Information
-
Patent Grant
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6357744
-
Patent Number
6,357,744
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Date Filed
Monday, March 13, 200024 years ago
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Date Issued
Tuesday, March 19, 200222 years ago
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Inventors
-
-
Examiners
Agents
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 273 1081
- 273 10852
- 273 10854
- 273 10855
- 273 10856
- 273 129 R
- 446 366
- 446 367
- 446 325
- D21 318
- D21 357
- D21 386
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International Classifications
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Abstract
A player structure in a fooz-ball game includes a body having a passage through which a shaft extends. A bolt receiving hole and a position hole are respectively defined in the body such that a bolt extends through the bolt receiving hole and the shaft and us securely engaged with the position hole. A first weight is received in a recess defined in a top of the body and a second weight is connected to a lower end of the body. The player is maintained at a position where the second weight is hanging above the floor of the machine so that a ball can pass below the players without impediment.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a player structure in a fooz-ball game wherein the lower end of the players may be maintained at a position above the floor to let ball pass through below the players.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A conventional fooz-ball game is shown in FIG.
1
and generally includes a box-like body
10
with an open top, and four sidewalls
11
extend from the floor of the body
10
. Five shafts
10
rotatably extend through two opposite sidewalls
11
and each shaft
10
has two handles
100
on two ends thereof. A plurality of players
15
or men are fixedly connected to the shafts
10
by a locking bolt
16
extending through the player
1
5
and securely engaging the shaft
10
as shown in FIG.
1
. When rotating the shafts
10
, the players
15
are rotated. Each player
15
is shaped as a real football player shape and the shaft
10
extends through a position about the shoulder of the players
15
. It is to be noted that the length below the shaft
10
of the player
15
is longer than the length above the shaft
10
of the player
15
so that the players
15
are always maintained in a vertical position relative to the floor
12
due to gravity. A block
150
is connected to a lower end of each player
15
so as to hit a ball on the floor
12
. Because the players
15
are always oriented vertically to the floor
12
so that the ball will be stopped by the players
15
during playing the game and this reduces the pitch of the game.
The present invention intends to provide a player structure wherein each player has a first weight on an upper end thereof and a second weight on a lower end so that when the players are rotated over a certain angle relative to the floor, the players is maintained at that position so that ball can quickly pass below the players.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a player structure in a fooz-ball game, and comprising a body having a passage for a shaft extending therethrough and a bolt extends through a bolt receiving hole in the body of the player and the shaft, and engaged with a position hole in alignment with the bolt receiving hole. A recess is defined in a top of the body so as to receive a first weight therein, and a second weight is connected to a lower end of the body.
The object of the present invention is to provide a player in a fooz-ball game wherein the top end of each player has a weight connected thereto so that the lower end of the player can be maintained above the floor of the game to allow the ball pass below the lower end of the players quickly.
These and further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, several embodiments in accordance with the present invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is a perspective view to show a conventional fooz-ball game;
FIG. 2
is a side elevational view, partly in section, of a conventional player in the fooz-ball game;
FIG. 3
is an exploded view to show a player of the present invention;
FIG. 4
is a side elevational view, partly in section, of the player of the present invention, and
FIG. 5
is a side elevational view, partly in section, of the players which are maintained at a position where the lower end of each player is located above the floor.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to
FIGS. 3
,
4
and
5
, the player in accordance with the present invention comprises a body
4
having a passage
40
defined through the body
4
at a shoulder position of the body
4
so as to allow a shaft
50
(
FIG. 5
) extend through the passage
40
. A bolt receiving hole
410
and a position hole
41
are respectively defined in the body
4
and both communicate with the passage
40
. The bolt receiving hole
410
is located in alignment with the position hole
41
which is a hexagonal hole. A bolt
6
extends through the bolt receiving hole
410
and the shaft
10
and is securely engaged with the position hole
41
so that when rotating the shaft
50
, the player is rotated with the shaft
50
.
A recess
44
is defined in a top of the body
4
and a first weight
3
is received in the recess
44
. A second weight
42
is connected to a lower end of the body
4
. A cap
2
is mounted to the top of the body
4
and retains the first weight
3
between the recess
44
and the cap
2
. The cap
2
has a head
22
and a tubular member
21
extending from a bottom surface of the head
22
and a groove
20
is defined in the head
22
and enclosing the tubular member
21
. The tubular member
21
is inserted in the recess
44
and the first weight
3
is received in the tubular member
21
. An edge
43
defining the recess
44
in the top of the body
4
is engaged with the groove
20
. It is to be noted that the cap
2
can be engaged with the recess
44
by any known ways such as gluing, threading or snapping.
As shown in
FIG. 5
, because the first weight
3
, when the player is rotated over an angle relative to the floor
5
of the game, the lower end of the player can be maintained at a position above the floor
5
so that a ball
7
can pass below the players quickly.
By this way, the game can be played at a quicker speed because the speed of the ball
7
is faster and a distance that the ball
7
moves at each kick is longer than before.
While we have shown and described various embodiments in accordance with the present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.
Claims
- 1. A player structure, comprising:a body having a passage defined through said body so as to be adapted to allow a shaft to extend through said passage, a bolt receiving hole and a position hole respectively defined in said body and communicating with said passage, said bolt receiving hole located in alignment with said position hole, a bolt extending through said bolt receiving hole and adapted to extend through the shaft and securely engaged with said position hole, a recess defined in a top of said body and a first weight received in said recess, a cap mounted to said top of said body and retaining said first weight between said recess and said cap, said cap having a head and a tubular member extending from said head, said first weight received in said tubular member, a groove defined in said head and enclosing said tubular member, an edge defining said recess in said top of said body being engaged with said groove, a second weight connected to a lower end of said body.
- 2. The player structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said position hole is a hexagonal hole.
US Referenced Citations (3)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
000500476 |
Aug 1992 |
EP |