US20070235941A1

US20070235941A1 - Game table structure

Info

Publication number: US20070235941A1
Application number: US11/375,341
Authority: US
Inventors: James Ting
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-03-15
Filing date: 2006-03-15
Publication date: 2007-10-11

Abstract

A game table includes a panel, several pushing rods, pushing elements, pressing rods, and wheels; the panel has several ball receiving holes thereon; the pushing rods are positioned under the panel, next to edges of the receiving holes; the pushing elements are supported on the pushing rods in an adjustable manner, and face the receiving holes; the pressing rods stick upwards through the panel, and each have an elastic element around it, and a rack secured thereon; the wheels each are connected to one of the pushing rods, and have a gear secured thereon, which engages a respective one of the racks; the elastic elements will move the pressing rods upwards to their original position immediately after the players stop pressing the pressing rods, which will cause horizontal displacement of the pushing rods for the pushing elements to prop balls out of the receiving holes when depressed.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improvement on a game table structure, more particularly one, which is structured in such a way as to allow the game to run smoothly.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, a conventional game table 5, which is used to play basketball, includes a panel 51, two rings 52, several pushing rods 53, and buttons 56. The panel 51 is decorated so as to have the form of a basketball court, and it is formed with several equidistantly spaced ball receiving holes 511 thereon. The rings 52 are positioned on two ends of the panel 51. The pushing rods 53 are positioned under the panel 51, and pivoted to supporting elements pivoted to the panel 51 so as to be linearly displaced relative to the panel 51. Each of the pushing rods 53 has a propping section 531 at a tail end thereof. Each of the pushing rods 53 has several pushing plates 54 secured thereon, which pushing plates 54 are next to edges of the ball receiving holes 511 of the panel 51. Elastic elements 55 are connected to the pushing rods 53 and the panel 51 at two ends. The buttons 56 are passed through the panel 51 at lower portions thereof, and they have sloping sides 561 at lower ends thereof, which are propped against respective ones of the propping sections 531 of the pushing rods 53. In playing the basketball game with the game table, the players press the buttons 56 so as to make basketballs 57 move out of the ball receiving holes 511 of the panel 51 and towards the opponent along the panel 51 with the help of the pushing plates 54 secured on the pushing rods 53; when the buttons 56 are pressed, they will cause horizontal displacement of the pushing rods 53 with the help of the sloping sides 561 at the lower ends thereof, and the pushing plates 54 will change position so as to face the ball receiving holes 511, and the elastic elements 55 will be stretched; when the players stop pressing the buttons 56, the elastic elements 55 will move the pushing rods 53 back to the original position; the players will get points when succeeding in making basketballs 57 fall through the rings 52 on the opponents' sides.
The above game table has the following disadvantages:
1. The pushing rods sometimes can't effectively move the buttons back to their original position with the restoring force of the elastic elements when the players stop pressing the buttons even if the buttons have the sloping sides at the lower ends for allowing the horizontal component of the restoring force of the elastic elements to be applied on the buttons. Consequently, such structure isn't convenient to use.
2. When the original panel is replaced with a new one to make the game fresh and exciting, which new panel has ball receiving holes in different positions from those of the original one, the pushing rods also have to be replaced, otherwise the pushing plates won't face the ball receiving holes. Therefore, such structure isn't economical to use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is a main object of the invention to provide an improvement on a game table to overcome the above-mentioned problems. The game table of the present invention includes a panel, several pushing rods, pushing elements, pressing rods, and wheels. The panel has several ball receiving holes thereon. The pushing rods are positioned under the panel, next to edges of the receiving holes. The pushing elements are connected to the pushing rods in such a way as to be adjustable in position, and they face the receiving holes. The pressing rods stick upwards through the panel, and they each have an elastic element connected thereto, and a rack secured thereon. The wheels each are connected to one of the pushing rods, and have a gear secured thereon, which engages one of the racks. The elastic elements will bias the pressing rods upwards to their original position immediately after the players stop pressing the pressing rods for the pushing elements to prop balls out of the receiving holes and towards the opponents' sides. Therefore, the pressing rods will certainly move back to their original position owing to restoring force of the elastic elements immediately after the players stop pressing the pressing rods. And, the pushing elements can be adjusted in position so as to suit a new panel, which has receiving holes in different positions from those of the original panel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be better understood by referring to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a lateral sectional view of the conventional game table,
FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the conventional game machine,
FIG. 3 is a view of the conventional game machine in use,
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the present invention,
FIG. 5 is a lateral view of the present invention,
FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the present invention,
FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the present invention, and
FIG. 8 is a view of the present invention in use.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIGS. 4 to 8, a preferred embodiment of a game table of the present invention includes a panel 1, several pushing rods 2, and several pressing rods 3.
The panel 1 is decorated so as to have the appearance of a basketball court, and it is formed with several receiving holes 511 thereon. Rings 11 are positioned on two ends of the panel 1. The pushing rods 2 are positioned under the panel 1, next to edges of the receiving holes 12, and they are connected to supporting elements 22, which are connected to and can slide along a lower side of the panel 1; thus, the pushing rods 2 can be horizontally displaced relative to the panel 1 with the supporting elements 22 guiding the direction of motion of the pushing rods 2. Each of the pushing rods 2 has several pushing elements 21 secured thereon, which are secured in such a position as to face the receiving holes 12 of the panel 1, and which can be adjusted in position in relation to the pushing rod 2. In the present preferred embodiment, each of the pushing elements 21 has a hole (not numbered), and the pushing elements 21 are connected to the pushing rods 2 in a movable manner with the pushing rods 2 being passed through the holes thereof.
Each of the pushing rods 2 is passed into a sleeve 23, and touches an elastic member 24 held in the sleeve 23; thus, the pushing rods 2 are subjected to a restoring force of the elastic members 24.
Each of the pushing rods 2 is connected to a rotating wheel 25 such that rotation of the rotating wheel 25 will cause horizontal displacement of the pushing rod 2. Each of the rotating wheels 25 has a gear 26 secured thereon.
The pressing rods 3 stick upwards through the panel 1, and each of the pressing rods 3 has a rack 31 secured to a lower portion, and a button 33 secured on an upper end thereof. Elastic elements 32 are positioned around the pressing rods 3 for biasing the pressing rods 3 with the buttons 33 upwards. The racks 31 engage respective ones of the gears 26 secured on the rotating wheels 25. Therefore, when the buttons 33 are depressed, the elastic elements 32 will be pressed, and the racks 31 will move downwards to cause rotational motion of the gears 26 with the rotating wheels 25, causing horizontal displacement of the pushing rods 2 and compression of the elastic members 24 in the sleeves 23. At the same time, the pushing elements 21 will prop balls 12 in the receiving holes 12 upwards and out of the receiving holes 12. The elastic elements 32 will stretch and make the pressing rods 3 with the buttons 33 move back to the original position, and the racks 31 will cause rotation of the rotating wheels 25 for moving the pushing rods 2 back to the original position as soon as the players stop depressing the buttons 33. At the same time, the elastic members 24 in the sleeves 23 will stretch to help move the pushing rods 2 back to the original position. The players will get points when succeeding in making the balls 4 fall through the rings 11 on the opponents' sides.
From the above description, it can be seen that the game table of the present invention has the following advantages:
1. The pressing rods with the buttons will certainly move back to their original position owing to the restoring force of the elastic elements immediately after the players stop pressing the buttons.
2. The pushing elements on the pushing rods can be adjusted in position so as to suit a new panel, which is used instead of the original panel, and has receiving holes in different positions from those of the original panel. Therefore, the present structure is economical to use.

Claims

1. An improvement on a game table structure, comprising

a panel, the panel having a plurality of holes thereon;

a plurality of pushing rods, the pushing rods being positioned under the panel, next to edges of the holes of the panel;

a plurality of pushing elements, the pushing elements being supported on the pushing rods so as to face the holes of the panel;

a plurality of pressing rods, the pressing rods sticking upwards through the panel; each of the pressing rods having an elastic element positioned around it; each of the pressing rods having a rack secured thereon; and

a plurality of rotating wheels each connected to one end of one of the pushing rods, each the rotating wheels having a gear secured thereon; the gears engaging respective ones of the racks.

2. The improvement on a game table structure as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the pushing elements has a hole, and the pushing elements are connected to the pushing rods in a movable manner with the pushing rods passing through the holes thereof.

3. The improvement on a game table structure as recited in claim 1, wherein the pushing rods are connected to supporting elements, which are connected to and capable of sliding along a lower side of the panel.

4. The improvement on a game table structure as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the pushing rods is passed into a sleeve, and touches an elastic member held in the sleeve so as to be subjected to a restoring force of the elastic member.

5. The improvement on a game table structure as recited in claim 1, wherein the panel has rings on two ends thereof, and it is made in such a way as to have a form of a basketball court.