GAME MACHINE

• US 20110180998A1
• Filed: 05/13/2010
• Published: 07/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elaut NV
• Original Assignee: Elaut NV
• Inventors: Verstraeten, Eric
• Granted Patent: US 8,251,369 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 273/447
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2454 with LED
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/30 Capturing games for grabbing or trapping objects, e.g. fishing games
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3253 involving articles, e.g. paying in bottles, paying out toys
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3295 Games involving skill, e.g. dexterity, memory, thinking
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3297 Fairground games, e.g. Tivoli, coin pusher machines, cranes

Abstract

Game machine comprising a housing with a number of upright walls, said housing being adapted to accommodate playing means, for instance pick-up means such as a grabber; wherein the upright walls of the housing comprise at least one translucent panel; and a pattern of multicolor LEDs is provided on the inner side of the housing behind this at least one translucent panel, said multicolor LEDs being connected to a control unit for controlling the color emitted by each multicolor LED, which control unit and at least one translucent panel are adapted to impart a determined impression of color to the at least one panel.

Claims

1. Game machine, comprising a housing with a number of upright walls, said housing being adapted to accommodate playing means, in particular pick-up means for picking up one or more objects;

said upright walls of the housing comprising at least one translucent panel;

a pattern of multicolor LEDs being provided on the inner side of the housing behind said at least one translucent panel, said multicolor LEDs being connected to a control unit for controlling the color emitted by each multicolor LED,

said control unit and said at least one translucent panel being adapted to impart a determined impression of color to the at least one panel.

2. Game machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pattern of multicolor LEDs is arranged such that a substantially uniform impression of color is imparted to said at least one translucent panel.

3. Game machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the multicolor LEDs are RGB LEDs capable of covering the full color spectrum.

4. Game machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one translucent panel is manufactured from a material with a light transmission lying between 10% and 60%, preferably between 20% and 50%, and more preferably between 35% and 45%.

5. Game machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one translucent panel is manufactured from a white translucent material.

6. Game machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the translucent panel is manufactured from a material having good light diffusion properties, preferably having a light diffusion factor lying between 0.70 and 1.00.

7. Game machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one translucent panel comprises a panel with a relief;

a pattern of multicolor LEDs being arranged along the edge of this relief, said multicolor LEDs having a central emission direction directed substantially toward the inner side of the relief.

8. Game machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pattern of multicolor LEDs is arranged such that the central emission direction of each LED thereof is substantially parallel to the translucent panel behind which said LED is provided.

9. Game machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the upright walls comprise a front wall, wherein said at least one translucent panel comprises a lower front panel;

said front wall consisting substantially of said lower translucent front panel and a transparent panel mounted there above.

10. Game machine as claimed in claim 9, wherein the upright walls further comprise a first side wall adjacent the front wall;

said at least one translucent panel comprising a lower side panel;

said first side wall consisting substantially of said lower translucent side panel and a transparent panel mounted there above.

11. Game machine as claimed in claim 10, wherein an edge between the front wall and first side wall is provided with an elongate profile of a translucent material behind which a pattern of multicolor LEDs is arranged,

wherein the control unit and said translucent profile are adapted to impart a determined impression of color to said profile.

12. Game machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein a synchronization unit coupled to the control unit is provided, said synchronization unit being adapted for coupling to a control unit of an adjacent game machine for the purpose of synchronization with an adjacent game machine.

13. Game machine of claim 1, further comprising:

a pick-up means for picking up one or more objects, in particular one or more prizes to be won, in the housing;

positioning means controllable by a user for placing the pick-up means over one or more objects;

a central game controller for controlling drive means of the pick-up means, which central game controller being coupled to the control unit.

14. Game machine as claimed in claim 13, wherein weight determining means are provided for determining the weight of the pick-up means including one or more picked up objects in the case of a successful pick-up attempt, or a variable related to said weight;

said weight determining means being coupled to the central game controller.

20. Assembly of at least two game machines as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit of each game machine of the assembly is adapted to be able to impart a determined impression of color at the same moment to the panels of each game machine of the assembly, wherein the impression of color can differ for one or more game machines of the at least two game machines;

a synchronization unit coupled to each control unit being provided for the purpose of synchronizing each control unit with that of an adjacent game machine.

15. Game machine, comprising a housing with a number of upright walls and a bottom, said housing being adapted to accommodate playing means, in particular pick-up means;

said bottom of the housing comprising a translucent panel;

a pattern of multicolor LEDs being provided on the inner side of the housing above said translucent panel, said multicolor LEDs being connected to a control unit for controlling the color emitted by each multicolor LED,

said control unit and said translucent panel being adapted to create a determined colored glow under said bottom.

16. Game machine, comprising:

a housing with a number of upright walls, said housing being adapted to accommodate playing means, in particular pick-up means;

a translucent horizontal platform being provided in the housing;

a pattern of multicolor LEDs being provided inside the housing, said multicolor LEDs being connected to a control unit for controlling the color emitted by each multicolor LED,

said control unit and said translucent platform being adapted to impart a determined impression of color to said platform.

17. Game machine as claimed in claim 16, wherein the pattern of multicolor LEDs is provided under the translucent platform.

18. Game machine as claimed in claim 17, wherein granules are arranged on the horizontal platform the control unit, said horizontal platform and said granules being adapted to impart a determined impression of color to the granules.

19. Game machine as claimed in claim 16, wherein granules are arranged on the horizontal platform;

the pattern of multicolor LEDs being arranged to emit light in the direction of the granules;

the control unit and said granules being adapted to create a colored glow through the granules.