EP0388557B1 - Tennis game board - Google Patents

Tennis game board Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0388557B1
EP0388557B1 EP19890311071 EP89311071A EP0388557B1 EP 0388557 B1 EP0388557 B1 EP 0388557B1 EP 19890311071 EP19890311071 EP 19890311071 EP 89311071 A EP89311071 A EP 89311071A EP 0388557 B1 EP0388557 B1 EP 0388557B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
racket
ball
supporting body
board
plate
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP19890311071
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0388557A2 (en
EP0388557A3 (en
Inventor
Masatoshi Todokoro
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Staff Co Ltd
Original Assignee
Staff Co Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Staff Co Ltd filed Critical Staff Co Ltd
Publication of EP0388557A2 publication Critical patent/EP0388557A2/en
Publication of EP0388557A3 publication Critical patent/EP0388557A3/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0388557B1 publication Critical patent/EP0388557B1/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63F—CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • A63F7/00—Indoor games using small moving playing bodies, e.g. balls, discs or blocks
    • A63F7/06—Games simulating outdoor ball games, e.g. hockey or football
    • A63F7/0604—Type of ball game
    • A63F7/0652—Tennis
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63F—CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • A63F7/00—Indoor games using small moving playing bodies, e.g. balls, discs or blocks
    • A63F7/22—Accessories; Details
    • A63F7/24—Devices controlled by the player to project or roll-off the playing bodies
    • A63F7/28—Devices controlled by the player to project or roll-off the playing bodies using gravity, i.e. apparatus for rolling off the ball, e.g. a slope, ramp or slant
    • A63F2007/282—Gutter-shaped
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63F—CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • A63F7/00—Indoor games using small moving playing bodies, e.g. balls, discs or blocks
    • A63F7/22—Accessories; Details
    • A63F7/24—Devices controlled by the player to project or roll-off the playing bodies
    • A63F7/2409—Apparatus for projecting the balls
    • A63F7/249—Apparatus for projecting the balls projecting the playing bodies through the air, e.g. with a jump

