JP7733355B2 - Prize acquisition game device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a prize acquisition game device such as a crane game.

In amusement facilities and the like, prize-capturing game devices in which a prize, such as a stuffed animal, is carried to a prize payout outlet by operating a prize gripper are widely used. Increasing the gripping force of the prize gripper tends to increase the number of prizes paid out, while decreasing the gripping force of the prize gripper tends to decrease the number of prizes paid out. Therefore, prize-capturing game devices that allow the gripping force of the prize gripper to be adjusted have been proposed (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2).

The crane game machine described in Patent Document 1 changes the gripping force of the arm so that the actual prize acquisition rate counted by the control unit approaches a preset prize acquisition rate.
More specifically, if the prize acquisition rate is below the target, the drive time of the motor that opens and closes the arm is extended, and if the prize acquisition rate is above the target, the drive time of the motor is shortened. When the drive time of the motor is extended, the coil spring of the arm is stretched accordingly, and the gripping force is strengthened.

The game device described in Patent Document 2 includes a pair of upper and lower pressing members that sandwich the base ends of multiple arms, a coil spring that biases the lower pressing member toward the upper pressing member, and
and a peripheral wall plate that restricts the movement of the upper pressing member. The upper pressing member and the coil spring move up and down by a ball screw. The gripping force of the arm is determined by the biasing force of the coil spring that causes the arm to follow the upper pressing member. When the movement of the upper pressing member is restricted and the coil spring approaches the upper pressing member, the coil spring is compressed and the gripping force of the arm increases.

The crane game machine described in Patent Document 1 monitors the prize acquisition rate and adjusts the motor drive time, without taking into account the opening and closing angles of each arm. Similarly, the game device described in Patent Document 2 detects the positional relationship between a single upper pressing member and a coil spring and adjusts the biasing force of the coil spring, without taking into account the opening and closing angles of each arm. In other words, the prize acquisition game devices described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 cannot adjust the gripping force of the prize gripping parts based on the opening and closing angles of each arm.

JP 2012-29825 A JP 2016-1430372 A

However, not all arms come into contact with the prize at the same time. The arms that come into contact with the prize and stop moving begin to charge the springs or other biasing members that determine the gripping force of the arms. The opening and closing angles of the arms vary depending on the time difference, and the gripping force of the arms also varies in magnitude depending on the opening and closing angles. Unless the driving time of the drive source is adjusted based on the opening and closing angles of each arm, the gripping force of the arms cannot be adjusted appropriately.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a prize capture game device in which the gripping force of the prize gripping portion can be adjusted based on the opening and closing angle of each arm.

One aspect of the present invention is a prize capture game device having at least one prize gripping unit for gripping a prize. The gripping force of each prize gripping unit is adjusted by a control unit. Each prize gripping unit has a single drive source, multiple arms, and multiple sensors. The drive force supplied from the single drive source is distributed to the multiple arms. When the drive force is distributed, each arm opens and closes. A sensor is provided on each arm. Each sensor detects the opening and closing angle of the corresponding arm. The control unit controls the drive of the single drive source based on the multiple opening and closing angles detected by the sensors.

According to this aspect, even if the opening and closing angles of each arm vary, the opening and closing angles can be detected individually. In a configuration in which a single drive source is used to open and close multiple arms, the opening and closing angles of the multiple arms are not detected collectively, but the opening and closing angles of each arm are detected individually, so the gripping force of the prize gripping part can be suitably adjusted.

In the above aspect, each prize gripping portion may further include a spring seat member connected to each arm and rotating the arm in the closing direction, and a coil spring attached to each arm and storing energy when the spring seat member moves in the closing direction of the arm.

According to this aspect, a coil spring can be used as the biasing member interposed between the arm and the drive source. A coil spring makes it easy to grasp the stored biasing force as a delay in the opening/closing angle of the arm relative to the movement of the spring seat member. The coil spring may be a torsion coil spring that receives a torsional moment about the central axis from the rotating spring seat member, or a tension coil spring that receives a tensile stress in the expansion/contraction direction from the swinging spring seat member.

In the above aspect, each prize gripping unit may further include a feed screw that converts the rotational movement of the screw shaft into linear movement of the nut, and a link mechanism that connects each arm to the nut. A single drive source may rotate the screw shaft, and each arm may rotate in an opening or closing direction in conjunction with the linear movement of the nut.

According to this aspect, the drive force of a single drive source can be distributed to multiple arms through a simple configuration that combines a feed screw and a link mechanism. The prize gripping unit can be configured compactly and inexpensively, making it particularly suitable for prize acquisition game devices with small housings.

In the above aspect, the control unit may control the driving of the single driving source based on the opening/closing angle of the arm that has the largest opening/closing angle in the closing direction.

The arm with the largest opening/closing angle in the closing direction has a weaker gripping force than the other arms. When multiple arms grip a prize, even if one arm has a strong gripping force, if the arm supporting it from the opposite direction has a weak gripping force, the prize will slip away and will not be able to be gripped tightly. In other words, an arm with weak gripping force has a significant impact on the gripping force of the prize gripping unit as a whole. According to this aspect, the drive of a single drive source can be controlled based on the opening/closing angle of the arm with the weakest gripping force, and the gripping force of the prize gripping unit can be suitably adjusted.

In the above aspect, when the number of arms is 2n+1, the control unit controls the driving of the single drive source based on the opening/closing angle of the arm with the n+1th largest opening/closing angle in the closing direction. When the number of arms is 2n, the control unit controls the driving of the single drive source based on the opening/closing angle of the arm with the nth largest opening/closing angle in the closing direction, the opening/closing angle of the n+1th largest arm, or the opening/closing angle of the nth largest arm and n
+ the largest opening/closing angle of the arm, or the average value of the largest opening/closing angle of the arm.

Depending on the shape of the prize and the number of arms, it may be more preferable to use another arm as the reference rather than the arm with the weakest gripping force. According to this aspect, when the number of arms is, for example, three, the gripping force of the entire prize gripping section can be suitably adjusted based on the opening/closing angle of the arm with the second strongest gripping force. Note that when the number of arms is, for example, four, the opening/closing angle of the arm with the third strongest gripping force may be used as the reference, or the opening/closing angle of the arm with the second strongest gripping force may be used as the reference, or the average value of these may be used as the reference. The gripping force of the prize gripping section can be suitably adjusted according to the shape of the prize and the number of arms.

In the above aspect, the control unit may calculate a weighted average value in which the arm with the largest opening/closing angle in the closing direction has a larger weight than the other arms, and control the driving of the single drive source based on this weighted average value.

According to this aspect, the opening and closing angles of the multiple arms, i.e., the gripping force, are appropriately taken into consideration according to the opening and closing situation, and the weight of each opening and closing angle is precisely set in accordance with the shape of the prize and the number of arms,
The gripping force of the prize gripping portion can be suitably adjusted.

In the above aspect, the game machine may further include a prize payout sensor that detects the number of prizes paid out. The control unit may obtain a payout index based on the number of prizes paid out, and may control the drive of the single drive source based on this payout index.

An example of a payout index is a payout rate obtained by dividing the purchase price of the prize paid out by the amount of money put in. For example, if a prize purchased for 500 yen is acquired for 1,000 yen, the payout rate is 5.
0%. According to this aspect, in the control based on the detection results of the multiple sensors described above, adjustments based on the payout rate can be further added. In an amusement facility, there is no need for the operator to frequently monitor the payout rate or manually adjust the gripping force of the prize gripping part. This reduces the burden on the operator. Note that the payout index is not limited to the payout rate, and may be the number of prizes paid out per unit time, etc. The payout index may be calculated and obtained by the control unit itself, or may be obtained from an external source via a network, etc.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a prize capture game device in which the gripping force of the prize gripping portion can be adjusted based on the opening and closing angle of each arm.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a prize acquisition game device according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a front view showing an example of a prize gripping portion according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III shown in FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the base end portion of the arm shown in FIG. 3. FIG. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VV shown in FIG. 6 is a right side view showing the prize gripping portion shown in FIG. 2. FIG. FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing an example of the internal configuration of the prize gripping unit shown in FIG. FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an example of a procedure for controlling a single motor based on a plurality of opening and closing angles. FIG. 9 is a plan view showing an example of a partition of a field. FIG. 10 is a front view showing an example of the coin chute shown in FIG. FIG. 11 is a right side view of the coin chute shown in FIG. FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the sliding door and mid-field structure shown in FIG. FIG. 13 is an enlarged front view of the locking mechanism shown in FIG. FIG. 14 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the gap between the right side plate and the middle field structure shown in FIG. FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the prize payout opening shown in FIG. FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view showing the state in which the prize has been pushed into the switchback area by the flap shown in FIG.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In each drawing, components with the same reference numerals have the same or similar configurations. In one embodiment of the present invention, the prize acquisition game device 1 has opening and closing angles α, β, γ of all arms 43A, 43B, 43C.
and controls the driving of a single motor 42 based on the plurality of opening and closing angles α, β, γ (see FIG. 5).

When α>β>γ, for example, the drive of the motor 42 may be controlled based on the largest opening/closing angle α among the opening/closing angles α, β, and γ. For example, the drive of the motor 42 may be controlled based on the second largest opening/closing angle β. For example, the drive of the motor 42 may be controlled based on a weighted average value (w1×α+w2×β+w3×γ)/(w1+w2+w3) with weights of w1>w2>w3.
2 may be controlled.

The gripping force of the arms 43A, 42B, and 42C varies depending on the opening and closing angles α, β, and γ. Therefore, even if the gripping force of any one arm 43C is strong, the gripping force of the arm 43A supporting from the opposite direction may be weak.
According to this embodiment, the motor 4 is rotated based on the opening and closing angles α, β, γ of the arms 43A, 43B, 43C.
2, the gripping force of the prize gripping portion 40 as a whole can be suitably adjusted.
Each component will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a prize acquisition game device 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the prize acquisition game device 1 includes a housing 2 formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. The housing 2 may have other shapes, such as a substantially cylindrical shape. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the prize acquisition game device 1
The prize acquisition game devices 1 are arranged in two rows, one above the other, with the first game device 3 arranged in the lower row of the cabinet 2 and the second game device 4 arranged in the upper row of the cabinet 2. The prize acquisition game devices 1 may be arranged in one row, or in three or more rows. They may also be arranged in two rows, left and right.

The housing 2 includes front doors 11, 12, a left side panel 13, a right side panel 14, and a back panel 15, which are made of a translucent material such as acrylic resin or glass. The front doors 11, 12 are attached to the first and second game devices 3, 4, respectively. How to lock and unlock the front doors 11, 12 will be described in detail later with reference to Figures 12 and 13. The left side panel 13, the right side panel 14, and the back panel 15 are made of a single plate that spans the first and second game devices 3, 4. The left side panel 13
A gap is provided between the right side plate 14 and the back plate 15 and the first and second game devices 3 and 4. This will be described in detail later with reference to FIGS.

The first game device 3 includes the front door 11, the left side panel 13, the right side panel 14, and the back panel 15, as well as the lower field structure 5 and the bottom panel of the middle field structure 6.
The game device 4 includes the front door 12, left side panel 13, right side panel 14, and back panel 15 described above, as well as most of the middle field structure 6 and the top panel 7.

The lower field structure 5, the middle field structure 6, and the top plate 7 are arranged from bottom to top with a gap between them and fixed to a pair of left and right support pillars 8. The support pillars 8 stand up between the left side plate 13 and the back plate 15, and between the right side plate 14 and the back plate 15, respectively.

The space between the lower field structure 5 and the middle field structure 6 is
The space between the middle field structure 6 and the top plate 7 is defined as a prize storage section 17 of the second game device 4. The prize storage sections 16, 17 are surrounded by light-transmitting front doors 11, 12, a left side panel 13, a right side panel 14, and a back panel 15, and can be seen from the outside.

The top surface of the lower field structure 5 is configured as a field 18 for the first game device 3, and the top surface of the middle field structure 6 is configured as a field 19 for the second game device 4. Prizes are placed on the fields 18 and 19. The fields 18 and 19 will be described in detail later with reference to FIG. 11 .

Each prize storage section 16, 17 is provided with a prize gripping section (prize catcher) 40 that can move around the fields 18, 19 to grip prizes. The front panel of the lower field structure 5 is provided with a first operating section 31 for operating the lower prize gripping section 40 and a prize payout opening 33 through which the transported prizes fall. Similarly, the front panel of the middle field structure 6 is provided with a second operating section 32 for operating the upper prize gripping section 40 and a prize payout opening 34 through which the transported prizes fall.

A first coin slot 21 is provided next to the first operation unit 31. When playable credits are inserted into the first coin slot 21, an operation can be input to the first operation unit 31 to operate the prize gripping unit 40 in the lower tier. Similarly, a second coin slot 22 is provided next to the second operation unit 32. When playable credits are inserted into the second coin slot 22, an operation can be input to the second operation unit 32 to operate the prize gripping unit 40 in the lower tier. Note that a bill insertion machine or an electronic money input device may be provided adjacent to the coin slots 21 and 22.

The first and second operation units 31, 32 used in the game are, for example, buttons, levers, etc. When a prize is dropped into the prize payout outlets 33, 34 by operating the prize gripping unit 40, the player can take out the prize from the prize payout outlets 33, 34.
Prize payout sensors 35 and 36 for detecting the number of prizes paid out are provided in the prize payout openings 33 and 34. The internal structure of the prize payout openings 33 and 34 will be described in detail later with reference to Figures 15 and 16.

The first and second coin slots 21 and 22 are respectively provided with coin selectors 23 and 24. The coin selectors 23 and 24 detect the type and number of coins inserted into the first and second coin slots. The coin selectors 23 and 24 may also have the function of temporarily holding coins and paying them out through the coin payout slot when a payout operation is performed.

Only the lower stage field structure 5 has a built-in cash box 26. Coins inserted into the first coin insertion slot 21 fall into the cash box 26. Coins inserted into the upper stage second coin insertion slot 22 are guided by the coin chute 25 and dropped into the first and second coin insertion slots 26.
The coins fall into a cash box 26 common to the coin slots 21 and 22.

The coin chute 25 and the cash box 26 will be described in detail later with reference to Figures 10 and 11.
Except for the cash box 26, they have almost the same shape and function.
The first game device 3 will be described in detail as a representative example, and a duplicated description of the second game device 4 will be omitted.

FIG. 2 is a front view showing an example of the prize gripping portion 40 according to the present invention. As shown in FIG.
The prize gripping unit 40 includes a plurality of arms 43. In the example shown in FIG.
The prize gripping unit 40 has three arms 43A, 43B, and 43C. The number of arms 43 may be two, or four or more. The prize gripping unit 40 further has a bracket 41 and a control board 60 fixed to the bracket 41.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in Figure 2. As shown in Figure 3, the prize gripping unit 40 further includes a single motor 42 attached to a bracket 41, a feed screw (a screw shaft 53 and a nut 54), and an angle sensor 44. The motor 42 is, for example, a DC brush motor with a gear head, and is an example of a drive source. Note that instead of the motor 42, the prize gripping unit 40 may be configured with a pneumatic or hydraulic drive source. A motor shaft gear 51 is attached to the output shaft of the motor 42 via a gear head.

The feed screw is a sliding screw, a ball screw, or the like, and converts the rotational motion of the screw shaft 53 into the linear motion of the nut 54. A screw shaft gear 52 is attached to the screw shaft 53.
2 meshes with the motor shaft gear 51. The nut 54 and arm 43 are connected by a link mechanism made up of first and second parts 55 and 56. The first part 55 is fixed to the nut 54. The center of rotation of the second part 56 is rotatably supported on a base end part 58 of the arm 43. One end of the second part 56 is connected to a slot formed in the first part 55.

3, the link mechanism is a swinging slider crank, and when the first part 55 moves up and down, one end of the second part 56 slides in a slot formed in the first part 55, causing the second part 56 to swing. More specifically, when the first part 55 moves upward, the second part 56 rotates the arm 43 in the closing direction D1. When the first part 55 moves downward,
The second part 56 rotates the arm 43 in the opening direction D2.

Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the base end 58 of the arm 43. As shown in Figure 4, a biasing member is attached to the arm 43. The biasing force of the biasing member determines the gripping force with which the arm 43 presses against the prize. In the example shown in Figure 4, coil springs 57L and 57R are provided as biasing members at the base end 58 of the arm 43.

The coil springs 57L and 57R are torsion coil springs, and the central axis of the coil is at the base end 58
The biasing member of the arm 43 is not limited to a torsion coil spring, but may be a spring such as a tension coil spring.
The coil springs 57L and 57R have arm portions at one end thereof bent and fixed to the base end portion 58.

The coil spring (closing spring) 57L biases the arm 43 toward the prize, providing a gripping force that presses the prize against the arm 43. Note that when a large arm 43 is combined with a small prize, the weight of the arm 43 itself may act as a gripping force that presses against the prize.
The coil spring (opening direction spring) 57R biases the arm 43 in the opening direction D2 to balance the weight of the arm 43.

The second part 56 of the link mechanism is made up of a pair of spring seat members 56L, 56R that sandwich the base end portion 58.
The rotation center of the spring seat members 56L and 56R is the rotation axis 581 of the base end portion 58.
The spring seat members 56L and 56R have coil springs 57L and 57R at their rotation centers.
A spring seat is formed on each of the springs to support the other end of each of the springs.

When the spring seat member 56L rotates the arm 43 in the closing direction D1 via the coil spring 57L while the arm 43 is in contact with the prize and barely moving, the arm portion on the other end side of the coil spring 57L is pressed against the bent portion of the spring seat, increasing the biasing force of the coil spring 57L.When the spring seat member 56L rotates in the reverse direction D2 to open the arm 43, the biasing force of the coil spring 57L decreases.

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VV shown in Fig. 2. As shown in Fig. 5, the prize gripping unit 40 according to the present invention has angle sensors 44 on all the arms 43 (43A, 43B, 43C).
One of the features of the motor 42 is that it is provided with angle sensors 44A, 44B, and 44C. In the example shown in FIG. 5, the angle sensor 44 is a volume that outputs a voltage corresponding to the rotation angle. The angle sensor 44 may be a photointerrupter or the like. The angle sensor 44 is engaged with a gear portion 582 formed around a rotation shaft 581 at the base end portion 58 of the arm 43. A control portion 61, which will be described later, controls the driving of the single motor 42 based on the opening and closing angles α, β, and γ of the angle sensors 44.

Fig. 6 is a right side view showing the prize gripping portion 40. As shown in Fig. 6, the prize gripping portion 40 further includes an up/down sensor 45 that detects the up/down position of the nut 54. An up/down sensor gear 59 is attached to the rotation shaft 581 of the base end portion 58. The up/down sensor 45 has the same volume as the angle sensor 44, and is meshed with the up/down sensor gear 59. The prize gripping portion 40 also includes a lower limit sensor 46 (shown in Fig. 7) that detects the lower limit position, and an upper limit sensor 47 (shown in Fig. 7) that detects the upper limit position. The lower limit sensor 46 and the upper limit sensor 47
For example, a photointerrupter is used to detect that the nut 54 (shown in FIG. 3) of the feed screw has reached the end of its movable range when a sensor dog (not shown) attached to the nut 54 interrupts the light. Note that a pressure-sensitive sensor may also be used to detect contact of the sensor dog.

Fig. 7 is a block diagram showing an example of the internal configuration of the prize gripping unit 40. As shown in Fig. 7, the control board 60 includes a control unit 61 and a memory unit 62. Note that the control unit 61 and the memory unit 62 are not limited to being the control board 60 mounted on the prize gripping unit 40, and may include boards mounted on the lower field structure 5 or the middle field structure 6.

The storage unit 62 has a function of storing various programs and an operating system. The storage unit 62 also has a function as a work area where the control unit 61 temporarily stores various data during processing. The storage unit 62 is realized by, for example, a ROM.
The ROM stores various programs and data necessary for controlling the driving of the motor 42. The ROM is configured, for example, by any one of a volatile memory such as a DRAM, a non-rewritable non-volatile memory such as a mask ROM, and a rewritable non-volatile memory such as a flash memory, or an appropriate combination of these.

The control unit 61 can be realized by, for example, the functions of a CPU mounted on the control board 60 .
The CPU deploys and executes a program stored in the ROM on the memory of the storage unit 62, and causes the devices constituting the prize gripping unit 40 to realize various functions, thereby cooperating with other hardware units and components to provide gripping force control means 611 for adjusting the gripping force of the prize gripping unit 40, and adjustment index determination means 612 for determining an adjustment index to be referenced when the gripping force control means 611 is executed. The control unit 61 may further include payout index calculation means 613 for calculating a payout index based on the number of prizes paid out.

8 is a flowchart showing an example of a procedure for controlling the drive of a single motor 42 based on multiple opening/closing angles α, β, and γ. When a player's operation is input to the first operating unit 31, the prize gripping unit 40 moves in accordance with the player's operation (step S1). When all player operations are completed, the prize gripping unit 40 descends and begins closing the multiple arms 43 (step S2). The arms 43 stop when they come into contact with a prize or when they close to their limit angle. If the arms 43 have not stopped, the control unit 61 returns to step S2 and repeats the closing operation of the arms 43 (step S3).

On the other hand, if the arms 43 are stopped, the opening and closing angles of the respective arms 43 are detected (step S3). The control unit 61 (adjustment index determination means 612) applies the detected opening and closing angles to the conditions set by the operator (for example, the largest opening and closing angle) and determines the adjustment index for the gripping force (
Step S5) The index for adjusting the gripping force is not limited to the opening/closing angle α of the arm 43A, which has the largest opening/closing angle in the closing direction D1, and conditions can be appropriately selected depending on the shape of the prize and the number of arms 43.

For example, when the number of arms 43 is 2n+1, the opening/closing angle in the closing direction D1 may be the opening/closing angle of the arm 43 that is the (n+1)th largest.
The opening/closing angle of the n+1th largest arm 43 may be used.
It may be the opening/closing angle of the arm 43 that is the n+1th largest.
It may also be an average value of these.

For example, the arm 43A having the largest opening/closing angle in the closing direction D1 is the other arm 43B,
Weighted average value (w1 × α + w2 × β + w3 × γ)/(w
The control unit 61 (gripping force control means 611) controls the driving of the single motor 42 based on the gripping force adjustment index determined in step S5 (step S6).

The control unit 61 can also add correction values such as a payout index to the main adjustment index.
The control unit 61 (payout index calculation means) obtains a payout index based on the number of prizes paid out. One example of a payout index is a payout rate obtained by dividing the number of prizes paid out by the amount inserted. Note that the payout index is not limited to the payout rate, and may be the number of prizes paid out per unit time, etc. The payout index may be calculated and obtained by the control unit itself, or may be obtained from an external source via a network, etc.

When adjusting the gripping force of the prize gripping portion 40 based on the payout index, the fields 18 and 19 may be divided into multiple areas, and the payout rate may be counted for each field, or the gripping force of the prize gripping portion 40 may be adjusted. Figure 9 shows an example in which the field 18 is divided into multiple areas. As shown in Figure 9, the field 18 may be divided into two areas, areas 181-182 and areas 183-184.

Although not shown, the field 18 may be divided into two, areas 181 to 183 and area 184. The field 18 may be divided into two, areas 181 and areas 182 to 184. The field 18 may be divided into three, areas 181, areas 182 to 183, and area 184. It may also be divided into even smaller areas. For example, by reducing the area in which a certain prize is placed according to the number of prizes in stock, and adding other prizes in the freed up space, prizes that are running low can be placed in an attractive manner.

In the example shown in FIG. 9 , physical partitions may be installed at the boundaries of the fields 18. Installing physical partitions makes the boundaries easier to understand visually. Furthermore, prizes from adjacent areas can be prevented from mixing, clearly separating the prize types. Furthermore, adjusting the gripping force for each area, as described above with reference to FIGS. 1 to 8 , allows prizes with different unit prices to be handled appropriately, taking into account the payout rates for each divided field. The location of the prize gripper 40 within the partitioned area can be determined from a sensor installed in the horizontal movement mechanism of the prize gripper 40 (not shown) or the number of steps of the stepping motor that moves horizontally.

The prize capture game device 1 of this embodiment configured as described above distributes the driving force of a single motor 42 to multiple arms 43. Because the prize gripping section 40 can be configured compactly and inexpensively, it is suitable for a prize capture game device 1 that is divided into two sections, upper and lower, and has small prize storage sections 16, 17. As shown in Figure 5, because angle sensors 44 are provided on all arms 43, even if the opening and closing angles of each of the arms 43A, 43B, 43C vary, the opening and closing angles α, β, γ can be detected individually, and the gripping force of the prize gripping section 40 can be suitably adjusted.

