Gravity defying game of skill and speed

A game includes a paddle having a first end, a second end positioned vertically higher than the first end, an axis defined from the first end to the second end, a path located on an upper surface of the paddle, and a target, such as a hole, located in the path near the second end of the paddle. The game also includes a movable element, such as a marble, sized to fit within the path and a base rotatably supporting the paddle to permit rotation of the paddle relative to the axis so that rotation of the paddle causes the marble to move along the path from the first end of the paddle to the target. Typically, the game also includes a second paddle rotatably supported by the base and having similar characteristics.

The invention relates generally to games, and, in particular, to a game of 
skill and speed. 
Games of skill using marbles (i.e., glass, plastic or metal spheres) are 
known. For example, there is a game in which a marble is maneuvered 
through a maze by rotating the maze relative to two perpendicular axes. In 
this game, the maze includes several holes that must be avoided to guide 
the marble from one end of the maze to the other. 
In general, the invention features an inclined paddle having a first end 
positioned vertically lower than a second end. A path located on an upper 
surface of the paddle runs from the first end of the paddle to a target, 
such as a hole, located near the second end, and is sized to allow passage 
of a movable element, such as a marble. A base rotatably supports the 
paddle to permit rotation of the paddle relative to an axis defined 
between the first and second ends so that rotation of the paddle causes 
the marble to move along the path from the first end of the paddle to the 
hole. Thus, skilled rotation of the paddle moves the marble uphill from 
the first end to the second end. 
Specific embodiments include one or more of the following features. 
Typically, the axis is defined near the center of the paddle and the path 
includes portions located on either side of the axis. Thus, as the marble 
moves along the path, it repeatedly crosses the axis. 
An adjustment mechanism coupled between the paddle and the base changes the 
incline of the paddle by selectively adjusting the vertical position of 
the second end relative to the first end, and thereby permits variation in 
the skill required to move the marble along the path (i.e., as the path 
becomes steeper, it becomes more difficult to move the marble along the 
path). The adjustment mechanism typically includes a pivot beam, and the 
paddle includes hinges that snap over pivot points located on the pivot 
beam. The paddle may also include handles positioned near the first end to 
ease rotation of the paddle. 
The width of the path in the direction perpendicular to the axis typically 
varies along the axis. For example, the width of the path can continually 
decrease from the first end of the paddle to the second end. Variation in 
the width of the path varies the frequency at which the paddle must be 
rotated to move the marble along the path (i.e., the paddle must be 
rotated quicker as the width of the path becomes smaller), and thereby 
increases the difficulty of the game. 
The game may also include a collector positioned beneath the hole to 
collect the marble as it passes through the hole, a marble tray to hold 
the marble, and a ramp positioned between the collector and the marble 
tray. The collector, ramp and marble tray typically are coupled to the 
base. 
The game may also include a second paddle having features similar to the 
first paddle. This second paddle typically includes a second adjustment 
mechanism so that the two paddles may be set to different inclines. This 
adjustment has the advantage of allowing players of different skill levels 
to compete with each other at relatively equal levels. 
When two paddles are included, the collector and ramp associated with one 
paddle may feed into the marble tray associated with the other paddle, and 
multiple marbles may be used. Thus, when a player successfully moves a 
marble along the path and into the hole, that marble is deposited into the 
other player's marble tray. 
Typically, the paddles are arranged so that their axes are substantially 
parallel, and the first end of the first paddle is adjacent to the second 
end of the second paddle while the second end of the first paddle is 
adjacent to the first end of the second paddle. This arrangement allows 
the players to face each other as they play. Generally, the paddles have 
trapezoidal shapes that decrease in width from the first ends to the 
second ends, and are arranged next to each other so that the game has a 
compact size. These trapezoidal shapes also facilitate steadily decreasing 
the widths of the paths from the first ends to the second ends, which, as 
discussed above, increases the skill level required to play the game. 
During play, each player places a marble in the path of his or her paddle 
near the first end of the paddle and rotates the paddle about the axis of 
the paddle until the marble drops through the hole of the paddle. The 
players repeat this process until one of the players wins by depositing 
all marbles from the players marble tray and paddle into the other 
player's marble tray and paddle.

Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will become 
apparent from the following detailed description when read in connection 
with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
FIG. 1 is a top view of a two player game; 
FIG. 2 is a side view of the game of FIG. 1; and 
FIGS. 3-4 are perspective assembly views of components of the games of 
FIGS. 1 and 2. 
Referring to FIG. 1, a game 10 includes a pair of paddles 12, each of which 
is inclined along an axis 14 and rotatable about axis 14 by a player 
grasping handles 16 positioned near the bottom of the paddle 12. A 
tortuous path 18 that includes a hole 20 near its top is defined in each 
paddle 12. 
During play, a player places a marble 22 at the end 23 of a path 18 and 
rotates the paddle 12 back and forth about axis 14 so that a marble 22 
moves up the inclined paddle along a path 18 until the marble 22 drops 
through a hole 20. Because rotation of the paddle raises and lowers 
portions of path 18 (i.e., rotating the paddle to the left lowers the left 
side of the path), the marble can be caused to move consistently downward 
along path 18 in directions perpendicular to axis 14 (i.e., when marble 22 
is at the left edge of paddle 12, paddle 12 is rotated to the right so 
that marble 22 moves down to the right side of paddle 12, and, when marble 
22 reaches the right edge of paddle 12, paddle 12 is rotated to the left 
so that marble 22 moves down to the left side of paddle 12). This downward 
movement of marble 22 in directions perpendicular to axis 14 provides 
marble 22 with sufficient momentum to move upward along path 18 in a 
direction parallel to axis 14 and to reach hole 20. 
After dropping through hole 20, marble 22 lands in a collector 24 (see FIG. 
2) and travels along a ramp 26 to the other player's marble tray 28. A 
player who successfully removes all marbles 22 from his or her marble tray 
28 and paddle 12 by dropping them through hole 20 into the other player's 
marble tray 28 is declared the winner. 
Referring to FIG. 2, each marble tray 28 is part of a base 30. A paddle 12 
is mounted on each base 30 by two hinges 32 connected to a pivot beam 34 
that can be set in one of three positions to permit variation in the 
incline of each paddle 12. Increasing the incline of a paddle 12 increases 
the difficulty of moving a marble along path 18 and into hole 20. The 
inclines 12 are separately adjustable, which permits players of different 
skill levels to compete against each other. For example, when a highly 
skilled player is playing a less skilled player, the incline of the paddle 
12 used by the highly skilled player can be set to a higher level than 
that of the paddle 12 used by the less skilled player. 
The two paddle units are connected together by pins 36 that extend from the 
bottom of each collector 24 and fit into slots 38 (see FIG. 3) in the base 
30 of the other paddle unit. To reduce wear on marbles 22, each collector 
24 includes a foam pad 40 (see FIG. 3) on which the marbles 22 land after 
falling through a hole 20. Each hole 20 includes an extension 42 that 
serves to guide a marble 22 falling through hole 20 into a collector 24. 
Referring to FIG. 3, each paddle unit 11 of game 10 is assembled by 
attaching the pivot beam 34 to the base 30 by inserting rods 44 of pivot 
beam 34 into a groove 46 of base 30 and the bottom of pivot beam 34 into a 
slot 48 of base 30. Pivot beam 34 includes three notches 50 that permit 
adjustment of the incline of the pivot beam. A foam pad 40 is inserted 
into collector 24 which, along with ramp 26 and marble tray 28, is 
connected to base 30. 
Referring to FIG. 4, once pivot beam 34 has been installed, the paddle 12 
is attached by snapping hinges 32 over pivot points 52 on pivot beam 34. 
Thereafter, the two paddle units 11 are assembled into game 10 by 
inserting the pin 36 of each paddle unit 11 into the slot 38 of the other 
paddle unit 11. 
Other embodiments are within the following claims. For example, axis 14 
could be positioned along the edge of paddle 12. In addition, movable 
elements other than marbles and targets other than holes could be used.