WO1996005580A1

WO1996005580A1 - Game playing device

Info

Publication number: WO1996005580A1
Application number: PCT/FI1995/000416
Authority: WO
Inventors: Martin Zilliacus; Matti LINDSTRÖM
Original assignee: Raha-Automaattiyhdistys
Priority date: 1994-08-09
Filing date: 1995-08-07
Publication date: 1996-02-22
Also published as: FI96147C; FI943681A0; FI96147B

Abstract

The invention relates to a game playing device comprising a vertical play panel (1) forming a plane of movement (2) for coins or similar flat tokens (3), the play panel (1) comprising fixed ports (4), by hitting which the tokens (3) control the delivery of prizes, a prize delivering mechanism, inserting means (5) for a token (3) required for starting a game, and launching means (6) for launching a token (3) into the play panel (1). In order to increase the attraction of a game and to allow for higher prizes, at least one rotatable port (8) is arranged in addition to fixed ports (4).

Description

Game playing device

The invention relates to a game playing device comprising a vertical play panel forming a plane of movement for coins or similar flat tokens, said play panel comprising fixed ports, by hitting which the tokens control the delivery of prizes, a prize deliv¬ ering mechanism, inserting means for a token required for starting a game, and launching means for launching a token into the play panel.

In various prior art slot-machine-type of game playing devices a token is launched into a play panel with the object of making it pass through said ports whereby it usually activates a prize delivering mechan- ism for delivering a specific prize to a player. If the player fails to make the token pass through a port, the player does not win a prize but loses the stake. A mech¬ anical playing device of this type is known from e.g. Finnish Patent 37,712. In such playing devices the game is usually over after the token has traversed the play area formed by the ports.

In some game playing devices it is possible to change the size of the prize or give bonuses depending on e.g. the number of playing rounds and/or the passage of a token through one or more predetermined actuating means. In these devices the size of the actual prize and possible additional prizes and bonuses are, however, de¬ termined when the token has passed through or by-passed a port. In order to increase the versatility and at¬ traction of playing, such game playing devices have been designed that provide additional games in addition to the above-described main game, and where a token, having passed the main game, has a chance to participate in at least one additional game which may be completely dif- ferent from the main game. Such a game playing device is known from e.g. Finnish Patent Application 883,401. Such game playing devices providing extra games are becoming increasingly versatile because of the op- portunities offered by modern electronics. This, how¬ ever, also means that they are more difficult to play and not all players can utilize their special features. Additionally, these modern versatile games comprising abundant electronics are found to be "insensitive" and indifferent to the skills of the player, or that skill is insignificant as to the success of the game.

Consequently the need has arisen to revert to mechanical solutions offering a player more chance to affect the course of a game by his/her skills. A game playing device should naturally ensure that a skilful player will achieve adequately attractive prizes. This goal is difficult to attain by developing e.g. the known ports placed in play panels as e.g. the gap for the token in the port cannot be excessively tightened in order for the game not to become unreasonably difficult.

The object of the present invention is to elim¬ inate the above drawbacks and find a simple solution for improving the interest in slot-machine-type of game playing devices. This object is reached by the game playing device of the invention which is characterized in that at least one rotatable port is arranged in addition to the fixed ports.

This invention is based on the idea of design¬ ing a completely new type of continuously "changing" port, which may be used together with fixed ports or at least partly to replace them.

This rotatable port preferably comprises a re¬ ceiving aperture, which, when in an upward position, grips a token potentially hitting it at that time. The rotatable port may be placed e.g. under the midmost port of a slot machine, providing a maximum prize when hit in the above situation. Depending on the game situation and when the port is motor-driven, the pay-out ratio may be adjusted by rotating or pivoting the port during the game, by changing the rotation rate or even by keeping the port in place in a certain position.

A rotatable port may be rotated by e.g. an electric motor, but in a rotatable port may also be ar¬ ranged a plurality of receiving apertures, whereat a token hitting one of them rotates the port without a motor and is detached as the aperture takes a downward turn.

The port of the invention is adaptable both to a play panel with a closed circulating path, i.e. where the play token is one of the tokens circulating in the play panel, and to an open play panel, where a player's token is used as the play token. In theory, the above adjustment of the rotation of the port allows a slot machine to pay out quite high prizes. In the following the invention will be de¬ scribed in greater detail with reference to the accom¬ panying drawings, where

Figure 1 is a simplified schematic view of an embodiment of the game playing device of the invention, comprising one rotatable port,

Figure 2 shows the rotatable port of the inven¬ tion on a larger scale,

Figures 3a and 3b show some possible variations of the placement of a rotatable port in a play panel, Figure 4 shows an alternative embodiment of the rotatable port of the invention, and

Figure 5 shows an other alternative rotatable port placed into a play panel.

