Patent EP0146299A1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4014544A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electrified amusement device
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1976-03-08
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Granted: 1977-03-29
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Expires: 1996-03-08
Abstract
Abstract An amusement device for competitive playing of a simulated sport, such as table tennis, in which the successful performance of an act which forms part of the sport, for example the striking of a ball with a paddle, is simulated by the magnetic actuation of a switch (which may produce itself an acoustical simulation of the sound of hitting a ball or may do so through electrical circuits including a loudspeaker) when each member in the device representing one of the paddles is brought, by control manipulaton (remote, if desired) performed by a player, to the proper position with respect to the device member representing the ball so as to effect such magnetic switch actuation, such switch, in turn, being capable of controlling one or more counting members in the device.
Inventors
- 👤 Torazo Kimura
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 00:39
CPC Classifications
A; A63; A63F; A63F9/00; A63F9/02; A63F9/0291; A63F7/00; A63F7/0058
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
415 words
An electrified amusement device including: a frame, said frame having first and second extremities; ball-lamp carriage driving means; a ball-lamp carriage mounted in said frame and coupled to said driving means for movement along a resultant path made up of simultaneous oscillatory motions of said carriage along first and second mutually perpendicular paths throughout the period of operation of said amusement device, said ball-lamp carriage having a centrally mounted ball lamp and first and second magnets supported on said ball-lamp carriage on opposite sides of said ball lamp towards said first and second extremities of said frame; a first rail mounted in said frame proximate to said first extremity thereof; a first paddle-lamp carriage slidably supported on said first rail, said first paddle-lamp carriage having mounted thereon a first paddle lamp and a first magnetically actuable switch; a second rail mounted in said frame proximate to said second extremity thereof; a second paddle-lamp carriage slidably supported on said second rail, said second paddle-lamp carriage having mounted thereon a second paddle lamp and a second magnetically actuable switch; first and second player controls for generating first and second paddle-lamp-carriage-positioning control signals, respectively; a first paddle-lamp-carriage drive motor assembly mechanically coupled to said first paddle-lamp carriage and coupled to be responsive to said control signals from said first player control to position said first paddle-lamp carriage along said first rail; a second paddle-lamp-carriage drive motor assembly mechanically coupled to said second paddle-lamp carriage and coupled to be responsive to said control signals from said second player control to position said second paddle-lamp carriage along said second rail; said ball-lamp carriage having portions of said resultant path of motion proximate to said first and second rails; a first electrical circuit including said first magnetically actuable switch; said first magnetically actuable switch being responsive to said first magnet when said ball-lamp carriage is moving along one of said portions of said resultant path and said first paddle-lamp carriage is positioned adjacent said portion, to close said first electrical circuit; a second electrical circuit including said second magnetically actuable switch; said second magnetically actuable switch being responsive to said second magnet when said ball-lamp carriage is moving along one of said portions of said resultant path and said second paddle-lamp carriage is positioned adjacent said portion, to close said second electrical circuit; and sounding means responsive to the closure of said first or said second electrical circuits to produce a sound representing the hitting of a ball by a paddle.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
415 words
An electrified amusement device including: a frame, said frame having first and second extremities; ball-lamp carriage driving means; a ball-lamp carriage mounted in said frame and coupled to said driving means for movement along a resultant path made up of simultaneous oscillatory motions of said carriage along first and second mutually perpendicular paths throughout the period of operation of said amusement device, said ball-lamp carriage having a centrally mounted ball lamp and first and second magnets supported on said ball-lamp carriage on opposite sides of said ball lamp towards said first and second extremities of said frame; a first rail mounted in said frame proximate to said first extremity thereof; a first paddle-lamp carriage slidably supported on said first rail, said first paddle-lamp carriage having mounted thereon a first paddle lamp and a first magnetically actuable switch; a second rail mounted in said frame proximate to said second extremity thereof; a second paddle-lamp carriage slidably supported on said second rail, said second paddle-lamp carriage having mounted thereon a second paddle lamp and a second magnetically actuable switch; first and second player controls for generating first and second paddle-lamp-carriage-positioning control signals, respectively; a first paddle-lamp-carriage drive motor assembly mechanically coupled to said first paddle-lamp carriage and coupled to be responsive to said control signals from said first player control to position said first paddle-lamp carriage along said first rail; a second paddle-lamp-carriage drive motor assembly mechanically coupled to said second paddle-lamp carriage and coupled to be responsive to said control signals from said second player control to position said second paddle-lamp carriage along said second rail; said ball-lamp carriage having portions of said resultant path of motion proximate to said first and second rails; a first electrical circuit including said first magnetically actuable switch; said first magnetically actuable switch being responsive to said first magnet when said ball-lamp carriage is moving along one of said portions of said resultant path and said first paddle-lamp carriage is positioned adjacent said portion, to close said first electrical circuit; a second electrical circuit including said second magnetically actuable switch; said second magnetically actuable switch being responsive to said second magnet when said ball-lamp carriage is moving along one of said portions of said resultant path and said second paddle-lamp carriage is positioned adjacent said portion, to close said second electrical circuit; and sounding means responsive to the closure of said first or said second electrical circuits to produce a sound representing the hitting of a ball by a paddle.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 in which said first player control is coupled to said first drive motor assembly by a radio link.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 in which each of said first and second player controls is coupled to its respective drive motor assembly by a radio link.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 which includes, in addition, first and second counter means coupled to said first and second magnetically actuable switches, respectively.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 in which each of said player controls is connected to its respective drive motor assembly by a wire link.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 which includes, in addition, a translucent screen supported in said frame adjacent said ball-lamp and paddle carriage assemblies.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
13 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 in which said sounding means includes a loudspeaker.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
Apparatus according to claim 7 which includes, in addition, first and second counter means coupled to said first and second magnetically actuable switches, respectively.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 in which said sounding means includes first and second loudspeakers coupled to said first and second magnetically actuable switches, respectively.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
134 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 including, in addition, a gantry supporting said ball lamp carriage and movable in said frame in oscillatory fashion towards said first and second rails; first and second limit switches associated with said first and second rails respectively, for reversing the direction of said gantry upon physical contact between said gantry and said first and second limit switches, respectively; first and second indicator-light circuits associated with said first and second rails, respectively, said first indicator-light circuit being responsive to physical contact between said gantry and said second limit switch to cause activation of an indicator light in said first indicator-light circuit, said second indicator-light circuit being responsive to physical contact between said gantry and said first limit switch to cause activation of an indicator light in said second indicator-light circuit.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1980-03-28 | 1980-09-27 | 1981-03-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-03-28 | 1984-09-27 | 1985-03-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-03-28 | 1988-09-27 | 1989-03-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |