US 5,827,119 A · Rotatable playing surface game

Abstract

A rotatable playing surface amusement game which is automatically controlled by a microprocessor which includes a rotatable object and a segmented substantially circular rotatable playing surface surrounded by a race and means for accelerating the rotatable object onto a race with sufficient centrifugal force as to maintain the rotatable object in the race for a predetermined period of time which upon a timed or player input results in the stopping of the substantially circular rotating playing surface alone or together with the race which may also be rotatable while the rotatable object continues to rotate in the race held by centrifugal force until gravity and inertia result in the return of the rotatable object back onto the rotatable playing surface and coming to rest on a particular segment. The rotatable surface game includes a housing, transparent cover, player control input panels and contact sensors for indicating the resting position of the rotatable object controlled by a microprocessor which awards rewards based upon player input selection of the projected final position of the rotatable object. The rotatable playing surface may be segmented equally or unequally and the segments may contain various segment identifying indicia along with timing switches and player controlled skill switches to test judgment of speeds, inertia and movement of the rotatable object with respect to the various segments of the rotatable playing surface.

Claims48

Dependent claims

An amusement game machine having a rotatable playing surface comprising:

(a) a housing having a transparent cover;
(b) a segmented substantially circular rotatable playing surface;
(c) a race surrounding said segmented substantially circular rotatable playing surface;
(d) a rotatable object;
(e) means for rotating said substantially circular rotatable playing surface;
(f) mechanical means for accelerating said rotatable object with sufficient energy to maintain said rotatable object in said race under centrifugal force for a predetermined period of time;
(g) means for stopping the rotation of said substantially circular playing surface while said rotatable object is in said race;
(h) a sensor for indicating position of said rotatable object on said segmented substantially circular rotatable playing surface;
and
(i) a microprocessor for actuating said means for rotating and said means for stopping the rotation of said substantially circular rotatable playing surface.

7 more elements

An amusement game machine having a rotatable playing surface comprising:

(a) a housing having a transparent cover;
(b) a player activated control panel disposed in said housing at a location outside said transparent cover;
(c) a rotatable concave segmented substantially circular playing surface disposed under said transparent cover;
(d) a race surrounding said rotatable concave segmented substantially circular playing surface;
(e) a hub disposed around the center of said concave segmented substantially circular playing surface;
(f) sensors disposed around the circumference of said hub corresponding to each segment of said rotatable concave segmented substantially circular playing surface;
(g) a rotatable spherical object for rotation on said rotatable concave segmented substantially circular playing surface;
(h) mechanical means for accelerating said rotatable spherical object with sufficient energy to maintain said rotatable spherical object in said race for a predetermined period of time;
(i) mechanical means for stopping said rotatable concave segmented substantially circular playing surface while said rotatable spherical object is on said race;
and
(j) a microprocessor for controlling the operation of said rotatable concave segmented substantially circular playing surface and said mechanical means for accelerating said rotatable spherical object onto said race in relation to inputs from said player activated control panel.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Rotatable playing surface game

Life of this patent

Rotatable playing surface game

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims48