Mahjong machine and its card picking and transporting system, stacking and pushing device

Abstract

The present invention relates to the field of mahjong machines. A stacking and pushing device includes a card receiving block for receiving mahjong tiles at the card playing outlet of a card feeding device, and a card pushing head for pushing the mahjong tiles on the card receiving block into a card storage slot; the card receiving block includes an upper card receiving area and a lower card receiving area which are arranged up and down and are relatively independent; during the up and down lifting movement of the card receiving block, the upper card receiving area and the lower card receiving area lift relative to the card playing outlet of the card feeding device, and one of the upper card receiving area and the lower card receiving area is used for receiving a single-layer mahjong tile, and the other card receiving area is used for receiving two stacked mahjong tiles; the card pushing head can push the mahjong tiles received in the upper card receiving area and the lower card receiving area. During the card stacking process, the mahjong tiles required for card dealing and the mahjong tiles required for card drawing can be separated, and there is no need to cut and separate the three layers of mahjong tiles during the card pushing process; thus, the structure is simplified, and the problem of easy error caused by separating the three layers of mahjong tiles during the card pushing process is avoided.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of mahjong machines, and more particularly to a mahjong machine and its tile picking and transporting system and stacking device. Background Technology

[0002] Mahjong, also known as Mahjong tiles (or "Ma Diao"), or simply "Sparrow Tiles," is a card game invented by the ancient Chinese. It's a game of chance played with small rectangular tiles made of bamboo, bone, or plastic, engraved with patterns or characters. It's a four-player game, with rules varying slightly from region to region. A standard mahjong set includes three basic suits: "Wan," "Bing," and "Tiao," with four of each suit numbered from one to nine, totaling 108 tiles. Adding four of each of the honor tiles (East, South, West, North, Red Dragon, Green Dragon, White Dragon), totaling 28 tiles, makes a total of 136 tiles, which is what we commonly refer to as "plain mahjong." Later, flower tiles, similar in function to the "JOKER" in playing cards, were added. There are generally eight: "Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter, Plum Blossom, Orchid, Bamboo, Chrysanthemum," totaling 144 tiles, forming what we call "Flower Mahjong." There are also 8 wild tiles. Therefore, a complete set of mahjong tiles has 152 tiles (74 in some regions), including honor tiles, flower tiles, numbered tiles, and wild tiles. A simplified version of mahjong, excluding wild tiles and the white tile, has 144 tiles. Compared to other tile-based games, mahjong is the most complex and interesting to play. Its basic rules are simple and easy to learn, but the variations are numerous, and the combinations vary from person to person, making it one of the most captivating forms of gambling in Chinese history.

[0003] As living standards continue to improve, people are paying more and more attention to leisure and entertainment, and convenient and labor-saving automatic mahjong machines are gradually gaining popularity.

[0004] Existing four-player automatic mahjong machines, due to the structural limitations of their lifting mechanisms, always push out two tiles at a time, resulting in only one row of tiles in front of each player. For example, patent document CN201164721 discloses a lifting mechanism for an automatic mahjong machine, which includes a grid plate, a tile storage plate, and tile-supporting and pushing devices respectively located on both sides of the storage plate. The tile-supporting device includes a tray, a tray support device, and a tile-supporting cam driven by a motor. The tile-supporting cam has a connecting rod, and a tray support with a waist hole is located below the tray. One end of the connecting rod is movably disposed within the waist hole. A sensor is installed in the middle of the storage plate. Because this lifting mechanism has only one fixed storage plate, it can only push out one row of tiles at a time. At the start of the game, players must manually draw the first twelve or thirteen tiles. To address the shortcomings of existing four-player mahjong machines, the industry has developed an eight-player mahjong machine, which can also stack and dispense the twelve or thirteen tiles required for the start of a game.

[0005] Patent application CN107519637A discloses a mahjong machine and its card-loading method. The mahjong machine includes four sets of card-picking and transporting systems arranged around a shuffling tray. Each card-picking and transporting system includes a card-feeding device for picking up mahjong tiles one by one from the shuffling tray and sending them out; a card-stacking device for stacking two mahjong tiles into a pile; a card-pushing device for pushing mahjong tiles into a storage slot; and a ramp card-dispensing device for sending multiple piles of mahjong tiles onto the mahjong machine table via a ramp. The ramp card-dispensing device includes a card-loading component and a card-lifting component. The card-loading component includes a storage slot with a large-angle arc curvature, which increases the number of mahjong tiles that can be stored in the storage slot. The card-loading component and the card-lifting component in the same set of card-picking and transporting systems are directly adjacent to each other. The aforementioned mahjong machine can implement a phased card-adding method. When storing mahjong tiles, the card-feeding device picks up the tiles and the card-pushing device pushes them into the storage slot. When the mahjong machine receives the first card-adding signal, the card-raising plate of the card-raising device descends, and the card-adding pusher first pushes a portion of the mahjong tiles in the storage slot (usually six and a half or thirteen tiles) onto the card-raising plate. The card-raising plate then rises and places these tiles onto the table, where the player can then remove them. After the mahjong machine receives the second card-adding signal, the card-raising plate descends again, and the card-adding pusher pushes the remaining mahjong tiles in the storage slot onto the card-raising plate. The card-raising plate then rises and places the mahjong tiles onto the table. This two-stage card-push scheme allows the existing four-player mahjong machine to function as an eight-player machine. However, during the card-push process, the card-push head occupies the space of one stack of cards in the card storage slot. Therefore, when playing with 17 stacks of cards, the card storage slot length is required to be 18-19 stacks. When playing with larger hands, the mahjong machine using this method requires a longer track length, which cannot be achieved with existing models. Therefore, it is necessary to minimize the length of the mahjong machine's card storage slot.

