Patent US6113097 - Method of replacing a playfield of a pinball machine

United States Patent [w]

Krutsch et al.

[54] METHOD OF REPLACING A PLAYFIELD OF A PINBALL MACHINE

[75] Inventors: John R. Krutsch, Lake Villa; James M. L. Shird, Oak Park, both of 111.; Thomas W. Uban, Valparaiso, Ind.

[73] Assignee: Williams Electronics Games, Inc., Chicago, 111.

[ * ] Notice: This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

[21] Appl. No.: 09/232,248 [22] Filed: Jan. 14, 1999

[51] Int. CI. A63D 3/00

[52] U.S. CI 273/118 A; 273/118 R

[58] Field of Search 273/118 R, 118 A,

273/120 A, 121 A, 122 A, 123 A, 124 A,

125 A

[56] References Cited

U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS

FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS

3023878 1/1982 Germany . 2 124 505 2/1984 United Kingdom . WO 8401908 5/1984 WIPO .

OTHER PUBLICATIONS

Congo Pinball Conversion Kit, pp. 1-8, Williams Electron-
ics Games, Inc., Chicago, Illinois, Feb. 1996.
Description and drawings of 10 Pin Deluxe game, Williams
Electronics Games, Inc., Chicago, Illinois, date unknown.
Description and photograph of Namco redemption game,
Namco, Ltd., Tokyo, Japan, date unknown.
Brochure for 10 Pin Deluxe Game, Midway Games Inc.,
Chicago, Illinois, date unknown.

"Prior Art Wiring Arrangement for a Pinballl Machine," Williams Electronics Games, Inc., Chicago, Illinois, 5 sheets (text and photographs).

"JAMMA Standards for Video Game Machine PC Board and Edge Connector," Japan Amusement Machinery Manufacturers Association, pp. 1-7, Feb. 7, 1994.

Primary Examiner—Jessica J. Harrison

Assistant Examiner—Julie Kasick

Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Jenkens & Gilchrist

[57] ABSTRACT

A pinball machine has been designed with several novel mechanical and electrical features such that it is easily retrofittable or convertible between a first pinball game and a second pinball game. The pinball machine includes a playfield mounted to a cabinet. Unlike previous pinball machines, electrical wires and their associated "playfieldside" connectors extending from input/output elements mounted to the playfield are limited in movement to a region generally beneath and in close proximity to the playfield. This allows the playfield to be more easily handled than prior playfields, which had long dangling electrical wires and connectors which could be easily tripped over or severed. Additionally, the plurality of playfield-side connectors are configured for easy installation and integration with corresponding "cabinet-side" connectors. The cabinet-side connectors are electrically connected to a driver electronics board mounted within the cabinet and carry all input/output functions of the driver electronics board.

11 Claims, 18 Drawing Sheets