Abstract:
An amusement device in the form of an arcade game is disclosed that comprises a rotating playing field arrayed with targets at the perimeter. Using a projectile such as a token or coin, the player drops the projectile into a chute in an attempt to knock down the targets on the rotating playing field. If the player knocks over a target with the projectile, the target is recognized by a detector and then returned to its original position for subsequent play.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to amusement devices, and more particularly to an arcade-type game where game pieces are aimed down a ramp and across a rotating playing field at targets at the periphery of the rotating playing field. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Arcade games that measure a player&#39;s skill and luck are well known in the art. The present inventor is also the inventor and owner of many popular games found in today&#39;s&#39; arcades. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,272,082, entitled “Coin Projecting Amusement Device,” discloses an amusement device wherein coins may be controllably deposited by the player on a playing surface having a multiplicity of surface interruption means thereon. A vertical dam translates over at least a portion of said playing surface and pushes said deposited coins against a random pattern of accumulated coins, causing some of said accumulated coins to fall over an edge into a collecting and counting means. This game is marketed and sold under the trademark “Wedges and Ledges.” U.S. Pat. No. 4,303,248, also invented by the present inventor, discloses an amusement game where coins are dropped onto a flat surface over which a vertical dam is horizontally translated. The vertical dam translates over a portion of the flat surface and drops a certain of the accumulated coins over the edge. As the coins drop over the edge, they are collected in a counting chute to be synchronously counted in a memory and then the game vends out a corresponding number of tokens. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,726,585 also discloses an amusement apparatus in which a player controls a pushing device to push items off of a playing field. A moveable surface is driven in a first pre-determined path and the pusher device is moveable in a linear path traverse to the path travel of the moveable surface. A delivery passage at one end of the path of the pusher device is arranged to deliver any item swept off the surface to a retrieval bin. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,553,865 discloses a rotary arcade game including a turn table having a central aperture. Prizes are positioned on the surface of the turn table and moved by a pivoting arm member operated by the player. The player attempts to manipulate the arm member to push prizes into a collection pocket where they are detected and dispensed to the player. U.S. Pat. No. 5,855,374 is directed to a crane game using a vacuum to selectively pick up prizes within a bin. The prizes are arrayed on a rotating turn table, and the player manipulates a vacuum pick up device linearly along a radial direction of the turn table to pick up prizes below. U.S. Pat. No. 6,139,429 discloses another crane game using a video screen for displaying images. A maneuverable sensor contacts the display screen to select prizes displayed thereon. U.S. Pat. No. 6,095,519 discloses an arcade game including a directing mechanism for aiming a game piece such as a token. U.S. Pat. No. 6,598,881 discloses a crane game with a prize redistribution mechanism for dispersing prizes to a substantially level configuration. Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 6,770,001 discloses a vacuum crane game with targets having beaded portions that vary the difficulty of acquiring said targets. 
     The foregoing illustrate arcade type games credited to the present inventor. The games are predominantly skill-based with an element of luck woven into the overall operation of the games. The present invention is the inventor&#39;s most recent creation in this line of arcade type games. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to an arcade type game wherein a rotating playing field such as a turn table includes a series of targets arrayed around the perimeter. Each target is pivotally mounted to the perimeter of the rotating playing field about an axis tangential to the circumferential edge, such that the target rocks backward and forward in a radial direction. Each target is preferably equipped with a curved lip on an upper surface that serves as the mechanism for flipping the target when struck by a playing piece such as a token or coin. The game further includes an inclined chute to direct the game piece onto and across the rotating playing field with a horizontal velocity toward the revolving targets. If the game piece strikes the curved lip of a target, the target is flipped over by momentum of the game piece as the game piece rolls up the curved lip and off the playing field. The flipped target, having been struck by the playing piece, is pivoted off the playing field such that its distal end, referred to herein as the scoring end, points in a downward direction. The condition of the “hit” target is recognized by a stationary optical reader disposed adjacent the rotating playing field that detects any target pivoted off the playing field to the flipped over position. That is, when the target has been flipped over the scoring end of the target passes between a light source and a light sensor indicating that a target has been successfully tipped over. The sensor is connected to a computer that processes the signals from the sensor and credits the player with a successful score. A reward system, such as a redemption ticket disbursement, is preferably included in the game&#39;s architecture. Moreover, each target may have a unique scoring end that can be distinguished by the sensor and communicated to the computer. This allows the targets to have varying widths to provided differing levels of skill and increase the interest of the game. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention the chute can be controlled by the player manually to alter the trajectory of the game piece. 
     Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way of example, the features of the invention 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an elevated perspective view of a first preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is top view, partially in shadow, of the rotating playing field of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is an elevated perspective view of the steering mechanism of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a top view of the rotating playing field of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  is an elevated perspective view of a first preferred embodiment of a target of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a second embodiment of a target of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 7   a  is an elevated perspective view of the target and turntable combination in conjunction with the optical sensor of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIG. 7   b  is the target of  FIG. 7   a  in the tipped over position. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention, as shown generally in  FIG. 1 , is comprised of a housing  10  and a playing field in the form of a rotating turn table  12  disposed within an enclosed playing area and rotating about a vertical axis  14 . The housing  10  includes a storage area  16  within a lower half to house the game&#39;s electronics and turntable motor assembly (not shown), and a viewing area  18  at the upper half including a plurality of transparent panels  20  for observing the playing area. The housing  10  may include a ticket distribution slot  22  for dispensing redemption tickets  24  at the conclusion of game play, where a ticket storage and dispensing system is disposed within the housing&#39;s storage area  16 . 
     Within the housing  10  above the playing area may include prizes  26 , enticements or other decorations displayed through said transparent panels  20  to encourage would-be players to participate. A shelf  28  can be provided to support such prizes for display within the viewing area  18 . 
     Mounted to the rotating playing field  12  is a U-shaped coin chute  30  extending from an exterior of the housing  10 . Coins  32  or other game pieces are dropped into the chute  30  by the player and the gravitational force on the coin causes it to travel down the chute  30  with a rolling motion toward and onto the playing field  12  (See  FIG. 3 ). The end  34  of the chute  30  is positioned in a brace  36  on the rotating playing field  12  that may be moved to different positions. For example, the support peg  38  on the brace  36  can be inserted into one of several holes  40  on the playing field  12  from the center position  40   a  to slightly offcenter  40   b,    40   c  (See  FIG. 2 ). Because the center position  40   a  is the only stationary location on the rotation playing field  12 , when the brace  36  is in the center hole  40   a  the chute  30  does not move as the turntable  12  rotates. This would correspond to the easiest or simplest game. Alternatively, with the brace peg  38  located in an offcenter hole  40   b,    40   c,  the end  34  of the chute  30  within the brace  36  will rotate with the turntable  12  increasing the level of difficulty of striking a target  42  since both the target and the chute  30  are moving. The selection of the location of the brace  36  and chute end  34  is preferably controlled by the operator and not the player since access to the playing area is required. 
     The chute  30  or game piece guiding mechanism is preferably of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,095,519, invented and owned by the present inventor, the contents of which are fully incorporated herein by reference. This type of chute includes a flexible portion  49  that the player can bend against the brace  36  forcing the chute to flex or bow in either direction. This flexing of the chute permits the player to have greater control over the trajectory of the game piece and adds to the complexity of the game (See  FIG. 4 ). The player manipulates the shape of the chute  30  while the game piece  32  is traveling down the chute  30  to increase the control of the trajectory of the game piece  32  and enhance the skill level of the game. Further details of the steering mechanism are expanded upon in the &#39;519 patent incorporated by reference, and not repeated herein for the sake of brevity. 
