TV game machine

• US 5,192,082 A
• Filed: 08/12/1992
• Issued: 03/09/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Ashida, Kenichiro, Inoue, Yoshihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Grieb, William H.
• Application Number:
  US07/928,076
• Time in Patent Office: 209 Days
• Field of Search: 273/434, 273/435, 273/148 B, 273/85 G, 361/337, 361/339, 361/343, 361/344, 361/345, 269/277
• US Class Current: 463/44
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/95 Storage media specially adapted for storing game information, e.g. video game cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/206 Game information storage, e.g. cartridges, CD ROM's, DVD's, smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0256 of interchangeable modules or receptacles therefor, e.g. cartridge mechanisms

Abstract

A locking groove extending in the horizontal direction is formed approximately at the center of a front surface of a cartridge. A power switch is turned on/off in response to an operation of a slide switch. When the power switch is turned on by the slide switch, a lock plate rotates in response to the operation of the slide switch. At this time, a projecting portion provided on one side of the lock plate is fit in the locking groove. Consequently, simultaneously with the turning on/off the power, the cartridge is locked so as not to be ejected.

Claims

1. A TV game machine to and from which a cartridge storing a game program can be attached and detached, for executing processes for a game by reading the game program from the attached cartridge, comprising:

a housing having a hole for inserting said cartridge at an upper surface; and

a power switch mechanism provided related to the upper surface of said housing;

wherein

said cartridge has a flat shape with one and the other major surfaces, and a locking groove extending in horizontal direction formed approximately at the center of one major surface;

said power switch mechanism includes

a slide switch slidably provided on the upper surface of said housing,

a power switch contained in said housing and turned on/off in response to operation of said slide switch, and

locking means axially supported in said housing and rotated in response to operation of said slide switch, a part of which is fit in the locking groove of said cartridge when it is rotated;

whereby

when said cartridge is attached to said housing and said power switch is turned on, said lock means is fit in the locking groove of said cartridge to lock said cartridge to prevent ejection of the cartridge.

2. A TV game machine according to claim 1, wherein

said slide switch includes a bar shaped projection extending downward in said housing,

said locking means having an engaging hole to which the bar shaped projection of said slide switch is inserted, whereby sliding movement of the slide switch is transmitted as a rotation movement to said locking means.

3. A TV game machine according to claim 2, wherein

said locking means has one end axially supported in said housing, and an engaging hole, to which said bar shaped projection is inserted, is formed at a region between said one end and a portion which is to be fit in said locking groove.

4. A TV game machine according to claim 2, wherein

said slide switch includes an upper switch member and a lower switch member,

said upper switch member having an operating portion exposed externally from the upper surface of said housing,

said lower switch member having said bar shape projection formed on the lower surface, and

said upper switch member and said lower switch member being integrated and fitted to each other.

5. The TV game apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising:

a door member;

wherein

said locking means abuts said door member to prevent opening of said door member when said cartridge is not inserted and power is turned on, to prevent insertion of said cartridge when power is on.

6. A TV game machine according to claim 1, wherein

a hole is formed, to and from which said locking means is inserted and removed, movement in vertical direction of said locking means regulated by a wall defining said hole.

7. A TV game machine to and from which a cartridge storing a game program can be attached and detached, for executing processes for the game by reading the game program from the attached cartridge, comprising:

a housing having a hole for inserting said cartridge is formed on an upper surface;

an eject mechanism for forcefully discharging said cartridge attached to said housing; and

power switch mechanism provided related to the upper surface of said housing;

wherein

said cartridge has a flat shape with one and the other major surfaces and a locking groove extending in horizontal direction formed approximately at the center of one major surface,

said power switch mechanism includes

a slide switch slidably provided on the upper surface of said housing,

a power switch contained in said housing and turned on/off in response to operation of said slide switch, and

locking means axially supported in said housing and rotated in response to operation of said slide switch, a part of which is fit in the locking groove of said cartridge when it is rotated;

whereby

when said cartridge is attached to said housing and said power switch is turned on, said locking means is fit in the locking groove of said cartridge to lock said cartridge, preventing discharge of the cartridge by said eject mechanism.

8. A TV game machine according to claim 7, wherein

said eject mechanism includes

an eject button operation surface of which is provided to be exposed from the surface of said housing, and

an eject lever rotatably supported in said housing, having a portion to be depressed by said eject button formed at one end, and an eject pawl formed on the other end,

said eject lever being rotated when the portion to be depressed is depressed by said eject button for raising bottom surface of said cartridge by means of said eject pawl.

9. A TV game machine according to claim 7, wherein

said eject mechanism includes an eject lever supported rotatably in said housing having an operating portion exposed at the upper surface of said housing formed on one end and an eject pawl formed on the other end,

said eject lever being rotated when said operating portion is depressed for raising upward the bottom surface of said cartridge by said eject pawl.

10. A TV game machine to and from which a cartridge storing a game program can be attached and detached, for executing processes for the game by reading the game program from the attached cartridge, comprising:

a housing having a hole to which the cartridge is inserted formed on the upper surface;

a power switch mechanism provided related to the upper surface of said housing;

a door member provided near the hole for inserting said cartridge to be freely opened and closed, for shutting the hole for inserting the cartridge when the cartridge is not attached; and

a top panel attached to the upper surface of said housing;

wherein

said cartridge having a flat shape with one and the other major surfaces and a locking groove extending in the horizontal direction formed approximately at the center of one major surface;

said power switch mechanism includes

a slide switch slidably provided on the upper surface of said upper housing,

a power switch contained in said housing and turned on/off in response to operation of said slide switch, and

locking means axially supported in said housing and rotated in response to operation of said slide switch, a part of which is fit to the locking groove of said cartridge when it is rotated at power on for locking said cartridge to prevent ejection of the cartridge and a part of which abuts said door member when power is turned on without inserting said cartridge so as to prevent and lock insertion of said cartridge;

said top panel having a plurality of holes for externally exposing said slide switch and said door member, and a plurality of engaging pawls extending downward at an outer periphery of the lower surface thereof;

a slide switch receiving portion for slidably receiving said slide switch, and a plurality of engaging concave portions to which the engaging pawls of said top panel are inserted are formed on the upper surface of said housing, and

by attaching said door member in the cartridge inserting hole of said housing, attaching said slide switch to said slide switch receiving portion and placing said top panel thereon, and by inserting respective engaging pawls of the top panel to respective engaging concave portions on the upper surface of said housing, the slide switch and the door member are held in said housing.