The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 03, 1996
Filed:
Jun. 14, 1995
Applicant:
Inventors:
John A Popadiuk, Chicago, IL (US);
John W Skalon, Chicago, IL (US);
Assignee:
Williams Electronics Games, Inc., Chicago, IL (US);
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
A63F / ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
2731 / ; 2731 / ; 2731 / ; 2731 / ;
Abstract
The play feature of the invention comprises a planar surface which is rotatable above the playfield of a pinball game between a ball receiving and a ball discharge position. An electromagnet is attached to the planar surface. A ball detector, such as an eddy current sensor, is mounted to the playfield adjacent the housing to detect the approach of a pinball to the electromagnet. The magnet can be energized to suspend a ball from the planar surface which is then rotated to a ball discharge position where the magnet is deenergized to discharge the ball.