Game Apparatus Pusher with Suppressor for Controlled Object Movement

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional pusher games using spherical game objects face issues with maintaining attractiveness as these objects easily fall from the table, reducing the game's engaging nature due to their free movement and tendency to fall off the edges.

Innovation Solution

A game apparatus with a pusher that reciprocates on a table, featuring a feeder for rollable game objects and suppressors such as restrictors and retaining members to control the movement and falling of game objects, ensuring they are gradually moved and fall from the table in a controlled manner.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If spherical game objects are used in pusher games, then the game objects can roll freely on the table surface, but they easily fall from peripheral edges reducing game attractiveness

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverollability of game objectsVSAvoidgame object retention on table

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

A suppressor member is introduced as an intermediary element between the game objects and the table surface. This suppressor selectively suppresses rolling motion of game objects in specific regions while allowing other movements, thereby preventing objects from falling off the table edges while maintaining their rollable characteristics.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The suppressor member is positioned at specific locations on the table surface rather than uniformly across the entire surface. This local suppression approach allows game objects to roll freely in designated areas while being restrained only where necessary to prevent falling, thus maintaining game attractiveness and object retention simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Ease of operation

If game objects are allowed to move freely on the pusher table, then player engagement increases, but objects fall from ends of the table losing game control

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegame object mobilityVSAvoidgame control mechanism

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The suppressor member acts as a passive intermediary that automatically restricts game object movement without requiring active control systems. This simple mechanical constraint allows free movement in permitted areas while automatically preventing objects from reaching the table edges, thus maintaining ease of operation without adding device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If suppressors are added to control game object movement, then game attractiveness is maintained, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegame object retentionVSAvoidtable structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The suppressor member is designed as a thin, flexible component that can be easily integrated into the table structure. This simple, lightweight design provides effective suppression of game object rolling while adding minimal structural complexity to the overall device.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Data Source

PatentUS11164427B2Game apparatus

Publication Date: 2021.11.02 KONAMI AMUSEMENT CO LTD

AI summary

A game apparatus includes a pusher configured to reciprocate forward and backward on a surface of a table, the pusher including a first surface that is an upper surface of the pusher; a feeder configured to feed a game object that is rollable regardless of an orientation of the game object, onto the first surface; and a suppressor provided on at least one of the pusher and the table and configured to suppress an amount of movement of the game object.