US20060202414A1

US20060202414A1 - Table hockey

Info

Publication number: US20060202414A1
Application number: US11/079,652
Authority: US
Inventors: Chien-Yeh Chen
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-03-14
Filing date: 2005-03-14
Publication date: 2006-09-14

Abstract

A table hockey game includes a table having a top face composed of a top layer having multiple through holes defined through the top layer and a bottom layer sandwiching with the top layer a space in communication with the through holes, the bottom layer having therein a cavity and a radial fan received in the cavity to generate radial airflow to escape from the through holes via the space so that airflow on the top face of the table is uniform.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a table hockey game, and more particularly to a table hockey game having a radial fan received inside a table so that the radial fan is able to provide uniform air flow to apertures in the table to allow a puck to hover and slide uniformly on the table.
2. Description of Related Art
A conventional table hockey game is shown in FIG. 5 and has a table (4) with a cavity (41) defined in the table (4) to receive therein an axial fan (5).
The table (4) has a table face composed of a top layer (42) and a bottom layer (43) sandwiching with the top layer (42) a space (44) therebetween. The cavity (41) is communicated with the space (44). Furthermore, the top layer (42) has multiple apertures (421) in communication with the space (44). The axial fan (5) is received in the cavity (41) so that when the axial fan (5) is energized as shown in FIG. 6, air surrounding the axial fan (5) moves directly upward and out of the apertures (421).

With reference to FIG. 7, when the axial fan (5) is blowing, due to the axial fan (5) being vertical to the table (4), the air from the axial fan (5) is not easy to flow into the space (44) such that turbulence is generated and thus wind pressure is lost. Furthermore, the wind speed out of the apertures (421) is small and consequently the wind performance to the puck is small. Therefore, due to the poor performance of airflow in the peripheral edges, buoyant force to the puck from the airflow is not sufficient to support the puck to move around adequately on the top layer (42). Thus the puck's movement on the peripheral edges becomes sluggish, which decreases the fun of the game. Table 1 taken from the table (4) which is divided into eighteen (18) sections shows different readings of wind speed.

TABLE 1


120 V, 60 Hz
Motor 60 watts
Axial fan (regular) diameter = 130 mm
Wind speed unit: ft/min

165 ft/min	195 ft/min	200 ft/min	185 ft/min	190 ft/min	170 ft/min
145 ft/min	170 ft/min	150 ft/min	160 ft/min	175 ft/min	130 ft/min
155 ft/min	185 ft/min	180 ft/min	195 ft/min	190 ft/min	150 ft/min

From the depiction of FIG. 8, it is noted that a hollow cone (not numbered) having two open ends respectively defined in two opposed ends of the hollow cone is used for measurement of the wind speed. A sensor is placed on top of the hollow cone so that when the fan is blowing in the table, air movement caused by the rotation of the fan will be detected by the sensor and recorded.
It is noted from table 1 that the wind speed from a large output work is in general low throughout the entire tested areas. Furthermore, the wind flux is small.
To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention tends to provide an improved table hockey to mitigate the aforementioned problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a table hockey having a radial fan received in the table so that airflow supporting the puck on the table is uniform throughout the playing surface.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the table hockey game of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a partially exploded perspective view showing the structure of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing the application of the radial fan of the present invention;
FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing the overall performance of the airflow of the radial fan of the present invention;
FIG. 4A is a schematic view showing the distribution of wind pressure on the table hockey using the radial fan of the present invention;
FIG. 5 is a partially exploded perspective view showing the structure of the conventional table hockey game;
FIG. 6 is a schematic view showing the application of the axial fan in FIG. 5;
FIG. 7 is a schematic view showing the overall performance of the axial fan on the table;
FIG. 7A is a schematic view showing the distribution of wind pressure on the table hockey using the conventional axial fan; and
FIG. 8 is a schematic view showing the method used for wind speed measuring.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference to FIG. 1, the table hockey of the present invention includes a table (10) with multiple through holes (11) defined through a top face thereof. With reference to FIG. 2, it is noted that the table (10) has a top face composed of a top layer (12) and a bottom layer (13) sandwiching therebetween with the top layer (12) a space (14) such that the through holes (11) communicate with the space (14). A cavity (15) is defined in the bottom layer (13) to communicate with the space (14) so as to receive therein a radial fan (20). Further, a receiving area (16) is defined in the top layer (12) and communicates with the through holes (11) and with an interior of the cavity (15) via at least two tubes (161) (the number of the tubes should not be limited to the number as shown in the embodiment and is able to be expended according to requirements) extending from a bottom face of the receiving space (16). The radial fan (20) to generate radial airflow is conventional in the art and those skilled in the art will understand from the teaching of this invention that the application of the radial fan (20) inside the table (10) does have the required features.
With reference to FIG. 3, after the radial fan (20) is received in the cavity (15) and actuated, radial airflow is generated by the radial fan (20) and the radial airflow escapes from the through holes (11) of the top layer (12). It is noted that the receiving space (16) has a dimension substantially the same as a dimension of the radial fan (20) such that the radial airflow from the radial fan (20) is able to flow into the two tubes (161) and the receiving space (161). Eventually, the airflow will escape from the through holes (11) defined in a top face of the receiving space (16).
With reference to FIGS. 4 and 4A, it is noted that after the radial fan (20) is activated, the overall airflow performance on top of the table (10) is much greater than that of the conventional axial fan so that buoyant force and wind flux from the wind to the puck (not shown) on the top face of the table (10) is strong throughout the playing area.
With reference to table 2 as shown below, it is noted that not only the wind speed from a small output work in comparison with the output work in table 1 is larger than the readings in table 1, but also the wind flux is larger than the conventional wind flux.

TABLE 2

120 V, 60 Hz

Motor 50watts

Axial fan (regular) diameter = 110 mm

Wind speed unit: ft/min

285 ft/min 270 ft/min 280 ft/min 290 ft/min 305 ft/min

275 ft/min 260 ft/min 250 ft/min 255 ft/min 270 ft/min

290 ft/min 280 ft/min 270 ft/min 275 ft/min 280 ft/min
It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.

Claims

1. A table hockey includes a table having a top face composed of a top layer having multiple through holes defined through the top layer and a bottom layer sandwiching with the top layer a space in communication with the through holes, the bottom layer having therein a cavity and a radial fan received in the cavity to generate radial airflow to escape from the through holes via the space so that airflow on the top face of the table is uniform.

2. The table hockey as claimed in claim 1, wherein the top layer has a receiving space defined to communicate with the through holes and the space via two tubes, the receiving space having a dimension the same as a dimension of the radial fan such that radial airflow from the radial fan is able to uniformly escape from the through holes