Penalty kick soccer game apparatus

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6659457
  • Patent Number
    6,659,457
  • Date Filed
    Tuesday, September 3, 2002
    22 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, December 9, 2003
    21 years ago
Abstract
A penalty kick soccer game apparatus for providing a life-like entertaining game for all people to play and enjoy. The penalty kick soccer game apparatus includes a housing having a bottom wall, a tabletop, and side and end walls; and also includes a soccer ball kicking assembly being mounted to the housing; and further includes a goal-defending assembly being mounted to the housing; and further includes a score-keeping member being attached to the housing; and also includes a transparent dome being removably disposed over the tabletop of the housing.
Description




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




1. Field of the Invention




The present invention relates to soccer games and more particularly pertains to a new penalty kick soccer game apparatus for providing a life-like entertaining game for all people to play and enjoy.




2. Description of the Prior Art




The use of soccer games is known in the prior art. More specifically, soccer games heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.




While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new penalty kick soccer game apparatus. The prior art includes table games having figurines and tabletops upon which the figurines are movably disposed.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




The general providing a life-like entertaining game for all people to play and enjoy of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new penalty kick soccer game apparatus which has many of the advantages of the soccer games mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new penalty kick soccer game apparatus which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art soccer games, either alone or in any combination thereof. The present invention includes a housing having a bottom wall, a tabletop, and side and end walls; and also includes a soccer ball kicking assembly being mounted to the housing; and further includes a goal-defending assembly being mounted to the housing; and further includes a score-keeping member being attached to the housing; and also includes a transparent dome being removably disposed over the tabletop of the housing. None of the prior art includes the combination of the elements of the present invention.




There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the penalty kick soccer game apparatus in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.




In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the providing a life-like entertaining game for all people to play and enjoy of description and should not be regarded as limiting.




It is an object of the present invention to provide a new penalty kick soccer game apparatus which has many of the advantages of the soccer games mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new penalty kick soccer game apparatus which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art soccer games, either alone or in any combination thereof.




Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new penalty kick soccer game apparatus for providing a life-like entertaining game for all people to play and enjoy.




Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new penalty kick soccer game apparatus that is easy and convenient to set up and play.




Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new penalty kick soccer game apparatus that actually simulates a real life penalty kicking game situation.











These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.




BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS




The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:





FIG. 1

is a perspective view of a new penalty kick soccer game apparatus according to the present invention.





FIG. 2

is a cross-sectional view of the soccer ball kicking assembly of the present invention.





FIG. 3

is another cross-sectional view of the soccer ball kicking assembly of the present invention.





FIG. 4

is a cross-sectional view of the goal-defending assembly of the present invention.





FIG. 5

is another cross-sectional view of the goal-defending assembly of the present invention.





FIG. 6

is schematic diagram of the present invention.











DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT




With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to

FIGS. 1 through 6

thereof, a new penalty kick soccer game apparatus embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the reference numeral


10


will be described.




As best illustrated in

FIGS. 1 through 6

, the penalty kick soccer game apparatus


10


generally comprises a housing


11


having a bottom wall


12


, a tabletop


13


, and side and end walls


14


,


15


. The housing


11


includes first and second elongate slots


16


,


17


being disposed through the end walls


15


, and also includes an arcuate slot


18


being disposed through the tabletop


13


near a second end thereof, and further includes an opening in the tabletop


13


near a first end thereof.




A soccer ball kicking assembly is conventionally mounted to the housing


11


. The soccer ball kicking assembly includes a plate support member


19


being conventionally attached to the bottom wall


12


of the housing


11


and being disposed in the opening of the tabletop


13


, and also includes a plate


20


being pivotally and conventionally attached to the plate support member


19


and having an elongate slot


21


being disposed therethrough, and further includes a ball striker member being conventionally mounted upon the plate


20


, and further includes a trigger assembly being conventionally attached to the plate


20


for actuating the ball striker member, and also includes a whistle member


23


being conventionally mounted to the plate


20


and being actuated upon the ball


59


being struck with the ball striker member. The ball striker member includes a slider


