Patent Document

FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates generally to amusement games such as those found in arcades and the like, and more particularly to a coin-operated arcade game with a target hitting portion and a lottery-like random reward portion.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     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. Patent 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 which is then unloaded to vend out a corresponding number of tokens.  
         [0003]     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. 4,822,045 is directed to an amusement device comprised of a pair of spaced apart elongate members defining a track, and a rolling member for rolling along that track under control of an operator. The elongate members are spaced a fixed distance apart at their first ends since this ends comprising since this end comprising the normal home position of the rolling member. The opposite, second ends of the elongate members are moveable relative to one another to adjust their spacing and to control the movement of the rolling member along the track. The operator controls the separation of the elongate member so that the rolling member can roll from its home position to the opposite end of the track without falling between the opening separating the elongate members.  
         [0004]     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 an 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.  
         [0005]     Each of the above-identified games are part of an art of amusement devices that have been invented by the present inventor. The present invention is another in the line of games and amusement devices from the inventor.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     The present invention is an arcade-type coin operated game wherein a coin or token is placed in a downwardly inclined and gravity driven chute that propels the token down the chute toward a target. The end of the chute is aimed at a first window or repository corresponding to a failed attempt. That is, if a token is placed in the chute and the token under the influence of gravity rolls down the chute with its path uninterrupted, the token will travel straight into the first window or repository resulting in a failed attempt, ending the game. A second window or repository is located above the first window, and corresponds to a successful or “win” attempt. That is, if token is placed in the chute and then deflected upward into the second window, the player then enters a lottery phase of the game wherein a random reward is assigned. The successful deflection altering the path of the token leaving the chute can be achieved, for example, by a passing a series of ramps across the path of the token so that if timed properly, a token can strike the ramp as it passes by to deflect the token over the fail window and into the success window. The ramps are preferably fixed to a rotating turn table such that the ramps periodically pass before the chute in their circular travel around the turn table.  
         [0007]     In the lottery phase of the game, a successful deflection of the token into the win slot is sensed by a sensor, causing a ball to be released from a holding position onto a cycloidal, downwardly spiraling track. The ball rolls down the spiral track until the ball leaves the track and enters a rotating playing field. The rotating playing field includes a number of holes that are sized to receive the ball, such that when the ball enters the rotating playing field it will randomly fall into one of the holes. If each hole is assigned a different point value, then the lottery aspect of the game is accomplished by the ball falling into a random hole, and the player is awarded a reward corresponding to a value associated with the hole.  
         [0008]     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  
       [0009]      FIG. 1  is an elevated perspective view of a first embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0010]      FIG. 2  is an enlarged, cut-away view of the coin chute and rotating turn table of the embodiment of  FIG. 1  illustrating a successful attempt to strike a ramp with a token and pass the ramp into the “Win” window;  
         [0011]      FIG. 3A  is the cut-away view of the coin chute and rotating turn table of  FIG. 2  illustrating an unsuccessful attempt to strike a ramp with a token leading the token to pass through the “Lose” window;  
         [0012]      FIG. 3B  is an enlarged, profile view of the turn table and peripheral lip illustrating a coin bouncing over the lip into the “Lose” window;  
         [0013]      FIG. 3C  is an enlarged, profile view of the turn table and peripheral lip illustrating a ball being kept on the turn table surface by the lip;  
         [0014]      FIG. 4  is a top view of the turn table illustrating the scoring holes and ramps; and  
         [0015]      FIG. 5  is a top view of the turn table along with the helical ramp and ball entering the turn table. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0016]      FIG. 1  illustrates an arcade game employing features of the present invention. The game  10  generally includes a housing  13  including three distinct compartments, a playing area compartment  12  enclosed by panels such as transparent front pane  14 , rear wall  16 , a side wall  18 , and a top cover  20 . Below the playing area compartment  12  is a storage compartment  22  housing a motor (not shown) for driving a turn table  24  as well as serving as a utility storage area. Access to the storage compartment  22  is available through a door  26  with a lock  28  to secure the contents of the storage compartment  22 . The third compartment  30  houses the coin activation mechanism  32  as is known in the art, and a redemption ticket dispensing mechanism  34 . The coin activation mechanism  32  includes two coin return buttons  36  and a coin return slot  38 . The redemption ticket dispensing mechanism  34  includes a slot  40  through which tickets are dispensed to a player and a lock  42  for securing the contents of the ticket dispenser.  
         [0017]     The game is played by placing a coin, token, or other playing piece that either rolls or slides down an incline (hereafter referred to as a token). A chute  44  extends from the playing area compartment  12  through the front pane  14  to define an outer portion  46  and an inner portion  48 . A player can place a token  50  in the outer portion  46  of the chute  44  which is sized to receive the token with clearance to allow the token to freely roll down the chute. The inclined orientation of the chute  44  causes the token  50  to roll down the chute into the playing area compartment  12  via the inner portion  48 . The chute  44  terminates at the opposite end of a rotating playing field  52  on the turn table  24  having radially oriented ramps  54  disposed on the periphery of the playing field  52  at regular angularly spaced intervals such as every thirty (30) degrees. The playing field  52  constantly rotates about the axis of rotation  56  during the playing of the game, causing the ramps  54  to continuously circle past the chute&#39;s distal end  55  and in front of two repositories described below.  
