| US5050880A | 1991-09-24 | |||
| US8387985B1 | 2013-03-05 | |||
| US4368887A | 1983-01-18 |
| 8. Claims What claimed is: 1. A lotto game played on an air driven gaming machine wherein balls of predetermined number of colors are pushed by air into at least one random binary positioning mechanism wherein a ball of each color ending up in the right position is deemed to have value of ‘O’ and the ball in the left positions is deemed to have value of‘ G, whereupon the positions of balls of all colors being played form a binary number that a winning player is expected to guess and enter into the fillable form before the game 2. The lotto game of Claim 1 wherein the game is played a predetermined number of cycles, whereupon a winning player is expected to guess and enter into the fillable form correctly the binary numbers for all the cycles before the game. 3. The lotto game of Claim 1 wherein said random binary positioning mechanism is a bowl will 2 holes in symmetrical positions on the left and on the right at the bottom for the ball to drop into and at least one air blowing vent to agitate the ball in the bowl. 4. The lotto game of Claim 2 wherein the storing mechanism keeps the balls as they were deposited in each cycle enclosed in a transparent holding device in one row pertaining to that cycle. 5. The lotto game of Claim 4 where said storing mechanism comprises 2 transparent holding partitions for a ball of each color in each row separated by a separating mechanism from other rows and discharge chute. 6. The lotto game of Claim 5 where said separating mechanism comprises turnable disks with at least one hole for the ball located between the transparent holding partitions of vertically adjacent rows and under the lowest row. 7. The lotto game of Claim 1 further comprising a loading mechanism for discharging one ball at a time into a tube with air blown through it for propelling said ball towards random binary positioning mechanism. 8. The lotto game of Claim 7 wherein said loading mechanism comprises a turnable disc with rounded cut-out in it for taking up one ball at a time from the feeder tube. 9. The lotto game of Claim 8 wherein the balls in said feeding tube are propelled towards said loading mechanism by gravity due to said feeding tube spatial positioning. 10. A lotto game played on an air driven gaming machine wherein a predetermined number of uncolored balls are pushed by air into at least one random binary positioning mechanism wherein a each ball ending up in the right position is deemed to have value of‘O’ and the ball in the left positions is deemed to have value of‘ G, whereupon the positions of all balls in a row form a binary number that a winning player is expected to guess and enter into the fillable form before the game. 11. The lotto game of Claim 10 wherein the game is played a predetermined number of cycles, whereupon a winning player is expected to guess and enter into the fillable form correctly the binary numbers for all the cycles before the game as well as the color sequence of the ball in each row. 12. The lotto game of Claim 11 where a color sequence for the balls in all rows is determined via the color random selection machine outputting a sequence of colored balls whose number corresponds to the number of balls in each row and based on said sequence of colored balls accordingly colored lights light up the balls in said air driven gaming machine in each row in the same sequence corresponding to said sequence of colored balls. 13. The lotto game of Claim 12 where said color random selection machine comprises balls storage tubes, each containing the number of balls of colors whose number corresponds to the number of balls in a row in said air driven gaming machine, whereas said balls are released via a chute into the ball mixing sphere where they are subjected to agitation by pressurized air and are ejected via tubes in predetermined ball quantity into the designated holding tubes. 14. The lotto game of Claim 13 where said holding tubes are of two types; tube holding one ball of a replay option color and a tube holding said ejected via tubes colored balls in the sequence in which they were received for that sequence to be used to light up by colored lights the balls in said air-driven gaming machine in each row. 15. The lotto game of Claim 13 where said predetermined ball quantity is either one colored ball to provide replay option color or a sequence of colored balls containing a number of balls equal to number of colors in the game. 16. The lotto game of Claim 15 where said replay option color is the color selected by a player before the game at extra cost which allows said player to play an extra game iteration if he guessed its replay option color correctly. |
LOTTO GAME METHOD AND AIR DRIVEN GAMING MACHINE Relationship to Prior Applications:
The present patent application is related, pursuant to the concept of unity of invention, to US provisional patent application 62/719,800 and claims benefit of the filing date of said provisional application. . Field of the Invention
This invention relates to air driven lotto games and particularly to air driven lotto games based on balls falling into binary positions. . Description of the Prior Art
Air driven lottery or lotto games are known in the art for a long time and typically feature a ball mixer and a selection mechanism, whereas the balls have numbers on them. One example of such air driven gaming machine is the patent US20160063788A1 describing a Convertible Gaming Device wherein a blower pushes a randomly selected ball with a number into a display position, another example is a patent GB2481527A describing a Randomization Apparatus for Lottery game where the total numbers of balls is divided into subsets and balls are randomly selected from each subset and subsequently returned to the start position for continuous playing. A patent US6338678B1 describing a ball selector and a display device is also representative of the state of the art. These gaming machines can be expected to accomplish their functional purposes, however it needs to be appreciated that most of these machines are used in televised lottery /lotto shows and need to have entertainment value, generating suspense and excitement for these shows to attract and hold a large audience. One example of an attempt to enhance the viewing experience for the spectators in these machines is exemplified in patent RU2101765C1 wherein the ball conducting transparent tubes are jumbled and of curved or zigzag shape. However the element of suspense beyond picking a ball is missing. In light of the above there is a need to enhance the thrill of gaming, extend it for longer and keep the results of all ball draws in full view to reinforce the game participants’ confidence in game’s integrity. It is well known that there are many factors affecting the game’s fairness such as balls becoming electrostatically charged and attracted or repulsed respectively to or from each other. They also attract dust further affecting their mixing and therefore the outcome of the ball selection accordingly there is a need to eliminate the influence of electrostatic charges and dust affecting the outcome and fairness of the game. Finally the lotto games relying on the use of numbered balls typically require human intervention such as for example to read the numbers which results in extra costs and increases the possibility of tampering thus there is a need to minimize or eliminate the human role in the game. Objects and Advantages
One object of the present invention is to eliminate the influence of balls surfaces’ environmental contaminants and electrostatic charges to assure fair play for lotto game by the binary approach of non-numbered balls of different colors filling one of the two possible final positions for a ball of each color.
