Game device with a playing surface of pressurized air
OwnerMark Josephinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A pressurized plenum or air chamber is separated by internal walls to form slots, holes or the like. The separated chambers may be either in gas pressure communication or entirely separated from each other. Game piece manipulation devices operate a controller via these slots or holes. The upper surface of the plenum is perforated to enable the pressurized air to escape and form a boundary layer of air at the playing surface. The air pressure may be controlled, at the perforations, in order to form different zones of surface friction.
Claims12
A game device having a horizontal playing surface, a playing piece for sliding over said surface, playing piece controller means for imparting energy and for directing the playing piece to cause it to slide, means comprising a source of air pressure for forming a boundary layer of pressurized air above at least part of said playing surface, said playing piece sliding over said boundary layer, said air pressure means comprising a completely enclosed air chamber having a perforated upper side adjacent said playing surface for discharging said boundary layer of air over said playing surface, said air chamber having walls formed therein to provide access means for enabling said playing piece controller means to be operated from points below said chamber for directing said playing piece without loss of air pressure within said chamber.
A game device comprising a perforated playing surface, means for forcing pressurized air through said perforations to provide a boundary layer of air over said surface, said perforations having a characteristic which may be varied to cause different amounts of the pressurized air layer to be formed over given portions of said playing surface to change the frictional forces between said surface and a playing piece sliding over said surface, and sealed channels piercing said air forcing systems for forming a plurality of holes or slots, each for receiving an individually associated movable game piece manipulation device, without leaking pressurized air into the pierced channels.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.