Game apparatus including basketball, pinball, and target bowling

• US 5,443,259 A
• Filed: 07/11/1994
• Issued: 08/22/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: M.H. Segan Limited Partnership
• Original Assignee: M.H. Segan Limited Partnership
• Inventors: Segan, Marc H., Strauss, Gary, Cummings, Gerald W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Grieb, William H.
• Application Number:
  US08/273,426
• Time in Patent Office: 407 Days
• Field of Search: 273/1.5 R, 273/1.5 A, 273/352, 273/401, 273/119 R, 273/119 A, 273/119 B, 273/120 A, 273/121 A, 273/122 A, 273/123 A, 273/124 A, 273/125 A , 273/118 A
• US Class Current: 273/352
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2063/001 Targets or goals with ball-returning means
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 63/083 for basketball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0071 for basketball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/06 Indicating or scoring devices for games or players , or for other sports activities
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2007/0011 Target bowling or skee ball
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 7/0005 played on a table, the ball or other playing body being rolled or slid from one side of the table in more than one direction or having more than one entering position on this same side, e.g. shuffle boards goal posts per se A63F7/305; miniature bowling-alleys A63D3/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 7/027 electric
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 7/0612 Basketball
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 7/249 projecting the playing bodies through the air, e.g. with a jump

Abstract

A game apparatus combines pinball, target bowling and basketball games in a single combined assembly, with a common scorekeeping and control system. The game apparatus includes a basketball rim and backboard support post that rotates between an upright, play position and an inverted, stowed position.

Claims

1. A game apparatus for playing target bowling and pinball, comprising:

a housing having a generally horizontal coffin portion having a proximate, player end, a distal, back end, and an upper surface thereon, and a back case portion generally inclined at an angle relative to said upper surface and having a first, lower end and a second, upper end;

a ramp disposed between said back end of said coffin portion and said lower end of said back case portion and having one end approximately contiguous with said upper surface;

a pinball apparatus disposed in said coffin portion below said upper surface; and

a target bowling scoring apparatus disposed in said back case, whereby a ball rolled across said upper surface toward said back case portion is projected toward said target bowling scoring apparatus by said ramp.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a pinball scoring apparatus; and

a scoring indicator selectively responsive to at least one of said pinball scoring apparatus and said target bowling scoring apparatus.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a control device having a game select switch for determining which one of said pinball scoring and target bowling scoring apparatuses said scoring indicator is responsive to, and for selectively causing power to be supplied to said pinball apparatus.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said scoring indicator is disposed in said back case portion.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a removable cover for covering said target bowling scoring apparatus.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, ,wherein said cover fits atop at least a portion of said upper surface.

7. A game apparatus for playing pinball and basketball, comprising:

a housing having a coffin portion having a proximate, player end, a distal, back end, and an upper surface thereon;

a pinball apparatus disposed in said coffin portion;

a backboard;

a basketball rim mounted on said backboard; and

a backboard support post coupling said backboard to said housing.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:

a basketball scoring apparatus;

a pinball scoring apparatus; and

a scoring indicator selectively responsive to at least one of said pinball scoring apparatus and said basketball scoring apparatus.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a control device having a game select switch for determining which one of said pinball scoring and basketball scoring apparatuses said scoring indicator is responsive to, and for selectively causing power to be supplied to said pinball apparatus.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said scoring indicator is disposed in said back case portion.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said basketball scoring apparatus comprises:

a paddle mounted proximate to the rim so that said paddle is displaced by a ball passing through the rim; and

a switch activated by displacement of said paddle.

12. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:

a basketball return net having an upper end, a lower end, and a body portion therebetween, said upper end being releasably attached to said backboard, said lower end being releasably attached to said coffin portion near said player end of said coffin portion and being disposed lower than said upper end, and said body portion being disposed above said housing and having at least a portion thereof disposed beneath said basketball rim,

whereby a basketball dropping through said basketball rim will roll down said basketball return net toward said player end of said coffin portion.

13. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said backboard support post is coupled to said housing for movement between a first, play position in which said basketball rim is accessible for play and a second, stowed position in which said basketball rim is inaccessible for play.

