JPS5881060A - Falling target mechanism for pinball game machine - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to pinball gaming machines, and more particularly to target devices for pinpole games.

Pinball gaming machines, or pinball games, originally consisted of a single flat playing surface or board with a number of target elements attached to its surface. This game board is generally arranged so that by tilting it toward the player, the ball being played will roll toward the player. A player manipulates a club or other similar device to push a ball against a slope toward a target.

In general, whenever a ball hits a target, an electric device is activated to increase the player's score by a number of points based on the particular target. There was no pinpole game associated with the Lost Yubakai. Generally, loss of a pole during play occurs only when the player fails to push the pole against the slope of the game board.

PINPOLE - Recent advances in gaming technology have transformed traditional single-board games into multiple-board games that meet the needs of most players. U.S. Patent Application No. 277.324, filed June 25, 1981, discloses a first playing surface that is inclined toward a player and a first playing surface that is disposed below the first playing surface and is A pin-pole gaming machine is disclosed having a second playing surface sloped in an opposite direction. This US patent application is incorporated herein by reference. However, such multi-level pinpole
Games have created a need for new devices for moving a pole from a position on a playing surface to a position below the playing surface during play.

The present invention accomplishes this by providing a falling target for moving a pole from a position on one playing surface to a position below this playing surface in a pinpole game when the pole hits a scoring target. This provides a novel device.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, the target assembly includes a target retardedly coupled to the playing surface and biased into a generally upright position by a biasing element. During play, when the pole hits a target, the target is moved relative to the playing surface such that it passes through an opening in the playing surface near the target. The pole that collides with this target during play enters this opening via the target. This pole is guided through the opening into a position below the playing surface by means of a guiding element. This target is no longer subjected to the force exerted by the playing pole, but returns to its original upright position under the force of the biasing element.

The target assembly is equipped with suitable electrical devices to increase the player's score when the falling target is struck by the playing pole.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved target assembly for the game of binball.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the description of preferred embodiments of the invention with reference to the drawings, in which like parts are provided with the same reference numerals.

Next, in the M1 diagram, a novel and improved pin pole
The game IO includes a playing surface 12 that lies in a plane slanted away from a normal playing position 14 for a pin-pole fist game. The pinball game IO also has a playing surface 1B with a conventional slope towards the playing position 14. Playing surface 12 is referred to herein as the oppositely sloped playing surface, playing surface IB is referred to as the main playing surface or conventionally sloped playing surface, and playing surface 12.1B has an oppositely sloped playing surface.

■The term “opposite inclination” regarding two playing surfaces is
This means that a pole that moves in a plane through both playing surfaces rolls in one direction on one surface and the other direction on the other surface.

In the preferred illustrated embodiment, the pin-pole game console 0 includes conventional pin-pole elements. Play surface 12.18 using hinges or other brackets known in the art.
A cabinet 20 is provided for supporting the.

The upper play surface 1B is conventionally hinged at the end facing away from the player (hinges not shown), with a set of hinges for raising the cabinet 20 to a convenient height for the player of the binpole e-game. Legs 22 are provided. A plunger or shooter 24 and a set of bar control switches 026 are located on the cabinet 20 near the play position 14. Several sets of impact bumpers 28, playing stick mechanism 30
and other ball striking devices, such as a sling shot, are placed on the main playing surface 16 in a conventional manner. When this ball falls off between the playing stick mechanisms 30 or when the ball is returned from the lower playing surface 12, the ball is pushed into the shooter 24.
A conventionally known solenoid operated out hole (not shown) is provided for return to position.

A rear glass assembly 32 is supported at the end of the cabinet 20 opposite the play position 14.

After this, a part of the glass assembly 32 includes a score display 1134, a game number display window 3B, and a ball number display window 38 in a game.
It has a normal pinball fist game assembly like .

A conventional pinball game controller (not shown) is used in the pinball game 10. This is in the form of a microcomputer and is programmed according to the state of the art to control scoring and the course of the game in response to the actions of the ball moving device. Typical pinball game controllers include, for example, the Gottli, Northlake, Illinois, USA system used in today's pinball games.
There is one used by eb company.

