating to a directly interactive and competitive
game or sport in which two or more opposing players or teams of
players located upon or within a playing area manipulate or otherwise
use a game projectile during play of the game or sport, and over which
playing area at least one of the two or more opposing players or
teams, in trying to achieve the game objective, moves,
either while manipulating the projectile or while interacting with,
reacting to, or responding to another player who is manipulating
the projectile or to movement of the projectile itself whenever
it is free of the players" direct control, which game or
sport includes any one of or a combination of the following: (a)
a game component (e.g., a convertible goal or target device, etc.)
which has a configuration that is adapted and intended to be changed
so that it, in one configuration thereof, is a game component which
is intended to be used in or for a game or sport included herein and, in another configuration thereof,
is either a game component or a practice or training device that
is intended to be used in or for a diverse type of game or sport
which also uses a game projectile, which diverse type of game or
sport is either a different game or sport included herein or a game
or sport not included herein; (b) a kit of parts which is adapted
and intended to be assembled or reassembled into a first game component
intended to be used in or for a game or sport included herein and into either a second game component
or a practice or training device which is intended to be used in
or for a diverse type of game or sport which also uses a projectile,
which diverse type of game or sport is either a different game or
sport included herein or a game or sport not included herein; (c)
a game component (other than a projector or projectile, per se)
which is used during play of a game or sport included herein; or
(d) an ancillary device or means (e.g., a cover for a playing field
or court, etc.) which is adapted and intended to be used with or
for a game component during the times that the game or sport is
not being played (i.e., before or after the game or sport is played
or during a time out) unless it is provided for elsewhere.
| | (1)
Note. A game or sport of the type to be included in this
and the indented subclasses, must involve a game projectile, whether
or not claimed. The projectile used by the two or more opposing
players or teams of players may be manipulated in such a manner
that it may be thrown, carried, struck, kicked, pushed, etc. by
any portion of a player"s body or by a projector device
carried by a player as dictated by the rules defined for the game.
However, the projectile must, at some point in time during play
of the game or sport, be free of the player"s direct control
as, for example, when the projectile is thrown or otherwise projected
either through the air or for movement over the playing area toward
a goal or target or toward another player. |
| | (2)
Note. The statement "directly interactive and competitive
game or sport" referred to above is defined herein to mean
that the opposing players or teams of players play the game or sport
generally simultaneously (other than at such times as, for example,
a penalty kick in a soccer game, etc.). Thus, for example, a game
or sport in which a player, located upon or within a playing area,
projects a projectile toward a goal or target and subsequently moves
over the playing area to the location of the projected projectile
for retrieval or reprojection thereof (as in the games of hopscotch, croquet,
golf, horseshoes, etc.) is not considered to be a playing field
or court game or sport as defined herein and is, therefore, excluded
because the player is not moving over
the playing area either while manipulating the projectile or while
interacting with, reacting to, or responding to another player who
is manipulating the projectile or to movement of the projectile
itself. Further, most simple target games in which the players take
turns in projecting or impelling a game projectile toward a goal
or target in order to achieve a score higher that another player,
although a competition in a broad sense, are excluded from these
subclasses because the players are not directly interacting with
another player at the same time during play of the game (i.e., there
is no interference from an opposing player of the game) or because
a player and his opponent are not both moving over the playing area
at the same time during play of the game. |
| | (3)
Note. A simple game of throw-and-catch in which the players
may incidentally move over a playing area is not considered to be
a playing field or court game or sport and is, therefore, excluded because
the movement is caused by unintentional inaccuracy of the thrower in
attempting to throw the projectile to the catcher. |
| | (4)
Note. A game component which is used in a playing field or
court game included herein, is defined as a device or means which
is used during the times that the game or sport is being played.
Although the following list is not to be considered as exhaustive,
such a game component may include any of one of the following devices
or means: (a) a playing area of indeterminate extent or a playing
area defined by a visually (e.g., marked) or otherwise sensory distinct
enclosing peripheral boundary or by an enclosure. However, this
type of game component is, per se, excluded from these subclasses
since it is classifiable elsewhere. That is, this type of game
component, to be included here, must be combined with another game
component which is included herein. See (6) Note below for a further
discussion of this line. Such additional game component may be
a court dividing net as in a tennis court, another interior playing
field or court dividing means that breaks the playing area into
compartments, sub-areas, or sections, as the ten yard line markings
on a football field, a goal or target device, a game projectile,
a projectile impelling device manipulated by a player, etc.; (b) a
structure, per se (e.g., a net, barrier, etc.) or a visually or
otherwise sensory distinct means, per se (e.g., a marked line, etc.)
