EP0947227A1 - Dispositif de jeu de boules - Google Patents

Dispositif de jeu de boules Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0947227A1
EP0947227A1 EP98302681A EP98302681A EP0947227A1 EP 0947227 A1 EP0947227 A1 EP 0947227A1 EP 98302681 A EP98302681 A EP 98302681A EP 98302681 A EP98302681 A EP 98302681A EP 0947227 A1 EP0947227 A1 EP 0947227A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
reel
master
game apparatus
simulated
ball game
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.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP98302681A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Tsz-Ming Lou
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.)
Lup Shun Metal and Plastic Ware Factory Ltd
Original Assignee
Lup Shun Metal and Plastic Ware Factory 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 Lup Shun Metal and Plastic Ware Factory Ltd filed Critical Lup Shun Metal and Plastic Ware Factory Ltd
Priority to EP98302681A priority Critical patent/EP0947227A1/fr
Priority to PCT/CN1998/000060 priority patent/WO1999052612A1/fr
Publication of EP0947227A1 publication Critical patent/EP0947227A1/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current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
    • A63F7/0684—Games simulating outdoor ball games, e.g. hockey or football with play figures slidable or rotatable about a vertical axis
    • 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
    • A63F2250/00—Miscellaneous game characteristics
    • A63F2250/12—Miscellaneous game characteristics using a string, rope, strap or belt as a play element
    • A63F2250/121—Strap or belt

