Abstract:
A game apparatus comprises a first portion, a second portion, a first side hinge coupling an interior end of the first portion to an interior end of the second portion, and a second side hinge coupling an interior end of the first portion to an interior end of the second portion. The game apparatus has a folded, closed configuration in which it is portable, and opens to an opened configuration for use and enjoyment. One embodiment of the game apparatus comprises a stand that supports the game apparatus in the opened configuration in an inclined position to bias rolling members ejected onto a playing surface to roll towards a receiving end of the playing surface.

Description:
STATEMENT OF RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application depends from and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/904,607 filed on 15 Nov. 2013 and having the same title. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to an amusement game apparatus. More specifically, the present invention relates to a game apparatus that folds for portability, and opens to display an inclined playing surface comprising status and/or dynamic displays that interact with the user for amusement and fun. 
         [0004]    2. Background of the Related Art 
         [0005]    Amusement games are well-known in the art. Pinball machines are one type of amusement game apparatus involving static and dynamic displays on a rolling surface that interact with a rolling member introduced onto the rolling surface by the user. However, pinball machines are generally very heavy and non-portable. 
         [0006]    Non-permanent events such as picnics, festivals, after school gatherings and the like are often attended by persons, such as children, that would enjoy these types of amusement games but for the difficulty of moving pinball machines to and from the event. What is needed is an amusement game that conveniently converts from a light-weight and portable configuration to a configuration in which the amusement game can be used and enjoyed during the event, and subsequently conveniently restored to the portable configuration for easy transport back to storage. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY 
       [0007]    One embodiment of the present invention provides a portable amusement game apparatus having a folded configuration for portability and an opened configuration for use and enjoyment. The apparatus comprises a first open channel portion hingedly coupled to a second open channel portion to facilitate the opening and closing of the apparatus. The apparatus of the present invention comprises two 180 degree hinges that provide enhanced structural stability to the apparatus in the open and in the closed and portable configuration. 
         [0008]    An embodiment of the present invention provides erectable static and/or erectable dynamic game components on a rolling surface of the apparatus in the open configuration. An embodiment of the present invention with an erectable dynamic game component may further provide a motor connectable to drive the action of the dynamic game component. An embodiment of the present invention with a motor may further provide a battery compartment or retainer to store a battery used to drive the dynamic game component using the motor. 
         [0009]    An embodiment of the present invention provides a compartment in which one or more rolling members can be stored and secured in the closed configuration. When in the open configuration, the rolling members are introduced onto a rolling surface within the opened apparatus to interact with the user and the game components on the rolling surface. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the game apparatus of the present invention, in an opened configuration. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a side elevation view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a side elevation view of the game apparatus of  FIGS. 1 and 2  in a folded configuration. 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is the side elevation view of  FIG. 3  illustrating the operation of the hinges. 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged view of a hinge of the embodiment of the game apparatus of  FIG. 1-4 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0015]    One embodiment of the present invention provides a portable game apparatus having a folded and closed configuration for ease of transport and an opened configuration for use and enjoyment. 
         [0016]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the game apparatus  10  of the present invention in an opened configuration. The embodiment of the game apparatus  10  comprises a first channel portion  11  having an open end  26  and a top  36  and a second channel portion  12  having an open end  25  and a top  37 . The open end  26  of the first channel portion  11  is in abutment with the open end  25  of the second channel portion  12  in  FIG. 1  to together form an elongate channel having a rolling surface  29  therein and to provide an elongate, channel having a first end  46  and a second end  47 . The first channel portion  11  and the second channel portion  12  are held in the aligned and abutted configuration of  FIG. 1  by a pair of hinges  20  having a first L-shaped first L-shaped member  21  secured to the first channel portion  11 , a second L-shaped member  22  secured to the second channel portion  12  and a link  23  secured at a first end  23 A to the first channel portion  11  and at a second end  23 B to the second channel portion  12 . The hinge  20  is illustrated in  FIG. 1  in the opened configuration and the L-shaped members  21  and  22  engage and stabilize the hinged connection and to retain the open end  26  of the first channel portion  11  against the open end  25  of the second channel portion  12 . The operation and structure of the hinges  20  will be discussed more in connection with  FIG. 3 . 