[0006] The invention patent publication CN108635827A describes a tile-loading structure for a three-layer mahjong machine, including a single-layer circular tile track and a double-layer circular tile track, both stacked vertically. Each single-layer tile track has a motor mount, a second motor mounted on the motor mount via gears, and a first motor mounted on the motor mount via a rotating shaft. A single-layer tile turntable is connected to the driven shaft of the motor mount via bearings, and the teeth of the single-layer tile turntable mesh with the gears. A single-layer tile lever is provided on the single-layer tile turntable. A tile-adjusting ring and a double-layer tile lever placed within the adjusting ring are installed on the double-layer tile track. After the three layers of tiles enter the tile track, the second motor drives the gears, causing the single-layer tile turntable to rotate. The single-layer tile lever on the turntable pushes the tiles from the single-layer tile track onto the mahjong machine table. Similarly, after the three layers of tiles enter the tile track, the first motor drives the rotating shaft, causing the double-layer tile lever to rotate, pushing the tiles from the double-layer tile track onto the mahjong machine table. The mahjong machine with the above structure stacks three mahjong tiles into a pile. This pile is then divided into single-layer (one tile) and double-layer (two tiles stacked) sections, which are fed into the single-layer and double-layer tracks respectively before being delivered to the mahjong table. This design effectively shortens the required track length. However, the tile-feeding structure of this mahjong machine occupies a significant amount of height, resulting in a larger overall height, especially when playing with larger mahjong tiles, which is not feasible with existing models. Furthermore, using two separate motors to directly or indirectly drive two tile-pushing heads to move the tiles in the single-layer and double-layer tracks increases the structural and control complexity of the machine, as well as its production cost.

[0007] For example, the Chinese invention patent publication with publication number "CN108635827A" describes a tile-loading structure for a three-layer mahjong machine. This structure includes a single-layer circular tile track and a double-layer circular tile track, both stacked vertically. A motor base is mounted on the single-layer tile track, and a second motor is mounted on the motor base via gears. A first motor is mounted on the motor base via a rotating shaft. The driven shaft on the motor base is connected to a single-layer tile turntable via bearings. The teeth of the single-layer tile turntable mesh with the gears. A single-layer tile lever is provided on the single-layer tile turntable. A tile-adjusting ring and a double-layer tile lever placed within the adjusting ring are installed on the double-layer tile track. After the three layers of tiles enter the tile track, the second motor drives the gears, causing the single-layer tile turntable to rotate. The single-layer tile lever pushes the tiles from the single-layer tile track onto the mahjong machine table. This invention discloses a three-layer mahjong machine tile-loading structure with one motor base and two motors, which respectively push the single-layer and double-layer tiles, offering the advantage of one structure with two functions, thus enhancing practicality and versatility. The proposed design uses three tiles stacked vertically, with two motors pushing the single-layer and double-layer tiles respectively. It also includes circular single-layer and double-layer tile tracks that are installed vertically. When the mahjong tiles are pushed onto the single-layer and double-layer tracks, the bottom plate of the track cuts between the tiles. However, this structure is prone to causing the tiles to warp and become disorganized or malfunction during the pushing process. Summary of the Invention

[0008] To address the aforementioned problems, the first objective of this invention is to provide a stacking and pushing device that can separate the mahjong tiles needed for dealing and the mahjong tiles needed for drawing tiles during the stacking process, eliminating the need for cutting and separating the three layers of mahjong tiles during the pushing process. This simplifies the structure and avoids the error-prone problem caused by separating the three layers of mahjong tiles during the pushing process. The second objective of this invention is to provide a tile picking and carrying system incorporating the aforementioned stacking and pushing device. The third objective of this invention is to provide a mahjong machine incorporating the aforementioned stacking and pushing device.

[0009] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0010] A stacking and pushing device includes a receiving block for receiving mahjong tiles at the outlet of a tile feeding device, and a pushing head for pushing the mahjong tiles on the receiving block into a storage slot; characterized in that: the receiving block includes an upper receiving area and a lower receiving area that are arranged vertically and relatively independent; during the vertical movement of the receiving block, the upper and lower receiving areas rise and fall relative to the outlet of the tile feeding device, one of the upper and lower receiving areas is used to receive a single layer of mahjong tiles, and the other receiving area is used to receive two stacked mahjong tiles; the pushing head is capable of pushing the mahjong tiles received in the upper and lower receiving areas.

[0011] Preferably, the upper tile-holding area is used to hold a single layer of mahjong tiles, and the lower tile-holding area is used to hold two stacked mahjong tiles.

[0012] Preferably, the pusher head includes an upper pusher area or upper pusher head for pushing mahjong tiles in the upper holding area, and a lower pusher area or lower pusher head for pushing mahjong tiles in the lower holding area.

[0013] Preferably, the stacking and pushing device also includes a housing, and a stacking and pushing motor, a plate-bearing cam, and a plate-bearing swing arm disposed on the housing. The stacking and pushing motor drives the plate-bearing cam to rotate, and the plate-bearing cam is provided with a plate-bearing curved groove. The end of the plate-bearing swing arm is provided with a rotating shaft and swings up and down around the rotating shaft. The middle part of the plate-bearing swing arm is provided with a plate-bearing roller, which moves in the plate-bearing curved groove. The movable end of the plate-bearing swing arm is movably connected to the vertically rising and falling plate-bearing block.

[0014] Preferably, the stacking and pushing device further includes a pusher slider that slides laterally on the housing. The pusher slider is connected to the upper pusher head and the lower pusher head to achieve synchronous lateral sliding. The card-bearing cam drives the pusher slider to slide laterally, and the pushing action of the upper pusher head and the lower pusher head is linked with the lifting and lowering movement of the card-bearing block.

[0015] Preferably, the pusher slider is provided with a pusher curve groove, and the card receiving cam is provided with a pusher roller. The pusher roller moves in the pusher curve groove. Based on the change in the movement position of the pusher roller in the pusher curve groove, the pusher slider changes in the lateral direction.

[0016] A card picking and handling system, characterized in that it includes a stacking and pushing device as described in any one of the above-mentioned methods.

[0017] A mahjong machine, characterized in that it includes a stacking and pushing device as described in any one of the above descriptions.

[0018] This invention adopts the above-mentioned technical solution, which relates to a stacking and pushing device, a card-picking and handling system with the stacking and pushing device, and a mahjong machine. In the stacking and pushing device, the card-bearing block includes an upper card-bearing area and a lower card-bearing area. One of the upper and lower card-bearing areas is used to receive a single layer of mahjong tiles (the mahjong tiles needed for dealing), and the other card-bearing area is used to receive two stacked mahjong tiles (the mahjong tiles needed for drawing tiles). The pushing head can push the mahjong tiles in the upper and lower card-bearing areas to the corresponding card-storage slots. Compared with the prior art (CN107519637A), using this stacking and pushing device, the mahjong tiles needed for dealing and the mahjong tiles needed for drawing tiles can be separated during the stacking process, eliminating the need for cutting and separating the three layers of mahjong tiles during the pushing process. This simplifies the structure and avoids the error-prone problem caused by separating the three layers of mahjong tiles during the pushing process. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a mahjong machine.

[0020] Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the stacking device.

[0021] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the rear structure of the stacking device.

[0022] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the stacking and pushing device receiving the first mahjong tile.

[0023] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the stacking and pushing device receiving the second mahjong tile.

[0024] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the stacking and pushing device receiving the third mahjong tile.

[0025] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of a stacking and pushing device that lifts up after receiving three mahjong tiles.

[0026] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of a stacking and pushing device that receives three mahjong tiles and then pushes them out.

[0027] Figure 9 This is a partial structural diagram of a mahjong machine.

[0028] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first and second card storage slots. Detailed Implementation

[0029] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and intended to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0030] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "clockwise," and "counterclockwise," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention.

[0031] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this invention, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless explicitly defined otherwise.

[0032] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0033] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can include direct contact between the first and second features, or contact between the first and second features through another feature between them. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature includes the first feature directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature includes the first feature directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0034] like Figures 1-10 The mahjong machine shown includes a central control panel assembly 11 located in the center of the base plate of the frame 1, a shuffling tray, and a card scraper. Four sets of card-picking and transporting systems are arranged around the shuffling tray. Each card-picking and transporting system includes a card-feeding device 2 for picking up and delivering mahjong tiles one by one from the shuffling tray, a card-stacking device for stacking multiple mahjong tiles into a pile, a card-pushing device for pushing mahjong tiles into a storage slot, and a ramp-dispensing device for conveying the stacked mahjong tiles onto the mahjong machine table via a ramp. The ramp-dispensing device includes a card-raising bracket, and card-raising and card-lifting components mounted on the card-raising bracket; the card-raising bracket includes a storage slot and a card-lifting bracket.