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a ball game apparatus and, more particularly, to a ball game apparatus for playing a simulated miniature soccer game or the like.
  • Soccer has very simple rules and requires only minimal skill to start, its playing population ranges from children to the elderly, though years of hard training is required before one becomes a master of the game. Soccer is a truly international sport which is played on every continent. There is a "World Cup” competition every four years which brings together national teams from all over the Word to compete for the prestigious cup and which keeps millions of audience up late in the nights simply to watch real-time satellite broadcast of the matches.
  • Soccer has also developed rapidly in the last few decades in the less fortunate part of the world because of the simplicity of its rules, minimal equipment and formal gear requirements together with the low running costs: a flat playing field, an inflated ball and two goals, which can simply be temporary marks on the playing field, are all that is required in order to play the game.
  • simulated soccer game apparatuses Because of the popularity of real soccer game, many simulated soccer game apparatuses are available. The more successful of these games apparatuses are mechanical games which are played by two persons each controlling a team of simulated players distributed on a simulated playing field.
  • the simulated players are usually connected by rods or levers to external hand-pieces controllable by the persons playing the game who, by manipulating the hand-pieces, can control the movements of the simulated players and therefore progress of the game. Kicking, sweeping, guarding and intercepting and the typical foot movements of the simulated players usually seen in such games. However, these foot movements are in fact hand-generated by the persons playing the game via the control mechanisms.
  • a team is either the attacking or the defending team.
  • the attacking team is the one having the latest control of the ball, its next likely move is to pass the ball to team members closer to the opposing goal so that they can score by sending the ball into the opposing goal.
  • the prime task of the defending team is to block or intercept the ball to prevent it from being sent into their own goal and, better still, to get control of the ball so that they now become the attacking team.
  • a well known conventional mechanical soccer game apparatus comprises a upstanding game table which carries a simulated planar playing field on its top surface and on which there are disposed a plurality of miniature simulated players which are rotatable in a vertical plane about a horizontal axis.
  • the playing field is surrounded by a continuous wall along its periphery with goals disposed at its two longitudinal ends.
  • Figurines are suspended from transversal horizontal bars which are evenly distributed along the length of the table and which are elevated above the table surface by corresponding apertures formed on the side walls of the table.
  • Bars carrying opposing teams are alternately distributed along the field so that an attacking team is always next to a defending team.
  • the apertures formed on the sides walls of the table loosely accommodate the bars so that they are transversally translatable and the figurines can, in addition to longitudinal kicks, move sideways to get control of a ball or to transport a ball sideways if it is already in control.
  • a more sophisticated soccer game apparatus is a game table having a plurality of upstanding figurines which are distributed randomly over the playing field.
  • Each figurine is mounted on a vertical axis with one foot fixed on the axis and the other foot left overhanging.
  • the axis is movable along a longitudinal track and is connected to an external handle via a transmission assembly hidden underneath the playing field which comprises a translatable lever and a bevel gear.
  • This assembly enables a figurine to be both translatable and rotatable on the playing field at the same time. This results in increased mobility and flexibility of the figurines and at the same time also increases the randomisation of figurine distribution on the field which makes the game more realistic and interesting.
  • the main disadvantage of this apparatus is that, because of the complexity of the transmission system, independent handles must be used to control the individual figurines which means that a person must search for the correct handle before he can kick, block or intercept the ball. This can be a difficult task because the scaling down of the game significantly scales up the speed of the simulated game.
  • the bevel-gear transmission system converts a horizontal rotation into a vertical rotation which means that the instantaneous physical impact and feedback of the game a person can feel is greatly reduced because of the alteration of impact orientation.
  • a ball game apparatus which at least provides the public with a useful choice.
  • a ball game apparatus having a main housing with a simulated playing field on which there are disposed a plurality of simulated players which are mounted on substantially vertical axes distributed on said playing field wherein said axes are connected via a transmission assembly to a master control device, characterised in that a plurality of said axes are connected to said master control device via said transmission mechanism so that said plurality of simulated players are caused to rotate at the same time by said master control device.
  • the axes of the game apparatus are disposed on the corners of a substantially regular polygon.
  • the master control device comprises a master reel and each said vertical axis is fixed concentrically with a secondary reel, said transmission assembly driving said secondary reel to rotate said vertical axis, wherein the diameter of said master reel is larger than that of said secondary reel so that a partial turn of said master reel will bring about a full turn of said secondary reel.
  • the transmission mechanism comprises a loop of tensioned belt enclosing said secondary reels and said master reel.
  • a plurality of said loops of tensioned belt are anchored on same said master reel.
  • a ball game apparatus having a main housing with a simulated playing field on which there are disposed goals and a plurality of simulated players belonging to two teams wherein said simulated players are mounted on axes distributed on said playing field and said axes are connected via a transmission assembly to master control devices, characterised in that a plurality of said axes carrying figurines belonging to the same team are connected to a said master control device via said transmission mechanism so that said plurality of simulated players belonging to a same team are caused to rotate at the same time by said master control device.
  • the game apparatus 1 comprises a main housing 10 on which there are provided a simulated playing field ("Playing Field”)20, goals 30 & 40, simulated goal keepers (“Goal-Keepers”) 31 & 41 and simulated field players ("Field Players”) 32's, 42's.
  • This apparatus is primarily adapted to play a ball game in which two competing teams, say teams A & B, as represented respectively by Field Players with light and dark upper bodies in the present embodiment for convenience, are involved.