24


being movably and conventionally disposed in the elongate slot


21


of the plate


20


, and also includes a soccer player figurine


25


having a body, head, arms, a first leg


26


being securely and conventionally attached to a ball striker support member


22


which is conventionally attached to the plate


20


, and also having a second leg


27


being movably and conventionally attached to the slider


24


for striking the ball


59


played upon the tabletop


13


. The trigger assembly includes a lever


28


being slidably and conventionally disposed in the housing


11


below the plate


20


, and also includes a first spring


29


having a first end being attached to the plate


20


and having a second end being attached to the slider


24


to move the slider


24


to strike the ball


59


, and further includes a lever latching member


30


being engagable to the lever


28


for locking and securing the lever


28


so that the ball striker member is in a ball striking ready position, and also includes a slider release assembly being conventionally mounted to the lever


28


and being engagable to the slider


24


. The lever


28


includes a slider support portion


31


having an elongate slot


32


being disposed through an end thereof for receiving and guiding the slider


24


, and also includes a tubular handle portion


33


having a bore


34


extending therethrough and also having open first and second ends and further having a rim being disposed about the open first end, and further includes teeth


35


being conventionally disposed along an exterior of the lever


28


. The lever latching member


30


includes a pawl


36


being pivotally and conventionally attached to the plate


20


and being engagable to the teeth


35


of the lever


28


, and also includes a shaft


37


being movably attached to the plate


20


and being extended through the first elongate slot


16


of the housing


11


and also being in contactable relationship with the pawl


36


for pivoting the pawl


36


to engage and disengage the teeth


35


of the lever


28


. The slider release assembly includes an elongate slider release member


38


having a main shaft portion and an end portion being angled relative to the main shaft portion for holding the slider


24


, and also includes a first linkage


39


being pivotally attached to the plate


20


and being engagable to the elongate slider release member


38


, and further includes a second linkage


40


being in contactable relationship to the first linkage


39


, and also includes an elongate actuating shaft member


41


being movably disposed in and through the bore


34


of the tubular handle portion


33


and being in contactable relationship with the second linkage


40


, and further includes a second spring


42


being disposed about the second linkage


40


for biasing the elongate actuating shaft member


41


through the open end of the tubular handle portion


33


.




A goal-defending assembly is conventionally mounted to the housing


11


. The goal-defending assembly includes a goal


43


being a net structure and being attached upon the tabletop


13


at the second end of the housing


11


, and also includes a control lever


44


being pivotally disposed in the housing


11


and being disposed through the second elongate slot


17


, and further includes a goal protector assembly including a goal-tending support assembly being disposed in and upon the housing


11


and also including a goal-tending figurine


45


being movably mounted upon the goal-tending support assembly for protecting the goal


43


and preventing the ball


59


from getting into the goal


43


. The control lever


44


has a plate portion


47


and a handle portion


48


extending through the second elongate slot


17


. The goal-tending support assembly includes a strip of cams


49


being conventionally disposed in the housing


11


, and also includes a cam follower


50


being movably disposed upon the strip of cams


49


, and further includes a support shaft


51


being attached to the cam follower


50


and being disposed through the arcuate slot


18


of the tabletop


13


and being disposed through a leg of the goal-tending figurine


45


, and also includes linkage members


53


being pivotally attached to the support shaft


51


and being disposed in arms


46


of the goal-tending figurine


45


for moving the arms


46


upon the cam follower


50


being moved along the strip of cams


49


.




A score-keeping member


54


is conventionally attached to the housing


11


. The score-keeping member


54


includes a display unit


55


including a display screen


56


and being attached to the housing


11


, and also includes a microprocessor


57


being disposed in the display unit


55


, and further includes a control switch


58


being attached to the display unit


55


and being connected to the microprocessor


57


and to a power source such as a battery for controlling the display screen


56


.




A transparent dome


60


is removably disposed over the tabletop


13


of the housing


11


.




In use, the user places the ball


59


upon the plate


20


and the user moves the slider


24


into a striking ready position using the lever


28


, and releases the slider


24


so that it strikes the all


59


with a second user attempting to block the ball


59


from entering the goal


43


by the second user controlling the goal-tending figurine


45


with the control lever


44


.




As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of the present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description. Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the manner of usage and operation will be provided.




With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.




Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the penalty kick soccer game apparatus. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.