Definitions

  • This invention relates to a game board with which to play a game similar to tennis. It is related to the subject matter of British patent specification no. 2 055 591.
  • the tennis game board comprises: a base board having a board surface formed on its upper surface on which a ball is rolled; a racket-supporting body mounted at each end of the board surface in such a way that the racket-supporting bodies can be moved along the ends of the board surface; a main shaft mounted inside the racket-supporting body; a racket drive shaft mounted inside the racket-supporting body, the racket drive shaft supporting the racket that is used to strike the ball rolling toward it on the board surface; a cam plate mounted on the main shaft, the cam plate having an action curve that transmits the ball hitting motion to the racket; a windup spring supported on the main shaft to transmit the rotating force to the cam plate; a winding mechanism hooked up to the windup spring; and a link coupled to the racket drive shaft, the link having a cam follower that engages the action curve in the cam plate.
  • the game is started by first placing a ball on the board surface and rolling the ball toward a racket-supporting body which was selected to be a server, followed by the server racket-supporting body hitting back the ball by the racket.
  • the game is not started by directly feeding the ball onto the board surface as if the ball was served by the server racket-supporting body.
  • Patent No. 2,503,393 discloses a ball delivery means for use with such ball games.
  • the ball delivery means is postioned so as to deliver the ball onto the top surface of a game board however, this manner of ball delivery is unacceptable for the present invention since the ball must be delivered as if served to the opponent.
  • the object of this invention is to provide a tennis game board in which, when the game is started, the ball is directly fed onto the board surface as if the ball was served by the server racket-supporting body, thus making the manipulation of the racket-supporting body more interesting.
  • the invention provides a tennis game board as in claim 1.
  • the tennis game board embodying the invention generally comprises a base board 1 having a board surface 2 formed on its upper surface on which a metal ball 14 is rolled.
  • a racket-supporting body 5,5 is mounted at each end of the board surface 2 in such a way that the racket-supporting body 5,5′ can be moved along the ends of the board surface 2.
  • a main shaft 12 and a racket drive shaft 7 are mounted inside the racket-supporting body 5, 5′, the racket drive shaft 7 supporting a racket 11, 11′ that is used to strike the ball 14 rolling toward it on the board surface 2.
  • a cam plate 13 is mounted on the main shaft 12, the cam plate 13 having an action curve 15 that transmits ball hitting motion to the racket 11, 11′, a windup spring (not shown) being supported on the main shaft 12 to transmit rotating force to the cam plate 13, and a winding mechanism 21 is connected up to the windup spring for winding it up.
  • a link 17 is coupled to the racket drive shaft 7, the link 17 having a cam follower 19 that engages the action curve 15 in the cam plate.
  • Each of the racket-supporting bodies 5, 5′ includes a ball delivery member 76, 76′ having a ball gutter portion 77 and a ball leading portion 78, the ball leading portion 78 being adapted to feed the ball from the ball gutter portion 77 so that the ball will fall rolling onto the board surface at a position close to each racket-supporting body 5, 5′ and roll toward the other racket-supporting body 5′, 5 at the other end of the board surface 2.
  • each racket-supporting body 5, 5′ is first wound up.
  • a player who operates the racket-supporting body 5 or 5′ which was selected to be a server places the ball 14 on the ball gutter portion 77 of the ball delivery member 76 or 76′ attached to the racket-supporting body 5 or 5′ and lightly pushes the ball 14.
  • the ball 14 rolls down the ball leading portion 78 of the ball delivery member 76 or 76′ and falls onto the board surface 2 at a position close to that racket-supporting body 5 or 5′.
  • a player who operates the receiver racket-supporting body 5′ or 5 quickly moves the racket-supporting body 5′ or 5 to a position where it can receive the incoming ball 14 and hit it back.
  • the board surface 2 of base board 1 is formed in the likeness of a tennis-court.
  • Floor plates 4, 4′ having guide rail portions 3, 3′ are arranged parallel to the ends of the board surface 2.
  • the hollow racket-supporting bodies 5, 5′ are reciprocally movable between the end of each floor plate 4, 4′, guided along the guide rail portions 3, 3′.
  • the racket-supporting bodies 5, 5′ each have the racket drive shaft 7 rotatably supported on its side walls 6, 6′ at the upper front part thereof. Secured to the central portion of each racket drive shaft 7 are support shaft 10, 10′ that project outwardly from the front part of the racket-supporting bodies 5, 5′ through a hole 9 cut in a front wall 8 of the bodies.
  • the main shaft 12 is disposed parallel to the racket drive shaft 7 in the racket-supporting bodies 5, 5′ and is rotatably supported on the side walls 6, 6′ at the central portions thereof.
  • the link 17 engages with the action curve 15 and transmits the ball hitting motion to the racket 11, 11′.
  • the link 17 has its upper end 18 rigidly secured to the racket drive shaft 7.
  • the other end of the link 17 facing the action curve 15 is provided with the cam follower 19.
  • a box 20 is rigidly mounted to the cam plate 13 and accommodates the windup spring (not shown) for conveying rotating force to the cam plate 13.
  • a stopper 22 is adapted to prevent the racket 11, 11′ from overrunning.
  • the stopper 22 has engagement projections 27, 28 formed on the pivotal portion 24 rotatably supported on a support shaft 23, the support shaft 23 projecting inwardly from the lower part of one side wall 6 of the racket-supporting body 5, 5′.
  • the engagement projections 27, 28 come into engagement with the step 16 of the cam plate 13 and with the lower end 25 of the link 17, simultaneously, when the racket 11, 11′ has moved to a position immediately before the ball hitting position.
  • a spring 29 urges the stopper 22 so that the engagement projections 27, 28 press against the step portion 16 of the cam plate 13 and the lower end 25 of the link 17.
