US20010033054A1

US20010033054A1 - Deep well air hockey game

Info

Publication number: US20010033054A1
Application number: US09/780,716
Authority: US
Inventors: David Rossi; Michael Nally
Original assignee: Sportcraft Ltd
Current assignee: ABG Sportcraft LLC
Priority date: 2000-02-11
Filing date: 2001-02-09
Publication date: 2001-10-25

Abstract

An air hockey game including a table having an upper game surface, a paddle adapted to rest on said game surface, said paddle having a height measured by the distance that the paddle extends above the game surface, and a rail surrounding the game surface, said rail having a depth measured by the distance that the rail extends above the game surface, and wherein the depth of the rail is approximately equal to the height of the paddle.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to air hockey game tables, and specifically, to an improved air hockey game with the upper rail extending around the perimeter of an air hockey game table.

2. Prior Art

Air hockey game tables have been known for many years. In these games, a smooth, planar game surface is provided with a number of air holes. The game surface is surrounded by a peripheral rail. When the game is in operation, air is pumped through these air holes, creating a cushion of air along the top surface of the table. This cushion of air is used to support a hockey puck used for the game. By floating on the cushion of air, the hockey puck may move over the surface of the game table with very little friction. The reduced friction allows a player to shoot the puck across the game surface at a relatively high speed.

Not every shot makes it to the goal. Some shots are deflected by blocking the goal with a paddle, while others may fall wide of the mark. If a shot fails to produce a goal, the rail surrounding the game surface keeps the puck in play for subsequent shots. Accordingly, during a typical air hockey game, the puck is continually rebounded off of the surrounding rail at high speeds.

The speed of some shots is sufficient to cause the puck to float excessively high on the bed of air overlying the game surface. The extra elevation attained by the puck with some shots has been in excess of the height of the rail surrounding the game surface. When the puck gets this far above the game surface, it may pass over the rail and cause disruption of the play in progress, as well as strike the players and observers.

Conversely, the well should not be so deep as to make the playing surface less accessible or to create undue bulk to the structure.

Accordingly, there is a need for an air hockey table having a surrounding rail that is sufficiently deep and sturdy to keep the hockey puck in play even when the puck attains extra elevation above the game surface during a high speed shot.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In response to the above-referenced challenges, Applicants have developed an innovative air hockey game comprising: a table having an upper game surface; a paddle adapted to rest on said game surface, said paddle having a height measured by the distance that the paddle extends above the game surface; and a rail surrounding the game surface, said rail having a depth measured by the distance that the rail extends above the game surface, and wherein the depth of the rail is approximately equal to the height of the paddle.

Applicants have also developed an innovative air hockey table having a rail comprising: a bottom strip having an outer strip adjacent to said upper game surface; an outer wall connected to said table and extending around an outer periphery of said upper game surface, said outer wall having an upper edge; an upper strip having an outer edge, an inner edge, and a lower face adjacent the upper edge of the outer wall; and an inner wall extending between the inner edge of the bottom strip and the inner edge of the upper strip.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and are not restrictive of the invention as claimed. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein by reference, and which constitute a part of this specification, illustrate certain embodiments of the invention and, together with the detailed description, serve to explain the principles of the present invention.

In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in this application to the details of construction and to the arrangement so the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

It is therefor an object of the present invention to provide an air hockey table having a surrounding rail with increased depth.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide an air hockey table with improved capability of maintaining the hockey puck in play during a game.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a surrounding rail for an air hockey game that is adapted to increase the rail depth of an existing air hockey table.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide an air hockey game that is safer to use by players and observers.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention are set forth, in part, in the description which follows and, in part, will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art from the description and/or from the practice of the invention.

