Water amusement game

• US 5,011,161 A
• Filed: 09/25/1989
• Issued: 04/30/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Marion C. Galphin
• Original Assignee: Marion C. Galphin
• Inventors: Galphin, Marion C.
• Primary Examiner(s): APLEY, RICHARD J
• Application Number:
  US07/412,011
• Time in Patent Office: 582 Days
• Field of Search: 273/349
• US Class Current: 273/349
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2003/00662 with an electric sensor for playing pieces A63F2009/2444 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2250/0421 dumping water on a player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2250/0428 being squirted
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 7/045 containing a liquid
• CPC Class Codes: A63G 31/007 involving water
• CPC Class Codes: A63G 33/00 Devices allowing competitions between several persons, not otherwise provided for

Abstract

A water amusement game is disclosed which includes a pad (11) having opposed player stations (10, 12) arranged at the opposite ends of the pad which includes submarine replicas (A, B). Water cannons (24) are aimed at a movable target (C) in accordance with the skill of the players at each station. As target (C) is advanced toward a losing station by the players at the opposite station, sensor (E) senses movement of the target toward the moving station. Sensor (E) comprises a plurality of electrical switches (28, 30, 32 and 34, 36, 38). In response to the detection of the target moving toward a losing station, prescribed quantities of water are dispensed by various water dispensing elements (64, 66, 68) to progressively apply larger amounts of water toward the face of the losing players. This impairs the ability of the losing players to reverse the movement of the target. As the target moves past the last switch, the door to the submarine is locked, a drenching amount of water is dumped on the players along with the emission of audible signals (70, 72) saying that the submarine is taking on major water and sinking.

Claims

1. A water amusement game comprising:

a first player station at which at least a first player is stationed, a second player station at which at least a second player is stationed, and said first and second stations being spaced from one another;

at least one water cannon at each of said first and second stations operable by said players, said water cannons emitting a water jet which impinges upon said target in response I0 to the operation of said water cannons by said players in accordance with the manipulation and skill of said players;

a target;

sensing means for detecting a condition of said target in response to the impingement of said water jet on said target;

water dispensing means for dispensing water on said players at said first and second stations; and

control means for activating said water dispensing means in response to signals received from said sensor means in response to said detection of said target condition to dispense water at said first and second stations in accordance with the skill of said players at said first and second stations to accurately hit said target with said water jet.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said water dispensing means includes a plurality of water dispensing means which dispense progressively different quantities of water on said players, said target being carried for movement generally towards and away from said first and second stations, said sensor means detecting movement of said target to a plurality of positions toward said first and second player positions, and said control means activating said plurality of water dispensing means sequentially with the detection of said target at said prescribed positions to dispense said different quantities of water on said players.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein said plurality of water dispensing means includes a first water dispensing means which applies a fine spray of water, second water dispensing means which applies a coarser shower of water, and a third water dispensing means which dumps a large supply of water on said player.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein at least said first water dispensing means is arranged to apply at least said fine spray of water toward the face of said player to effectively interfere with the manipulation of said operator means by said player.

5. The device of claim 2 including an audible signal means for producing audible signals in response to said sensor means detecting movement of said target along said prescribed positions.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein said audible signal means includes an audible alarm signal and an audible voice signal.

7. The device of claim 1 including an audible signal means for producing audible signals in response to said sensor means detecting said target condition.

8. The device of claim 2 including means for confining said player toward which said target is moved at said station for preventing said player from escaping as larger quantities of water are dispensed on said player.

9. The device of claim 1 including a substantial enclosure in which said players are confined at said first and second player stations, a door for entering said enclosure, and means for locking said door for preventing escape of said player under prescribed conditions.

10. The device of claim 9 wherein said enclosure is constructed as a replica of a marine vessel.

11. The device of claim 1 including means for supporting said target for movement, and said sensor means senses the movement of said target.

12. The device of claim 11 including means for disabling said water cannon of said player toward which said target is moved upon said target reaching a prescribed position.

13. The device of claim 11 wherein said sensor means includes a plurality of electrical switches carried at prescribed positions along the path of movement of said target movement, and an actuator arm carried by said target for actuating said switches in series as said target moves toward either of said first and second player stations.

14. A water amusement game comprising:

a first player station at which at least a first player is stationed and a second player station at which at least a second player is stationed, said first and second stations being spaced from one another generally along a straight line;

a movable target;

operator means operated by said players at said first and second stations for causing said target to move in response to manipulation of said operator means by said players;

sensor means for detecting movement of said movable target;

water dispensing means for dispensing water on said player at said first station and on said player at said second station; and

control means for activating said water dispensing means in response to movement of said target in said first and second directions as detected by said sensor means to dispense water at said respective second and first stations so that water is dispensed on the player at the station toward which said target is moving.

15. The device of claim 14 wherein said water dispensing means includes a plurality of water dispensing means which dispense progressively different quantities of water on said players, said sensor means detecting movement of said target to a plurality of positions toward said first and second player positions, and said control means activating said plurality of water dispensing means in series with the detection of said target at said prescribed positions.

16. The device of claim 14 wherein said plurality of water dispensing means includes a first water dispensing means which applies a fine spray of water, second water dispensing means which applies a coarser shower of water, and a third water dispensing means which dumps a large supply of water on said player.

17. The device of claim 16 wherein at least one of said water dispensing means is arranged to apply said fine spray of water to the face of said player to effectively interfere with the manipulation of said operator means by said player.

18. The device of claim 15 including an audible signal means for producing audible signals in response to said sensor means detecting movement of said target to said prescribed positions.

19. The device of claim 18 wherein said audible signal means includes an audible alarm signal and an audible voice signal.

20. The device of claim 14 including an audible signal means for producing audible signals in response to said sensor means detecting movement of said target to said prescribed positions.

21. The device of claim 15 including means for confining said player toward which said target is moved at said station for preventing said player from escaping as water is dispensed on said player.

22. The device of claim 14 including means for disabling said operator means of said player toward which said target is moved upon said target reaching a prescribed position.

23. The device of claim 14 including a substantial enclosure in which said players are confined at said first and second player stations, a door for entering said enclosure, and means for locking said door for preventing escape of said player under prescribed conditions.

24. The device of claim 23 wherein said enclosure is constructed as a replica of a marine vessel.

25. The device of claim 14 wherein said sensor means includes a plurality of electrical switches carried at prescribed positions along the path of movement of said target movement, and an actuator arm carried by said target for actuating said switches in series as said target moves toward either of said first and second player stations.

28. The device of claim 14 wherein said water dispensing means includes means for dispensing progressively different quantities of water on said players, said sensor means detecting a plurality of said prescribed conditions, and said control means activating said water dispensing means sequentially in response to said sensor means according to the achievement of said game object by said player.

29. The device of claim 14 wherein said water dispensing means are constructed and arranged to progressively impair the ability of said player to achieve the game object.

30. The device of claim 14 including means for confining said player at said station means in response to the failure of said player to achieve a prescribed condition of said game object to prevent said player from escaping said station means and said dispensing of water.

26. A water amusement game comprising:

first and second player stations at which at least first and second players are stationed for playing the amusement game wherein said first and second stations are spaced from one another;

a movable target carried for movement generally along a path parallel to a line between said first and second stations;

sensor movement for detecting the movement of said movable target along said path;

a plurality of water cannons pivotally carried at said first and second stations in a manner that they may be aimed at said target for impinging a water jet upon said target to cause said target to move in response to the skill of the players and manipulation of the water cannon;

a water dispensing means disposed at said players'"'"' stations for dispensing prescribed quantities of water on said players at a losing station in response to the superior skills of players at an opposing winning station in causing said target to move toward the losing station;

means generally confining said players at said first and second stations to prevent said players from leaving a losing station and escaping the water penalties at said station; and

control means for activating said water dispensing means sequentially in response to said movement of said target as detected by said sensor means in a direction toward said losing station so that increasing amounts of water are dispensed on said players at said losing station as said target is moved progressively closer to said station.

27. A water amusement game comprising:

station means at which at least one player is stationed;

a game object to be achieved by said player;

operator means at said station means for obtaining a desired condition in response to the skill and manipulation of said operator means by said player;

water dispensing means for dispensing water on said player at said station means; and

sensor and control means for sensing whether said player is achieving said game object according to prescribed conditions and for controlling said dispensing means to dispense water on said player in accordance with the achievement of said conditions.