Game machine

• US 7,780,171 B2
• Filed: 10/25/2006
• Issued: 08/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Konami Digital Entertainment Company Limited (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Konami Digital Entertainment Company Limited (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Takahashi, Hironori, Koike, Kazufumi, Atobe, Koki, Mukasa, Shigehito
• Primary Examiner(s): Pierce; William M
• Application Number:
  US12/090,265
• Publication Number:
  US 20090224481A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,399 Days
• Field of Search: 273/351, 273/354, 273/359, 273/367, 273/368, 273/440, 463/7
• US Class Current: 273/440
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/00 Games not otherwise provided for aspects of games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions showing representations related to the game A63F13/00 ; miscellaneous sporting games A63B67/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/0096 Reaction time games testing reaction time A61B5/162; reaction time training A63B69/0053; time registering, indicating or recording in connection with sports or games G07C1/22
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/30 Capturing games for grabbing or trapping objects, e.g. fishing games

Abstract

A game machine (1) includes a game board (3) having a housing section opened on a game surface, a target which is provided to the housing section so as to freely appear and disappear, and a target driving mechanism which is provided into the game board and allows the target (9) to appear and disappear from and into the housing section. The game machine is provided with a supporting pedestal (2) which supports the game board, a rotation driving device (20) which rotates the game board supported to the supporting pedestal about a pivot axis line RC extending to a direction where the line crosses the board surface in a reciprocating manner, and a tilt giving mechanism which is provided between the supporting pedestal and the game board and gives a motion to the game board according to the rotating motion of the game board about the pivot axis line RC so that the game board tilts with respect to the pivot axis line.

Claims

1. A game machine, comprising:

a game board having a board surface and a housing section opened on the board surface;

a target which is provided to the housing section so as to freely appear and disappear;

a target driving mechanism which is provided into the game board and drives the target between a position where the target protrudes from the housing section and a position where the target retreats into the housing section;

a supporting pedestal which supports the game board;

a rotation driving device which rotates the game board supported by the supporting pedestal about a pivot axis line extending to a direction where the line crosses the board surface in a reciprocating motion; and

a tilt giving mechanism which is provided between the supporting pedestal and the game board and gives a motion for tilting with respect to the pivot axis line to the game board according to a rotating motion of the game board about the pivot axis line.

2. The game machine according to claim 1, wherein the rotation driving device has an output shaft which is arranged on the pivot axis line, a driving source which drives to rotate the output shaft, and a connector which allows a tilt of the game board to all directions with respect to the pivot axis line and simultaneously connects the output shaft and the game board so as to be capable of rotating integrally.

3. The game machine according to claim 1, wherein the tilt giving mechanism has a guide member which has a guide surface extending about the pivot axis line and is provided to any one of the supporting pedestal and the game board, and a guided member which is provided to the other one of the supporting pedestal and the game board and contacts with the guide surface of the guide member, and the guide surface has a difference of elevation in a direction of the pivot axis line.

4. The game machine according to claim 3, wherein the guide surface is constituted so that a contact position of the guided member at the time when the game board is in a neutral position at the middle of a rotating range is a bottom, and as the game board separates from the bottom to farther its rotating direction, its height increases.

5. The game machine according to claim 3, further comprising a lift mechanism which elevates the game board so that the guided member is separated from the guide surface.

6. The game machine according to claim 1, wherein when the game board is in the neutral position at the center of the rotating range, a tilt is given to the board surface of the game board so that the game board tilts forward and downward with respect to a player, and the target is allowed to appear and disappeared from and into the board surface in an approximately up-down direction.

7. The game machine according to claim 2, wherein the tilt giving mechanism has a guide member which has a guide surface extending about the pivot axis line and is provided to any one of the supporting pedestal and the game board, and a guided member which is provided to the other one of the supporting pedestal and the game board and contacts with the guide surface of the guide member, and the guide surface has a difference of elevation in a direction of the pivot axis line.

8. The game machine according to claim 7, wherein the guide surface is constituted so that a contact position of the guided member at the time when the game board is in a neutral position at the middle of a rotating range is a bottom, and as the game board separates from the bottom to farther its rotating direction, its height increases.

9. The game machine according to claim 7, further comprising a lift mechanism which elevates the game board so that the guided member is separated from the guide surface.

10. The game machine according to claim 4, further comprising a lift mechanism which elevates the game board so that the guided member is separated from the guide surface.

11. The game machine according to claim 8, further comprising a lift mechanism which elevates the game board so that the guided member is separated from the guide surface.