  • the ball delivery members 76, 76′ are provided at the opposing sides of the racket-supporting bodies 5, 5′ and each consist of ball gutter portion 77 and ball leading portion 78.
  • the ball gutter portion 77 is located above the racket-supporting body 5, 5′ and formed to accommodate the ball 14.
  • the ball leading portion 78 is recessed in cross section and sloped along its length downwardly from the ball gutter portion 77 toward the front of the racket-supporting body 5, 5′.
  • the ball leading portion 78 is at the same time so curved that its inclination gradually decreases to where it slightly projects from the front of the racket-supporting body 5, 5′.
  • a mounting plate 79 that is removably attached to the side of the racket-supporting body 5, 5′.
  • a projection 82 that is removably attached to the retainer projection 81 which is provided to the side of a support plate 80, 80′ erected and attached to the front part of the racket-supporting body 5, 5′.
  • the ball delivery members 76, 76′ may be provided on the same sides of the racket-supporting bodies 5, 5′.
  • the spring in the box 20 is wound up by the winding mechanism 21 for each racket-supporting body 5, 5′.
  • the engagement projection 27 of the stopper 22 is urged by the spring 29 to engage the step 16 of the cam plate 13, thus stopping the rotation of the cam plate 13.
  • the engagement projections 28 of the stopper 22 are also urged by the spring 29 to engage the lower end 25 of the link 17, causing the racket 11, 11′ to be located immediately before the position where it begins to swing and hit the ball 14.
  • the engagement between the cam follower 19 and the action curve 15 is such that the cam follower 19 can reciprocate through the curve section 15A of the action curve 15 that transmits the swing-down motion to the racket 11, 11′, as shown in Figure 6. So, when an operator picks up the racket 11, 11′ with finger tips to move it to the swing-up position and then releases it, the racket 11, 11′ returns to the original position by its own weight.
  • the ball 14 When the windup spring is fully wound up, the ball 14 is placed on the ball gutter portion 7 of the ball delivery member 76 on, say, the racket-supporting body 5, which is chosen to act as a server. The ball 14 on the gutter portion 7 is lightly pushed to send it through the ball delivery member 76 toward the other racket-supporting body 5′, which is acting as a receiver. Now, the tennis game is started.
  • a player who operates the receiver racket-supporting body 5′ quickly moves the body 5′ on the floor plate 4′ to a position where it can receive the approaching ball 14 with the racket 11′.
  • the cam plate 13 is rotated in the direction of arrow by a rotating force stored in the windup spring.
  • the curve section 15B of the action curve 15 quickly rotates about the main shaft 12 while engaging with the cam follower 19. This transmits the swing-up motion to the racket 11′ through the link 17, racket drive shaft 7 and support shaft 10, causing the racket 11′ to hit and return the ball 14 toward the opposite end where the racket-supporting body 5′ is located.
  • a player operating the server racket-supporting body 5 swiftly moves the racket-supporting body 5 on the floor plate 4 to a position where it can receive the ball 14 that was hit by the racket 11′ and sent rolling toward it.
  • the racket-supporting bodies 5, 5′ are alternately moved toward the rolling ball 14 and hit it by means of the racket 11, 11′.
  • the racket-supporting body 5 or 5′ fails to hit the ball 14, a point is given to the opponent racket-supporting body. The above operation is repeated to continue the game like a tennis.
  • the base board 1 has opposing longer sides 30, 30′ and shorter sides 31, 31′ that are connected with the longer sides.
  • fence walls 32, 32′ are provided along the opposing longer sides 30, 30′.
  • the board surface 2 has a summit portion formed along the line connecting the centers of the fence walls 32, 32′. From the summit portion, inclined surfaces 33, 33′ slope downwardly toward the longitudinal ends of the board surface 2.
  • white lines similar 34 to those on the tennis-court are marked.
  • recesses 35, 35′ On the upper surface of the fence walls 32, 32′ are formed grooves 36, 36′ to store the balls 14.
  • the grooves 36, 36′ may be formed with outlets near the summit of the board surface 2 to feed tbe ball 14 onto the board surface 2.
  • panels 83, 83′ - which are formed in the likeness of spectator stands with spectators illustrated on the surface (not shown) - are arranged in slope.
  • the support shafts 84, 85 on each side of the panels 83, 83′ are inserted into the shaft holes 86, 87 provided at each end of the fence walls 32, 32′ to fix the panels 83, 83′.
  • a net plate 88 formed in the likeness of the net in the tennis-court is set between the fence walls 32, 32′ so that it crosses the central portion of the board surface 2 and that it is spaced from the board surface 2 so as to allow the ball 14 to pass through.
  • the stays 89, 89′ at each end of the net plate 88 are inserted at their lower ends into the holes 90, 90′ formed at the centers of the fence walls 32, 32′ to hold the net plate 88 immovable.
  • the floor plates 4, 4′ are installed in the recesses 35, 35′ at a position adjoining the board surface 2 and are fixed by screws 38, 38′ to the bottom of the recesses 35, 35′.
  • each floor plate 4, 4′ is formed a slot 39, 39′ which extends parallel to the ends of the board surface 2 to form a guide rail portion 3, 3′.
  • the upper surface of the floor plate 4, 4′ is formed with a step in such a way that the portion of the floor plate on one side of the slot 39, 39′ near the board surface 2 is higher than the other portion on the far side of the slot.
  • the stepped part is formed with a rack gear 40, 40′ along the edge of the slot 39, 39′.
  • a through hole 41, 41′ is formed at the center thereof.
  • a moving table 42, 42′ that is moved reciprocally between the ends of the floor plate.
  • a frame 43 and projections 44, 44′ are formed at the bottom of the moving table 42, 42′.
  • the frame 43 with its sides open projects downwardly at a location corresponding to the slot 39, 39′ of the floor plate 4, 4′ so that it engages with the slot 39, 39′.
  • the projections 44, 44′ are provided on each side of the frame 43 and adapted to engage slidably with the slot 39, 39′.
  • a retainer plate 46 Attached to the lower ends of the projections 44, 44′ is a retainer plate 46 that is formed with an opening 45, which is larger in width than the slot 39, 39′ and into which the lower ends of the frame 43 is received.
  • the retainer plate 46 is secured to the moving table 42, 42′ by screwing the screws 47, 47′ at each end of the retainer plate 46 into the projections 44, 44′ so that the moving table 42, 42′ can smoothly perform the reciprocal motion and also will not come off the floor plate 4, 4′ while in reciprocal motion.
  • L-shaped engagement projections 48, 48′ are formed each of which projects parallel to the slot 39, 39′ and bends outwardly.
  • the racket-supporting body 5, 5′ consists of divided pieces 49, 49′ which are separated at the center of the body.
  • the divided pieces 49, 49′ are mounted on the moving table 42, 42′, and the engagement edges 50, 50′ at the lower ends of the divided pieces 49, 49′ are engaged with the engagement projections 48, 48′.
  • the mating surfaces of the divided pieces 49, 49′ are joined together, and screws 54, 55, 56 are inserted from one of the divided pieces 49 into the other divided piece 49 through the screw insertion holes 51, 52, 53 formed at the upper center and the lower left and right of the divided pieces 49.
  • the support plate 80, 80′ secured to the front of the racket-supporting plate 5, 5′ may be attached with a panel 61, 61′, which is illustrated with a player or a cartoon character posing to hit the ball with a racket and which is cut with an opening 60 through which the support shaft 10, 10′ is passed.
  • the racket-supporting body 5, 5′ may be formed like a doll or any other model or may be installed inside a doll or model.
  • the action curve 15 of the cam plate 13 is a cam groove cut in the surface of the cam plate 13 facing the link 17 in such a way that the cam follower 19 can engage the action curve.
  • the action curve 15 is made up of a curve section 15B which transmits a swing-up motion to the racket 11, 11′ and a curve section 15A which produces a swing-down motion, with these curve sections arranged alternately about the main shaft at 90-degree steps and in communication with each other.
  • the racket 11, 11′ is driven four times.
  • the curve section 15A is formed wider than the curve section 15B to allow the cam follower 19 more freedom of motion.
  • the cam plate 13 is provided at its circumference with a rachet wheel 62, which has four equidistantly arranged steps 16 that correspond to the position immediately before the racket 11, 11′ starts hitting the ball 14.
  • a base plate 69 is supported between the front and rear walls of the racket-supporting body 5, 5′.
  • a pawl plate 70 Secured to the upper surface of the base plate 69 is a pawl plate 70, which, when the cam plate 13 rotates in the same direction as the arrow in Figure 9, allows the toothed wheel 63 to rotate by being pressed against and sliding over the teeth of the toothed wheel 63.
  • the pawl plate 70 prevents the reverse rotation of the toothed wheel 63.
  • a vertical shaft 71 is rotatably supported.
  • the vertical shaft 71 is securely mounted near its lower end with a pinion gear 72 that meshes with a rack gear 40, 40′ and near its upper end with a crown gear 73.
  • a follower gear 75 which is rotatably supported on the support shaft 74 that projects from the inner wall of the racket-supporting body 5, 5′.
  • the pressing force of the pressing spring 66 can be adjusted by the pressure adjust plate 67 in either of the following ways.
  • the pressure adjust plate 67 may be so set that charging the windup spring one turn will store energy enough to drive the racket, say, 20 times. Or a lever connected to the pressure adjust plate 67 may be projected out of the racket-supporting body 5, 5′, so that the force of the pressing spring 66 can be adjusted during the game.
  • the winding mechanism 21 for the windup spring works as follows.
  • the pinion gear 72 in mesh with the rack gear 40, 40′ turns back and forth.
  • the back and forth rotation of the pinion gear 72 is conveyed, through the vertical shaft 71, crown gear 73 and the follower gear 75, to the gear 65.
  • the gear 65 is pressed by the pressing spring 66 against the friction plate 64, which in turn is pressed against the side surface of the toothed wheel 63. Therefore, when the gear 65 rotates in the same direction as indicated by the arrow on the cam plate 13, the toothed wheel 63 is not blocked by the pawl plate 70 and rotates, charging the windup spring.
  • the rotative force is consumed each time the racket 11, 11′ hits the ball 14, and the windup spring gradually loosens.
  • the operator may move the racket-supporting body 5, 5′ left and right along the slot 39, 39′ several times. This causes the gear 65 to rotate and each time the gear 65 turns in the direction of the arrow, the loose spring is wound up, keeping the spring charged to the limit at all times.
  • the invention with the above construction has the following advantages. It is possible to deliver the ball from the ball delivery member of the server racket-supporting body onto the board surface at the start of the game as if the server racket-supporting body served the ball to the opponent, thus making the operation of the racket-supporting body more interesting. Since the racket drive mechanism is constructed as described in the above embodiment, after the racket is swung up, it returns by gravity to a position immediately before the ball striking start position and does not overrun that pre-start position. The racket drive shaft also is not applied with excess spring pressure. Therefore, after having hit the ball and before the ball is returned, the racket can be prevented from striking at the air.
  • the action of the racket becomes quick and responsive, so that if the ball strikes the racket with a small force, it is possible for the racket to strike back the ball with a sufficient power.
  • the action curve is so formed that for each turn of the cam plate the racket is driven four times as in the above embodiment, it is possible to increase the number of times that the racket can be driven by the rotative power stored in the windup spring.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Multimedia (AREA)
  • Pinball Game Machines (AREA)
  • Toys (AREA)
EP19890311071 1989-03-20 1989-10-26 Tennis game board Expired - Lifetime EP0388557B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP31889/89U 1989-03-20
JP1989031889U JPH0617469Y2 (ja) 1989-03-20 1989-03-20 テニスゲーム盤

