Height-adjustable, swiveling striker for pinball machines

Abstract

Height-adjustable, pivotable striker for pinball machines, comprising a striker, a rotation axis, an opening formed in the playfield which can fully accommodate the striker, characterized in that the striker (1) can be moved between a lowered and raised position by means of a device (3) and can be held in both positions, and that the striker (1) can be pivoted independently about the rotation axis (2).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to the field of pinball machines, in particular the movement and function of the pivotable striking bodies arranged in these machines.

[0002] Pinball machines typically have one or more playfields. The play area is located above the surface of the playfields. Within this play area, the balls can move essentially freely. However, objects positioned there, such as flippers, bumpers, tracks, or rails, can influence the balls' movements.

[0003] Flipper arms are fixed above the surface of a playfield and can only pivot around a substantially vertical axis of rotation relative to the playfield surface. This pivoting movement is used to influence the ball's position.

[0004] Due to this fixed installation, conventional flippers must be arranged so that certain ball paths, targets, or playfield areas are not obstructed, in order to prevent blocking shots to them. This results in limitations in the design of playfield layouts and restrictions on shot variations.

[0005] The invention specified in claim 1 is based on the technical problem of providing a pivotable striking body that does not need to be permanently located in the playing area in order to overcome the aforementioned restrictions and limitations.

[0006] This problem is solved by the features listed in claim 1.

[0007] The invention achieves the effect that a striking body in the lowered position is completely enclosed in an opening formed in the playing field. In this position, the upper surface of the striking body is essentially flush with the surface of the playing field. Playing balls in the playing area can thus cross the striking body essentially unimpeded.

[0008] In the raised position, the striking body protrudes above the surface of the playing field and can be pivoted about its axis of rotation, which is essentially perpendicular to the surface of the playing field, so that it can be used to influence playing balls.

[0009] Unlike conventional flippers, this means that when arranging this firing mechanism, it is not necessary to consider whether certain ball paths, targets, or playfield areas are obscured by it, as the firing mechanism can be selectively moved out of or into the playfield, resulting in fewer restrictions on the design of playfield layouts and enabling additional, previously unfeasible, shooting variations.

[0010] An embodiment of the invention is described with reference to the Fig. 1 to 7 explained. They show: Fig. 1. A side view of the striking body in the lowered position and starting pivot position, Fig. 2 a side view of the striking body in raised position and starting pivot position, Fig. 3 a top view of the striking body in its initial pivot position, Fig. 4 a top view of the striking body in a deflected pivot position, Fig. 5 a perspective view of the striking body in lowered position and starting swivel position, Fig. 6 a perspective view of the striking body in raised position and starting pivot position, Fig. 7 a perspective view of the impactor in a raised position and a deflected swivel position.

[0011] The figures show: the striking body 1, the rotation axis 2 attached to it, the device 3 for carrying out the lifting, lowering and pivoting movement as well as for holding the striking body in its respective positions, a partial section of the playing field 4 and the opening 5 arranged in the playing field.

[0012] In the Fig. 1 and Fig. Figure 5 shows the striking body 1 in its lowered position, in which its upper surface is essentially flush with the surface of the playing field 4. The opening 5 fully accommodates the striking body 1 in this position. The device 3 allows the lowered position of the striking body 1 to be set and held.

[0013] The transition from the lowered to the raised position results from the comparison of the Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, 5, and 6. The striking body 1 performs a substantially perpendicular lifting movement relative to the surface of the playing field 4, so that it extends out of the opening 5 and projects beyond the surface of the playing field 4. For this purpose, the device 3 moves the axis of rotation 2 together with the striking body 1 substantially perpendicular to the surface of the playing field 4 in the direction of the Fig. 5 schematic movement arrow shown.

[0014] The Fig. 2 and Fig. Figure 6 shows the pivoting striking body 1 in the raised position. The device 3 also allows the raised position of the striking body 1 to be adjusted and held.

[0015] The comparison of Fig. 6 and Fig. Figure 7 shows a pivoting movement of the raised impactor 1 around the axis of rotation 2. The pivoting can be seen in the top view based on the Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 recognizable; the reversal results from the inverse comparison of the Fig. 4 and Fig. 3. The same applies to the perspective representations of the Fig. 6 and Fig. 7. This pivoting movement allows the striking body 1 to influence the playing balls. The device 3 causes the pivoting movement around the axis of rotation 2, which runs essentially perpendicular to the surface of the playing field 4.

[0016] The transition from the raised to the lowered position results from the comparison of the Fig. 2 and Fig. 1 and the Fig. 6 and Fig. 5. Starting from the raised and the initial swivel position ( Fig. 6) The striking body 1 can be lowered back into the opening 5 by a substantially vertical lowering movement, so that it is once again substantially flush with the surface of the playing field 4. For this purpose, the device 3 moves the axis of rotation 2 together with the striking body 1 substantially perpendicular to the surface of the playing field 4 in the direction of the Fig. 6 schematic straight-line movement arrow shown. 1 striking body 2 Rotation axis 3 Device for performing the lifting, lowering and pivoting movements and for holding the impact body in its respective positions 4. Partial view of the playing field 5 Opening in the playing field

Claims

[1] Height-adjustable, pivoting striker for pinball machines, comprising a striker, a rotation axis, an opening formed in the playfield which can fully accommodate the striker, characterized by , that the striking body (1) can be moved between a lowered and raised position by means of a device (3) and can be held in both positions, and that the striking body (1) can be pivoted independently about the axis of rotation (2). [2] Impact body according to claim 1, characterized by , that the device (3) is suitable for adjusting the lowered position of the striking body (1) so that the upper surface of the striking body (1) is substantially flush with the surface of the playing field (4). [3] Impact body according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by, that the device (3) is suitable for adjusting the raised position of the striking body (1) so that the lower surface of the striking body (1) is substantially gap-free above the surface of the playing field (4). [4] Impact body according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the opening (5) has a circumferential edge area which receives the impact body (1) in the lowered position essentially with minimal gaps and in a form-fitting manner. [5] Impact body according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the device (3) causes the lifting and lowering movement of the striking body (1). [6] Impact body according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the device (3) holds the striking body (1) in defined positions. [7] Impact body according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the device (3) causes the pivoting movement of the striking body (1). [8] Impact body according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the lifting, lowering and swiveling movement is electrically, electronically, electromagnetically, mechanically or electromechanically controllable, in particular software-controlled.

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