WO1996005579A1

WO1996005579A1 - Game playing device

Info

Publication number: WO1996005579A1
Application number: PCT/FI1995/000415
Authority: WO
Inventors: Pekka Puomio
Original assignee: Raha Automaattiyhdistys
Current assignee: Raha Automaattiyhdistys
Priority date: 1994-08-09
Filing date: 1995-08-07
Publication date: 1996-02-22
Anticipated expiration: 1997-02-09
Also published as: FI96148C; FI96148B; FI943682A0

Abstract

The invention relates to a game playing device comprising a vertical play panel (1) forming a plane of movement (2) for coins or similar flat tokens (3), said play panel (1) comprising ports (4), by hitting which the tokens (3) control the delivery of prizes; a prize delivering mechanism, inserting means (5) for a token (3) required for starting a game, and launching means (6) for launching a token (3) into the play panel (1). In order to increase the attraction of the game and allow for higher prizes a retaining device (8) for at least one token (3) is arranged in association with at least one port (4), in which device the token (3) is visible as a sign of a particular tuned-up state.

Description

Game playing device

The invention relates to a game playing device comprising a vertical play panel forming a plane of movement for coins or similar flat tokens, the play panel comprising ports, by hitting which the tokens con¬ trol the delivery of prizes, a prize delivering mechan¬ ism, inserting means for a token required for starting a game, and launching means for launching a token into the play panel.

In various prior art slot-machine-type of game playing devices a token is launched into a play panel with the object of making it pass through said ports whereby it usually activates a prize delivering mechan- ism for delivering a specific prize to a player. If the player fails to make the token pass through a port, the player does not win a prize but loses the stake. A mech¬ anical playing device of this type is known from e.g. Finnish Patent 37,712. In such playing devices the game is usually over after the token has traversed the play area formed by the ports.

In some game playing devices it is possible to change the size of the prize or give bonuses depending on e.g. the number of playing rounds and/or the passage of a token through one or more predetermined actuating means. In these devices the size of the actual prize and possible additional prizes and bonuses are, however, de¬ termined when the token has passed through or by-passed a port. In order to increase the versatility and at¬ traction of playing, such game playing devices have been designed that provide additional games in addition to the above-described main game, and where a token, having passed the main game, has a chance to participate in at least one additional game which may be completely dif- ferent from the main game. Such a game playing device is known from e.g. Finnish Patent Application 883,401. Such game playing devices comprising electronic displays and providing extra games are becoming increas- ingly versatile because of the opportunities offered by modern electronics. This, however, also means that they are more difficult to play and not all players can util¬ ize their special features.

Consequently the need has arisen to revert to simple, more mechanical solutions offering, however, adequately attractive prizes. This goal is difficult to attain by developing e.g. the known ports placed in play panels as e.g. the gap for the token in the port cannot be excessively tightened in order for the game not to become unreasonably difficult.

The object of the present invention is to elim¬ inate the above drawbacks and find a simple solution for improving the interest in slot-machine-type of game playing devices. This object is reached by the game playing device of the invention which is characterized in that a retaining device for at least one token is arranged in association with at least one port, in which device the token is visible as a sign of a particular tuned-up state. This invention is based on the idea of replac¬ ing light columns, lamps etc, indicating an advantage to the player, with a simple retaining device, known per se from e.g. prize delivering mechanisms. When inside a retaining device, a token also acts as a sign of a tuned-up state of a port, indicating an advantage, a raised maximum prize, an additional game etc. If the next token hits the tuned-up port, the tuned-up state terminates and said special prize or the like is paid out. The tuned-up state may terminate without any ad- vantage e.g. when the token hits a non-tuned-up port, in case of a miss, or after the lapse of a determined time-lag.

The port of the invention is adaptable both to a play panel with a closed circulating path, i.e. where the play token is one of the tokens circulating in the play panel, and to an open play panel, where a player's token is used as the play token. In theory, the reten¬ tion of the invention allows a slot machine to pay out quite high prizes. In the following the invention will be de¬ scribed in greater detail with reference to the accom¬ panying drawings, where

Figure 1 is a simplified schematic view of an embodiment of the game playing device of the invention, Figure 2 shows the retaining device of Figure

1 on a larger scale.

The game playing device shown in Figure 1 may be to its basic structure of a type described in e.g. Finnish Patent 37,712 or Finnish Patent 63,123. The game playing device comprises a play panel 1, forming a plane of movement 2 for tokens 3. The upper portion of the play panel 1 comprises a plurality of ports 4, arranged to act on a prize delivering mechanism (not shown) at the back of the play panel 1 in a manner that the pas- sage of a token 3 through a port 4 affects the prize received by a player. The game playing device further comprises inserting means 5 for a token 3 required for starting a game, launching means 6 for launching a token to the circulating path, and a prize delivery chute 7 for a potential prize. The elements 5, 6, 7 and the prize delivering mechanism are commercially available units known per se wherefore their operation and con¬ struction will not be described in greater detail.

A retaining device 8 is arranged in the play panel 1 of the game playing device, under the midmost port 4, the device arranged to retain a token 3 and to tune up the device into a state where hitting the tuned- up port 4 with the next token 3 will give a special prize, maximum prize, some additional game etc. Upon this hit the tuned-up state is terminated and the token is detached. The retention may be controlled e.g. elec¬ tronically according to the game situation. The tuned-up state is terminated without a prize e.g. when a token 3 hits another port 4, passes by all the ports 4, after the lapse of a certain time-lag etc.

The retaining device 8 may be e.g. a device known in mechanisms retaining and dispensing token queues, described in Finnish Patent 37,712, also a commercially available unit. The purpose of the above description is to illustrate the invention. The invention may, however, be applied in many alternative manners in game playing devices of the slot machine type, within the scope of the attached claims. E.g. the structure of the retaining device is not in any manner limited to the above example but may be realized in many alternative manners provided it retains the token within sight until the tuned-up state is terminated. The retaining device may also be placed in association with any port and may if required also retain several tokens.

Claims

1. A game playing device comprising a vertical play panel (1) forming a plane of movement (2) for coins or similar flat tokens (3), the play panel (1) compris¬ ing ports (4), by hitting which the tokens (3) control the delivery of prizes, a prize delivering mechanism, inserting means (5) for a token (3) required for start¬ ing a game, and launching means (6) for launching a token (3) into the play panel (1), c h a r a c t e r ¬ i z e d in that a retaining device (8) for at least one token (3) is arranged in association with at least one port (4), in which device the token (3) is visible as a sign of a particular tuned-up state.

2. A game playing device as claimed in claim

1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the retaining de¬ vice (8) is arranged into a port (4).

3. A game playing device as claimed in claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the retaining de- vice (8) is arranged below a port (4).

4. A game playing device as claimed in claim 3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the retaining de¬ vice (8) is arranged below the midmost port (4).