14. A game apparatus for playing target bowling and basketball, comprising:

a housing having a generally horizontal coffin portion having a proximate, player end, a distal, back end, and an upper surface thereon, and a back case portion generally inclined at an angle relative to said upper surface;

a ramp disposed between said back end of said coffin portion and said lower end of said back case and having one end approximately contiguous with said upper surface;

a target bowling scoring apparatus disposed in said back case portion;

a backboard;

a basketball rim mounted on said backboard; and

a backboard support post coupling said backboard to said housing,

whereby a ball rolled across said upper surface toward said back case portion is projected toward said target bowling scoring apparatus by said ramp.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising:

a basketball scoring apparatus; and

a scoring indicator selectively responsive to at least one of said target bowling scoring apparatus and said basketball scoring apparatus.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a control device having a game select switch for determining which one of said basketball scoring and target bowling scoring apparatuses said scoring indicator is responsive to.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said scoring indicator is disposed in said back case portion.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said basketball scoring apparatus comprises:

a paddle mounted proximate to the rim so that said paddle is displaced by a ball passing through the rim; and

a switch activated by displacement of said paddle.

19. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a removable cover for covering said target bowling scoring apparatus.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, apparatus of claim 5, wherein said cover fits atop at least a portion of said upper surface.

21. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising:

a basketball return net having an upper end, a lower end, and a body portion therebetween, said upper end being releasably attached to said backboard, said lower end being releasably attached to said coffin portion near said player end of said coffin portion and being disposed lower than said upper end, and said body portion being disposed above said housing and having at least a portion thereof disposed beneath said basketball rim,

whereby a basketball dropping through said basketball rim will roll down said basketball return net toward said player end of said coffin portion.

22. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said backboard support post is coupled to said housing for movement between a first, play position in which said basketball rim is accessible for play and a second, stowed position in which said basketball rim is inaccessible for play.

23. A game apparatus for playing target bowling, basketball, and pinball, comprising:

a housing having a generally horizontal coffin portion having a proximate, player end, a distal, back end, and an upper surface thereon, and a back case portion generally inclined at an angle relative to said upper surface;

a ramp portion disposed between said coffin portion and said back case portion and having one end approximately contiguous with said upper surface;

a pinball apparatus disposed in said coffin portion below said upper surface;

a target bowling scoring apparatus disposed in said back case;

a backboard;

a basketball rim mounted on said backboard; and

a backboard support post coupling said backboard to said housing,

whereby a ball rolled across said upper surface toward said back case is projected toward said target bowling scoring apparatus by said ramp.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising:

a pinball scoring apparatus;

a basketball scoring apparatus; and

a scoring indicator selectively responsive to at least one of said pinball scoring apparatus, said target bowling scoring apparatus, and said basketball scoring apparatus.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, further comprising a control device having a game select switch for determining which one of said pinball scoring, basketball scoring and target bowling scoring apparatuses said scoring indicator is responsive to, and for selectively causing power to be supplied to said pinball apparatus.

26. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein said scoring indicator is disposed in said back case portion.

27. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein said basketball scoring apparatus comprising:

a paddle mounted proximate to the rim so that said paddle is displaced by a ball passing through the rim; and

a switch activated by displacement of said paddle.

28. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising a removable cover for covering said target bowling scoring apparatus.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein said cover fits atop at least a portion of said upper surface.

30. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising:

a basketball return net having an upper end, a lower end, and a body portion therebetween, said upper end being releasably attached to said backboard, said lower end being releasably attached to said coffin portion near said player end of said coffin portion and being disposed lower than said upper end, and said body portion being disposed above said housing and having at least a portion thereof disposed beneath said basketball rim,

whereby a basketball dropping through said basketball rim will roll down said basketball return net toward said player end of said coffin portion.

31. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein said backboard support post is coupled to said housing for movement between a first, play position in which said basketball rim is accessible for play and a second, stowed position in which said basketball rim is inaccessible for play.

32. A basketball game apparatus, comprising:

a stationary base member;

a basketball backboard and rim assembly; and

a support post, said basketball backboard and rim assembly mounted to said support post, and said support post pivotally coupled to said stationary base member for pivotal movement between a first, play position in which said basketball rim is accessible for play and a second, stowed position in which said basketball rim is inaccessible for play.

33. A basketball game apparatus, comprising:

a stationary base member;

a projection provided on said base member, said projection having a slot defined thereon;

a support post mounted on said projection for rotational movement around said projection between a first position and a second position, said support post having an aperture with said projection extending therethrough and a key provided on said aperture for engaging said slot to lock said support post in the first position; and

a basketball backboard and rim assembly mounted to said support post.