Another object of the present invention is to provide extended period of intensified thrill and suspense by providing a game based on multiple draws of multiple balls at a time.
Another object of the present invention is to enhance the perception of fair play by keeping all results of consecutive draws of each game in full view. Another object is to provide a lotto game in which a human role is
minimized to decrease cost and minimize the chance of tampering.
Another object is to provide a lotto game where the balls in the main gaming machine are uncolored and are lighted up by colored lights whose colors are determined via random colored ball selection in a separate air driven machine.
Brief Description of the Drawings.
Fig 1 is the full frontal view of gaming machine cross-section.
Fig 2 is the frontal view of ball loading mechanism
Fig 3 is the side view of ball loading mechanism.
Fig 4 is a ball separating plate.
Fig 5 is the bottom of upper ball bowl.
Fig 6 is a close-up view of upper ball bowl.
Fig 7 view of winning color determination mechanism.
Fig 8 ball color random selection machine.
Fig 9 sphere’s bottom disk with cutouts. Description
The first embodiment of the lotto game and gaming machine of this invention (Fig 1) consists of 4 columns (la) comprising upper ball bowls (1) on top, which are mounted onto transparent ball passing tubes (2). Said bowls (1, also Fig 6) have an air vent opening (4) on its top. Bowl (1) has bottom (3, Fig 5) with two openings (7) with broadening channels (8) leading up to said openings (7) and two air nozzles (6) directed tangentially. Said openings (7) lead to transparent ball chutes (9) which end just above the orifices (10) in the turnable ball separating plate (11, also shown on Fig 4). There are six such turnable ball separating plates (11) in the preferred embodiment of this invention, but clearly that number can be increased for a larger number of draws in each iteration of this game or it can be decreased for a smaller number of said draws. Between the plates (11) are transparent holding partitions (12) for the balls on the left and the right sides of the air tube (13) running through the middle of this assembly and said partitions are mounted onto the air tube (13). Thus when the plates (11) are turned so that the orifices (10) are no longer under the holding partitions these partitions are turned into enclosures for the balls. Under the lowest ball separating plate (11) are tubular receptacles (14) for the balls to drop into after the completion of an iteration of this game. Said tubular receptacles (14) open into a ball collector tube (15) with a ball discharge chute (16) in the middle or elsewhere, but at the low point of said collector tube (15). Next to each column (la) is mounted a loading mechanism (17, also shown on Figs 2 and
3). Said loading mechanism is implemented as a turnable disc (18) with round cut-out (19) for taking-up one ball in each turn and releasing it into the ball passing tube (2) via the transparent ball chute (20) and then through the orifice (20a) and a channel (20b) where the air blown from below upward is to propel it into the bowl (1). Turnable disc (18) is operatively connected to a suitable motor or actuator; such as a turn actuator (21). Likewise, tamable ball separating plates (11) are also operatively connected to the suitable motors or actuators, such as a tarn actuators (22). Optionally the gaming machine may include the winning color determination mechanism (Fig 7) comprising a bowl (23) mounted on support (28), a funnel (24) through which all the balls are released into said determination mechanism’s bowl (23) upon completion of all cycles of the main part of the game. The balls inside the bowl (23) are agitated by air blown through the nozzle (25) the color of first ball dropping through the chute (26) into a transparent receptacle (27) becomes the winning color that the winner of the game is expected to guess correctly and enter into the game entry form prior to the game.
