Omnidirectional target for an amusement game device

An amusement game, comprising:

• a playfield having a first surface, a second surface, and an opening that extends between the first surface and the second surface;
• an object which moves across the first surface of the playfield;
• and
• a target assembly, comprising:
• a target post arranged to be mounted to a second surface of the playfield and sized to extend through the opening in the playfield, the target post comprising a first end extending outward from the first surface and a second end extending outward from the second surface;
• a centering device mounted to the target post between the first end of the target post and the second end of the target post;
• a centering plate secured to the second surface of the playfield for mounting the target post thereto, the centering plate defining a centering opening sized to allow the target post to extend therethrough and sized to allow the centering device to extend partially into the centering opening and yet prevent the centering device from passing entirely through the centering opening, the centering device and centering opening cooperating to pivotally mounting the target post to the centering plate;
• a biasing element biasing the centering device into the opening of the centering plate;
• and
• a sensing switch coupled to the second end of the target post to sense pivotal movement of the target post caused by impact of the target post extending from the first surface of the playfield by the object,
• wherein impact of the target post by the object causes the target post to pivot about the centering device from a nominal rest position to an actuated position, and
• wherein the biasing element restores the target post from the actuated position to the nominal rest position when the impact is removed.

An omnidirectional target assembly for an amusement game comprising:

• a target post extending through an opening in a playfield of the amusement game with a portion of the target post extending above the playfield and a portion of the target post extending below the playfield;
• a centering device radially mounted to the target post on the portion of the target post extending below the playfield;
• a centering plate secured to an underside of playfield, the centering plate defining an opening for allowing the target post to extend therethrough, the opening being operably coupled with the centering device to form a fulcrum for the target post to pivot as a lever;
• a biasing element to bias the target post into a nominal rest position;
• and
• a sensing switch operable coupled to the target post to detect movement thereof,
• wherein impact of a ball with the portion of the target post extending above the playfield causes the target post to pivot about the fulcrum, and
• wherein the biasing element biases the impacted target lever towards the nominal rest position after impact by the ball.