US 5,584,766 A · Method of playing a bumper bowling system

Abstract

A bumper bowling system is provided that eliminates the function of bowling lane gutters and uses bumpers to maintain a bowling ball within the confines of a bowling lane through to contact with the bowling pins. The bumper bowling system provides hardware, electronic circuitry, and software modifications in conjunction with scoring displays to provide a system of original manufacture or retrofit for existing automatic bowling scoring systems. Specifically, the system provides a bumper, a means for detecting when a ball strikes the bumper and at what location, a signalling display means generally running parallel to the bumper and the detection means, and the hardware necessary to position these devices along the length of each side of a standard bowling lane. In addition, the system utilizes appropriate circuitry for interfacing both the sensor means and the light display means with standard scoring control units. The hardware of the system allows for the use of targets in modifying the standard method of play for bowling. A variety of game play methods are disclosed which utilize to a greater or lesser extent the target display and sensor contact capabilities of the system.

Claims10

Dependent claims

A method of playing a game of bowling utilizing a system of bowling lane bumper sensors and bumper targets comprising the steps of:

providing a bowling lane with a bumper positioned along a length of each side of said lane, said bumper capable of maintaining a bowling ball within the confines of said lane;
providing a bumper sensor array capable of detecting and discriminating a position of an impact of a bowling ball against said bumper;
providing a target array parallel to said bumper sensor array on each side of said lane, said target array capable of displaying targets towards which a bowling ball may be directed;
each bowler's turn comprising the steps of:
displaying at least one target on said target array;
rolling a bowling ball at said displayed target in an attempt to strike said bumper sensor array at a position adjacent said displayed target and thereafter to allow said bowling ball to continue to roll down said lane so as to finally strike an array of bowling pins;
and
scoring points for said bowler by increasing a number value of pins knocked down by said bowling ball if said bowling ball accurately struck said displayed target prior to knocking down said pins.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method of playing a bumper bowling system

Life of this patent

Method of playing a bumper bowling system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims10