Simulated basketball game

Abstract

A tabletop game for simulating basketball including a game court supported by a base and bounded by a containment net, designed for head-to-head competition. The game includes a court floor having ball traps configured to retain a game ball. The game further includes a set of keys configured to actuate shooter mechanisms for ejecting the game ball from the ball traps toward one of a pair of hoops that are sized to receive the ball. The game includes a movable defender configured to obstruct the ejected game ball from entering on of the pair of game hoops.

I/We claim:  
     
         1 . A tabletop game for simulating basketball comprising: 
 a game court supported by a base;    a court floor having ball traps configured to retain a game ball; and    a set of keys configured to actuate shooter mechanisms for ejecting the game ball from the ball traps toward one of a pair of hoops that are sized to receive the ball.    
     
     
         2 . The tabletop game of  claim 1 , including a movable defender system configured to obstruct the ejected game ball from entering one of the pair of game hoops.  
     
     
         3 . The tabletop game of  claim 2 , wherein the court floor includes ridges and fall lines defining the boundaries of surfaces that slant toward the ball traps.  
     
     
         4 . The tabletop game of  claim 2 , wherein the shooter mechanisms include: 
 a shooter pin configured to eject a ball from the ball trap;    a guide configured to support and aim the shooter pin and attach to the base of the tabletop game; and    a lever arm connected through a pivot pin to one of the set of keys, wherein depression of the key causes the lever arm to raise and contact the shooter pin.    
     
     
         5 . The tabletop game of  claim 2 , wherein the shooter mechanisms include: 
 a mallet head configured to eject a ball from the ball trap;    a lever arm connected through a pivot pin to one of the set of keys and coupled with the head.    
     
     
         6 . The tabletop game of  claim 2 , wherein the movable defender includes: 
 a defender member configured to selectively block the ball;    a pivot joint configured to enable rotation through a horizontal arc and vertical tilting;    a control knob configured for manual manipulation and connected via a control arm to the pivot joint; and    a support connecting the defender member to the pivot joint, wherein movement of the control knob causes movement in the defender member.    
     
     
         7 . The tabletop game of  claim 6 , wherein the movable defender is configured to travel through an arc above the court floor.  
     
     
         8 . The tabletop game of  claim 2  wherein the game court is bounded by a containment net.