When α > β > γ, for example, the drive of the motor 42 is controlled based on the largest opening/closing angle α among the opening/closing angles α, β, and γ. When a prize is gripped by multiple arms 43A, 43B, and 43C, even if the gripping force of one arm 43C is strong, if the gripping force of the arms 43A and 43B supporting it from the opposite direction is weak, the prize will escape and will not be gripped tightly. Therefore, if the opening/closing angle of the arm 43A, which has the weakest gripping force, is used as a reference, the drive of a single motor 42 can be controlled to suitably adjust the gripping force of the prize gripping unit 40.

Depending on the shape of the prize and the number of arms 43, it may be more suitable to use the other arms 43B and 43C as the reference, rather than the arm 43A with the weakest gripping force. For example, w1 > w2 > w3
Weighted average value (w1 × α + w2 × β + w3 × γ) / (w1 + w2 + w3)
By controlling the drive of the motor 42 based on the weight of each opening/closing angle and finely setting the weight of each opening/closing angle in accordance with the shape of the prize and the number of arms 43, it is possible to suitably adjust the gripping force of the prize gripping portion 40. For example, the drive of the motor 42 may be controlled based on the arms 43 with a medium gripping force. The conditions for determining the adjustment index are not particularly limited, and can be selected appropriately depending on the shape of the prize and the number of arms 43.

Next, the features of the cabinet 2 of the prize acquisition game device 1 of this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 10 to 16. First, the coin chute 25 will be described with reference to Figures 10 and 11. As described above, the cabinet 2 has first and second coin slots 21, 22 corresponding to the upper and lower fields 18, 19, respectively, but the cash box 26 is located only in the lower field structure 5. The first coin slot 21 is located near the left side of the front panel of the lower field structure 5, and the second coin slot 22 is located near the right side of the front panel of the middle field structure 6.

The prize acquisition game device 1 of this embodiment is provided with a coin chute 25 that guides coins inserted into the second coin insertion slot 22 on the upper level to the cash box 26 on the lower level.
If the coin chute 25 is configured vertically, the impact of a falling coin may damage the coin chute 25 or the cash box 26.
11, the coin chute 25 includes first to third inclined portions 251, 252.
Both sloping portions 52 and 253 are provided with gradients δ, ε, and ζ, and are designed to absorb the impact of falling coins. In the example shown, they are configured so that ε > δ, ζ, and coins move by rolling down the gentle gradients δ and ζ on first and third sloping portions 251 and 253. Coins move by sliding down the steep gradient ε on second sloping portion 252. By providing gradients δ, ε, and ζ, it is possible to prevent damage to coin chute 25 and cash box 26 from the impact of a coin directly falling.

Next, the locking structure of the front doors 11, 12 will be described with reference to Figures 12 and 13. Since the front doors 11, 12 have substantially the same shape and function, the front door 12 will be described in detail as a representative, and a duplicated description of the front door 11 will be omitted. If the front doors 11, 12 were double doors, they would get in the way of pedestrians while prizes were being replenished.

As shown in Figure 12, in this embodiment, the front door 12 is configured as a left-right sliding door so as not to obstruct pedestrians. Normally, a left-right sliding door is equipped with a key cylinder for each door. However, in a vertically long, two-stage door like this embodiment, where the left and right spaces are limited, it is difficult to secure space for a key cylinder for locking the right sliding door 12R in addition to the key cylinder 27 for locking the left sliding door 12L. Furthermore, since there are multiple fields, installing two key cylinders for each field would be costly.

Therefore, as shown in Figures 12 and 13, a key cylinder 27 that can be unlocked and locked from the outside is attached only to the left sliding door 12L. When replenishing prizes, the key cylinder 27 of the left sliding door 12L is unlocked and the left sliding door 12L is slid to the right. When placing prizes far from the left sliding door 12L, it may be desirable to slide the right sliding door 12R to the left to replenishing the prizes. For such cases, a locking mechanism 28 that can be unlocked by hand is provided on the inside of the right sliding door 12R.

As shown in Figure 13, the locking mechanism 28 is composed of a locking bar 281, a guide 282 that holds the locking bar 281 in an upright position, and a hole 283 that fits with the locking bar 281. By lifting the locking bar 281 and removing it from the hole 283, the right sliding door 12R can be slid to the left. To lock it, the right sliding door 12R is slid to the right. When the right sliding door 12R is returned to its original position, the locking bar 281 is guided by the guide 282 and moves to the left.
falls into the hole 283 under its own weight, and the right sliding door 12R is locked.

