Amusement devices: games – Surface projectile game; game element – Disk or ring games
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-20
2001-05-22
Chiu, Raleigh W. (Department: 3711)
Amusement devices: games
Surface projectile game; game element
Disk or ring games
Reexamination Certificate
active
06234476
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an air hockey game apparatus with which game players compete with each other in hitting a puck into a goal. Particularly, the invention relates to an air hockey game apparatus that has a puck sliding surface having blowholes for blowing air to float the puck, an air-blower for blowing and sending the air toward the blowholes, a puck-reflecting frame provided on the puck sliding surface, and goals provided on the puck sliding surface.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hitherto, hockey game apparatuses have been suggested and are being sold. For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 8-299584 discloses an air hockey game apparatus that allows game players to hit a puck into a goal at the end of the opponent on a field having a large number of air-blowholes. The apparatus includes installation portions, electrical display units, and an audio output device. The installation portions are individually provided at two lateral portions in the middle of two sides of the field. The electrical display units display scores, and are provided above the field in a central portion of cylindrical support members extending from the installation portions at the two lateral portions. The audio output device produces sounds corresponding to the contents of the game.
However, problems arise in the described configuration. The electrical display units for displaying scores, which are provided above the central portion of the field made of a puck sliding surface, are effective to allow spectators to recognize the game progress status. To the game players however, the display units provide adverse effects.
The display units are ineffective to allow the game players to appropriately recognize the game progress status. The game players keep their eyes on the movement of the puck on the puck sliding surface, and their eyes must turn away from the movement of the puck to look up the electrical display units provided above the puck sliding surface. In other words, displays on the electrical display units hinder the progress of the game by the game players.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Under these circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide an air hockey game apparatus that allows game players to appropriately recognize a game progress status, thereby effectively improving amusement characteristics of the game.
An air hockey game apparatus of the present invention has a puck sliding surface having blowholes for blowing air to float a puck and at least one transparent portion; an air-blower for blowing and sending air toward the blowholes; a puck-reflecting frame around the puck sliding surface; goals on the puck sliding surface; and display sections provided under the transparent portion, of which the display mode is changeable. Also, the air hockey game apparatus has a display-mode-setting unit for setting the display mode of the display sections, thereby controlling the display sections so as to be in the set display mode.
According to the described arrangement, the display sections under the transparent portion of the puck sliding surface display the display mode set by the display-mode-setting unit and change the display mode as required, thereby allowing game players to appropriately recognize predetermined information.
In the above arrangement, the air hockey game apparatus may further include display-mounting plates under the transparent portion so as to oppose positions where game players stand, wherein the display sections are provided on the display-mounting plates. This allows the game players to effectively view the display sections provided on the installation boards, thereby allowing the game players to appropriately recognize the predetermined information.
Also, an arrangement may be such that the described air hockey game apparatus further includes spaces partitioned by partitions individually having the display-mounting plates, and guide openings on the partitions for guiding the air transferred from the air-blower. According to this arrangement, the air from the air-blower to the aforementioned spaces is guided into guide openings provided on the partitions, and the air is transferred to blow onto the puck sliding surface from the blowholes.
Also, the air hockey game apparatus may further include a puck detector in at least one portion of the puck-reflecting frame, wherein the display-mode-setting unit sets the display modes of the display sections. According to this arrangement, the display modes of the display sections change corresponding to movement of the puck detected by the puck detector provided in at least one portion of the puck-reflecting frame. This provides dynamic characteristics to the game.
Also, the described air hockey game apparatus may further include goal-detecting units for detecting entry of the puck into the goals, wherein the display-mode-setting unit sets the display modes according to detection signals outputted by the goal-detecting units. According to this arrangement, corresponding to detection by the goal-detecting units for entry of the puck into the goals, the display modes of the display sections change. Therefore, the game players can effectively recognize their goal acquirement.
Also, the described air hockey game apparatus may be arranged such that the display sections display scores. This arrangement allows the game players to appropriately recognize the scores displayed in the display sections, thereby allowing an effective improvement in amusement characteristics of the game.
Also, in the describe air hockey game apparatus, the puck detector for detecting movement of the puck may be provided so as to oppose the puck sliding surface, and the display-mode-setting unit may be arranged to set the display modes of the display sections when the puck detector detects movement of the puck. According to this arrangement, the display modes of the display sections change corresponding to movement of the puck detected by the puck detector provided so as to oppose the puck sliding surface. This allows dynamic characteristics to be provided to the game.
Also, the described air hockey game apparatus may be arranged such that the puck detector for detecting passage of the puck is provided so as to oppose one portion of the puck sliding surface, in which the display-mode-setting unit sets the display modes when the puck detector detects passage of the puck. According to this arrangement, when the puck is hit toward the installation portions of the puck detector, the display modes of the display sections change, thereby allowing dynamic characteristics to be provided to the game.
Also, the described air hockey game apparatus may be arranged such that the puck detector is individually made of a plurality of light-sensitive detectors provided under the puck sliding surface, the puck detectors detect the direction in which the puck passes, and the display modes are changed corresponding to the direction in which the puck passes. According to this arrangement, the puck detector detects the direction in which the puck passes, and the display modes of the display sections change corresponding to the direction in which the puck passes. This allows an effective improvement in amusement characteristics of match games to be played by two game players.
Also, in the described air hockey game apparatus, the display-mode-setting unit may be arranged to determine a game status, and the display sections may be arranged to display the game status. According to this arrangement, the display modes of the display sections change corresponding to the game status, thereby allowing the game players to appropriately recognize the game status.
Also, the described air hockey game apparatus may further include a display-mode-setting unit made of a timer, wherein the display modes of the display sections are changed corresponding to time measured by the display-mode-setting unit. According to this arrangement, time measured by the timer is displayed on the display sections, thereb
Dohki Hajime
Fujimoto Yusuke
Kada Eita
Kotani Hideki
Minami Kojiro
Chiu Raleigh W.
Jordon and Hamburg LLP
Konami Co. Ltd.
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