[0035] In this embodiment, to achieve the function of an eight-player machine, the tabletop of the frame 1 is provided with four first lifting slots for dispensing mahjong tiles needed for drawing tiles, and four second lifting slots for dispensing mahjong tiles needed for the initial dealing of tiles. The four first lifting slots are located in the center of the tabletop and are arranged around the central control panel assembly 11. The lifting position of the first lifting slots is similar to that of the currently used four-player machines. In this solution, the first lifting slots are inclined relative to the edge of the tabletop, and the distance between the left end of the first lifting slot and the edge of the tabletop is smaller than the distance between the right end of the first lifting slot and the edge of the tabletop, which is determined by the user's direction on that side; this makes the operating space in front of the user's right side larger, which is suitable for the hand habits of most users. The four second lifting slots are located at the four edges of the tabletop and are basically parallel to the edge of the tabletop; after the second lifting slots dispense mahjong tiles, the user only needs to stand up the mahjong tiles at that point, which is equivalent to completing the step of manually dealing tiles in a traditional four-player machine.

[0036] The specific internal structure of the mahjong machine is as follows:

[0037] The card-feeding device 2 includes a card-feeding box with a card-feeding channel for transferring mahjong tiles inside. A card-suction wheel is located at the inlet of the card-feeding channel, and a conveyor belt driven by a card-feeding motor is installed within the channel. In this embodiment, the card-feeding channel can be a traditional straight channel, but an arc-shaped channel can also be used for optimized structural layout. To ensure the reliability of mahjong tile delivery, the height of the outlet of the card-feeding channel is not lower than the height of the inlet. For the specific structure of the card-feeding device 2, please refer to patent documents with publication numbers CN105413161A, CN106492454A, and CN106669142A.

[0038] In this embodiment, the stacking and pushing devices can move independently, coordinating their actions through sensor sensing; alternatively, they can be synchronously driven by a single stacking and pushing device 3 (stacking and pushing head). This embodiment primarily aims to achieve the function of an eight-card machine, capable of stacking and pushing out the twelve or thirteen cards required for the opening game. Therefore, the stacking and pushing device 3 in this embodiment can stack three mahjong tiles. For the specific structure, please refer to the patent document with publication number CN107335216A. Specifically, as... Figure 2 and 3As shown, the stacking and pushing device 3 includes a receiving block 31 for receiving mahjong tiles at the outlet of the card feeding device 2, and a pushing head for pushing the mahjong tiles on the receiving block 31 into the storage slot. The receiving block 31 can move up and down with the outlet of the card feeding device 2 to stack the mahjong tiles into a pile; the receiving block 31 has three stopping heights, and three mahjong tiles can be stacked on the receiving block 31, that is, three mahjong tiles are stacked into a pile. Unlike the patent document with publication number CN107335216A, the receiving block 31 in this embodiment includes an upper receiving area 311 and a lower receiving area 312 that are set up vertically and are relatively independent. During the up and down movement of the receiving block 31, the upper receiving area 311 and the lower receiving area 312 rise and fall relative to the outlet of the card feeding device 2. In order to achieve the stacking of three mahjong tiles, the receiving block 31 also has three stopping heights. Furthermore, to separate the single-layer mahjong tiles needed for the initial dealing and the two stacked mahjong tiles needed for drawing tiles during the stacking process, this design includes an upper holding area 311 and a lower holding area 312. One of the holding areas 311 and 312 is used to hold a single layer of mahjong tiles, while the other holding area is used to hold two stacked mahjong tiles. Considering the convenience of placing mahjong tiles, the upper holding area 311 in the above design is used to hold a single layer of mahjong tiles, and the lower holding area 312 is used to hold two stacked mahjong tiles. The lifting and lowering principle of the holding block 31 can be the same as that of the stacking and pushing device 3 in the patent document with publication number CN107335216A. In this scheme, the stacking and pushing device 3 also includes a housing 32, and a stacking and pushing motor 33, a plate-bearing cam 34, and a plate-bearing swing arm 35 disposed on the housing 32. The stacking and pushing motor 33 drives the plate-bearing cam 34 to rotate. The plate-bearing cam 34 is provided with a plate-bearing curved groove 341. The plate-bearing swing arm 35 is hinged to the housing 32. Specifically, the end of the plate-bearing swing arm 35 is provided with a rotating shaft 351 and swings up and down around the rotating shaft 351. The middle part of the plate-bearing swing arm 35 is provided with a plate-bearing roller 352. The plate-bearing roller 352 moves in the plate-bearing curved groove 341. The movable end of the plate-bearing swing arm 35 is movably connected to the vertically rising and falling plate-bearing block 31. When the stacking motor 33 is running, it drives the bearing cam 34 to rotate. As the bearing cam 34 rotates, the bearing roller 352 on one end of the bearing swing arm 35 moves relative to the bearing curved groove 341. As the position of the bearing roller 352 changes within the bearing curved groove 341, the bearing block 31, which is movably connected to the other end of the bearing swing arm 35, is raised and lowered.