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0388557A2 EP0388557A2 (en) 1990-09-26
EP0388557A3 EP0388557A3 (en) 1990-12-27
EP0388557B1 true EP0388557B1 (en) 1994-04-13

Family

ID=12343600

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP19890311071 Expired - Lifetime EP0388557B1 (en) 1989-03-20 1989-10-26 Tennis game board

Country Status (3)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0388557B1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
JP (1) JPH0617469Y2 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
DE (1) DE68914643T2 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
ES2264872B1 (es) * 2004-12-17 2008-01-01 Daniel Sanz Navarro Maquina recreativa.

Family Cites Families (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2503393A (en) * 1950-04-11 Adjustable gravity ball projector
DE804299C (de) * 1949-10-30 1951-04-19 Theodor Heim Fa Tischfussballspiel
GB672296A (en) * 1949-11-14 1952-05-21 Toogood And Jones Ltd New and improved table game apparatus
US3782726A (en) * 1971-07-26 1974-01-01 Coleco Ind Inc Football game with magnetic control rods
US3995859A (en) * 1974-11-29 1976-12-07 Adolph E. Goldfarb Competitive board game and mechanical energy-storing catch-and-propel mechanism usable therewith
US4286785A (en) * 1979-08-16 1981-09-01 Masatoshi Todokoro Tennis game board

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0388557A2 (en) 1990-09-26
DE68914643D1 (de) 1994-05-19
DE68914643T2 (de) 1994-09-29
JPH02123290U (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1990-10-09
EP0388557A3 (en) 1990-12-27
JPH0617469Y2 (ja) 1994-05-11

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