         [0018]      FIG. 2  illustrates the cooperation of the chute  44 , the token  50 , and the ramp  54 . The chute  44  may be aligned diametrically across the playing field  52  and secured at the center, i.e., the axis of rotation  56 , so that the chute  44  will be stationary as the game is played. Alternatively, the chute  44  may be secured to the playing field  52  at a location slightly off center from the axis of rotation  56  causing the chute  44  (and particularly the distal end  55 ) to oscillate back and forth as the playing field  52  rotates. The chute  44  may also be flexible in construction, permitting the player an opportunity to aim the chute to the left or right by pressing against the outer portion  46  of the chute against the point fixed on the playing field  52 , which tends to “bow” or flex the chute and alter the path of the token. A combination of using a flexible chute along with an off-center point of coupling to the playing field  52  adds considerable skill and challenge to the game over the fixed chute. U.S. Pat. No. 6,095,519 by the present inventor is illustrative of the type of chute herein described, and is fully incorporated herein by reference.  
         [0019]     As further shown in  FIG. 2 , a token  50  placed in the chute  44  will roll down the chute and contact the rotating playing field  52 . The momentum of the token  50  will carry it to the edge  58  of the playing field  52 , where it may or may not encounter a deflector such as a ramp  54  depending on the timing of the token&#39;s arrival in conjunction with the rotation of the ramps along the periphery of the playing field  52 . The rotation of the ramps intermittently position the ramps along the token&#39;s trajectory. For the condition shown in  FIG. 2 , the token  50  arrives in a timely manner and strikes a ramp  54  at the periphery of the playing field  52 . The ramp  54  redirects the token  50  from its original path upward (as indicated by arrows  53 ) toward a fixed, elevated window or token repository  60  having a sensor such as an optical sensor for example (not shown) for sensing the acquisition of a token  50 . The successful timing of the token&#39;s arrival with the ramp&#39;s intersection along the token&#39;s path, causing the token to be deflected by the ramp  54  into the elevated repository  60 , is deemed a “Win” in terms of the object of the game. A “Win” can be achieved by placing the token  50  into the slot  49  at the appropriate moment (and/or altering the shape of the chute when a flexible chute is employed) so that it will arrive at the periphery of the playing field  52  coinciding with the appearance of a ramp to deflect the coin upward—a skill that can be refined with practice.  
         [0020]      FIG. 3  illustrates the condition where an unsuccessful attempt leads to the token  50  missing a ramp  54  and rolling into a “Lose” repository  62 . Simply, if the player&#39;s timing is off and the ramp  54  is missed, the token  50  will roll directly across the playing field  52  to a repository  62  that is not elevated substantially from the level of the playing field  52  (see  FIG. 3B ). In this case, the game ends and the player must try again with another token.  
         [0021]     If a player successfully achieves a “Win” and lands a token in the repository  60 , a second portion of the game is initiated wherein a relay controlled by a processor operates a ball release to send a ball  64  rolling down a helical track  66  encircling the playing field  52  from above. A release mechanism  65  is coupled to the sensor in the “Win” repository  60  such that a successful play will automatically result in a ball  64  being released down the helical track  66 . The track  66  includes a start position  68  above the outer edge  58  of the playing field  52  and winds inwardly and downwardly in a spiral manner terminating just above the playing field  52 . A ball return mechanism (not shown) collects the balls below the table and returns the ball(s) to the start position  68  after each successful play. A ball return assembly such as those used to return a pinball to the plunger, for example, can be used to return a ball below the table to the start position after each game.  
         [0022]     As shown in  FIG. 4 , the playing field  52  includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced holes  70  with stickers  72  or other demarcations indicating varying point values for the respective holes  70 . When a ball  64  is released from the start position  68  of the helical track  66 , it will roll down the track  66  as indicated in  FIG. 5  by the arrow  76 , around the game until it reaches the playing field  52 . Once the ball reaches the playing field  52 , it will bounce, roll, and carom off elements of the game until the ball eventually falls into one of the holes  70 . A circumferential lip  81  (see  FIG. 3C ) along the playing field&#39;s periphery, or a rail placed around the periphery, retains the ball on the surface of the playing field  52  until it falls within a hole  70 . The playing field  52  can also be shaped or sloped toward the center to ensure that the balls will eventually reach a hole and not be driven to the outer edges of the playing field  52  due to centripetal forces caused by the rotation of the table. The holes  70  are sized so that the ball  64  will fall through, thereby energizing a sensor (not shown) that sends a signal to the redemption ticket dispenser  34 . Tickets  74  are then dispensed to the player via the slot  40  based on the value assigned to the specific hole  70  through which the ball  64  falls. That is, if the ball falls through a hole designated as  200  points, then two hundred tickets are a value equivalent thereof is distributed to the player. Of course, the actual scoring and reward system can be altered in many ways without departing from the scope of the present invention. The just described portion of the game is essentially a lottery in which random chance guides the selection of which hole the ball falls into, and consequently the reward to the player.  
         [0023]     The game as described above can be played in various forms without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, the roles of the token repositories  60  and  62  can be switched, or the ball can be replaced with an object that slides instead of rolls. The ramps around the periphery of the rotating playing field can be replaced by another device for deflecting the tokens, and the holes in the playing field could be replaced by cups or other mechanisms for capturing the rolling ball(s). Thus, it may be appreciated that there are many ways to practice the present invention other than the exemplary mode described above, which corresponds to the inventor&#39;s best known mode. The description above should not be interpreted as limiting the scope of the invention other than as expressly provided for, and the invention&#39;s breadth should be governed solely by the words of the appended claims below.

Technology Category: 1