Wrecking ball play feature for a pinball game
US5833236A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 28, 1997 |
| Grant date | Nov 10, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 28, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA63F2011/0013
- WIPO fieldFurniture, games
- WIPO sectorOther fields
Abstract
A wrecking ball play feature for a pinball game includes a crane disposed upon the playfield of the pinball game. A wrecking ball is suspended from the crane by a cable so that it may be impacted by a game ball rolling upon the playfield. After being struck by the game ball, the wrecking ball swings in a pendulum-like fashion so as to strike targets near the crane, thus increasing the player's score. Alternatively, the wrecking ball may block a passage, the access of which by the game ball increases the player's score. The wrecking ball may be raised or lowered so that the pinball game features two or more modes of play. In one embodiment, the wrecking ball is raised and lowered by pivoting the crane arm about a pivot connection with the crane tower by way of a solenoid connected between the crane arm and the playfield. In another embodiment, the wrecking ball is raised by retracting the cable into the crane arm by way of tilting a crank to which the cable is connected.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.