         [0017]    The game apparatus  10  illustrated in  FIG. 1  also includes a first static game component  54  on the rolling surface  29  and a second static game component  55  on the rolling surface  29  of the game apparatus  10 . It will be understood that embodiments of the game apparatus  10  of the present invention may have many static game components and, optionally, dynamic game components that are positioned along the rolling surface  29  to interact with the rolling members (not shown) during use of the game apparatus  10 . The game apparatus  10  in  FIG. 1  further includes a spring-loaded plunger  58  movably coupled to the first channel portion  11  proximal to a rolling member launch channel  53  formed when the first channel portion  11  and the second channel portion  12  are abutted as shown in  FIG. 1 . Aligned with the launch channel  53  is a deflector  57  to deflect a rolling member ejected by the plunger  58  through the launch channel  53  onto the rolling surface  29  to interact with the static game components  54  and  55 . 
         [0018]    It will be understood that elevating the second end  47  of the elongate game apparatus  10  in the opened configuration illustrated in  FIG. 1  in the direction of the arrow  50  and relative to the first end  46  will cause a rolling member (not shown) ejected from the rolling member launch channel  53  and deflected by the deflector  57  onto the rolling surface  29  to roll, according to the angle of the rolling surface  29 , from the second end  47  towards the first end  46  and to engage and interact with game components  54  and  55  disposed on the rolling surface  29  along the way. 
         [0019]      FIG. 2  is a side elevation view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1  illustrating the game apparatus  10 . Included in  FIG. 2  is a dotted line indicating the position of the rolling surface  29  that supports the game components  29 . The elongate channel formed by the abutment of the open end  26  of the first channel portion  11  and the open end  25  of the second channel portion  12  is shown in a flat orientation for convenience, and it will he understood that the second end  47  is elevated above the first end  46  during use, as shown in  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 2  reveals a rolling member collection area  52  where rolling members (not shown) will eventually come to rest unless they are captured by game components  54  and  55 . 
         [0020]      FIG. 3  is a side elevation view of the game apparatus  10  of  FIGS. 1 and 2  in a folded configuration. The hinge  20  allows the second channel portion  12  to be pivoted about the hinge  20  from the position in  FIG. 2  (open configuration) to the position in  FIG. 3  (folded configuration) for portability. In the folded configuration illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the second end  47  on the second channel portion  12  is brought adjacent to and aligned with the first end  46  on the first channel portion  11 , and the top  36  of the first channel portion  11  now abuts the top  37  of the second channel portion  12 . It will be understood that the game components (not shown in  FIG. 3 ) are protected against damage in the folded configuration of the game apparatus  10  illustrated in  FIG. 3 . 
         [0021]      FIG. 4  is the side elevation view of  FIG. 3  illustrating the operation of the hinge  20 . While the first L-shaped member  21  remains secured in place on the first channel portion  11 , and the second L-shaped member  22  remains in place on the second channel portion  12 ′ (shown in dotted lines in  FIG. 4 ), the link  23  of the hinge  20  pivots as the second channel portion  12  is simultaneously raised and rotated in a clockwise direction relative to the first channel portion  11 . The link  23  between the first channel portion  11  and the second channel portion  12  is stabilized in both the open configuration (see  FIGS. 1 and 2 ) and the closed configuration (see  FIGS. 3 and 4 ). 
         [0022]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged view of a hinge of the embodiment of the game apparatus of  FIG. 1  revealing how the L-shaped members  21  and  22  together stabilize the link  23  in the open configuration corresponding to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 . The L-shaped member  21  is fixedly secured to the first channel portion  11  using fasteners  66  and the L shaped member  22  is fixedly secured to the second channel portion  12  using fasteners  66 , while a first end  23 A of the link  23  is pivotally secured to the first channel portion  11  using a fastener  61  while the second end  23 B of the link  23  is pivotally secured to the second channel portion  12  using a fastener  62 . This structure permits the link  23  to pivot relative to each of the first channel portion  11  and the second channel portion  12  while engaging the L-shaped members  21  and  22  with the link  23  to stabilize the hinge  20  in both the opened and closed configurations. 
         [0023]    It will be understood that the game apparatus of the present invention can be modified and customized to provide a wide variety of interactions between the rolling member and the game components on the rolling surface without departure from the structural aspects described in the paragraphs above and illustrated in the appended drawings, which allow the construction, storage and usage of a game apparatus having a rolling surface, rolling members and game components to interact and engage the rolling members as they descend across the rolling surface. It will be understood that the game apparatus of the present invention is limited only by the claims that follow. 
         [0024]    The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used at this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components and/or groups, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. The terms “preferably,” “preferred,” “prefer,” “optionally,” “may,” and similar terms are used to indicate that an item, condition or step being referred to is an optional (not required) feature of the invention. 
         [0025]    The corresponding structures, materials, acts, and equivalents of all means or steps plus function elements in the claims below are intended to include any structure, material, or act for performing the function in combination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed. The description of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description, but it is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the invention in the form disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and the practical application, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.