US4244575A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Pinball game having active targets
Assignee: Tomy Kogyo Co Ltd
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Filing: 1979-08-09
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Granted: 1981-01-13
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Expires: 1999-08-09
Abstract
Abstract A toy pinball game mounted within an appropriate housing has a playing surface and at least one movable object located within the housing movable upon the playing surface. The game includes an object launching member for initially propelling an object across the playing surface. The game is improved by incorporating on the playing surface a target member which is slidably mounted on the playing surface to move from an initial position through a plurality of intermediate positions to a signaling position. Operatively connected to the target member is a target retention apparatus which will retain the target in the initial position or any of the intermediate positions until the target is struck by the object at which time the retention apparatus releases the target member from the initial position allowing it to slide into the first of the intermediate positions. Subsequent striking of the target member by the object releases the target member to the next intermediate position and finally from the last intermediate position to the signaling position. A plurality of target members can be used which are operatively associated with each other such that when all of the target members are in their signaling position a signaling member is activated emitting a signal to the player of the game informing the player that he has successfully moved the target member from the initial position to the signalling position.
Inventors
- 👤 Noritoshi Hori
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 18:37
CPC Classifications
A; A63; A63F; A63F7/00; A63F7/22; A63F7/30; A63F7/305; A63F7/02; A63F7/025; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S273/00; Y10S273/26
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
208 words
In a game having a playing surface and at least one object movable on the playing surface, and including an object launching means for causing said object to move across the playing surface, the improvement which comprises: at least one slidably mounted target means on said playing surface for sliding between an initial position and a final position and including at least one intermediate position located between said initial and final positions, said final position having means to actuate a signal means; target retention means operatively connected to said target means and releasably retaining said target means in both said initial position and said intermediate position and releasing said target means step-wise when said target means are contacted by said object to first release said target from said initial position allowing said target means to slide to and be reversibly retained in said intermediate position and subsequently when said target means is again contacted by said object to release said target means from said intermediate position allowing said target means to slide to said final position; activation means for activating said target means to step-wise move from said initial position to each of said intermediate positions and from the last of said intermediate positions to said final position.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
208 words
In a game having a playing surface and at least one object movable on the playing surface, and including an object launching means for causing said object to move across the playing surface, the improvement which comprises: at least one slidably mounted target means on said playing surface for sliding between an initial position and a final position and including at least one intermediate position located between said initial and final positions, said final position having means to actuate a signal means; target retention means operatively connected to said target means and releasably retaining said target means in both said initial position and said intermediate position and releasing said target means step-wise when said target means are contacted by said object to first release said target from said initial position allowing said target means to slide to and be reversibly retained in said intermediate position and subsequently when said target means is again contacted by said object to release said target means from said intermediate position allowing said target means to slide to said final position; activation means for activating said target means to step-wise move from said initial position to each of said intermediate positions and from the last of said intermediate positions to said final position.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
79 words
The game of claim 1 including: a plurality of intermediate positions located in succession between said initial position and said final position, said retention means successively retaining said target means at said initial position and at each of said plurality of said intermediate positions and releasing said target means from said initial position and each of said intermediate positions after said target is retained at each of said intermediate positions when said target means is contacted by said object.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
The game of claim 2 including: a signaling means operatively connected to said target means and capable of emitting a signal when said target means slides into said final position.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
80 words
The game of claim 3 including: at least two target means each individually slidably mounted on said playing surface and each individually slidable from an initial position through a plurality of intermediate positions to a signaling position; at least two target retention means, each of said target retention means operatively connected to one of said target means and reversibly retaining said target means to which it is connected in said initial position and in said plurality of said intermediate positions.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
75 words
The game of claim 4 including: a plurality of target signal connecting means equal in number to said target means, each one of said target signal connecting means operatively connected to one of said target means, said plurality of target signal connecting means each individually operatively connected to said signaling means such that said signaling means is capable of being activated when all of said target means are located in unison in said final position.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
169 words
The game of claim 5 wherein: said signal means comprises a bell mounted on the bottom of said playing surface and a bell clanging means mounted on the bottom of said playing surface in operative association with said bell, said bell clanging means including a rotatably mounted disk having a circular rack of ratchet teeth located on said disk; said target signal connecting means comprising a plurality of bell crank members having a detent tooth located on one end thereof, said bell crank members each being individually mounted on the bottom of said playing surface so as to locate each individual detent tooth in operative association with said circular rack of ratchet teeth and each of said bell crank members havings its other end located in operative association with one of said target means; said target means abutting against said bell crank member when said target means is in said final position rotating said bell crank member and releasing said detent tooth from said circular rack of ratchet teeth.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
234 words
The game of claim 2 wherein: said playing surface includes an elongated passageway through said playing surface forming an opening between the top of said playing surface and the bottom of said playing surface; said target means include a generally upstanding member passing through said elongated passageway from the bottom of said playing surface to the top of said playing surface and projecting upwardly from the top of said playing surface, and a guide means located below said playing surface in association with said passageway along the length of said passageway, said upstanding member connecting to said guide means such that said guide means guides said upstanding member along the length of said passageway as said upstanding member slides within said passageway; said target retention means include said passageway, said passageway having a plurality of abutment means spaced along the length thereby and positioned within said passageway to interact with said upstanding member as said upstanding member slides in said passageway such that said upstanding member individually abuts against each of said abutment means and being reversibly retained against each of said abutment means; said upstanding member being acted upon by said object causing said upstanding member to be step-wise released from its abutment with each of said plurality of said abutment means and successively sliding within said passageway between each of said plurality of said abutment means and lastly to said final position.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
34 words
The game of claim 7 wherein: each of said abutment means comprises a projection member projecting from one of the elongated edges of said passageway toward the other of the edges of said passageway.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
34 words
The game of claim 8 wherein: said projection members are spaced along the length of said passageway alternately on one side and then the other side forming a serpentine-like pathway in said playing surface.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
92 words
The game of claim 8 wherein: said guide means comprises an elongated shaft mounted on the bottom of said playing surface along the longitudinal axis of said elongated passageway and a sliding member slidably mounted on said shaft for sliding along the longitudinal axis of said shaft and rotating about the transverse axis of said shaft; said upstanding member mounted on said sliding member for sliding along the length of said elongated passageway and of moving transversely to the longitudinal axis of said passageway as said sliding member rotates about said shaft.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
40 words
The game of claim 10 including: a plurality of biasing means, each of said plurality of biasing means mounted between the bottom of said playing surface and one of said sliding members biasing said sliding member toward said final position.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
168 words
The game of claim 11 wherein: said signal means comprises a bell mounted on the bottom of said playing surface and a bell clanging means mounted on the bottom of said playing surface in operative association with said bell means, said bell clanging means including a rotatably mounted disk having a circular rack of ratchet teeth located on said disk; said target signal connecting means comprises a plurality of bell crank members having a detent tooth located on one end, said bell crank members each individually mounted on the bottom of said playing surface so as to locate each individual detent tooth in operative association with said circular rack of ratchet teeth and each of said bell crank members having its other end located in operative association with one of said sliding members; said sliding members abutting against said bell crank member when said upstanding member is in said signaling position rotating said bell crank members and releasing said detent teeth from said circular rack of ratchet teeth.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
84 words
The game of claim 12 including: a cocking member slidably mounted on the bottom of said playing surface to slide along the longitudinal axis of said passageways; said cocking member including a transverse member projecting from said cocking member transverse to the longitudinal axis of said passageways and positioned to abut against said sliding members sliding said sliding members in unison against the bias of said plurality of biasing means until said upstanding members are located in said passageways distal from said final position.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
30 words
The game of claim 13 including: a biasing spring for returning said cocking member from a point distal to said signaling position to a point proximal to said final position.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
66 words
The game of claims 7 or 13 including: a plurality of object target members equal in number to the number of said upstanding members; said target members including an upper surface, a cylindrical skirt attaching to said upper surface and a centralized hollow boss extending downward from said upper surface, said hollow boss fitting over said upstanding member retaining said target members on said upstanding members.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
34 words
The game of claim 1 wherein: said activation means comprises a biasing means mounted between the bottom of said playing surface and said target means and biasing said target means toward said final position.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1984-01-13 | 1984-07-14 | 1985-01-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1988-01-13 | 1988-07-14 | 1989-01-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1992-01-13 | 1992-07-14 | 1993-01-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |