Patent ID: 6270080
Filing Date: 2001-08-07
Classification: A63F,G07F

Abstract:
A game module for a coin-operated item vending machine, said game module comprising:(a) a housing positionable substantially within an interior cavity of a globe of a coin-operated item vending machine and between an elongated central support member of the machine and a side of the globe of the machine, the housing including(i) opposite upper and lower end portions,(ii) a front wall disposable adjacent to the side of the globe of the machine,(iii) a back wall disposable adjacent to the support member of the machine and defining a slot, and(iv) opposite side walls disposed between and interconnecting said front and back walls and together therewith defining an interior cavity open at and converging to said lower end portion of said housing which is extendable through a hole in a top portion of a support base of the machine such that said lower end portion of said housing is disposable exteriorly of the machine and above a slot of a coin deposit of the machine and said interior cavity of said housing is aligned with the slot of the coin deposit of the machine to allow for passage of a coin through said lower end portion of said housing and into the slot of the coin deposit of the machine;(b) a target disposed within said interior cavity of and mounted to said housing; and(c) a flexible resilient lever having opposite inner and outer ends and defining means thereon for retaining a coin, said lever being disposed below said target and extending through said interior cavity of said housing and mounted at said inner end of said lever to said housing, said lever also extending through said slot of said front wall of said housing and extendable through a slot in the side of the globe of the machine such that said outer end of said lever is disposable exteriorly of the globe of the machine and said coin retaining means of said lever is disposed interiorly of said front wall of said housing, said slot of said front wall of said housing and the slot of the side of the globe of the machine each allowing for manual inserting by an user of the coin therethrough such that the coin can be placed on said coin retaining means of said lever, said outer end of said lever for gripping by one or more fingers of the user and being depressible downwardly by the user causing bending of said lever from an initial condition and creating an upward force because of the resiliency of said lever such that release of said lever by the user allows said lever to spring back to said initial condition and toss the coin upwardly such that the coin will either make or miss said target depending on the skill of the user and the coin upon missing said target will fall onto said housing walls and be guided by said lower end portion thereof into the slot of the coin deposit causing the dispensing of a vendable item to the user upon rotation of a knob of the coin deposit by the user.