These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference would be had to the accompanying drawings, depictions and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated preferred embodiments and results of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an air hockey table constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention. [0019]
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a air hockey table rail of a preferred embodiment of the invention with a paddle taken along section line [0020] 2-2 of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to the drawings in which like reference numerals refer to like elements and FIG. 1 in particular, air hockey table [0021] 10 is shown incorporating features of the present invention. The air hockey table 10 generally includes an upper game surface 20 and a rail 30 surrounding the game surface 20. The rail 30 has a uniform depth 40. Two paddles 50 and 60, and a puck 70 are resting on the game surface 20. Paddles 50 and 60 have a preferred height 80 such as but not limited to 2.5 inches as measured from bottom 90 to top 100 of paddle.
With reference to FIG. 2, when the air hockey table [0022] 10 is in operation, air is pumped via a fan or other mechanism along channels 110 and 120 and through air holes (not shown) in upper game surface 20 which create a cushion of air along upper game surface 20. This cushion of air is used to support puck 70 during play.
The air [0023] hockey table rail 30 may include a bottom strip 130 having an inner edge 140, an outer edge 150, and a bottom face 160 adjacent to the upper game surface 20. Screws 170 provide a mechanism for holding the bottom strip 130 adjacent to upper game surface 20. Screws 170 provide a mechanism for holding the bottom strip1 30 adjacent to upper game surface 20. Other known fasteners, such as rivets, glue, nails, staples, velcro, magnets, etc. may be used instead of screws 170. An outer wall 180, having an upper edge 190, may be connected to the table 10 around the outer periphery of the upper game surface 20. A first reinforcement member 200 may be attached to the upper edge 190 of the outer wall 180 using screws 210. An upper strip 220 is provided having an outer edge 230, an inner edge 240, and a lower face 250. The upper strip 220 may be attached to the upper edge 190 of the outer wall 180 and/or to the first reinforcement member 200 by screws (not shown), adhesive, or some other fastening means. An inner wall 260 may extend between the inner edge 140 of the bottom strip1 30 and the inner edge 240 of the upper strip 220. Second and third reinforcement members, 270 and 280, may be used to attach the inner wall 260 to the bottom strip 130 and the upper strip 220 using screws (not shown), adhesive, or some other fastening means.
It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the construction, configuration, and/or operation of the present invention without departing form the scope or spirit of the invention. For example, in the embodiments mentioned above, it is contemplated that one or more of the members comprising the [0024] rail 30 are preferably constructed of MDF material. The material used, however, may be something other than MDF without departing from the intended scope of the invention.
Furthermore, variations in the depth and width of the [0025] rail 30 also may be made without departing from the scope of the invention, even though a preferred depth 40 is approximately 2.5 inches. It is also preferred that depth 40 be greater than diameter of puck 70 which often spin on end 270 during play to further prevent puck 70 from leaving upper game surface 20. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover the modifications and variations of the invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.
In summary, the present invention provides an air hockey game comprising a table having an upper game surface, a paddle adapted to rest on said game surface, said paddle having a height measured by the distance that the paddle extends above the game surface, a rail surrounding the game surface, said rail having a depth measured by the distance that the rail extends above the game surface, and wherein the depth of the rail is approximately equal to the height of the paddle. [0026]
The present invention also provides an air hockey table comprising an upper game surface, and a rail surrounding the game surface, said rail having a depth measured by the distance that the rail extends above the game surface, wherein said depth is greater than 1.0 inches. [0027]
The present invention further provides an air hockey table wherein the rail depth is greater than 1.5 inches. [0028]
The present invention still further provides an air hockey table wherein the rail depth is greater than 2.0 inches. [0029]
The present invention provides an air hockey table wherein the rail depth is greater than 2.5 inches. [0030]
The present invention also provides an air hockey table wherein the rail depth is approximately 2.5 inches. [0031]
The present invention further provides an air hockey table wherein the rail comprises a bottom strip having an outer edge, an inner edge, and a bottom face adjacent the upper game surface; means for holding said bottom strip adjacent to said upper game surface; an outer wall connected to said table and extending around an outer periphery of said upper game surface, said outer wall having an upper edge; an upper strip having an outer edge, an inner edge, and a lower face adjacent the upper edge of the outer wall; and an inner wall extending between the inner edge of the bottom strip and the inner edge of the upper strip. [0032]
The present invention still further provides an air hockey table wherein the distance the inner wall extends between the inner edge of the bottom strip and the inner edge of the upper strip is greater than 1.5 inches. [0033]
The present invention provides an air hockey table wherein the distance the inner wall extends between the inner edge of the bottom strip and the inner edge of the upper strip is greater than 2.0 inches. [0034]
The present invention also provides an air hockey table wherein the distance the inner wall extends between the inner edge of the bottom strip and the inner edge of the upper strip is greater than 2.5 inches. [0035]
The present invention further provides an air hockey table wherein the distance the inner wall extends between the inner edge of the bottom strip and the inner edge of the upper strip is approximately 2.5 inches. [0036]
Whereas, the present invention has been described in relation to the drawings attached hereto, it should be understood that other and further modifications, apart from those shown or suggested herein, may be made within the spirit and scope of this invention. [0037]

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. An air hockey game comprising:

a table having an upper game surface;

a paddle adapted to rest on said game surface, said paddle having a height measured by the distance that the paddle extends above the game surface; and

a rail surrounding the game surface, said rail having a depth measured by the distance that the rail extends above the game surface, and wherein the depth of the rail is approximately equal to the height of the paddle.

2. An air hockey table comprising:

an upper game surface; and

a rail surrounding the game surface, said rail having a depth measured by the distance that the rail extends above the game surface, wherein said depth is greater than 1.0 inches.

3. The air hockey table of

claim 2

wherein said rail has a depth greater than diameter of a puck used on said upper game surface.

4. The air hockey table of

claim 2

wherein the rail depth is greater than 1.5 inches.

5. The air hockey table of

claim 2

wherein the rail depth is greater than 2.0 inches.

6. The air hockey table of

claim 2

wherein the rail depth is greater than 2.5 inches.

7. The air hockey table of

claim 2

wherein the rail depth is approximately 2.5 inches.

8. The air hockey table of

claim 2

wherein the rail comprises:

a bottom strip having an outer edge, an inner edge, and a bottom face adjacent the upper game surface;

means for holding said bottom strip adjacent to said upper game surface;

an outer wall connected to said table and extending around an outer periphery of said upper game surface, said outer wall having an upper edge;

an upper strip having an outer edge, an inner edge, and a lower face adjacent the upper edge of the outer wall; and

an inner wall extending between the inner edge of the bottom strip and the inner edge of the upper strip.

9. The air hockey table of

claim 8

wherein the distance the inner wall extends between the inner edge of the bottom strip and the inner edge of the upper strip is greater than 1.5 inches.

10. The air hockey table of

claim 8

wherein the distance the inner wall extends between the inner edge of the bottom strip and the inner edge of the upper strip is greater than 2.0 inches.

11. The air hockey table of

claim 8

wherein the distance the inner wall extends between the inner edge of the bottom strip and the inner edge of the upper strip is greater than 2.5 inches.

12. The air hockey table of

claim 8

wherein the distance the inner wall extends between the inner edge of the bottom strip and the inner edge of the upper strip is approximately 2.5 inches.