  • the opposing teams compete on the simulated playing field 20 for a freely movable ball with the objective of getting, controlling and finally sending the ball into the goal of the opposing team to score.
  • the main housing 10 comprises an upper 11 and a lower 12 part which are releasably attached to each other by suitable fasteners such as screws or clips.
  • Each of the main housing part is preferably integrally moulded from a plastic material for simple, low-cost assembly and for easy maintenance.
  • the upper main housing 11 carries at its centre a Playing Field 20 which has a substantially planar and upward facing horizontal surface. This horizontal surface preferably constitutes a substantial portion of the upper main housing for maximal spatial utilization.
  • a vertical fencing wall 13 along the periphery of the Playing Field.
  • Goals 30, 40 each of which is guarded by a Goal-Keeper 31 or 41.
  • the Goal Keeper is preferably a solid figurine which is placed in front of the goal and which is deployable anywhere between the goal posts so that it can block a ball which is moving towards the goal from all possible directions.
  • the Goal Keeper is mounted at the free end of a pivotal bar 14 with its feet spread and suspended just clear of the Playing Field 20.
  • the Goal Keeper is movable across the width of the goal by reciprocal movement of the pivotal bar 14.
  • the competing teams are either the attacking or defending team, depending on which team controls the ball.
  • team B (with dark upper body) is in control of the ball and is in a position to attack the goal on the left which is being guarded by team A.
  • Team A When Team A is in control of the ball, team B becomes the defending team and such a change can happen in fractions of a second.
  • team B When team B is the defending team, its prime objectives are to obstruct the ball by preventing Team A from sending it towards the right side and to intercept the ball so that it becomes the attacking team.
  • the simulated ball game is played by Field Players which are "scattered" on the Playing Field between the two goals 30 & 40.
  • Field Players which are "scattered" on the Playing Field between the two goals 30 & 40.
  • Field Players in the vicinity of a ball should have a substantially equal opportunity of getting the ball so that they must be fully alerted at all time so as not to miss the opportunity to reverse the game which opportunity could disappear in fractions of a second.
  • Each Field Player is preferably a solid figurine with one foot fixedly mounted on the upper end of a vertical axis 51, which can be a spindle as in the present example.
  • the axes are preferably distributed on the Playing Field 20 in such a manner that they form the corners of a regular polygon or part regular polygon, consistent with the manner of distribution of Field Players described above.
  • Each axis 51 is rotatably supported on the lower main housing 12 and extends vertically through apertures formed on the Playing Field 20 to slightly above the Playing Field level. This permits a figurine to rotate about the axis 51 even though its overall horizontal spread exceeds the size of the apertures. The remaining foot of the figurine is left overhanging to effect ball control, so that, by rotating the axis 51, the figurine can position, sweep and kick the ball with the suspending foot.
  • the preferred driving assembly comprises a master reel 60 which drives by friction a plurality of secondary reels 61 by a tensioned belt 62 or string.
  • the secondary reel 61 is concentrically fixed to the axis 51 on which the figurines are mounted, so that, when the master reel 60 turns, the secondary reel 61 will be turned by the belt 62, thereby causing the axis and figurine assembly to rotate to produce the necessary playing movements.
  • a Field Player When a Field Player is in possession of the ball, it can sweep the ball, either clockwise or counter-clockwise, from a first angular position to a second angular position with its suspending leg about the axis 51, simulating the "twist" movement of a real soccer player. This can be done by turning the master reel 60 progressively either clockwise or counter-clockwise. This movement is essential for setting up a good position before the ball is forwarded to another team member or for goal striking.
  • this sequence of movement can be done in a single continuous control of the master reel 60.
  • the master reel 60 has a considerably larger diameter than the secondary reel 61 so that a partial turn of the master reel 60 will bring about a complete turn of the secondary reel 61. This is desirable to simulate a flexible Field Player which can move the ball to any angular position within a very short time while only a simple partial turn on the master reel 60 is required.
  • Rotational consistency could be obtained when displacement of the tensioned belt 62, which is caused by rotation of the master reel 60, would bring about a turning moment of the secondary reels 61 which is in the same direction as the turning moment of the master reel 60 about its axis.
  • a preferred way to achieve this is by running the tensioned belt 62 in such a way that the axes of all the master and secondary reels are encompassed within a simple loop formed by the tensioned belt 62 so that the tangential lines joining the outer-most edge of adjacent reels define the outer periphery of the simple loop formed by the tensioned belt 62. In this case all the secondary reels which carry figurines belonging to the same team will follow the rotation of the master reel 60.
  • This problem is alleviated in the present embodiment by dividing the secondary reels of a team into a plurality of sub-groups wherein all the secondary reels 61 of a sub-group are enclosed within a simple loop of belt 62 and a plurality of such simple loops are anchored on the same master reel 60 so that all figurines attached to the secondary reels of the sub-groups are drivable by the same master reel 60, and simultaneously.
  • a single master control is required when all the secondary reels 61 of a team are anchored on a single master reel 60, allowing the person to concentrate on the activities on the Playing Field.
  • a slightly concave arcuate surface surrounding the axis helps to bring the ball towards the simulated player whenever the ball is already within range of the player, thereby improving controllability of the game.
  • the concaved arcuate surface is roughened so that a ball will not drift away because of gravity or the slightest shake.
  • tension adjusting means which can adjust the tension in a belt by altering the physical length of the belt path.
  • this is done by a pair of translatable pins 63 which can alter the physical length of the path of the tensioned belt by moving the pins towards or away from each other, for example, by spring bias or fastens.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Multimedia (AREA)
  • Toys (AREA)
  • Pinball Game Machines (AREA)
EP98302681A 1998-04-06 1998-04-06 Dispositif de jeu de boules Withdrawn EP0947227A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP98302681A EP0947227A1 (fr) 1998-04-06 1998-04-06 Dispositif de jeu de boules
PCT/CN1998/000060 WO1999052612A1 (fr) 1998-04-06 1998-04-09 Dispositif de jeu de ballon ameliore