[0039] like Figures 4-6 As shown, the aforementioned support block 31 has three stopping heights, specifically including a first height, a second height, and a third height;

[0040] The first height is the lower holding area 312 of the holding block 31, which is used to store the first mahjong tile in this area; in this first height, the height of the lower holding plate of the bottom plate of the lower holding area 312 is slightly lower than the height of the tile outlet of the tile feeding device 2.

[0041] The second height is the lower holding area 312 of the holding block 31, which is used to store the second mahjong tile in this area; in this second height, the top surface of the first mahjong tile is lower than the tile outlet of the tile feeding device 2, and the lower holding area 312 receives the second mahjong tile sent out from the tile feeding channel, with the second mahjong tile stacked on top of the first mahjong tile.

[0042] The third height is the upper holding area 311 of the holding block 31, which is used to store the first mahjong tile in this area; in this third height, the height of the holding plate on the bottom plate of the upper holding area 311 is slightly lower than the height of the tile dispensing opening of the tile feeding device 2.

[0043] Based on the aforementioned tile-bearing block 31 structure, the tile-pushing head needs to be able to push the mahjong tiles from the upper tile-bearing area 311 and the lower tile-bearing area 312 to their respective storage slots. In the first solution, two independently operating tile-pushing heads can be used to push the mahjong tiles from the upper tile-bearing area 311 and the lower tile-bearing area 312 respectively. In the second solution, an upper tile-pushing head 361 and a lower tile-pushing head 362 are included. The upper tile-pushing head 361 and the lower tile-pushing head 362 are synchronously driven by the same driving structure to realize the pushing of mahjong tiles from the upper tile-bearing area 311 and the lower tile-bearing area 312 respectively. In the third implementation scheme, a pusher head is used, which includes an upper pusher area for pushing mahjong tiles from the upper holding area 311 and a lower pusher area for pushing mahjong tiles from the lower holding area 312. Both the upper and lower pusher areas have a notch corresponding to the bottom plate of the upper holding area 311 to ensure that the pusher head is not obstructed by the holding block 31 when pushing mahjong tiles. Specifically, as shown in... Figure 2 and 3 In the illustrated embodiment, the upper push card head 361 and the lower push card head 362 are synchronously driven by the same drive structure. Specifically, the stacking and pushing device 3 also includes a push card slider 37 that is laterally slidably restricted on the housing 32. Specifically, the housing 32 is provided with a laterally arranged optical axis, and the push card slider 37 is slidably arranged on the optical axis. The push card slider 37 is connected to the upper push card head 361 and the lower push card head 362 to achieve synchronous lateral sliding. The card-bearing cam 34 drives the push card slider 37 to slide laterally, thereby controlling the pushing action of the upper push card head 361 and the lower push card head 362 to be linked with the lifting and lowering movement of the card-bearing block 31. In the embodiment shown in the figure, the push card slider 37 is provided with a push card curved groove 371, and the card-bearing cam 34 is provided with a push card roller 342. The push card roller 342 moves within the push card curved groove 371. Based on the change in the movement position of the push card roller 342 within the push card curved groove 371, the push card slider 37 changes in the lateral direction.

[0044] In the above scheme, the position change of the card-receiving roller 352 within the card-receiving curved groove 341 causes the card-receiving block 31 to rise and fall; the position change of the card-pushing roller 342 within the card-pushing curved groove 371 causes the card-pushing slider 37 to move laterally. Therefore, the curve changes of the card-receiving curved groove 341 and the card-pushing curved groove 371 affect the card-receiving block 31 (card-stacking action) and the card-pushing slider 37 (card-pushing action). Specifically, the shapes of the card-receiving curved groove 341 and the card-pushing curved groove 371 can be referred to the shapes of the card-receiving curved groove and the card-pushing curved groove described in the Chinese invention patent publication with publication number "CN107335216A". Of course, those skilled in the art can also make adaptive changes to the card-receiving curved groove and the card-pushing curved groove as needed.

