Image projecting amusement device

• US 4,322,080 A
• Filed: 03/20/1980
• Issued: 03/30/1982
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/1980
• Status: Expired

• Current Assignee: David R. Capasso
• Original Assignee: Hugh Pennington
• Inventors: Pennington, Hugh
• Primary Examiner(s): Oechsle, Anton O.
• Application Number:
  US06/132,092
• Time in Patent Office: 740 Days
• Field of Search: 273/86 R, 273/86 B, 273/310, 273/311, 273/312, 273/313, 273/316, 273/DIG. 28, 273/358
• US Class Current: 463/52
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2444 Light detector
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2466 of a film
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2467 of a slide
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2250/1073 Time-out devices sandglasses A63F2250/1068; A63F2250/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/0252 Shooting devices therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/0291 with a simulated projectile, e.g. an image on a screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/14 Racing games, traffic games, or obstacle games characterised by figures moved by action of the players racing games using dice A63F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: F41J 5/02 Photo-electric hit-detector systems comprising a light-emitting device for simulating the firing of a gun F41G3/2622; detecting by optical means G01V8/10

Abstract

A amusement device includes a target in the form of a course having an obstacle wherein the course is of a predetermined light intensity and the obstacle is of a differing light intensity. An image of a moving object is projected on the target and is controlled by the player who would attempt to move the image over the course without contacting the obstacle. Light intensity sensing means are provided movable with the image to detect when the obstacle has been contacted.

Claims

1. An amusement device comprising a target in the form of a course and at least one obstacle, said course being of a predetermined light intensity and said obstacles being of predetermined differing light intensities, means for projecting an image of a moving object on said target, said image having a recognizable orientation, means for controlling the movement of said image of said object on said target whereby a player may attempt to guide said image of said object over said course by said image of said object being superimposed over said course and said player may attempt to avoid said image of said object contacting said obstacles by said image of said object being superimposed on said obstacles, said movement controlling means including linear movement control means and turning movement control means for selectively moving said image on said course and for permitting the orientation of said image to be changed while said image is being moved linearly, light intensity sensing means movable with said image of said object for detecting when said image of said object has superimposed any of said obstacles, and indicating means for indicating when said image of said object has superimposed said obstacles.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said course is a track of dark color and said obstacles include a lightly colored boundary around said track.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein said target is projected on a screen.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein said image projecting means includes a barrel mounted in front of said target and having a lens therein and having its longitudinal axis in line with said target, a light source in said barrel, and a simulated object in said barrel between said lens and said light source.

5. The device of claim 4 including a housing, said barrel extending through an opening in the front face of said housing, universal mounting means mounting said barrel in said housing, said linear movement control means including means for pivoting said barrel along a path, and said turning movement means including means for rotating said barrel to change the direction of said path.

11. The device of claim 4 wherein said sensing means is mounted to said barrel for joint movement therewith.

12. The device of claim 11 wherein said simulated object is on an image plate removably mounted in an image housing on said barrel.

13. The device of claim 12 including a further object on said image plate simulating a scene representative of said obstacle being contacted, and means for moving said further object between said light source and said lens for projecting its image on said target.

14. The device of claim 13 wherein said sensing means is a photocell, and said further object moving means being a solenoid connected to said image plate and controlled by said photocell.

15. The device of claim 5 wherein said housing includes an external control panel, said turning movement means including a control wheel on said control panel, said linear movement means including a control throttle lever on said control panel, an off/on switch on said control panel, reset means on said control panel, timing means on said control panel, and a score indicating counter on said control panel.

16. The device of claim 1 wherein said means for controlling said image movement is mounted on a first housing for use by a first player, and a second housing having movable image projecting means for use by a second player projecting a respective image on said target.

17. The device of claim 16 wherein said second housing image projecting means projects a light beam on said target.

18. The device of claim 16 wherein said second housing image projecting means is a further image movement means similar to said image movement means of the first housing whereby each player may race the other player.

19. The device of claim 18 wherein each of said housings further includes means for projecting a light beam on said target.

20. The device of claim 19 wherein said light beam is interrupted for simulating the shooting of a gun.

6. The device of claim 6 wherein said means for pivoting said barrel includes a linear movement motor mounted to said barrel, a gear train driven by said linear movement motor, a friction wheel driven by said gear train, a guide surface in said housing, and said friction wheel being in contact with said guide surface whereby actuation of said linear movement motor causes said friction wheel to move across said guide surface to thereby cause said barrel to move.

7. The device of claim 6 including resilient means urging said guide surface into contact with said friction wheel.

8. The device of claim 6 wherein said guide surface is a spherical segment plate.

9. The device of claim 6 wherein said turning movement control means includes a reversible turning movement motor for controlling the direction of rotation of said barrel, a control wheel mounted externally of said housing, said control wheel being mounted for rotation on a shaft extending through said housing, a cam mounted on said shaft in said housing, at least one resiliently mounted contact plate in the path of movement of said cam for controlling the amount of current to said turning motor, a double poled switch arrangement associated with said cam for controlling the direction of rotation of the shaft of said turning movement motor, and gear means mounted to said barrel driven by said turning movement motor shaft for rotating said barrel.

10. The device of claim 6 wherein said linear movement means further comprises a control lever mounted externally of said housing for controlling the amount of current supplied to said linear movement motor.