Next, if we talk about the playing surface 12 tilted in the opposite direction,
In the preferred embodiment, this play surface is a cabinet.
It is supported by a conventionally known bracket (not shown) inside the main play surface 18 so as to be below the main play surface 18. This bracket can be movably mounted to allow the operator to adjust the angle of inclination of the play surface 12. The play surface 12 is spaced apart from the main play surface 18 and is located below and approximately at the center of the main play surface 18. The spacing between the playing surfaces is at least as large as the diameter of the ball, and the height of the i-element with the ball on the playing surface 12F is a height that allows the ball to move on the playing surface 12 below. . The distance between the play surface 12 and the main play surface 18 spans the entire circumference of the play surface 12 which is inclined downward in the opposite direction so that they do not overlap.

Disposed on the lower playing surface 12 are conventional impact bumpers (not shown), a flipping rod mechanism 30A, and other ball biasing devices. The action of the ball biasing element on the lower playing surface 12 produces a score in the score display window 34 in a manner well known in the art, as shown in FIG.
30A is arranged to urge the ball in a plane of opposite slope during play. After the ball rolls downward from the play position 14 toward the flipping rod mechanism 30,
A strongly urges the ball toward the playing position 14.

The playing surface 18 is specifically configured to provide a good view of the playing surface 12 below. To this end, in the illustrated embodiment where the main playing surface 1B is provided with one or more display window mechanisms, one display window mechanism 42 is provided. , a relatively flat, generally transparent material such as a Plexiglas surface 44. This Plexiglas surface 44 exists within three planes of the main playing surface 1B to minimize interference with ball transfer during play. Desirably, this Plexiglas surface 44 can be colored to facilitate viewing of the play surface 12 below and to reduce reflections.

The playing surfaces 12', 18 are fitted with one or more falling target assemblies that allow them to fit within a conventional bottleball game cabinet and further allow balls to be transferred from one playing surface to another. 40.

2-4, a fall target assembly 40 includes a target member having a target bracket 42 and a target element 44, the target element 44 being attached to the target bracket 4 by a rivet 48 or the like.
2.

Other methods of coupling the target element to the target bracket may be used, or they may be integral.

The fall target assembly 4G also includes a pivot element 48. Target bracket 42 includes pivot element 48 such that target element 44 can be selectively moved from a position above play surface 18 as shown in FIG. 2 to a position below play surface 18 as shown in FIG. Although the desired movement of the element 44 is shown as being movably mounted relative to the cylindrical member 44, an elongated movement is also suitable. Spring 5
A suitable biasing member such as 4 forces target bracket 2 to return element 44 to the position shown in FIG.

Further in FIG. 2, during play the pole 50 (shown in dashed lines) is biased against the target element 44. Before the ball strikes the target element, the target element is forced into the upright position shown in FIG. 2 by the biasing member. However, once the ball hits the target element 44, the force exerted by the ball on the target overcomes this biasing force and causes the target member to pivot to the pivot element 44.
8.

The playing surface 1B is provided with an opening eO. Tar 5 When the get element 44 pivots around the pivot element 48.

The ball follows the target element 44 into an opening 80 provided in the main playing surface 16. This ball is guided into the opening 80 by a guiding element 82 fixed relative to the playing surface. This guide element 62 urges the ball to pass through the opening in the playing surface after hitting the target element 44.

In Figure wIJ3, the target element is moved over the ball 50 until the ball rolls over the edge of the target element and onto the ball's track or structure below, such as the second playing surface 12, as shown in Figure 4. continues to rotate under the influence of

Once the force exerted by the ball on the target element is removed, the target element is pushed back through the opening BO by the biasing member to the position shown in FIG. 2.

As shown in FIG. 4, the structure below the opening 80 is
Preferably, there is a track 84 for moving the ball to a location on the playing surface below.

6. A pair of switch contacts 8B are connected to the track 8 so that the passage of the ball 50 through the opening 60 can be detected for scoring purposes.
It is located on 4.