There are many possible versions and implementations of the game and machine for playing it of this embodiment but mutatis mutandis they are all considered to be within the spirit and scope of this invention
The Second embodiment of the lotto game and gaming machine of the present invention comprises an additional color random selection air driven machine. As the balls in the main gaming machine (Fig 1) of this embodiment are uncolored they are lighted up by colored light beam located at the base of column or elsewhere (not shown) to“color” them; the whole vertical column of them at a time. For different versions of the game featuring different color sequences for each row of balls in the main gaming machine (Fig 1) individual lighting of balls by miniature colored lights can also be implemented. The color of said lights is determined based on the color selection in the above referenced ball color random selection machine (Fig 8). Balls for input are kept in no particular order in a set of transparent vertical tabes (28). The number of differently colored balls (29) in said tabes corresponds to the number of colors used in the game, whereas the number of vertical tubes (28) corresponds to the numbers of draws. At the bottom of each tube there is a turnably actuated bottom lock (30). All tubes discharge into a collector (31) which is connected via a transparent ball chute (32) to a ball mixing sphere (33). The exit of balls from said ball chute into said ball mixing sphere is controlled by a turnably actuated lock (34). The sphere (33) comprises forced air inlet (34a), ball exit conduit (35) and a bottom disk (36). Due to forceful agitation of balls in that sphere, the balls are ejected one at a time into a ball exit conduit (35) which is connected to a transparent vertical tube having openings to horizontal ball storage tubes (37). At the level of each ball storage tube there are actuated tumable locks (38) whose purpose is to prevent the dropping of the ball(s) below the currently receiving balls storage tube (37) and to deflect the ball into said tube. Storage tubes (37) are installed in pairs where one smaller tube is for storing one ball of replay option color, whereas the larger tube holds the balls of color combination determining the color combination and sequence in the main gaming machine used for the current iteration in the game. When replay option color ball is selected, the other 3 balls out of 4 dropped into the sphere (33) need to be removed. For that in a tumable by a turn actuator disk (36) there are (Fig 9) large cutouts (39) which when the air supply is stopped by an operator and/or an automated control system said disk is turned by a predetermined angle, align and coincide with identical cutouts (not shown) in the sphere’s (33) bottom allowing the balls to fall into a receptacle (40) and from there via a ball chute (41) into a holding container (42). There are many possible versions and implementations of the game and machine for playing it of this embodiment but mutatis mutandis they are all considered to be within the spirit and scope of this invention.
6. Sketches and Diagrams.
Provided separately 7. Operation.
For the first embodiment the operation of the gaming machine of this embodiment proceeds as follows; the loading mechanisms send balls of four different colors into their designated columns (la) by means of disk (18) picking up one ball, turning and dropping one ball into a ball chute (20) from where through the opening (20a) and channel (20b) each said ball is dropped into the vertical ball passing tube (2) where the blowing compressed air is pushing it upwards through the orifice (5) and into the upper ball bowl (1). Once said ball is in the bowl air flow through the ball passing tube (2) may be stopped (or if required is continued at a reduced rate to eliminate any chance of a ball falling back into ball passing tube) whereas the nozzles (6) directed tangentially relative to bowl bottom circumference (Fig 5, 6) blow air, sending the ball running around said bowl bottom (3). The air entering bowl (1) exits via opening (4). When the air supply is cut off, the ball settles into one of the two channels (8) and then drops through its corresponding hole (7) downward through the openings (10) into holding partitions (12).
After that separating plate (11) turns, enclosing the ball and preventing subsequent balls (if any) from dropping on top of it. Thus the balls from each four columns form a row wherein ball positions, on the left equal“1” and on the right equals“0”, correspond to a binary number. The same cycle is repeated for all six rows present in the preferred version of this gaming machine, but the number of rows used can be smaller or greater than 6 for different versions of this game. Clearly the smaller number of rows will increase the chance for players of guessing the smaller number of binary numbers correctly on their game entry form and winning the game. Likewise with the larger number of rows corresponding to play cycles the chances for a player to guess all the binary numbers correctly for a larger number of rows will substantially decrease. At 6 rows, corresponding to 6 cycles of one game the odds of winning are approximately equal to the odds of winning in existing lotto games. Once all the rows are filled with balls in their binary positions the game is complete and the winner can be determined. After the game is completed all the separating plates are turned so that their holes are under the balls which were kept in partitions (12) and the balls fall through tubular receptacles (14) into a collector tube (15) and then through a ball discharge chute (16) out of the machine to be reloaded into the loading mechanisms for the next game. The winning color determination
mechanism’ s operation has been adequately described in the Description Section and will not be reiterated here, but is included by way of reference as if fully set forth.
In operation of the second embodiment of this invention the ball color random selection machine (Fig 8) determines the color sequence for the main binary gaming machine by outputting a sequence of 4 colored balls. That is accomplished by unloading the 4 balls from the vertical holding tube (28) and processing them as already described in the Description Section for this embodiment. The number of these colored balls can be different in different versions of this game. As the balls are uncolored their“coloration” is achieved by lighting up the vertical column of balls by a beam of light of a color corresponding to the color of a ball in a corresponding position among the 4 balls output by color random selection machine (Fig 8). For those with impaired color vision coloration of balls is supplemented by lighting up a letter corresponding to a color selected for that column;“R” for red,“G” for green etc. The players can optionally select their guesses for replay option colors on the game entry form which can be either in a paper form or on screen. If the replay option color selected by a player corresponds to the replay option color selected by the color random selection machine (Fig 8) a player gets to play that additional game iteration. The actual selection is done by that machine by selecting the first ball out of four, ejected from it and dropping the remaining 3 balls into a holding container by means of a turnable disk (36) turning and aligning its cutouts with corresponding opening in the sphere’s bottom.