Description POLYHEDRAL PLAYING CARD SET

Technical Field

[1] The present invention relates to a polyhedral playing card set, and more particularly, to a polyhedral playing card set for a pegboard used for rehabilitation activities such as sensorimotor function therapy, cognition therapy, occupational therapy, etc. for nerve palsy patients or hemiplegic patients who have suffered neurological damage. Background Art

[2] Sensorimotor skill therapy, rehabilitation, and occupational therapy for nerve palsy patients or hemiplegic patients who have suffered neurological damage typically uses number cards, image cards, or playing cards (such as that depicted in FIG. 1 displaying an image 1 and a number 2), or pegboards having an assortment of shapes and colors matching a plurality of pegs having corresponding shapes and colors (depicted in FIG. 2) as tools.

[3] However, game cards such as the playing card shown in FIG. 1 are made of cardboard or other thin board material such as plastic. These are limited in that nerve palsy or hemiplegic patients who have suffered neurological damage will take a considerable amount of time in grasping the cards with their hands, and therefore, experience difficulty in picking up the cards. Particularly, due to the light weight of the cards, patients will be unable to derive much exercise for their finger muscles, and patients who have palsy on one side of the body would be hard-pressed to participate in a game of cards.

[4] Hand grip strength is generally weak in patients suffering stroke-induced nerve palsy, and hemiplegic patients who have suffered neurological damage will be inhibited in a card game without the use of both hands because it is difficult to hold a dealt hand of cards. Thus, a family member or therapist would end up performing this duty. The situation is further exasperated for the visually impaired, who cannot discern between cards because they are distinguished by visual means.

[5] Alternately, a pegboard with pegs, as depicted in FIG. 2, is used for sensorimotor function therapy, cognition therapy, occupational therapy, etc. for nerve palsy, hemiplegics with brain damage, and other patients by having the patients perform the action of matching the plurality of pegs in different shapes and colors with the peg holes on the pegboard. Due to the excessively simplistic nature of matching colors and shapes of pegs with holes, the drudgery of this exercise does not foster much motivation among patients - especially in the adult patient populations, who tend to

disfavor the peg exercise. Disclosure of Invention

Technical Problem

[6] To solve the above problem, the present invention provides a polyhedral card set that includes a plurality of polyhedral cards that can be inserted into polyhedral recesses formed in a pegboard, where each card displays images and/or characters on one side in a playing card design.

[7] Another object of the present invention is to provide the above polyhedral card set that further includes braille written on a surface of each polyhedral card, for the visually impaired. Technical Solution

[8] According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a polyhedral card set with a plurality of polyhedral cards that each includes images and characters formed on one side thereof by printing, carving, casting, or forging, or by printing the images and characters separately and bonding the printed material to one side of a polyhedral card.

[9] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a polyhedral card set that has a plurality of cards, with each further provided with braille for the visually impaired that signifies the design of each card, formed on one side of each card through casting or forging.

Advantageous Effects

[10] An advantage of a polyhedral card set according to the present invention is that patients with stroke-induced grip weakness or hemiplegic nerve palsy can enjoy a game of poker, etc played with the polyhedral cards using one hand because card designs (i.e., playing card designs) including images and characters are represented. Also, due to one side of each polyhedral card having braille formed thereon, each card can be haptically discerned from other cards, which enables participation in card games by the visually impaired.

[11] Furthermore, because images and characters included in polyhedral playing card designs can be solidly represented through carving, casting, forging, etc., a patient's sensory perception can be improved, and the patient is able to more easily recognize a multi-faceted card than a conventional thin, board type game card, so that cognition can quickly be improved.

[12] Additionally, unlike therapeutic tools such as conventional playing cards made of thin board material and pegboards that involve simply matching shapes and colors, the polyhedral card set of the present invention provides polyhedral cards with a playing card design on one side of each card, so that universally popular games such as poker

may be played while patients receive therapy at the same time. By becoming game members (namely, players), patients, family members, therapists, and others may derive the benefits of heightened perception and judgment. Active participation is fostered, creating opportunities for companionship and familial communications amongst game members.

[13] The present invention can increase muscular strength through muscular exercise of parts of the body that are palsied or have been weakened in the physically disabled and elderly, improve proprioceptors by training of each joint of the upper limbs through grasping the polyhedral cards, and improve hand perceptual functions (control functions) such as tip, pinch palmar prehension, and lateral prehension.

[14] The present invention, during a card game played using polyhedral cards with a card design displayed thereon, allows hemi-neglect or perception disorder patients to derive therapeutic effects from various visual stimuli arising from a game characterized by having to look at other player's cards and a multiple of polyhedral cards in the center of the game, provides perceptual stimuli from touching the polyhedral cards with one's hands, provides visual stimuli with the various colors on the polyhedral cards, provides aural stimuli when the polyhedral cards collide with each other, improves construction ability from arranging the cards, and improves cognitive ability by improving calculation skills and memory.

[15] Furthermore, by inspiring the will to actively participate in all therapeutic activities through entertaining participation in card games, the present invention prevents compounded ailments such as depression through active participation in all activities, reduces familial conflicts by bringing family members together with a neurologically therapeutic game, fosters camaraderie between patients by allowing patients with different degrees of disabilities to participate in thereapeutic games together, and provides psychological benefits through societal interaction and increased activity by allowing patients to interact with those who are healthy. Brief Description of the Drawings

[16] FIG. 1 is a frontal (a) and longisectional (b) view of a playing card according to the related art.

[17] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of pegs and a pegboard according to the related art.

[18] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a polyhedral card that is hexahedral with a playing card design and braille displayed on one side, according to the present invention.

[19] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a polyhedral card in a hemi-cylindrical columnar shape with a playing card design and braille displayed on one side, according to the present invention.

[20] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a polyhedral card in a trapezoidal columnar shape

with a playing card design and braille displayed on one side, according to the present invention.

[21] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a polyhedral card in a columnar prism shape with a playing card design and braille displayed on one side, according to the present invention.

[22] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of polyhedral cards and a pegboard according to the present invention. Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[23] Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the polyhedral playing card set according to the present invention.

[24] Referring to FIGS. 3 through 6, a polyhedral card according to embodiments of the present invention is formed in a hexahedral columnar shape, a hemi-cylindrical columnar shape, a trapezoidal columnar shape, a columnar prism shape, etc., and is manufactured of one of various materials, including plastic, wood, stone, and a high polymer compound, in order to realize a variety of shapes and colors.

[25] The polyhedral card may be customized in terms of size, weight, etc. for patients of various conditions, and to be suitable for adults or children.

[26] This polyhedral card has once side with an image 3 and a character 4, and braille 5 for the visually impaired, depicting the design of a playing card. As shown in FIG. 7, the pegboard for matching shapes and colors has polyhedral recesses formed therein to match and insert the pegs into.

[27] FIG. 7 shows polyhedral cards of various sizes and shapes substituted for conventional pegs, and matched and inserted in a pegboard according to the present invention. By thus matching and inserting the polyhedral cards of various sizes and shapes in a conventional pegboard in lieu of the conventional pegs, the limitations of a conventional playing card set and a conventional pegboard may be nulled.

[28] The polyhedral cards shown in FIGS. 3 through 7 each have an image 3 and a character 4, as well as braille 5 for the visually impaired on a surface thereof to represent the design of a playing card.

[29] Here, the playing card design with images 3 and characters 4 may be formed through printing, carving, casting, or forging, or may have separately printed images or characters that are then adhered to the playing cards. The braille 5 on the playing cards for the visually impaired may be formed through casting or carving.

[30] Referring to FIGS. 3 through 7, because the polyhedral cards according to the present invention are manufactured with the images 3 and characters 4 present on conventional thin playing cards formed of board material on one of the multi surfaces thereof through printing, carving, casting, forging, etc., they enable rehabilitation of

perception and cognition skills when used as conventional playing cards, are easy to handle by patients who have low gripping strength (such as stroke patients), and enable patients to easily play poker and other card games enjoyed in many countries.

[31] As shown in FIG. 7, the polyhedral cards according to the present invention allows patients to play a card game by visually inspecting images 3 and characters 4 depicted as playing card designs, and think and determine how to proceed in the card game (unlike with a conventional pegboard that is used for training through simple repetition). Also, by allowing autonomous playing of the game by patients without the aid of family members or therapists, rehabilitation can be achieved.

[32] Additionally, the polyhedral cards employs a pegboard so as to allow a patient in a card game to easily view his/her hand by inserting the polyhedral cards in the polyhedral slots of the pegboard.

[33] Moreover, the polyhedral cards according to the present invention includes braille 5 that allows hap tic discernment of the cards on one of the surfaces, allowing the visually impaired to participate in a game while undergoing rehabilitation.

[34] Unlike conventional thin board-type playing cards that are flat, because the polyhedral cards according to the present invention are three-dimensional, when patients play poker and other games with the polyhedral cards, they can receive more data to increase their sensory and perception abilities.

[35] While the present invention has been described and illustrated herein with reference to preferred embodiments of a polyhedral playing card set, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers the modifications and variations of this invention that come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

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