     Two targets  42  are shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 . The targets may each comprise a flat, planar member  46  with a proximal end  48  and a distal, or scoring end  50 . At an intermediate section  52  of the target  42  on an upper surface  54  is an outwardly extending curved ramp element  55  terminating in an upturned lip  56 . The upturned lip  56  is positioned at or near the fulcrum of the pivoting connection  58  mounting the target  42  to the rotating playing field  12 , such that a horizontal force applied to the upturned lip  56  will flip the target  42  over on its axis. At the scoring end  50  of each target  42  is a series of fingers or projections  60  that identify the target  42  to the sensor  62 . As the fingers  60  pass by the sensor  62  the sensor communicates the pattern to the computer (not shown) which recognizes which target  42  has been flipped. The computer then controls the ticket dispensing system to dispense redemption tickets  24  or prizes corresponding to an assigned exchange rate for the various targets. For example, the target  42  in  FIG. 5  has six fingers  60  at the scoring end  50  that can be recognized by the sensor  62  and communicated to the computer, which identifies the specific target.  FIG. 6  illustrates a target with only two fingers, which again can be recognized by the sensor and communicated to the computer for proper scoring. In this fashion each target  42  may be singularly identified by the sensor  62  if tipped over. 
       FIGS. 7A and 7B  illustrate the operation of the target  42  in combination with the sensor mechanism. The coin or token  32  exiting the chute  30  rolls toward a target  42  on the rotating playing field  12  as shown in  FIG. 7A . The target  42  is balanced such that a slight majority of the weight of the target is forward of the pivot connection  58 , causing the target to rest on top of the playing field. If the token  32  strikes the upturned lip  56  as shown in  FIG. 7B , the force of the token against the lip tips the target  42  backward such that the scoring end  50  of the target  42  points downward vertically. As the playing field rotates, the scoring end  50  of the tipped over target  42  passes between a light source  64  and a photosensor  62  cooperating to form a detection unit  66 . The detection unit  66  is capable of distinguishing between rapid interruptions in the light source  64  corresponding to multiple fingers  60  passing by the detection unit  66 , and the signals generated therefrom are communicated via a cable  68  to a computer in the storage area  16  of the housing  10 . 
     As the turntable  12  rotates, any tipped over targets are returned to their ready position so that the game is reset with every revolution of the turntable. This can be achieved by a simple sloped obstruction (not shown) that contacts the tipped over target and guides it to its original, horizontal position. After each rotation of the turntable the playing field  12  resets itself and all targets are returned to the original position. Scoring can be cumulative, with each successive target hit adding to the total, or the scoring can be based on a limited number of attempts. Also, the position of the brace  36  on the playing field  12  can result in a multiplier where the factor is one for the center position and a factor of greater than one is available for a non-center position. 
     In practice, the player approaches the game with tokens  32  that are individually placed in the entrance to the chute  30 . Viewing the rotating playing field  12  through the transparent panels  20 , the player can try to time the movement of the token  32  down the chute  30  and across the playing field  12  with the movement of the targets  42 . Each token  32  rolls down the chute  30 , which may be stationary if the brace  36  is located in the center  40   a  of the rotating playing field  12  or the chute  30  may be oscillating back and forth if the chute is positioned off-center  40   b,    40   c.  As the token  32  rolls down the chute  30 , it may come in contact with the target&#39;s upturned lip  56  portion causing the target  42  to tip over in a direction away from the center of the playing field  12 . In the tipped over position, the target&#39;s distal end  50  extends vertically into a path between a light source  64  and a light sensor  62  adapted to detect the presence of the tipped over target  42  and identify which target has been tipped over. A signal is then sent to a computer which translates the signal and assigns a scoring value to the struck target. Using a reward system, the computer calculates a scoring value based on the number and value of each target hit, and rewards the player with tickets  24 , prizes, or points. In a preferred embodiment, the player can manipulate the chute  30  to vary the trajectory of the token  32  or coin. Also, other game pieces are possible as projectiles such as steel balls and the like. Each tipped target is returned to its original position at a designated location along the perimeter of the playing field so that the game can be played indefinitely without having to manually reset the targets. 
     The above described embodiments of the present invention are intended to be exemplary and not exclusive. One of ordinary skill in the art will readily recognize that variations in the above described embodiments can be employed without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention is not properly limited by any description above, but rather the invention&#39;s scope should be broadly interpreted by the ordinary meaning of the words of the claims appended hereto.