WO2011000983A1

WO2011000983A1 - Recreational machine

Info

Publication number: WO2011000983A1
Application number: PCT/ES2010/070298
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ignacio Escobar Pizarro
Original assignee: E-Cultura Net, S. A.
Priority date: 2009-06-30
Filing date: 2010-05-05
Publication date: 2011-01-06
Also published as: ES2352783B1; ES2352783A1

Abstract

A recreational machine is described that is produced from a monocoque body that makes certain assemblies redundant and reduces maintenance and that can also be configured in different modes in order to provide for different, horizontal-table-configuration games, of the table-football, billiards/pool/snooker or ice hockey type.

Description

RECREATIONAL MACHINE D E S C R I P C I Ó N

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The present invention can be included within the technical field of devices for playing indoor games that incorporate small moving bodies.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

To date, there are and are known many recreational machines that comprise a table on which a surface that mimics a soccer field is arranged, on which bars are arranged in a transverse manner to which some imitating dolls are fixed to soccer players distributed in lines similar to the goalkeeper, defense, midfield and forward lines.

Said bars may be operated by players arranged on both sides of the pitch according to a movement in the direction of the axis of said bars and / or a rotation of said bars on their axis, in order to imitate respectively some movements of the players and shooting at the door or passing a ball towards a teammate. Today all known football-type recreational machines are made up of at least two assembled bodies. Said bodies can be made of wood or wood plated with plastics, you can even find table footballs constituted by an internal metal structure covered by plastic plates shaping the table. Other recreational machines such as that described by document ES1017408U have a table, modular or not, with a common four-leg configuration or a base on which the game element rests. The technical problem that arises is that of providing a Recreational machine adaptable for various types of game, such as the football game, which includes a lighter table that offers advantages of assembly, in terms of speed and durability, as well as simple maintenance and allows its rapid manufacturing.

Almost all of these machines are made up of numerous assembled parts, and it is very common for different pieces to form the structure or central body on which the recreational machine is constructed. This structure is usually a combination of elements of wood, metal, wood plated with plastics, plastics, or we can even find machines with an internal metal structure covered by wooden or plastic sheets to form the table, furniture, cabin or volume on which The game is presented. The manufacture of a table football table, so far has always included numerous plates and pieces (of wood, metal, plastic ...) cut, machined and profiled in a concrete way to define the structure of the table, which has then been completed with a surface that mimics a soccer field, on which bars are arranged transversely to which dolls are fixed that imitate soccer players distributed in lines similar to the goalkeeper, defense, center and front lines , and different openings with door to access the internal mechanisms (purse, ball distributor drawer ...) of the structure. The manufacture of a pool table, at present has always included numerous plates and pieces (of wood, metal, plastic ...) cut, machined and profiled in a concrete way to define the structure of the table, which has then been completed with a surface (usually of slate stone) upholstered in fabric on which a rubber upholstery also upholstered is provided perimeter.

The manufacture of an American pool table or a pool table For snooker, so far it has always included numerous plates and pieces (of wood, metal, plastic ...) cut, machined and profiled in a concrete way to define the structure of the table, which is then completed with a surface ( normally of slate stone) upholstered in fabric on which a rubber molding, also upholstered, which includes 6 holes or embrasures is arranged perimetrically. The structure houses different openings with door to access the internal mechanisms (purse, rails, ball distributor drawer ...) of the structure. The technical problem that has always been posed and addressed at the time of manufacturing these recreational machines was to achieve a structural design simple enough but also robust and lightweight to fulfill the designed function, offering the least possible complexity, for its construction and assembly, not forgetting its subsequent maintenance; in all cases the structure of the recreational machine, so far it has been achieved by adding multiple pieces of different materials that have been first manufactured individually with different processes (cutting, machining, profiling ...) and then assembled, What has been assumed: - Considerable complexity in terms of manufacturing times and costs, industrial processes and labor.

A permanent dilemma to find a good balance between robustness and lightness, between manual assembly and industrial process, between complexity and simplicity.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention solves the technical problem raised above, offering a lightweight and robust recreational machine adaptable to various types of games, by means of a recreational machine comprising a monocoque table, preferably configured as a football table, which would incorporate two goals, a playing field , as well as bar supports, preferably of steel, to which two-player dolls-soccer players are attached, preferably 4 bars per team with several soccer-dolls for each bar that crosses the upper part of the monocoque table to which holes have been arranged to pass said bars .

The adaptation of the recreational machine to different types of game is done by changing the playing field that closes the monocoque table and by the different configurations of the openings arranged in said table. As mentioned above, the adaptation of the recreational machine object of the invention to a football game goes through the definition of the goalposts, the playing field that closes the table as a soccer field and the inclusion of bars that cross this table.