[0045] The aforementioned stacking device 3 stacks three mahjong tiles, dividing them into two groups: the upper group contains a single mahjong tile, and the lower group contains two stacked mahjong tiles. In the subsequent inclined tile-dispensing device, the tile-raising support includes two tile storage slots (first tile storage slot 41 and second tile storage slot 42), two tile-lifting supports (first tile-lifting support 43 and second tile-lifting support 44), and two sets of tile-lifting components (first tile-lifting component and second tile-lifting component). Specifically, the starting ends of the first tile storage slot 41 and the second tile storage slot 42 are respectively connected to the tile-dispensing end of the stacking device 3, with the first tile storage slot 41 located below the second tile storage slot 42. The starting end of the first tile storage slot 41 is used to receive the two-layer stacked mahjong tiles delivered from the lower tile-receiving area 312, and the starting end of the second tile storage slot 42 is used to receive the single-layer mahjong tiles delivered from the upper tile-receiving area 311. Figure 9 and 10As shown, the track path of the first tile storage slot 41 is C-shaped, and the first tile lifting bracket 43 is connected to the end of the track of the first tile storage slot 41. The first tile lifting bracket 43 is located in the frame 1 below the first tile lifting port. The two layers of stacked mahjong tiles in the first tile storage slot 41 are conveyed and then sent to the tabletop through the first tile lifting port. The specific structure of the first tile lifting component can be found in the tile lifting structure in the Chinese utility model patent application No. "2019200586016" filed by the applicant, which includes a first tile lifting plate 45 with one end hinged to the first tile lifting bracket 43, and a tile lifting drive component that drives the first tile lifting plate 45 to move along its hinged end. The first tile-lifting tray 45 can swing within a certain range relative to the first tile-lifting bracket 43 along its hinged end. When the movable end of the first tile-lifting tray 45 is at the lowest point of the swing path, the first tile-lifting tray 45 is connected to the end of the track of the first tile storage slot 41; when the movable end of the first tile-lifting tray 45 is at the highest point of the swing path, the first tile-lifting tray 45 is horizontal and closes the first tile-lifting opening. As shown in the figure, the track path of the second tile storage slot 42 is "J" shaped, and the second tile-lifting bracket 44 is connected to the end of the track of the second tile storage slot 42. The second tile-lifting bracket 44 is located in the frame 1 below the second tile-lifting opening; 13 or 14 single-layer mahjong tiles in the second tile storage slot 42 are conveyed to the tabletop through the first tile-lifting opening. The specific structure of the second card-lifting component can be found in the card-lifting structure in the Chinese utility model patent application No. "2019200586016" filed by the applicant. This structure includes a second card-lifting tray 46 with one end hinged to a second card-lifting bracket 44, and a card-lifting drive assembly that drives the second card-lifting tray 46 to move along its hinged end. The second card-lifting tray 46 can swing relative to the second card-lifting bracket 44 within a certain range along its hinged end. When the movable end of the second card-lifting tray 46 is at the lower end of the swing path, the second card-lifting tray 46 is in contact with the end of the track of the second card storage slot 42; when the movable end of the second card-lifting tray 46 is at the upper end of the swing path, the second card-lifting tray 46 is horizontal and closes the second card-lifting opening.

[0046] In the aforementioned inclined card-dispensing device, two sets of card-feeding components can be selected to push mahjong tiles on the first card storage slot 41 and the second card storage slot 42, respectively. Each set of card-feeding components includes a card-feeding swing rod and a card-feeding motor. The card-feeding motor drives the card-feeding swing rod to rotate along one end, and the other end of the card-feeding swing rod passes over the card storage slot to push the mahjong tiles. However, using two sets of card-feeding components to push the tiles separately requires two sets of drive motors, which is complex and costly. In addition, it is also necessary to consider whether the swing paths of the two card-feeding swing rods will intersect or have a cooperative relationship with the card-feeding bracket and the card storage slot. Alternatively, the technical solution described in publication number CN108096828A can be referenced, in which card-pulling components are respectively provided in the first card storage slot 41 and the second card storage slot 42. The card-pulling component includes a card-pulling head that moves along the track direction of the first card storage slot 41 or the second card storage slot 42. The card-pulling head can be driven by a card-pulling motor via a steel wire rope, as in the patent document with publication number CN108096828A, or it can be driven by a belt. Of course, the above two solutions can also be combined, that is, a card-raising swing rod is used when pushing cards in the first card storage slot 41, and a card-pulling head is used when pushing cards in the second card storage slot 42; or the opposite of the above two solutions.