Referring now to FIG. 5, another embodiment of the target assembly 40 includes an aperture cover 52 that covers the aperture 80 when the target assembly is in the upright position;
52 is coupled to the target-bracket 42;
Play surface 1 when the target bracket is in the position shown
located essentially in the plane of B. As the target element pivots under the action of ball 50, aperture cover 52 moves with target bracket 42, thereby opening aperture 80. Alternatively, the aperture cover may consist of a plurality of members (not shown), some or all of which are coupled to the play surface IB. These members include the target element 44 and the opening 8 of the ball 50.
It may be a "free hinge" or other suitable type that allows the passage of 0L.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the ball is guided by a second guiding element 82 and a second guiding element 83 extending in the area below the playing surface 1B. The shape of this guiding element 83 is selected to direct the ball to the desired location below the playing surface 1B.

The target member need not be attached to a pivot element coupled to the underside of the playing surface; this member may be mounted in any suitable manner that allows both the target element 44 and the ball to pass through the opening 60 in the playing surface. Can be installed with.

Furthermore, one or both of guide elements 82 and 83 can be omitted, or they can be an integral part of the playing surface, or they can be integral with each other. Furthermore, the aperture 80 can be made sufficiently large because the target element does not have to make large angular movements to pass the ball to the lower position.

The principles, preferred embodiments, and mode of operation of the invention have been described herein. However, the invention herein intended to be protected by patent is to be regarded as illustrative rather than limiting, and is not to be construed as limited to the particular form disclosed herein; Many modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 is a perspective view showing a pin-pole game using a falling target according to the invention; FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing a falling target according to the invention in which the falling target is shown in a first upright position; FIG. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a falling target according to the invention in which the falling target is shown in a second position, and FIG. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing another example. 10... Pimper game, 12... Play surface, 1
4... Playing position, 16... Main playing surface, 20...
Cabinet, 22...leg, 24...shooter,
28...Control switch, 28...Impact bumper, 3
0... Playing stick mechanism, 32... Rear glass assembly 9 3D, 34... Score display window, 36... Game number display window, 38... Pole number display window, 40... For falling Target assembly, 42... Target-bracket, 44... Target element, 48... Pivot element, 5
0... Pole, 52... Connection location A+, 54... Spring, 60... Opening, 82... Guide element, 63...
Guide element, 84...track. Patent applicant D. Gottlieb & Co. 0q

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. It has an opening. With the play side. a target, the target being movable to permit movement through the opening of the playing surface between first and second target positions L and below the height of the playing surface, respectively; A pinpole game characterized by comprising a supporting structure. 2. A pole, a track, and a structure for supporting the track to allow movement of the pole to a predetermined position after the pole hits the target.
A pinball game according to claim 1. 3. The pinball game of claim 1, wherein the structure movably supporting the target includes a biasing device. 4. In a target assembly for a pinball Φ game including a pole and a playing surface member having an opening. with the target element. structure for movably supporting the target so that the target element allows movement through the opening in the play surface between first and second target positions respectively above and below the height of the play surface; A target assembly further comprising: 5. further comprising: a track; and a structure supporting the track to permit movement of the pole to a predetermined location after the pole hits the target element.
A target assembly according to claim 4. 6. The target assembly of claim 4, wherein said structure movably supporting said target includes biasing means. 7. A target assembly for a pinball game including a ball and a playing surface member having an opening, wherein: a target member having a target element; and a target! a structure for movably supporting the target element relative to the play surface member to permit movement of the target element through the mouth during the movement period; first means for guiding the ball through the aperture during at least a portion of the movement period of the target; and means w42 arranged to receive the ball after passing through the aperture for guiding the ball to the predetermined location. 8. The first means comprises: a guide member; and a structure supporting the guide member to allow the guide member to receive the ball; and the second means: a track. a structure for supporting said track to permit receipt of said ball and to permit movement of said ball to said predetermined location. . 9. A target assembly for a pinball game including a playing surface member having an opening, the target member having a target element. A structure for movably supporting the target so that the target member allows movement through the opening in the play surface between first and second target positions above and below the height of the play surface, respectively. Department and. a structure coupled to the target device to at least partially close an opening in the playing surface member when the target element is in the first target position. assembly. It has lO0 aperture. *A target assembly for a pin-pole game including an a-plane member, wherein the target element is connected to the playing surface between first and WA2 target positions on one side and below the height of the playing surface, respectively. a structure movably supporting the target to permit movement of a surface through the aperture; a target assembly for passing said target element to at least partially close said opening in said playing surface; 11. The target assembly of claim 1O, wherein said means comprises a plurality of members, at least one of said members being coupled to said playing surface member.