Claims
  • 1. A penalty kick soccer game apparatus comprising:a housing having a bottom wall, a tabletop, and side and end walls, said housing including first and second elongate slots being disposed through said end walls, and also including an arcuate slot being disposed through said tabletop near a second end thereof, and further including an opening in said tabletop near a first end thereof; a soccer ball kicking assembly being mounted to said housing; a goal-defending assembly being mounted to said housing; a score-keeping member being attached to said housing; and a transparent dome being removably disposed over said tabletop of said housing.
  • 2. A penalty kick soccer game apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein said soccer ball kicking assembly includes a plate support member being attached to said bottom wall of said housing and being disposed in said opening of said tabletop, and also includes a plate being pivotally attached to said plate support member and having an elongate slot being disposed therethrough, and further includes a ball striker member being mounted upon said plate, and further includes a trigger assembly being attached to said plate for actuating said ball striker member, and also includes a whistle member being mounted to said plate and being actuated upon the ball being struck with said ball striker member.
  • 3. A penalty kick soccer game apparatus as described in claim 2, wherein said ball striker member includes a slider being movably disposed in said elongate slot of said plate, and also includes a soccer player figurine having a body, head, arms, a first leg being securely attached to a ball striker support member which is attached to said plate, and also having a second leg being movably attached to said slider for striking a ball played upon said tabletop.
  • 4. A penalty kick soccer game apparatus as described in claim 3, wherein said trigger assembly includes a lever being slidably disposed in said housing below said plate, and also includes a first spring having a first end being attached to said plate and having a second end being attached to said slider for moving said slider to strike the ball, and further includes a lever latching member being engageable to s aid lever for locking and securing said lever so that said ball striker member is in a ball striking ready position, and also includes a slider release assembly being mounted to said lever and being engageable to said slider.
  • 5. A penalty kick soccer game apparatus as described in claim 4, wherein said lever includes a slider support portion having an elongated slot being disposed through an end thereof for receiving and guiding said slider, and also includes a tubular handle portion having a bore extending therethrough and also having open first and second ends and further having a rim being disposed about said open first end, and further includes teeth being disposed along an exterior of said lever.
  • 6. A penalty kick soccer game apparatus as described in claim 5, wherein said lever latching member includes a pawl being pivotally attached to said plate and being engageable to said teeth of said lever, and also includes a shaft being movably attached to said plate and being extended through said first elongate slot of said housing and also being in contactable relationship with said pawl for pivoting said pawl into engagement and disengagement with said lever.
  • 7. A penalty kick soccer game apparatus as described in claim 6, wherein said slider release assembly includes an elongate slider release member having a main shaft portion and an end portion being angled relative to said main shaft portion for holding said slider, and also includes a first linkage being pivotally attached to said plate and being engageable to said elongate slider release member, and further includes a second linkage being in contactable relationship to said first linkage, and also includes an elongate actuating shaft member being movably disposed in and through said bore of said tubular handle portion and being in contactable relationship with said second linkage, and further includes a second spring being disposed about said second linkage for biasing said elongate actuating shaft member through said open end of said tubular handle portion.
  • 8. A penalty kick soccer game apparatus as described in claim 7, wherein said goal-defending assembly includes a goal being a net structure and being attached upon said tabletop at said second end of said housing, and also includes a control lever being pivotally disposed in said housing and being disposed through said second elongate slot, and further includes a goal protector assembly including a goal-tending support assembly being disposed in and upon said housing and also including a goal-tending figurine being movably mounted upon said goal-tending support member for protecting said goal and preventing the ball from getting into said goal.
  • 9. A penalty kick soccer game apparatus as described in claim 8, wherein said control lever has a plate portion and a handle portion extending through said second elongate slot.
  • 10. A penalty kick soccer game apparatus as described in claim 9, wherein said goal-tending support assembly includes a strip of cams being disposed in said housing, and also includes a cam follower being movably disposed upon said strip of cams, and further includes a support shaft being attached to said cam follower and being disposed through said arcuate slot of said tabletop and being disposed through a leg of said goal-tending figurine, and also includes linkage members being pivotally attached to said support shaft and being disposed in arms of said goal-tending figurine for moving said arms upon said cam follower being moved along said strip of cams.
  • 11. A penalty kick soccer game apparatus as described in claim 10, wherein said score-keeping member includes a display unit including a display screen and being attached to said housing, and also includes a microprocessor being disposed in said display unit, and further includes a control switch being attached to said display unit and being connected to said microprocessor and to a power source such as a battery for controlling said display screen.
US Referenced Citations (4)
Number Name Date Kind
1820515 Weinberg Aug 1931 A
3889952 Shiga Jun 1975 A
3970306 Smith, Jr. Jul 1976 A
6189885 Hamot Feb 2001 B1
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number Date Country
2668712 May 1992 FR