[0047] In the embodiment shown in the figure, the ramp card dispensing device uses the same card feeding assembly, which includes a first card feeding swing arm, a second card feeding swing arm, and a card feeding motor. The first and second card feeding swing arms are coaxially rotatable and both are driven by the card feeding motor. As mentioned above, the first card storage slot 41 is located below the second card storage slot 42, and a gap is left between the top of the first card storage slot 41 and the bottom of the second card storage slot 42, allowing the first card feeding swing arm to extend into the first card storage slot 41 to push the cards. The track path of the first card storage slot 41 is "C" shaped, and the first card storage slot 41 is an arc centered on the rotation axis of the first card-raising lever; the track path of the second card storage slot 42 is "J" shaped, which includes an arc segment 421 and a straight segment 422. The arc segment 421 is in front of the straight segment 422, that is, the beginning of the straight segment 422 is connected to the end of the arc segment 421. The arc segment 421 coincides with the arc of the first card storage slot 41, and the straight segment 422 fits the edge of the mahjong machine frame 1 and is on the same straight line as the second card-raising tray 46 and the second card-raising opening. When the card-adding motor drives the first and second card-adding levers to rotate, the first card-adding lever pushes the mahjong tiles onto the first card-lifting tray 45 along the trajectory of the first card storage slot 41. After the first card-lifting tray 45 is raised, the mahjong tiles are lifted onto the table. The second card-adding lever pushes the mahjong tiles onto the second card-lifting tray 46 along the trajectory of the second card storage slot 42. After the second card-lifting tray 46 is raised, the mahjong tiles are lifted onto the table. In the above scheme, in order to ensure that the second card-adding lever completely pushes the mahjong tiles onto the second card-lifting tray 46, the movable end of the second card-adding lever must pass through the end of the straight section 422 of the second card storage slot 42 to ensure that no mahjong tiles are left in the second card storage slot 42 after the second card-adding lever passes through. Furthermore, the aforementioned scheme indicates that the first card storage slot 41 is located below the second card storage slot 42, and the second card storage slot 42 is located above it. At this time, the relative position of the second card storage slot 42 is higher, and the swing angle of the second card lifting tray 46 is smaller. Due to the smaller swing angle, less clearance space is needed inside the frame 1. For example, a track-based card separator described in Chinese utility model patent publication number "CN 208694238 U" includes a first sub-track for sequentially conveying mahjong tiles separated from the main track to the neatly arranged tiles in the tile-grabbing area, a second sub-track for sequentially conveying mahjong tiles separated from the main track to the neatly arranged tiles in the tile-playing area, and a card-pushing mechanism for pushing the mahjong tiles. In this scheme, because the conveying track for the mahjong tiles to be played is located below, a second sub-track and a card-pushing mechanism are required to create more clearance space and achieve a larger angle of lifting of the card lifting tray. In addition, in this solution, the tilt angle of the second tile-lifting plate 46 when receiving mahjong tiles is relatively small, so that the mahjong tiles will not slide down due to the large tilt angle during the lifting process of the second tile-lifting plate 46.In another equivalent implementation, the tile-adding assembly includes a tile-adding swing arm 47, a tile-adding motor for driving the swing, and a tile-adding push head connected to the movable end of the swing arm 47. The push head includes a first tile-adding section and a second tile-adding section. The first tile-adding section pushes the mahjong tiles onto the first tile-lifting tray 45 along the trajectory of the first tile storage slot 41, and the second tile-adding section pushes the mahjong tiles onto the second tile-lifting tray 46 along the trajectory of the second tile storage slot 42. The second tile-adding section passes through the end of the straight section 422 of the second tile storage slot 42. This solution combines the coaxially rotating first and second tile-adding swing arms in the above solution into a single tile-adding swing arm 47, and uses two tile-adding sections to fulfill the tile-adding requirements of the first and second tile storage slots 41 and 42.

[0048] In the aforementioned tile-collecting and transporting system, the track path of the first tile storage slot 41 is C-shaped, and the first tile-lifting tray 45 is supported at the end of the track of the first tile storage slot 41. The track path of the second tile storage slot 42 is J-shaped, and the second tile-lifting tray 46 is supported at the end of the straight section 422 of the second tile storage slot 42. Thus, the mahjong tiles transported by the first tile storage slot 41 in the tile-collecting and transporting system are delivered to the first tile-lifting opening on the front side, while the mahjong tiles transported by the second tile storage slot 42 are delivered to the second tile-lifting opening on the adjacent side in a counterclockwise direction. Similarly, in an automatic mahjong machine, four sets of tile-collecting and transporting systems are located on the four sides of the shuffling plate. The mahjong tiles delivered by the first tile storage slot 41 of each set of tile-collecting and transporting systems are in front of the player on that side, while the mahjong tiles delivered by the second tile storage slot 42 of each set of tile-collecting and transporting systems are in front of the player downstream.

