Patent · US Expired

Ball trough for pinball games

US5497989A · kind A · utility

1Cited by
6References
5Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 10, 1995
Grant dateMar 12, 1996
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 10, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA63F2007/345
  • WIPO fieldFurniture, games
  • WIPO sectorOther fields

Abstract

In a pinball machine a ball trough is provided for moving the ball between the drain hole and the shooter lane. The ball trough comprises a channel fixed to the playfield and has a first end adjacent the drain hole and a second end proximate to the shooter lane. A rotatable carrier is movable between a first position and a second position for carrying the ball from the channel to the shooter lane and has a load opening, an exit opening, and a passage therebetwen. The load opening is positioned adjacent to the second end when the carrier is disposed in the first position and the exit opening is disposed adjacent to the shooter lane when the carrier is disposed in the second position. The passage may have an arcuate surface on which the ball will ride as the carrier approaches the second position for urging the ball out the exit opening.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.