Rotatable ball momentum transfer assembly for an amusement game
AssigneeStern Pinball, Inc.
InventorsJ. Harrison Drake, Jr., Keith Elwin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A rotatable ball momentum transfer assembly for an amusement gam, such as a pinball machine includes an impact ball mounted to an inclined playfield and a shaft mounted to the playfield proximate to the impact ball. A travel ball is coupled to the shaft such that the travel ball rests against the impact ball during gameplay to receive momentum from the impact ball when the impact ball is struck by a game ball, causing the travel ball to at least partially rotate about the shaft. In one example, the travel ball rotates in a fixed arc towards one of two resting positions on either side of the impact ball. These two resting positions both open or close different shot paths available during gameplay.
Claims20
An amusement game comprising:
- a game cabinet supporting an inclined playfield;
- an impact ball mounted to the playfield;
- a shaft mounted to the playfield proximate to the impact ball, the shaft having a longitudinal axis extending from the playfield;
- and
- a travel ball mounted to the shaft such that the travel ball rests against the impact ball to receive momentum from the impact ball when the impact ball is struck by a game ball moving across the playfield, causing the travel ball to at least partially rotate.
A rotatable ball momentum transfer assembly comprising:
- an impact ball fixedly mountable to an inclined playfield;
- a shaft mountable to the playfield proximate to the impact ball and extending from the inclined playfield;
- and
- a travel ball transversely mounted to the shaft such that the travel ball rests against the impact ball to receive momentum from an impact against the impact ball when the impact ball is struck by a game ball moving across the playfield to cause the travel ball to at least partially rotate about the shaft.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.