Rotating target and ramp assembly for a pinball machine
A pinball machine includes a game cabinet supporting a playfield having a target and ramp assembly mounted to the playfield. The target and ramp assembly includes a carriage rotatably mountable to the playfield and an actuator operatively coupled to the carriage for rotating the carriage about a rotating axis between a first position and a second position. A target assembly is mounted to a portion of a periphery of the carriage and a ball path, such as a ramp is defined by at least one upstanding wall extending perpendicular from the carriage. In the first position, the target assembly is in a first location relative to the playfield and In the second position, the ball path is in the first location and the target assembly is in a second location relative to the playfield.
1 . A rotating target and ramp assembly for a pinball machine, the rotating target and ramp assembly comprising:
a carriage rotatably mountable to a playfield of the pinball machine;
an actuator operatively coupled to the carriage for rotating the carriage about a rotating axis extending generally perpendicular to the playfield of the pinball machine when the carriage is mounted to the playfield, the carriage being rotatable between a first position and a second position;
a target assembly mounted to a portion of a periphery of the carriage; and
a ball path defined by two upstanding walls extending perpendicular from the carriage, the ball path comprises a ramp surface extending from the carriage such that a first end of the ramp surface is flush with the carriage and a second end of the ramp surface is elevated off the carriage;
such that in the first position, the target assembly is in a first location and when in the second position, the ball path is in the first location.
2 . The rotating target and ramp assembly of claim 1 , wherein the target assembly is a three-bank target assembly.
3 . The rotating target and ramp assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a rotatable shaft defining the rotating axis, the rotatable shaft coupling the carriage to a mounting bracket mountable to the playfield of the pinball machine, and the actuator operatively coupled to the carriage to rotate the carriage about the rotatable shaft between the first position and the second position.
4 . The rotating target and ramp assembly of claim 3 , wherein the actuator is operatively coupled to the carriage via a linkage offset from the rotatable shaft.
5 . The rotating target and ramp assembly of claim 4 , wherein the actuator is a motor.
6 . A rotating assembly for a pinball machine, the rotating assembly comprising:
a carriage rotatably mountable to a playfield of the pinball machine;
an actuator operatively coupled to the carriage for rotating the carriage between a first position and a second position;
a first interactive gaming element coupled to the carriage; and
a second interactive gaming element coupled to the carriage, the second interactive gaming element comprising a ramp surface extending from the carriage such that a first end of the ramp surface is flush with the carriage and a second end of the ramp surface is elevated off the carriage,
such that in the first position, the first interactive gaming element is in a first location and when in the second position, the second interactive gaming element is in the first location.
7 . The rotating assembly of claim 6 , further comprising a mounting bracket to mount the rotating assembly to the playfield, the carriage being rotatably mounted to the mounting bracket.
8 . The rotating assembly of claim 7 , further comprising a rotatable shaft coupling the carriage to the mounting bracket, the rotatable shaft extending generally perpendicular from both the mounting bracket and the carriage and the carriage rotates about the rotatable shaft.
9 . The rotating assembly of claim 7 , further comprising a rotatable shaft coupling the carriage to the mounting bracket, and further comprising an actuator operatively coupled to the carriage to rotate the carriage about the rotatable shaft between the first position and the second position.
10 . The rotating assembly of claim 9 , wherein the actuator is operatively coupled to the carriage via a linkage offset from the rotatable shaft.
11 . The rotating assembly of claim 10 , wherein the actuator is a motor.
12 . The rotating assembly of claim 6 , wherein the first interactive gaming element is a target assembly mounted to a portion of a periphery of the carriage.
13 . The rotating assembly of claim 12 , wherein the target assembly is a three-bank target assembly.
14 . The rotating assembly of claim 12 , wherein the second interactive gaming element is a ball path defined by two upstanding walls extending perpendicular from the carriage.
15 . A pinball machine comprising:
a game cabinet supporting a playfield;
a carriage rotatably mountable to the playfield;
an actuator operatively coupled to the carriage for rotating the carriage about a rotating axis extending generally perpendicular to the playfield, the carriage rotating between a first position and a second position;
a motor distally located from the carriage and operably coupled to the carriage via a link offset from the rotating axis such that a rotation of the motor drives the link to rotate the carriage between the first position and the second position;
a target assembly mounted to a portion of a periphery of the carriage; and
a ball path defined by at least one upstanding wall extending perpendicular from the carriage,
such that in the first position, the target assembly is in a first location relative to the playfield and when in the second position, the ball path is in the first location and the target assembly is in a second location relative to the playfield.
16 . The pinball machine of claim 15 , wherein the ball path comprises a ramp surface extending from the carriage such that a first end of the ramp surface is flush with the playfield and a second end of the ramp surface is elevated off the playfield.
17 . A pinball machine comprising:
a cabinet supporting a playfield; and
a rotating target and ramp assembly coupled to the playfield, the rotating target and ramp assembly comprising:
a mounting bracket mountable to an underside of the playfield;
a rotatable shaft supported by the mounting bracket and extending through an opening defined in the playfield;
a carriage coupled to the rotatable shaft and rotatable about a rotating axis extending generally perpendicular to the playfield;
an actuator operatively coupled to the carriage to rotate the carriage about the rotating axis between a first position and a second position;
a target assembly mounted to a portion of a periphery of the carriage; and
a frame mounted to the carriage and comprising a base surface and two upstanding walls extending from the base surface and defining a ball path, the ball path comprising a ramp surface extending from the carriage such that a first end of the ramp surface is flush with the carriage and a second end of the ramp surface is elevated off the carriage, the carriage, the target assembly, and the frame being rotatable together as a single unit, the first position including the target assembly disposed at a first location relative to the playfield, and the second position including the ball path disposed at the first location relative to the playfield.