摘要:
A pinball machine has been designed with several novel mechanical and electrical features such that it is easily retrofittable or convertible between a first pinball game and a second pinball game. The pinball machine includes a playfield mounted to a cabinet. Unlike previous pinball machines, electrical wires and their associated "playfield-side" connectors extending from input/output elements mounted to the playfield are limited in movement to a region generally beneath and in close proximity to the playfield. This allows the playfield to be more easily handled than prior playfields, which had long dangling electrical wires and connectors which could be easily tripped over or severed. Additionally, the plurality of playfield-side connectors are configured for easy installation and integration with corresponding "cabinet-side" connectors. The cabinet-side connectors are electrically connected to a driver electronics board mounted within the cabinet and carry all input/output functions of the driver electronics board.
摘要:
A pinball machine has been designed with several novel mechanical and electrical features such that it is easily retrofittable or convertible between a first pinball game and a second pinball game. The pinball machine includes a cabinet, a playfield, a panel, an electronics system, and a video display. The playfield is mounted in the cabinet with the panel mounted to the cabinet and overlaying at least a portion of the playfield. The video display is mounted generally above the cabinet and is disposed to project video images onto the panel for viewing by the player. The electronics system includes a control unit and a plurality of input/output elements which are mounted to the playfield. The control unit, which includes a controller and memory for storing game instructions and video images, is coupled to the plurality of input/output elements. The controller executes the game instructions to cause the video images to be displayed upon the video display. A retrofitting kit for the pinball machine provides a replacement memory that stores second game instructions and second game video images therein for operation in is the pinball machine. Thus, the types of video images of displayed by the pinball machine, the times the video images are displayed, and the manner in which they are displayed can be entirely modified. The kit may also include a new playfield to alter the physical environment which the rolling ball of the machine interacts to complement the new video images.
摘要:
A pinball game playfield feature includes a circular table which is rotated by a motor and linkage. Mounted on the table is a target housing having optical emitters disposed therein. Optical detectors are located in the table. Each emitter-detector pair forms a light beam which can be interrupted by a pinball to signal the game microprocessor for scoring or other purposes. Rotation of the table permits selectable positioning of the optical target bank.
摘要:
A ball diverting playfield feature for pinball games employs a pair of abutting surfaces disposed on or above the playfield, which can be separated to create an alternate ball path. A solenoid mechanism controls the positions of the surfaces.
摘要:
An elongated vehicle adapted to be propelled along an engaging surface and capable of climbing over obstacles on the engaging surface. The vehicle has a plurality of wheeled units including front and rear units with each unit having two axles and wheels mounted on the ends of the axles. Each unit, except for the front and rear units, shares its two axles with adjacent units. The front and rear units each share only one axle with an adjacent unit. Each unit has a body mounted on the axles and the body is rotatable relative to each of the axles. Each body includes side members to maintain the axles spaced apart longitudinally. The side members of the bodies of adjacent units intermesh and overlap at their shared axles to allow adjacent units to rotate vertically relative to each other. The side members include stop surfaces to limit rotation of adjacent units relative to one another about their shared axles. A drive mechanism is provided to drive the wheels.
摘要:
An optical position location apparatus for locating the position of an object in one or more dimensions, which relies upon one or more sources of radiant energy and distributor devices to disburse such radiant energy over a location region or window. Integrated collector assemblies positioned opposite to the distributors receive and collect the transmission of the distributed radiant energy and through reflection or refraction, transfer radiant energy to a minimum of detection locations to monitor the absence or alteration thereof. A rotating optical scanner and a detector are utilized with a continuous stationary light source to successively monitor specific location-coordinate-related portions of transmitted radiant energy and through electronic circuitry, a signal is developed to disclose, with accuracy, the location of objects within the location region "window", as well as other parameters including object size. In other embodiments, an apparatus with elements cooperating along two dimensions is capable of yielding three-dimensional object parameter information.
摘要:
A unique skate board game wherein a pair of players individually steer miniature skate boards mounted over a moving tape having a plurality of randomly placed and randomly shaped apertures thereon, attempting to avoid the apertures. The skate boards include bottomless containers having pellets therein which drop through the apertures, if the players fail to avoid the apertures as the tape passes under the skate board.
摘要:
A pinball machine has been designed with several novel mechanical and electrical features such that it is easily retrofittable or convertible between a first pinball game and a second pinball game. The pinball machine includes a cabinet, a playfield mounted to the cabinet, and a backbox extending upwardly from a rear portion of the cabinet. To facilitate modification of electronics controlling the operation of the pinball machine, a controller box assembly is installed in the backbox. The controller box assembly comprises a rail structure mounted within the backbox and a controller box movably mounted relative to the rail structure to open and close the controller box. The controller box containing the electronics may be pivoted downwardly while remaining in engagement with the rail structure to provide easy access into the controller box. To limit the movement of the controller box during shipping, a locking mechanism mounted to the backbox includes a locking arm rotatable between a locked position and an unlocked position. The locking arm maintains the controller box in the closed position when the locking arm is disposed in the locked position.
摘要:
A pinball machine has been designed with several novel mechanical and electrical features such that it is easily retrofittable or convertible between a first pinball game and a second pinball game. One of these features is a novel playfield assembly for the pinball machine. For ease of movement of the playfield into and from a cabinet of the pinball machine, the playfield has skid rails which extend substantially along the length of the playfield. The skid rails are spaced from the lower side of the playfield by a distance that is greater than the distance by which components protrude from the lower side of the playfield. Thus, the playfield can be placed on the ground without any chance for damage of its components. The playfield may also include a slide stop at one or both of its ends. The slide stops engage the front molding of the cabinet to ensure the playfield does not fall into the cabinet or fall from the cabinet as the skid rails are being slid across the front molding.
摘要:
The present invention is a computer-controlled interactive playfield feature for pinball games. The system microprocessor monitors activity on the playfield and controls the interactive playfield feature, directing the player's attention to specific targets and activities on the playfield. The playfield feature operates in conjunction with a speech synthesizer, which may be programmed to taunt and challenge game player, increasing player appeal. In a preferred embodiment, the interactive playfield feature is in the shape of a jocular human head. The mouth, eyelids and eyes are movable under microprocessor control. The mouth serves as a ball target. When the player successfully shoots the ball in the mouth, a solenoid ball ejector returns the ball to the playfield. The eyes may be programmed to follow the travel of the pinball on the playfield.