This invention relates generally to pinball games and, more particularly, relates to an improved ball trough for such games.
Pinball games typically consist of an inclined playfield supporting a plurality of play features such as targets, bumpers, and the like. Disposed on the playfield are a pair of flippers which are used to direct a ball at selected game features for scoring points. Play usually begins with the ball positioned in the shooter lane where the player manipulates a spring loaded plunger to propel the ball onto the playfield. Play continues until the ball drains from the playfield via a drain hole which is normally located behind the flippers to capture balls which have been misplayed. Located in the playfield, out of sight of the player, is a ball trough which extends from the drain hole to the shooter lane for transporting balls therebetween.
An example of a prior art ball trough may be found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,358,243 to Eddy et al. which is herewith incorporated by reference in its entirety. The ball trough disclosed therein consists of a generally U-shaped channel that is mounted to the underside of the playfield and extends between the drain hole and the shooter lane. The bottom surface of the channel is inclined relative to the horizontal such that a ball entering the drain hole will roll under the force of gravity toward the shooter lane. When activated, a solenoid plunger will kick the ball adjacent the shooter lane up through an aperature in the playfield and into the shooter lane. A series of optical switches are also mounted on the channel and arranged such that each switch will detect the presence or absence of each ball in the queue. In this embodiment, the kicker must supply enough force to the ball to elevate the ball back to the level of the playfield.
While this embodiment is useful in achieving its purpose, it has been noticed that the procedure used to elevate the ball into the shooter lane generates a vibrational force large enough to shake the entire structure. These vibrational forces have been known to causes some of the optical switches associated with the channel to become displaced. As mentioned, these optical switches are used by the microprocessor to asses playing conditions whereby any failure or misalignment of the optical switches will cause a resulting failure in the game control. Therefore, a need exists for providing an improved ball trough capable of moving the ball into the shooter lane without the jolting associated with currently employed kicker mechanisms.
As a result of these exising needs, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved lifting mechanism whereby balls may be smoothly carried from the ball trough to the shooter lane.