which is adapted and intended to break the playing area into compartments,
subareas, or sections; (c) a goal or target, per se, for providing
a point of aim for a game projectile projected thereat by a player;
(d) a player-held and powered, nonmechanical implement adapted and
intended to project a game projectile (e.g., a bat, tennis racket,
polo mallet, hockey stick, etc.). However, this type of game component
is, per se, excluded from these subclasses since it is classifiable
elsewhere. That is, this type of game component, to be included here,
must be combined with another game component which is included herein;
(e) a game projectile (e.g., a ball, hockey puck, badminton shuttlecock, etc.).
However, this type of game component is, per se, excluded from
these subclasses since it is classifiable elsewhere. That is, this
type of game component, to be included here, must be combined with
another game component which is included herein; (f) a football kicking
tee, per se, which is used once in a while during play of an American
football game; (g) a means, per se, used by a player when projecting
a game projectile for enhancing the movement of the projectile after
projection thereof (e.g., a means that a player uses to assist in
causing a pitched baseball to curve during flight); (h) a base,
per se, adapted and intended to be located on or within a playing
area used in a game involving base running (e.g., a base to be located
at a corner of the diamond-shaped playing area used in playing the
game of baseball, etc.); (i) a strike-zone detector (e.g., a detector
for determining whether or not a ball pitched toward a batter located
in the vicinity of home plate is within the strike zone in a baseball-type
game, etc.) provided that it is claimed in combination with another
game component classifiable herein (e.g., with the home plate, etc.);
or (j) a boundary detector (e.g., a ball-out-of-bounds detector
for use on a tennis court, etc.) provided that it is claimed in
combination with another game component classifiable herein (e.g.,
with the tennis court, tennis court net, etc.). |
| | (5)
Note. An accessory (i.e., an ancillary device or means) is
generally not considered to be a game component unless it is convertible
or is part of a kit of parts, as specified in parts (a) and (b)
of the definition above. An accessory, per se, intended to be used
with or for a game component used in a game or sport included herein,
is often classified with the component it is intended to be used with
or for, unless it is provided for elsewhere. For example, a press
for a tennis racket is included under the subclasses providing for
the tennis rackets which, in turn, is included under the subclasses providing
for player-held and powered, nonmechanical projectors for projecting an
aerial projectile into or through the air by striking. On the other
hand, a cover, per se, for a playing field or court included herein
is classified herein by itself near the end of the group of subclasses
under this mainline subclass. Also, it should be kept in mind that
some accessory devices or means are classifiable elsewhere as, for
example, in other classes. |
| | (6)
Note. The playing area itself, the peripheral boundary or
enclosure itself, or both may be included in this and the indented subclasses
provided that at least one other game component intended to be used
in or for a playing field or court game or sport as defined above
is also claimed in combination therewith. For example, a ball or
a goal combined with a particular floor structure, a walled enclosure
combined with a game racket, or a football field combined with a peripheral
boundary marking and with an interior yard line marking would be included
herein. However, a particular floor, field, or court structure per
se, a particular walled enclosure per se, a peripheral boundary
marking per se, or a particular floor, field, or court structure combined
only with a particular walled enclosure or peripheral boundary marking
would not be included herein. |
| | (7)
Note. A means which is specifically adapted and intended
to enable a player of a playing field or court game included herein
to improve or perfect his or her physical skills (e.g., motor skills,
coordination, etc.) in the playing of any aspect of the game or
sport (i.e., a practice or training device) is included herein. |
SEE OR SEARCH THIS CLASS, SUBCLASS:
| 44+, | for a projecting implement or apparatus used in
playing the surface projectile game known as billiards or pool. |
| 52+, | for a ball used in playing a billiard or pool game. |
| 107, | for a mechanical projecting device used in playing
the surface projectile game known as bowling. |
| 125+, | for a ball used in playing a bowling game. |
| 219+, | for a practice swingable implement used (by a player
of the game known as golf) to improve or perfect his or her skill
in playing the game. |
| 280+, | for a practice projectile used by a player of golf
to improve or perfect his or her skill in playing the game. |
| 282+, | for a projecting implement used in playing a golf
game. |
| 351+, | for a ball used in playing a golf game. |
| 410+, | for a projecting implement (e.g., a mallet, etc.)
