U.S. patent application number 10/818803 was filed with the patent office on 2004-12-23 for game console with random selection device.
This patent application is currently assigned to ARROW INTERNATIONAL, INC.. Invention is credited to Campo, James A., Dudash, George P. JR., Gallo, Michael J., Penrod, Brian W., Rhodes, Louis G..
Application Number | 20040256800 10/818803 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 33519091 |
Filed Date | 2004-12-23 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040256800 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Campo, James A. ; et
al. |
December 23, 2004 |
Game console with random selection device
Abstract
A random gaming selection device includes a ball-scrambling
chamber, a ball guide in communication with the ball-scrambling
chamber, an outer chamber receiving the ball-scrambling chamber and
an electrostatic discharge mat disposed on a wall of the
ball-scrambling chamber. The ball-scrambling chamber accommodates
at least one associated ball and includes a ball outlet. The ball
guide communicates with the ball-scrambling chamber via the ball
outlet. The ball-scrambling chamber includes an air impermeable
wall.
Inventors: |
Campo, James A.; (Brunswick,
OH) ; Rhodes, Louis G.; (Lakewood, OH) ;
Gallo, Michael J.; (Twinsburg, OH) ; Penrod, Brian
W.; (Wadsworth, OH) ; Dudash, George P. JR.;
(Willowick, OH) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Jay F. Moldovanyi, Esq.
Fay, Sharpe, Fagan, Minnich & McKee, LLP
Seventh Floor
1100 Superior Avenue
Cleveland
OH
44114-2518
US
|
Assignee: |
ARROW INTERNATIONAL, INC.
|
Family ID: |
33519091 |
Appl. No.: |
10/818803 |
Filed: |
April 6, 2004 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60461478 |
Apr 9, 2003 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
273/144R |
Current CPC
Class: |
G07C 15/001
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
273/144.00R |
International
Class: |
A63F 001/18 |
Claims
1. A random gaming selection device comprising: a ball-scrambling
chamber accommodating at least one associated ball and including a
ball outlet; a ball guide in communication with the ball-scrambling
chamber via the ball outlet; and an outer chamber receiving the
ball-scrambling chamber, wherein the ball-scrambling chamber
comprises an air impermeable wall separating the ball-scrambling
chamber from the outer chamber.
2. The device of claim 1, wherein the ball-scrambling chamber and
the outer chamber share a wall comprising a reflective surface.
3. The device of claim 1, further comprising an electrostatic
discharge mat disposed on a wall of the ball-scrambling chamber
4. The device of claim 3, wherein the electrostatic discharge mat
comprises a rubberized mat.
5. The device of claim 3, further comprising an air blower and an
air inlet defined in the ball-scrambling chamber through which the
air blower communicates with the ball-scrambling chamber.
6. The device of claim 5, wherein the electrostatic discharge mat
includes an opening aligned with the air inlet such that air passes
through the opening in the electrostatic discharge mat en route to
the ball-scrambling chamber.
7. The device of claim 1, further comprising an antistatic strip
disposed along an inner periphery of the ball-scrambling
chamber.
8. The device of claim 1, wherein the ball guide comprises a tube
having an approximately circular cross section.
9. The device of claim 8, further comprising a ball extraction tube
disposed in the ball-scrambling chamber and in communication with
the ball guide.
10. The device of claim 8, further comprising a metal collar
attaching the ball guide to the outer chamber lid with a pivotal
means.
11. The device of claim 10, wherein the ball guide comprises a
metal material.
12. The device of claim 1, further comprising ball seat for
supporting an associated ball that has exited the ball-scrambling
chamber, and wherein the ball guide includes a ball outlet situated
vertically to the seat of the ball support.
13. The device of claim 12, wherein the ball seat includes an
opening.
14. The device of claim 13, further comprising a camera positioned
below and aligned with the ball seat.