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP98302681A EP0947227A1 (fr) 1998-04-06 1998-04-06 Dispositif de jeu de boules
PCT/CN1998/000060 WO1999052612A1 (fr) 1998-04-06 1998-04-09 Dispositif de jeu de ballon ameliore

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0947227A1 true EP0947227A1 (fr) 1999-10-06

Family

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Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP98302681A Withdrawn EP0947227A1 (fr) 1998-04-06 1998-04-06 Dispositif de jeu de boules

Country Status (2)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0947227A1 (fr)
WO (1) WO1999052612A1 (fr)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1224959A1 (fr) * 2001-01-18 2002-07-24 Jarl-Fredrik Serlachius Jeu de hockey sur glace

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
AU2011201365A1 (en) 2010-04-06 2011-10-20 Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Limited A gaming system and a method of gaming

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
BE522655A (fr) *
US1502619A (en) * 1921-02-08 1924-07-22 Doob Mork Menasha Baseball game board
FR793222A (fr) * 1935-08-01 1936-01-20 Jeu de société, d'adresse et de réflexes
US2128419A (en) * 1936-02-18 1938-08-30 Larsson-Letzen Einar Wilhelm Game apparatus
GB1182425A (en) * 1966-07-01 1970-02-25 Cassidy Brothers Ltd Table Soccer Game Apparatus
US4033584A (en) * 1975-03-17 1977-07-05 Smith Robert A Game system

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
SU1666133A1 (ru) * 1989-01-18 1991-07-30 А.В.Сидор и Б.В.Сидор Настольна игра "Футбол Сидора
US5372364A (en) * 1994-05-27 1994-12-13 Rosa M. Avalos Soccer table game with cue stick
US5470064A (en) * 1995-01-13 1995-11-28 Landry; Francis Game apparatus

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
BE522655A (fr) *
US1502619A (en) * 1921-02-08 1924-07-22 Doob Mork Menasha Baseball game board
FR793222A (fr) * 1935-08-01 1936-01-20 Jeu de société, d'adresse et de réflexes
US2128419A (en) * 1936-02-18 1938-08-30 Larsson-Letzen Einar Wilhelm Game apparatus
GB1182425A (en) * 1966-07-01 1970-02-25 Cassidy Brothers Ltd Table Soccer Game Apparatus
US4033584A (en) * 1975-03-17 1977-07-05 Smith Robert A Game system

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1224959A1 (fr) * 2001-01-18 2002-07-24 Jarl-Fredrik Serlachius Jeu de hockey sur glace
US6749196B2 (en) 2001-01-18 2004-06-15 Bullit, Inc. Ice hockey game

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
WO1999052612A1 (fr) 1999-10-21

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