For the adaptation of the machine object of the invention to a billiard machine, the playing field would be defined by a mat while the spans are defined as embrasures or are eliminated depending on the type of billiards (for example: American pool / Snoooker or French)

The recreational machine object of the invention allows its adaptation for an ice hockey game for which the goal configuration described in the football-adapted machine is maintained while the playing field is a sliding surface on which the game is developed .

The table of the machine is manufactured in a single monocoque module of injected or molded plastic, which avoids assemblies, assembly time and also provides greater lightness that facilitates the transport and handling of the tables and allows the machine to be adapt to various types of games with minimal modifications (such as the definition of the openings in the table or the holes in it) and the change of the playing field that closes the table.

Together with its lightness, the invention has the advantageous character of the simplicity of the absence of assembly between the support and the game element. The Recreational machine of the invention incorporates all the mechanisms, electronic devices and electrical elements arranged inside the monocoque table; Once all of them have been installed, said table is closed with the playing field, which depends on the type of game to be developed, leaving the recreational machine ready for operation. Thus, the pitch acts as the closing of the table.

Thus, a more precise and faster assembly is achieved, since there are no joints, no gaps in the joints, the risk of unscrewing is eliminated, etc., which avoids maintenance problems and failures associated with the existence of a large number of parts and elements that must be assembled.

Likewise, the configuration in a monocoque body of the recreational machine allows the maintenance thereof to be much smaller.

The invention can incorporate a set of intelligent screens, preferably 2, which additionally can be tactile and would serve as additional input means, intended to show information related to the game or tournament, such as data relating to the reception and transmission of information relating to the games that are played in the recreational machine of the invention. Smart screens incorporate their own process and memory media, which allow processing and storing data entered through the input media, such as screens.

The purposes of said screens may be to inform the game instructions and the development of the competition; serve as support for the player identification process; serve to show avatars, photographs, videos, animations, graphics, etc., related to each registered player; serve as a game videomarker; serve to show messages, information, rankings, competitions, etc., of a community and social network created and linked to the machines; serve as an advertising support for static ads, dynamic, audio, video, etc .; serve as physical and social support of virtual social networks linked to the competition; as well as serving as a support and claim for promotions related to the competition. Said supports would be stored in the memories of said screens.

Optionally, communication means can be incorporated that allow the connection of said screens to other local or remote process units. The recreational machine of the invention can incorporate a lighting system, preferably perimetral from a linear source of LEDs that bathes a grid engraved on the surface that delimits the entire playing field. The optical properties of the reflection and refraction of the light in the translucent playing field itself engraved on its surface with a scratch that follows a logarithmic pattern, similar to that of the diffusion of the light, provide a very interesting backlight effect that avoids the projection of annoying shadows and gives better visibility to the players.

The invention can incorporate a lighting system based on the backlight that produces luminaires, LED bars, fluorescence and spot lights under the translucent playing field. These lighting elements may vary their function, intensity, color, etc. according to the different events of the game.

The invention may include means of recognition of players adapted to perform registration and player identification functions. The recognition means comprise data entry means, such as keyboards, fingerprint readers, etc. The recognition of the players can be done through the introduction, through the means of data entry, of a personal code of each player, such as a PIN code. Said PIN code may preferably be associated or be coincident with the player's mobile phone number, the player's phone number remaining linked to the player's profile, and may be used for sending updates, promotions, tournament results or simply advertising. Also, the use of a telephone number as a PIN access code links the machine to said number and the corresponding data, allowing interaction with the user.

The invention can additionally incorporate means of selection parameters and game options, such as revenge, replay, field change, interface styles, language, etc., in addition to selecting occasional questions of said interface and referring to the game itself or circumstantial promotions , promotional, advertising, collaborative, etc. The data entry means can be keyboards, which can additionally be used to enter PIN codes to participate in promotions that allow games to be played without the need to use payment methods. The recreational machine of the invention can additionally incorporate sound reproduction means adapted to reproduce music, ambient sounds, locutions and other sound effects. The sound reproduction means are preferably acoustic boxes. As means of payment, the invention presents the option of the classic mechanically controlled coin system, as well as more modern means, such as electronic purses coupled to electronic sensors and actuators to activate items. The recreational machine object of the invention contemplates the possibility of including the use of wireless connection systems that allow payment by portable terminals associated with a means of payment, such as being charged to the subscription contract for telecommunication services or media. Payment managed through the terminal and using SMS payment confirmations.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS To complement the description that is being made and in order to help a better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, in accordance with a preferred example of practical implementation thereof, a set of drawings is attached as an integral part of said description. where, for the purposes of illustration and not limitation, the following has been represented:

Figure 1.- Shows a perspective view of the recreational machine of the invention formed as a football table. Figure 2.- Shows a detail of the interior of the recreational machine of the invention formed as a football table.

Figure 3.- Shows two views of the realization of the recreational machine as an ice hockey machine.

Figure 4.- Shows two views of the realization of the recreational machine as an American billiard machine.

Figure 5.- Shows two views of the realization of the recreational machine as a French billiard machine.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

As an example of the realization of the recreational machine (1) of the present invention a table (2) is made of foosball made of a molded plastic monocoque element.

Said table (2), comprises two openings (9) that make up the goals on both sides as well as interior pipes that direct the balls in the game from the openings (9), the goals, to a centralized reception and storage cabin, and a series of walls that configure the playing area as well as the holes-supports for bars. The main body houses a means of payment (4) and a system (both can be mechanical or electronic) that connects and distributes the balls in each game from the central cabin to the ball dispenser accessed by the player. The table (2) is closed by means of a playing field (3), which serves to close and in turn hide the different internal parts of the recreational machine (1), as well as supports for bars that are traversed inside some supports for the bars included in the table (2), as can be seen in figures 1 and 2, where said supports can be drills made in the table or include some droppers such as what are observed in said figures, preferably of steel, a those that are fixed the dolls-players of each of the teams, preferably four bars per team with several dolls-players for each bar and that incorporates the means of payment (4) previously mentioned on the front of the table (2) monohull .

Said means of payment (4) activate mechanisms that are intended to initiate items, in particular the use of an electronically controlled coin system or mechanical purses coupled to an electronic sensor and actuator. In another particular embodiment of the invention the start of the items is given by another type of mechanisms activated by electronic means, such as chip cards, which allow the initialization of the payment means (4).

Once the payment is made, the game is initialized, in this case a football table, the development of which is carried out by means of the activation of the bars that transmit the movement to the doll-footballers. The recreational machine (1) of

The invention has recognition means (6) for players, by means of a PIN code, entered through preferably numerical keyboards (8), which is requested from said players at the beginning of each game. The PIN associated with each player allows the identification of each player and the update of the historical participation data related to said player; said data are stored in the internal memory of the screens and are processed by the process units of each screen; individually.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the data entered is sent by means of communication to process units, local or remote, for processing and storage; can be recovered at any time in real time or deferred.

The identification of the player and the development and end of the game is shown on a set of screens (5) located in some sockets (10) of the table (2) destined to the sample of information regarding the disputed games or the remaining credits for make new games; and in another particular embodiment in which said screens (5) are tactile, they can also be used as PIN input devices for the recognition means (6).

The recreational machine (1) incorporates a lighting system (7) under the playing field, which provides lighting with intensity, color, effects, etc. variables depending on the different events of the game during the development of the game. Also, some acoustic boxes (11) are used to reproduce sound effects such as melodies, ambient sounds, phrases, etc. during the game and while the machine is not being used.

Claims

1. Recreational machine (1) comprising means of payment (4) responsible for activating game start mechanisms that are inside which comprises a table (2) with a rectangular opening in its upper part

characterized because:

said table (2) is manufactured in a monocoque molded or injected plastic body comprising at least two openings (9) that are located in interior walls of the table (2) perpendicular to the playing field (3) intended to accommodate some game elements such as balls or discs, and because it comprises an interchangeable rectangular playing field (3) adaptable to the rectangular opening.

2. Recreational machine (1) according to claim 1 characterized in that it additionally comprises two sockets (10) located in the upper part of the table and on both sides of the playground intended to house screens (5).

3. Recreational machine (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the screens (5) are tactile.

4. Recreational machine (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that it additionally comprises recognition means (6) of players, adapted to register, identify and recognize said players.

5. Recreational machine (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that the recognition means (6) comprise keyboards (8) and / or touch screens (5) adapted to allow each player to enter registration data and identification data .

6. Recreational machine (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the screens (5) comprise process means and memories intended to process and store the data entered by means of recognition means (6) and display data in the screens (5).

7. Recreational machine (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the screens (5) additionally comprise communication means intended to connect said screens (5) with local or remote process means.

8. Recreational machine (1) according to claim 1 characterized in that it additionally comprises supports for bars, to which two-team soccer players are fixed and where the spans (9) are two goals located on both minor sides of the ground of game (3) made as a soccer field allowing the realization of the recreational machine (1) as a football game.

9. Recreational machine (1) according to claim 1 characterized in that the openings (9) are embrasures located around the pitch

(3) and in which the pitch (3) consists of a mat that allows the use of the recreational machine (1) pool game.

10. Recreational machine (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the openings (9) are two goals located on both minor sides of the playing field (3) and in which the playing field (3) consists of a sliding surface that allows the use of the recreational machine (1) for the ice hockey game.

11. Recreational machine (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it additionally incorporates a lighting system (7), under the playing field (3), comprising luminaires, LED lighting, fluorescence and / or spot lights, adapted to vary their intensity, color and effects according to the different events of the game.

12. Recreational machine (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that it additionally comprises acoustic boxes (11) adapted to reproduce different music, ambient sounds, locutions and sound effects.