Ball Save System For An Amusement Game Device

A ball save system for a pinball machine having an inclined playfield, a pair of flippers, and an outlane leading to a ball drain, the ball save system comprising:

• a ball sensor positioned to sense entry of a ball into the outlane;
• an activation device coupled to the ball sensor;
• and
• a reconfigurable guide structure driven by the activation device, the reconfigurable guide structure shiftable from a stowed position allowing ball drainage to a deployed position creating a redirecting channel that routes the ball upwardly from the outlane and through a space between the pair of flippers to reintroduce the ball to the playfield.

A method for implementing a ball save in a pinball machine with an inclined playfield, flippers, and an outlane terminating in a drain, the method comprising:

• sensing presence of a ball in the outlane via a ball sensor;
• energizing an actuator based on the sensing;
• transitioning a reconfigurable guide structure from a stowed position, in which the ball proceeds to the drain, to a deployed position via the actuator;
• and
• channeling the ball along the reconfigurable guide structure in the deployed position upward from the outlane, passing between the flippers, to resume gameplay on the playfield.