15. A random gaming selection device console comprising: a housing;
a ball-scrambling chamber attached to the housing; a ball support
for supporting an associated ball that has been removed from the
ball-scrambling chamber; and a camera disposed in the housing and
positioned to picture the associated ball on the ball support.
16. The device of claim 15, wherein the ball support includes an
opening and the camera includes a lens aligned with and disposed
underneath the opening.
17. The device of claim 15, further comprising a light source
disposed adjacent the camera, wherein the light source directs
light toward the ball support.
18. The device of claim 17, wherein the light source comprises a
plurality of LEDs.
19. The device of claim 17, further comprising a ball guide in
communication with the ball-scrambling chamber and the ball
support, wherein the ball guide comprises a circular cross-section
and a plurality of openings.
20. A random gaming selection device comprising: a ball-scrambling
chamber; a ball support communicating with the ball-scrambling
chamber for supporting associated balls removed from the ball
scrambling chamber; and a light source positioned adjacent to and
directing light towards the ball support to illuminate an
associated ball held therein.
21. The device of claim 20, wherein ball support includes an
opening where the associated ball rests and the light source is
positioned below the opening.
22. The device of claim 21, wherein the light source comprises a
plurality of spaced lights positioned around a periphery of the
opening.
23. The device of claim 22, further comprising a camera for
picturing the associated ball supported on the ball support.
24. The device of claim 23, wherein the camera includes a lens and
the plurality of lights are positioned around the periphery of the
lens.
25. A random gaming selection device comprising: a ball-scrambling
chamber; a ball support for supporting associated balls that have
exited the ball-scrambling chamber; and a ball guide located
outside the ball-scrambling chamber, the ball guide including a
ball inlet for receiving balls from the ball-scrambling chamber and
a ball outlet for delivering balls towards the ball support,
wherein the ball guide includes at least one vent opening spaced
from the ball inlet and the ball outlet.
26. The device of claim 25, wherein the ball guide comprises a wire
form defining a plurality of openings.
27. The device of claim 25, further comprising a shroud mounted to
the wire form.
28. The device of claim 25, further comprising a ball extraction
tube located in the ball-scrambling chamber, the ball extraction
tube including an outlet communicating with the ball inlet of the
ball guide.
29. The device of claim 28 further comprising a ball guide that
pivots relative to the console and relative to a stationary ball
extraction tube,
30. A random gaming selection device comprising: a ball-scrambling
chamber; a ball support including a ball seat for supporting
associated balls that have exited the ball-scrambling chamber; and
a ball guide communicating with the ball-scrambling chamber and
including a ball inlet for receiving balls from the ball-scrambling
chamber and a ball outlet for delivering balls towards the ball
support, wherein the ball outlet is positioned vertically to the
ball seat.
31. The device of claim 30, further comprising a stopper positioned
adjacent the ball seat.
32. The device of claim 31, further comprising a downward deflector
positioned adjacent the ball outlet.
33. The device of claim 30, further comprising an antistatic mat
disposed on a lower wall of the ball-scrambling chamber.
34. A random gaming selection device comprising: a console
including a ball-scrambling chamber; a ball support for supporting
associated balls that have exited the ball-scrambling chamber; a
ball guide pivotally mounted to the console and located outside the
ball-scrambling chamber, the ball guide including a ball inlet for
receiving balls from the ball-scrambling chamber and a ball outlet
for delivering balls towards the ball support.
35. The device of claim 34, wherein the ball guide contacts the
ball support.
36. The device of claim 35, further comprising a ball guide
support, wherein the ball guide includes a peg and the ball guide
support includes a notch dimensioned to receive the peg.
37. The device of claim 36, wherein the ball support includes an
opening where the associated ball rests and the opening is aligned
with the notch and a central axis of the ball guide support
bracket.
38. A random gaming selection device comprising: a ball-scrambling
chamber; a ball support for supporting associated balls that have
exited the ball-scrambling chamber; an extraction tube disposed in
the ball-scrambling chamber; and a ball guide disposed outside the
ball-scrambling chamber, wherein the ball guide communicates with
the extraction tube.