or a ball used in playing the surface projectile game known as croquet. |
| 516+, | for a player held and powered, nonmechanical, game
projector, per se, which is used by a player to strike and thereby
propel, impel, launch, or otherwise project a projectile into the
air during play of a projectile game or sport. |
| 569+, | for a game projectile, per se, in general which
is thrown, propelled, impelled, launched, or otherwise projected
by a player during play of a projectile game or sport. |
SEE OR SEARCH CLASS:
| 52, | Static Structures (e.g., Buildings), for an arena, stadium, or other building structure
of general utility. |
| 124, | Mechanical Guns and Projectors, for a mechanically or centrifically operated projector
device or implement, per se, which is used to project a projectile
into or through the air as, for example, an archery bow, a slingshot, a
baseball pitching machine, a tennis ball throwing machine, a clay
pigeon throwing trap, or a fluid pressure, pinch, or centrifugally
operated (e.g., a sling, etc.) type of projector device, etc. And
see the (3) Note in the class definition of Class 473 above. |
| 273, | Amusement Devices: Games, for another game which also uses a tangible projectile,
particularly
subclasses 108+ for surface projectile game or apparatus therefor
(other than a projectile, per se), subclasses 108.1+ for such
a surface projectile game that mimics some aspect or the scoring
of a playing field or court game such as the sports known as baseball,
basketball, football, hockey, tennis, soccer, etc., subclass 129
for a projector used to project a projectile in such a surface projectile
game, subclasses 317+ for an aerial projectile game or
apparatus therefor (other than a projectile per se or a device or
implement, per se, for projecting such a projectile), and subclasses
317.1+ for such an aerial projectile game that mimics some
aspect or the scoring of a playing field or court game such as the
sports noted above. Class 273 is currently undergoing reclassification
and will eventually be replaced either by this Class 473 or Class
463, Amusement Devices: Games. Until this reclassification is completed,
the subject matter of Class 273 relating to games or sports which
use a tangible projectile is to be considered as following in hierarchy
the last occurring subclass of the Class 473 schedule. Specifically,
subclasses 108+ and 317+ of the Class 273 schedule
are to be considered as following in hierarchy after the last occurring
subclass in the Class 473 schedule. |
| 463, | Amusement Devices: Games, for a game apparatus or means, in general. The
relationship between Class 473 and Class 463 is that Class 463 is
the residual class for games, while Class 473 provides only for
those specific types of games in which a ball, missile, or other
such tangible projectile (other than a simulation or representation
thereof) is used during play thereof. Accordingly, if a game (or
a game component thereof) which uses a ball, missile, or other such
tangible game projectile (other than a simulation or representation
thereof) during play thereof is claimed or solely disclosed, then
classification is in Class 473; otherwise, classification is in Class
463 or in the appropriate subclasses of Class 273, Amusement Devices:
Games, which follow behind the subclasses of Class 463. However,
note that Class 463 provides for (a) a game apparatus or means which uses
a simulation or representation of a tangible projectile (e.g., a
light-ray simulation of a projectile, a computer generated representation
of a projectile, etc.), (b) a propelled racing game in which an
object (often a representation of a horse, vehicle, person, etc.)
is propelled during play thereof, and (c) a chance device, either
per se or in combination with a game which does not use a tangible
projectile, whether or not a projectile is included therein, and
even if it is not a game or subcombination element of a game (these are,
for the most part, still located in Class 273). |
| 472, | Amusement Devices,
subclasses 92+ (a) for the structure or composition of a playing
surface, per se (b) for the structure or composition of a peripheral
boundary structure, marking, or enclosure per se, for such a playing surface,
or (c) for the combination of only a playing surface and a peripheral
boundary structure, marking, or enclosure; all of the above of which are
limited to use for an athletic or exhibition event such as, for
example, the playing of a game or sport thereon or therein. Also
see the Search Notes appended thereto. |
| 482, | Exercise Devices, for a device adapted and intended to be used by
a player of a playing field or court game for the sole purpose
of strengthening or exercising his or her muscles so as to improve
play of the game. If the device is adapted to be used along with
a game component (as, for example, a weight to be attached to a
baseball bat or a kicking exercise device intended for use with
a soccer ball or football, etc.), then the device is classifiable
in Class 473. Also, if the device is intended to be used either
for exercising or for warmup by the player, then the device is classifiable in
Class 473. |
| 602, | Surgery: Splint, Brace, or Bandage, for a device adapted and intended to be used for the treatment
of a disorder or injury of a portion of the human body, particularly
subclasses 5+ for an immobilization appliance (e.g., a splint,
brace, etc.) for treating a disorder or injury of a body portion. |
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