Electronically scored dart game having front opening service door

Claim 1

In an electronically scored dart game having a housing, including a front surface, a dart board on the housing front surface, the dart board comprising a plurality of generally vertically extending target plates, each target plate having a front surface including a plurality of openings for receiving the tip of a dart and having a rear surface, the dart board further comprising support means for supporting the target plates, the support means permitting a target plate to move rearwardly when receiving the tip of a dart within one of said openings, the support means including stop means for preventing the target plate from moving toward the front surface beyond the support means, and electronic means for sensing the rearward movement of the target plates and for determining a score, the electronic means including display means for displaying the score, the improvement comprising: a service door for providing access to the interior of the housing from the front of the housing, the service door being formed of at least a portion of the housing front surface, including the dart board and having an upper end and a lower end, the service door being hinged to the housing along at least a portion of the lower end, whereby the service door is pivotable about the hinge for movement between a generally vertical operational position and a service position in which the service door extends outwardly from the front surface of the housing at a predetermined angle of less than 180 degrees, the service door including means for preventing the service door from pivoting to a position exceeding the predetermined angle, when in the service position gravity causes the target plates to engage the stop means and prevents the target plates from moving rearwardly with respect to the support means.