Description
[0001] This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. .sctn.
119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/461,478 filed
Apr. 9, 2003, which is incorporated by reference herein.
BACKGROUND
[0002] This invention relates to a random selection device. More
particularly, the invention relates to a device for randomly
selecting game balls that are used for bingo or lottery-type games.
The device can be employed in a console.
[0003] A traditional bingo console consists of an enclosure
containing a ball-scrambling chamber, an analog signal based camera
placed on top of the console, a ball tray, a ball holding chamber,
and computer electronics incorporating an operator video display.
The ball-scrambling chamber typically is dimensioned such that it
can contain either 75 or 90 bingo balls sequentially numbered. A
blower motor communicates with the ball-scrambling chamber to mix
the bingo balls via airflow. Eventually, random balls proceed up a
ball extraction tube from the ball-scrambling chamber. The console
operator then receives the ball from the tube and places it in
front of the camera. The camera provides a direct analog image of
the ball to one or more TV monitors located in the bingo facility
to provide the players with a clear view of the latest random ball
number.
[0004] The operator then places the ball into the ball tray and
calls out the ball number to the players. The ball tray contains 75
or 90 holes, each numbered with a sequential ball number. Beneath
each hole is a corresponding switch. All of the 75 or 90 switches
are typically wired in a switch matrix fashion. The matrix is then
cabled to a computer that periodically scans the switch matrix to
detect the operator insertion of a ball into one of the holes and
the activation of one of the switches. The computer then displays
the ball number for the operator on a local display and then
transmits the ball information to one or more remote flashboards.
The balls are held in the ball tray until the completion of the
bingo game. The balls are then manually released into a ball
holding chamber. From there, they are manually released back into
the ball-scrambling chamber.
[0005] The known random game selection devices or random number
generators exhibit many shortcomings. First, there are several
issues with a camera placed on the top of the console. The camera
requires a power and signal cable to operate and the cable is
exposed to the operators. With physical abuse during daily gaming
activities, the cable can periodically fail. Second, the spherical
white surface of the bingo ball reflects the overhead lighting in
the facility into the camera and causes a hot spot or bright white
glare to appear somewhere on the camera image of the ball. If the
hot spot is located on the number and lettering of the ball, it
detracts from the quality of the ball image and sometimes makes it
difficult for the player to read the number. Third, the camera is a
popular item for use in surveillance systems and often gets stolen
from the bingo console.
[0006] Console noise can also be an issue for the operator and
players. The high speed blower fan and resulting rushing air noise
coupled with the bingo balls bouncing off the ball chamber
surfaces, and each other, can make it difficult for the console
operator to hear other events.
[0007] Static electricity within the ball-scrambling chamber,
created by the high velocity air movement and ambient air
conditions, can accumulate on insulating plastic surfaces of the
ball chamber and the plastic balls. The attractive forces of the
static electricity can become so strong that the bingo ball is
attracted to the sidewalls of the chamber and will not move until
the static forces are removed. Obviously, with this occurrence on
one or more bingo balls, random ball numbers will no longer be,
delivered from the ball-scrambling chamber.
[0008] The delivery of the ball from the chamber is via a tube with
an inner diameter slightly larger than the outside diameter of the
bingo ball. The ball must travel vertically upwards until exiting
the end of the tube that is located outside of the ball chamber and
somewhere near the operator. There are some variations of bingo
games in which the operator calls balls very quickly, on the order
of one ball every second or two. This requires that the balls be
delivered in rapid succession from the ball chamber. It also
implies that the operator must be able to quickly grab the ball,
place it in front of the camera, place it in the ball tray, and
then quickly grab the next ball from the tube. Typically, when the
ball-scrambling chamber has a significant number of balls located
in it, the balls are delivered up the tube in a fairly quick manner
since multiple ball collisions result in many balls being directed
towards the air flow path and the extraction tube opening. However,
when the ball-scrambling chamber only has a few balls remaining,
minimal or no ball collisions occur. The unrestricted air patterns
within the chamber coupled with the back pressure created by the
ball tube system make it difficult and time consuming for the last
few balls to be extracted from the chamber.
[0009] A bingo gaming session can be quite long, on the order of
four or more hours, and operators normally enjoy drinks when seated
at the console. Occasionally the drinks are spilled into the ball
tray openings, onto the switches under the ball tray holes, and
into the bottom of the ball holding chamber. Typically the spilled
liquid contaminates the electrical contacts on the ball switches
causing switch malfunction.
[0010] Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a random selection
game device and a console that overcomes the aforementioned
shortcomings and provides better and more advantageous results.
SUMMARY
[0011] A random gaming selection device includes a ball-scrambling
chamber, a ball guide in communication with the ball-scrambling
chamber, an outer chamber receiving the ball-scrambling chamber and
an electrostatic discharge mat disposed on a wall of the
ball-scrambling chamber. The ball-scrambling chamber accommodates
at least one associated ball and includes a ball outlet. The ball
guide communicates with the ball-scrambling chamber via the ball
outlet. The ball-scrambling chamber includes an air impermeable
wall.
[0012] A random gaming selection device console includes a housing,
a ball-scrambling chamber attached to the housing, a ball support
for supporting an associated ball that has been removed from the
ball-scrambling chamber and a camera disposed in the housing. The
camera is positioned to picture the associated ball on the ball
support.
[0013] A random gaming selection device includes a ball-scrambling
chamber, a ball support communicating with the ball-scrambling
chamber, and a light source. The light source is positioned
adjacent to and directs light towards the ball support to
illuminate an associated ball held therein.
[0014] A random gaming selection device includes a ball-scrambling
chamber, a ball support for supporting associated balls that have
exited the ball-scrambling chamber, and a ball guide in
communication with the ball-scrambling chamber. The ball guide is
located outside the ball-scrambling chamber. The ball guide
includes a ball inlet for receiving balls from the ball-scrambling
chamber and a ball outlet for delivering balls towards the ball
support. The ball guide includes at least one vent opening spaced
from the ball inlet and the ball outlet.
[0015] A random gaming selection device includes a ball-scrambling
chamber, a ball support including a ball seat for supporting
associated balls that have exited the ball-scrambling chamber, and
a ball guide communicating with the ball-scrambling chamber. The
ball guide includes a ball inlet for receiving balls from the
ball-scrambling chamber and a ball outlet for delivering balls
towards the ball support. The ball outlet is positioned vertically
to the ball seat.
[0016] A random gaming selection device includes a console having a
ball-scrambling chamber, a ball support for supporting associated
balls that have exited the ball-scrambling chamber, and a ball
guide. The ball guide is pivotally mounted to the console and
located outside the ball-scrambling chamber, the ball guide
includes a ball inlet for receiving balls from the ball-scrambling
chamber and a ball outlet for delivering balls towards the ball
support.
[0017] A random gaming selection device includes a ball-scrambling
chamber, a ball support for supporting associated balls that have
exited the ball-scrambling chamber, an extraction tube disposed in
the ball-scrambling chamber, and a ball guide disposed outside the
ball-scrambling chamber, wherein the ball guide communicates with
the ball extraction tube.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] The invention may take physical from in certain parts and
arrangements of parts, a preferred embodiment of which will be
described in detail in this specification and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings which form a part hereof and wherein:
[0019] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the random selection game
device according to the present invention;
[0020] FIG. 2 is a cross section of a console of the device of FIG.
1;
[0021] FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of a ball guide used
for the game device of FIG. 1;
[0022] FIG. 3A is a perspective view of the ball guide of FIG. 3
with an air director attached to the ball guide;
[0023] FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of an alternative
ball guide support bracket of the game device of FIG. 1;
[0024] FIG. 5 is an enlarged, schematic, cross section of a camera
and the ball support illustrating optical paths of the game device
of FIG. 1; and,
[0025] FIG. 5A is a top view of an LED board of FIG. 5 indicating
the approximate placement of the LEDs.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0026] Referring now to the drawings, wherein the showings are for
purposes of illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention
only and not for purposes of limiting same, FIG. 1 shows a random
gaming selection device 10. The device 10 is used to generate
random numbers in games such as lotteries and bingo, and can be
used in other environments to generate random numbers or the like.
The device generally includes a ball console 12 and an electronics
portion 14. The electronics portion 14 can include an operator
display 16 and can communicate with the ball console 12. Further
description of the electronics portion 12 is found in U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 10/409,718 filed Apr. 9, 2003 and entitled
"Modular Bingo Console System with Multi-Port Communications and
Manual Play Mode," which is incorporated by reference herein.
[0027] The ball console 12 includes a console housing 20, an inner
ball-scrambling chamber 22 attached to the housing, an outer
protective chamber 24 also attached to the housing, and a ball tray
26 located at the top of the housing. The ball console 12 and the
electronics portion 14 can be in separate, adjacent enclosures, as
illustrated in FIG. 1, or integrated into a single console (not
illustrated).
[0028] The ball-scrambling chamber 22, as the name implies,
contains the balls while they are scrambled under the influence of
airflow. The ball-scrambling chamber 22 is defined by a curved
front wall 30 made of a solid thermally formed plastic material.
The curved front wall attaches to a rear wall 32, which comprises a
portion of the console housing 20. The rear wall 32 can include a
highly reflective surface, such as a mirror, facing the
ball-scrambling chamber 22. The reflective surface on the rear wall
32 of the chamber provides a mirror-like effect in that the
ball-scrambling chamber 22 appears to the players to be larger and
deeper than it actually is. The reflective surface also gives the
appearance of more ball action and more balls being scrambled than
what is actually contained within the ball-scrambling chamber
22.
[0029] The ball-scrambling chamber 22 also includes an air inlet 34
formed in a bottom wall 36 of the chamber and a ball outlet 38
formed in an inner lid 150 of the chamber. A second outer chamber
lid 40 is hingedly attached to the housing 20 to provide access to
the ball-scrambling chamber 22. The air inlet 34 communicates with
an air blower (not shown) that generates an air flow in the
ball-scrambling chamber 22.
[0030] The air inlet 34 communicates with a duct 44 which is in
fluid communication with an air blower (not shown). The air blower
or fan can be AC line powered and delivers high velocity air
through a perforated metal screen 46 mounted adjacent the air inlet
34. The screen 46 precludes balls in the ball-scrambling chamber 22
from falling into the duct 44. A non-conductive standoff 48
attaches to the center of the metal screen 46 and helps guide the
balls upward in a straight line about the center of the airflow
path.
[0031] The high-velocity airflow in the ball-scrambling chamber 22
coupled with the numerous balls colliding with the chamber walls
30, 32 and each other results in a substantial amount of noise. The
outer protective chamber 24 is defined by a curved front wall 52
also made of a solid thermally formed plastic material. The front
wall 52 attaches to the same rear wall 32 as the front wall 30 of
the inner chamber 22 and is covered by the lid 40. The outer lid 40
is not physically attached to inner lid 150. The front wall 52 of
the outer chamber 24 is spaced from the front wall 30 of the inner
chamber 22, which can be on the order of several inches, to create
an air gap between the two. The front wall 52 of the outer chamber
24 serves as a mechanical protection for the inner chamber 22.
Furthermore, the air gap between the walls 30 and 52 provides a
reduction in radiated sound to the operator and players since the
balls collide with the solid, air impermeable, inner chamber wall
30 and the wall 52 of the outer chamber 24 is rigid to minimize the
transmission of the sound waves through the outer wall 52. This
method of construction reduces noise compared to a bingo console
otherwise constructed in a somewhat similar manner but having only
a single ball-scrambling chamber or a ball-scrambling chamber
having an air-permeable wall.
[0032] The high-velocity airflow in the ball-scrambling chamber 22,
the plastic material used to make the balls, the plastic material
used to make the ball-scrambling chamber front wall 30 and the
ambient temperature and humidity conditions all contribute to the
accumulation of static electricity in the ball-scrambling chamber.
To mitigate the effects of static electricity on the extraction of
balls from the ball-scrambling chamber 22, an electrostatic
discharge (ESD) or antistatic mat 54 is placed on the bottom wall
36 of the ball-scrambling chamber. The ESD mat 54 can cover the
entire bottom wall 36 of the ball-scrambling chamber 22. The ESD
mat 54 includes an opening 56 that surrounds the air inlet 34 to
allow air into the ball-scrambling chamber 22. The ESD mat 54
and/or the bottom wall 36 of the ball-scrambling chamber 22 can be
sloped toward the air inlet 22 to direct balls that have fallen to
the bottom of the ball-scrambling chamber toward the air inlet, and
thus toward the air flow leading toward the ball outlet 38.
[0033] The ESD mat 54 can also facilitate noise reduction in the
gaming device. Balls that are being scrambled in the
ball-scrambling chamber 22 that do not exit the chamber typically
fall back toward the bottom wall 36 of the chamber before being
redirected upward by the airflow. The ESD mat 54 can be made of a
rubberized material that deadens the sound of the ball, further
reducing the noise. Furthermore, since balls that do not exit the
ball-scrambling chamber 22 typically fall onto the ESD mat 54, the
dissipation of static electricity is further aided by having a mat
that at least covers a substantial portion of the bottom wall 36 of
the ball-scrambling chamber 22.
[0034] To further facilitate the dissipation of the static
electricity in the ball-scrambling chamber 22, an ESD or antistatic
strip 58 lines the lower internal circumference of ball-scrambling
chamber. The antistatic strip 58 is made of any material that
inhibits the production of static charges and attraction of the
balls toward the ball-scrambling chamber walls 30, 32. The height
of the strip 58 is greater than the radius of a typical bingo ball,
which keeps the ball from the chamber wall 30 to greatly reduce the
static force. The thickness of the strip 58 is significantly less
than the diameter of a typical bingo ball so that a ball cannot
rest on the top of the strip against the chamber wall. In one
embodiment, the antistatic strip 58 is made of rubber, which is
durable enough to withstand the constant impact of the balls
without wearing out the surface in any reasonable amount of time,
yet soft enough that the balls are not damaged by their impact.
[0035] Additionally, a conductive wire 62 can be wrapped around the
antistatic strip 58 in a helical fashion over the entire length of
the strip. The wire 62 is in contact with a top surface of the ESD
mat 54 when placed around the strip. The wire 62 provides that the
antistatic strip 58 is at the same voltage potential as the ESD mat
54 and also ensures there is no voltage potential across the
surfaces of the strip. The conductive wire 62 is small in diameter
and does not present a large enough surface for static electricity
to accumulate.
[0036] Returning back to following the path of the balls through
the device, the balls exit the ball-scrambling chamber 22 via a
ball extraction tube 64 that is aligned with the air inlet 34 of
the ball-scrambling chamber. The extraction tube 64 includes a ball
cone 66 at an inlet 68 to the tube. The extraction tube 64 mounts
to the lid 150 of the ball-scrambling chamber 22 and communicates
at an outlet 72 with a ball guide 74 that delivers the extracted
ball toward the operator of the device 10.
[0037] As seen in FIG. 2, the ball guide 74 has a substantially
right bend so that the ball is delivered along a substantially
horizontal path toward the ball tray 26. With reference to FIG. 3,
the ball guide 74 is made of wire constructed into a circular form
to guide the ball. The ball guide 74 includes a collar 76,
preferably metal, that inserts into opening 38 (FIG. 2) in the
ball-scrambling chamber lid 40 and defines an inlet 78 for the ball
guide. The ball guide 74 can rotate within the opening 38 about the
collar 76. The ball guide 74 includes a downward deflector 82
adjacent an outlet 84 of the ball guide. The downward deflector
directs a ball traveling along the horizontal portion of the ball
guide 74 towards a ball support and seat 86 disposed adjacent the
outlet 84. The seat 86 is disposed below the outlet 84 and the
horizontal portion of the ball guide 74 so that a ball that resides
in the seat 86 does not roll back into the ball-scrambling chamber
22 when the blower is turned off. The seat 86 includes an opening
88 having a diameter slightly less that the diameter of the ball.
The ball can rest in the opening 88 of the seat 86. A stopper 92,
which is positioned adjacent the seat 86, can stop the movement of
the ball along the horizontal path directing the ball towards the
seat. A peg 94 is provided at the end of the ball support 86 so
that the ball guide 74 can attach to a structure, such as a ball
guide support bracket 100, to support the ball guide 74.
[0038] The ball console 12 further addresses the issue of static
buildup by employing a ball guide 74 including a metallic material.
Any charge accumulated on the balls during their journey from the
ball-scrambling chamber 22 is distributed and dissipated into the
mass of the metal ball guide 74, and normalized with operator
contact with the ball guide.
[0039] The right angle and horizontal extension of the ball guide
74 transports the ball to a more convenient location for the
operator. The right angle, however, results in increased
backpressure in the extraction tube 64 and hampers quick delivery
of the balls from the ball-scrambling chamber 22. The open wire
frame design for the ball guide greatly reduces the backpressure at
the right angle and at the outlet 72 of the ball extraction tube
64. The open wire frame design, and any ball guide having a
plurality of openings therein, results in balls quickly extracting
from the chamber because of a high velocity unimpeded upward
airflow path. A ball guide 74 having a plurality of openings in its
side wall, however, also results in the balls slowly, relative to
the vertical velocity, rolling down the horizontal section of the
ball guide 74. This is because there is very little air pressure
exerted on the ball in the horizontal direction since the airflow
exits the extraction tube 64 in a vertical air flow path through
the open wire ball guide 74.
[0040] The addition of an air flow director 96 with control air
flow slots 98 mounted over the ball guide 74 allow a balance of
minimal backpressure at the right angle of the ball guide and
sufficient air pressure exerted on the balls in the horizontal
section of the ball guide. The air flow director 96 can comprise a
shroud that is mounted over the upper periphery of the ball guide
74. The air director 96 includes slots 98, which are spaced from
the inlet 78 and the outlet 84 of the ball guide 74, formed through
the shroud along the length of the air director.
[0041] The air director 96 covers the entire length of the ball
guide 74 between the inlet 78 and the outlet 84 so that any balls
that accumulate in the ball guide are not readable to the players.
A player's ability to read the ball numbers that have accumulated
in the ball guide 74 is perceived as an unfair advantage to players
sitting at a distance who cannot see the balls in the guide.
Therefore, the design of the slots 98 in the air flow director 96
in this embodiment allow the players to see the balls in the ball
guide 74 but not easily read the numbers on the balls. The only
important ball is the first ball in the seat 86; once it has been
displayed to the players, it has historical gaming significance and
must be processed into the ball tray 26.
[0042] A camera 102 is positioned below the ball seat 86 to capture
an image of the ball and deliver the image to the electronics
portion 14. To alleviate the issues of camera theft, exposed and
abused camera cable, and hot spots/glare on the bingo ball caused
by overhead lighting, the camera 102 mounts inside the console
housing 20 underneath the ball tray 26. In this location, the
camera 102 is not casually accessible to theft since it is securely
fastened to the inside of the console housing 20. Also, in this
location, the camera cable is no longer exposed to operator abuse.
A lens 104 of the camera 102 points upwards towards the bottom of
the ball seat 86. The ball shades the lens 104 to greatly reduce or
eliminate glare on the ball from ambient lighting conditions.
[0043] A light source 106 is provided adjacent the camera lens to
light the ball in the seat 86. With reference to FIG. 5A, the light
source 106, which in this embodiment is an LED circuit board,
positions six LEDs 108 in a circular fashion evenly spaced by 60
angular degrees around the camera lens 104. The LEDs 108 emit a
white light in the 500 nm wavelength range. For all practical
purposes, each LED 108 generates a point of light. To avoid hot
spots on the ball, the six point sources of LED light are diffused
and the very bright light emitted on the center line axis of each
LED 108 is not be pointed directly at the spherical ball surface.
The wider the projecting angle, which in a preferred embodiment is
greater than 90 degrees, of the LED source, the more uniform the
light intensity becomes over wide viewing angles. Therefore, the
combination of wide angle projecting LEDs spaced uniformly and
optically overlapping around the camera and the use of a white
diffuser 112 mounted above the LEDs 108 results in a uniform
lighting source for the ball. The top surface of the LED circuit
board has no or very limited solder mask such that the bright tin
plating on the top surface of the LED circuit board copper becomes
a flat reflector with no focal point to redirect any secondary
reflections of LED 108 light back into the white diffuser 112.
Since the diffused light source is a constant, the ambient lights
can be bright, normal, dim, or even off and the camera ball image
shows little effect. Without glare and with constant diffused
lighting, the success of optically decoding the ball number is
greatly enhanced.
[0044] In an alternative embodiment, a ball guide support bracket
132, as seen in FIG. 4, can support the ball and have the camera
102 (not shown in FIG. 4) mounted underneath an opening 134 in the
support bracket. The support bracket 132 includes left, right and
center notches 136 to receive the peg 94 (FIG. 3). Since the ball
guide 74 can be rotated, the support bracket 132 can receive the
ball guide in different locations. The ball guide support 132 can
have a matted surface facing the camera lens 104 to minimize
reflections.
[0045] The operator removes the ball from the ball seat 86 and
places it in a corresponding opening 114 in the ball tray 26.
Corresponding ball switches 116 are located under each opening 114
in the ball tray 26. Ball switches 116 are each made of rubber with
conductive carbon buttons that come in contact with circuitry on a
circuit board 118. The circuit board 118 in this particular
embodiment is gold plated, however it could be made from another
suitable material. In one embodiment having 75 ball switches, there
are 15 ball switches 116 per circuit board and five circuit boards
to complete the 75-ball switch matrix. An additional circuit board
can be added for a 90-ball console. The rubber switches 116 provide
a means of protecting the circuit board contacts if an operator's
drink spills thereby increasing the performance of this device over
the use of conventional, unsealed switch technology typically used
in current products.
[0046] Balls that have been extracted from the ball-scrambling
chamber 22 and placed through the openings 114 in the ball tray 26
fall into a ball holding chamber 122 having a sloped bottom wall
124 that is sloped toward the ball-scrambling chamber 22. The ball
holding chamber 122 is separated from the ball-scrambling chamber
22 by the rear wall 32 of the ball-scrambling chamber 22. A door
126 that can be selectively opened by the operator is formed in the
rear wall so that the balls stored in the ball holding chamber 122
can be quickly transferred back into the ball-scrambling chamber
22. Further static control measures, and also operator safety
measures of this device, are the grounding of the metal ball tray
26, the metal ball holding chamber 122, and the metal back plate 32
of the ball-scrambling chamber 22. During the course of the bingo
game, the operator is in continuous contact with the grounded metal
surfaces of the ball tray 26 and ball guide 74 thereby reducing
operator charge build up and neutralizing any charge on the bingo
balls as they are handled.
[0047] The device has been described with reference to the
preferred embodiments. Obviously, modifications and alterations
will occur to others upon reading and understanding the preceding
detailed description. It is intended that the exemplary embodiment
be construed as including all such modifications and alterations
insofar as they come within the scope of the appended claims or the
equivalents thereof.
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