Next, the gaps secured between the left side plate 13, right side plate 14, and back plate 15 and the middle field structure 6 will be described with reference to Figures 12 and 14. As described above, the left side plate 13, right side plate 14, and back plate 15 are attached across the first and second game devices 3, 4. The middle field structure 6 is disposed between the upper and lower fields 18, 19.

When fixing a transparent plate such as the right side plate 14 to the middle field structure 6, a gap is left between the middle field structure 6 and the transparent plate, which prevents the transparent plate from coming into contact with the middle field structure 6 due to vibrations during transportation from a factory to an amusement facility or the like, and causing scratches on the transparent plate. As shown in FIG. 14, the right side plate 14 is fixed to the middle field structure 6 by a shoulder washer 141, a screw 1
42 to the suspension field structure 6. A shoulder washer 141 and a spacer rubber (not shown) are used to secure the gap.

Next, the internal structure of the prize payout outlets 33, 34 will be described with reference to FIGS. 15 and 16 . The prize acquisition game device 1 of this embodiment has two levels, one above the other, and therefore has significant space constraints. In this embodiment, a switchback area 38 is provided for rotating the prize so that large prizes can be removed even if they fall into the prize payout outlets 33, 34. Pushing up the flap 37 causes the prize to tip onto the floor of the internal space of the prize payout outlets 33, 34. Further pushing up the flap 37 moves the prize to the switchback area 38 defined at the back of the internal space of the prize payout outlets 33, 34, and the prize can be removed by pushing up the flap 37 to its upper limit. According to this embodiment, even with a small cabinet, large prizes can be removed just as easily as with a normal-sized cabinet.

The above-described embodiments are intended to facilitate understanding of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. The elements of the embodiments, as well as their arrangement, materials, conditions, shapes, sizes, etc., are not limited to those illustrated and can be modified as appropriate. Furthermore, configurations shown in different embodiments can be partially substituted or combined with each other.

1...prize acquisition game device, 2...casing, 3...first game device, 4...second game device, 5...
Lower field structure, 6... middle field structure, 7... top plate, 8... support pillars, 11, 12...
Front door, 12L...left sliding door 12L, 12R...right sliding door, 13...left side panel, 14...right side panel, 1
5...backboard, 16, 17...prize storage section, 18, 19...field, 21...first coin slot, 22...second coin slot, 23, 24...coin selector, 25...coin chute, 2
6...cash box, 27...key cylinder, 28...lock mechanism, 281...lock bar, 282...guide, 283...hole, 31...first operation unit, 32...second operation unit, 33, 34...prize payout outlet, 35, 36...prize payout sensor, 37...flap, 38...switchback area, 40...prize gripping unit, 41...bracket, 42...motor (an example of a driving source), 43, 43A
, 43B, 43C... arms, 44, 44A, 44B, 44C... angle sensors (examples of sensors), 45... up/down sensor, 46... lower limit sensor, 47... upper limit sensor, 51... motor shaft gear, 5
2...Screw shaft gear, 53...Screw shaft, 54...Nut, 55...First part (part of link mechanism),
56... second part (part of the link mechanism), 57L, 57R... coil spring, 58... base end portion, 5
9...upper and lower sensor gears, 60...control board, 61...control unit, 62...storage unit, 141...shoulder washer, 142...screw, 181, 182, 183, 184...areas into which the field is divided, 251...first inclined portion, 252...second inclined portion, 253...third inclined portion, 581...rotation axis of arm, 582...gear portion, 611...gripping force control means, 612...adjustment index determination means, 613
... payout index calculation means, D1... direction in which the arm closes, D2... direction in which the arm opens, n... natural number, w1, w2, w3... weights, α, β, γ... opening and closing angles, δ, ε, ζ... gradient.

Claims (3)

A pair of doors that can be unlocked and locked are provided,
The pair of doors are front doors and configured as left and right sliding doors,
One of the pair of doors is configured to be unlocked from the outside of the door,
The other door of the pair of doors is configured to be unlocked from the inside of the door.
A prize-winning game device. The one door is locked with a key cylinder, and the other door is locked by fitting a lock bar into a hole.
The prize acquisition game device according to claim 1. When the other door is returned to its original position, the lock bar falls into the hole under its own weight and is locked.
The prize acquisition game device according to claim 2 .