The game playing device shown in Figure 1 may be to its basic structure of a type described in e.g. Finnish Patent 37,712 or Finnish Patent 63,123. The game playing device comprises a play panel 1, forming a plane of movement 2 for tokens 3. The upper portion of the play panel 1 comprises a plurality of conventional fixed, immovable ports 4, knows from e.g. the above Finnish Patent 63,123, arranged to act on a prize de¬ livering mechanism (not shown) at the back of the play panel 1 so that the passage of a token 3 through a port 4 affects the prize received by a player. The game play- ing device further comprises inserting means 5 for a token 3 required for starting a game, launching means 6 for launching a token to the circulating path, and a prize delivery chute 7 for potential prizes. The elements 5, 6, 7 and the prize delivering mechanism are commercially available units known per se wherefore their operation and construction will not be described in greater detail.

A rotatable port 8 is arranged in the play panel 1 of the game playing device, under the midmost conventional port 4. This rotatable port 8 is driven by an electric motor and its rotation is electronically controlled. The port 8 comprises a receiving aperture or recess 9 for gripping a token 3, the location of which recess is naturally dependent of the rotation of the port. The rotation rate, rotation direction or po¬ tential temporary stand-still of the port varies depend¬ ing on the game situation and the prize to be delivered. The token is detached from the port 8 when it has rotat¬ ed into a position where the aperture 9 faces down. The game is played as with a normal slot machine, but in order to get a maximum prize a player has first to make the token 3 launched into the play panel 1 pass through the midmost port and thereafter still to hit the aper¬ ture 9 of the rotatable port 8. Hitting the aperture 9 requires precise timing of the hit and following the rotation of the port 8, which makes the game interesting and requires skill of the player. The rotatable port 8 further allows the delivery of an adequately tempting prize at a time as its pay-out ratio may be adjusted according to the game situation.

Figures 3a and 3b show two examples of the placement of a rotatable port 8 into a play panel 1. In Figure 3a all the ports of the play panel 1 are placed in one row, where every second port is a conventional port 4 and every second a rotatable port 8. Figure 3b shows two rows of ports, where conventional ports 4 alternate with rotatable ports 8 in the upper row and the lower row comprises solely rotatable ports 8, placed below the conventional ports 4 of the upper row. Figure 4 shows an alternative rotatable port

80 of the invention, comprising a through passage 81, through which a token 3 hitting the opening 82 of the passage may pass and simultaneously give an impulse to deliver a maximum prize. Figure 5 shows another alternative rotatable port 90, located below the midmost port 4 but greater in size than the previous ports 8 and 80, and comprising a plurality of receiving recesses 91, 92, by hitting which a token 3 rotates the port and is detached when the recesses 91, 92 take a downward turn. The port 90 further comprises a through passage 93 in the middle. A token 3 detached from the recesses 91, 92 or passing through the passage 93 may thus, depending on skill or luck, hit a conventional fixed port 4, arranged beside or below the port 90, resulting in an additional prize.

The purpose of the above description is to illustrate the invention. The invention may, however, be applied in many alternative manners in game playing devices of the slot machine type, within the scope of the attached claims.

Claims

1. A game playing device comprising a vertical play panel (1) forming a plane of movement (2) for coins or similar flat tokens (3), said play panel (1) compris¬ ing fixed ports (4), by hitting which the tokens (3) control the delivery of prizes, a prize delivering mech¬ anism, inserting means (5) for a token (3) required for starting a game, and launching means (6) for launching a token (3) into the play panel (1), c h a r a c t e r ¬ i z e d in that at least one rotatable port (8; 80; 90) is arranged in addition to the fixed ports (4).

2. A game playing device as claimed in claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that a rotatable port (8; 80; 90) is arranged below at least one conventional immovable port (4).

3. A game playing device as claimed in claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that a rotatable port (8; 80; 90) replaces at least one conventional immovable port (4).

4. A game playing device as claimed in claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that rotatable ports (8; 80; 90) are arranged in two rows on top of each other.

5. A game playing device as claimed in any of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the rotatable port (8; 80; 90) comprises at least one receiving aperture (9; 81; 91, 92, 93) for a token (3), the location of which aperture is variable depending on the rotation of the port (8; 80; 90).

6. A game playing device as claimed in claim 5, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the receiving aperture (9) is arranged as a recess from which the token (3) is detached when the port (8) has rotated to a position where said aperture faces down.

7. A game playing device as claimed in claim 5, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the receiving aperture (9) is arranged as a passage (81) through the port (80).

8. A game playing device as claimed in claim

5, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that a plurality of receiving recesses (91; 92) are arranged in the rotat¬ able port (90), whereat a token (3) hitting said re¬ cesses rotates the port and is detached when the recess starts to face down.

9. A game playing device as claimed in claim 8, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the rotatable port (90) comprising a plurality of recesses (91; 92) also comprises a through passage (93) in the middle.