[0049] The most significant innovation of the aforementioned mahjong machine lies in the following: While achieving the function of an eight-player mahjong machine within an existing three-layer design, this machine's tile-feeding device 2 is divided into an upper tile-bearing area 311 and a lower tile-bearing area 312. The corresponding inclined tile-dispensing device incorporates a first tile storage slot 41 and a second tile storage slot 42. The first tile storage slot 41 receives two stacked mahjong tiles from the lower tile-bearing area 312, while the second tile storage slot 42 receives a single layer of mahjong tiles from the upper tile-bearing area 311. Furthermore, to simplify the tile-feeding structure, the second tile storage slot 42 is positioned above the first tile storage slot 41, resulting in a smaller swing angle and a smaller tilt angle during receiving, thus reducing the need for excessive clearance. A single tile-feeding component is sufficient for tile lifting, simplifying the structure and improving efficiency.

[0050] The method for arranging the mahjong tiles in the above-mentioned mahjong machine is as follows:

[0051] When the mahjong machine is working, the shuffling disc rotates while the scraper remains stationary. The mahjong tiles on the shuffling disc are respectively fed to the inlets of the four feeding devices 2 at the edge of the shuffling disc. The mahjong tiles are picked up by the suction wheels in the feeding devices 2, straightened to the same direction, and then fed into the feeding channel. They are then conveyed by the conveyor belt from the outlet of the feeding channel to the receiving block 31 in the stacking device 3. One of the three mahjong tiles continuously fed out by the feeding device 2 is pushed into the upper receiving area 311 of the receiving block 31, and the other two mahjong tiles are pushed into the lower receiving area 312 of the receiving block 31 and stacked. The order of holding tiles in the upper tile-holding area 311 and the lower tile-holding area 312 can be adjusted as needed. The adjustment scheme is based on the cooperative action of the tile-holding cam 34 and the tile-pushing slider 37 described above. Then, the upper tile-pushing head 361 in the stacking and pushing device 3 pushes the mahjong tiles in the upper tile-holding area 311 into the second tile storage slot 42, and the lower tile-pushing head 362 pushes the mahjong tiles in the lower tile-holding area 312 into the first tile storage slot 41. The stacking and pushing steps are repeated until enough mahjong tiles are stored in the first tile storage slot 41 and the second tile storage slot 42, and then the player waits for the tile-adding signal. Upon receiving the card-adding signal, the movable end of the first card-raising plate 45 descends to engage with the end of the track of the first card storage slot 41, and the movable end of the second card-raising plate 46 descends to engage with the end of the track of the second card storage slot 42. The card-adding motor drives the first card-adding swing arm and the second card-adding swing arm to rotate synchronously. The first card-adding swing arm pushes the mahjong tiles onto the first card-raising plate 45 along the track of the first card storage slot 41, and the second card-adding swing arm pushes the mahjong tiles onto the second card-raising plate 46 along the track of the second card storage slot 42. After the card-adding is completed, the first card-raising plate 45 and the second card-raising plate 46 are raised to lift the mahjong tiles onto the tabletop.

[0052] Based on the above method of arranging mahjong tiles, the tabletop has four first-stage tile-raising slots and four second-stage tile-raising slots, hence the name "eight-slot machine"; the mahjong tiles delivered to the tabletop by the first-stage tile-raising tray 45 are the mahjong tiles needed for drawing tiles, consisting of two stacks; the mahjong tiles delivered to the tabletop by the first-stage tile-raising tray 45 are the tiles dealt to each player at the start of the game, consisting of a single layer.

[0053] In the description of this specification, references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0054] Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described above, it is understood that the above embodiments are exemplary and should not be construed as limiting the present invention. Those skilled in the art can make changes, modifications, substitutions and variations to the above embodiments within the scope of the present invention without departing from the principles and spirit of the present invention.

Claims

1. A stacking and pushing device, comprising a receiving block (31) for receiving mahjong tiles at the dispensing port of a tile feeding device (2), and a pushing head for pushing the mahjong tiles on the receiving block (31) into a tile storage slot; characterized in that: The card-bearing block (31) includes an upper card-bearing area (311) and a lower card-bearing area (312) that are set up vertically and are relatively independent. During the vertical movement of the card-bearing block (31), the upper card-bearing area (311) and the lower card-bearing area (312) move up and down relative to the card-dispensing port of the card-feeding device (2). One of the card-bearing areas (311) and the lower card-bearing area (312) is used to receive a single layer of mahjong tiles, and the other card-bearing area is used to receive two stacked mahjong tiles. The card-pushing head can push the mahjong tiles received in the upper card-bearing area (311) and the lower card-bearing area (312).

2. The stacking device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The upper holding area (311) is used to hold a single layer of mahjong tiles, and the lower holding area (312) is used to hold two stacked mahjong tiles.

3. The stacking device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The pusher head includes an upper pusher area or upper pusher head (361) for pushing mahjong tiles in the upper holding area (311), and a lower pusher area or lower pusher head (362) for pushing mahjong tiles in the lower holding area (312).

4. A stacking device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The stacking and pushing device also includes a housing (32), and a stacking and pushing motor (33), a bearing cam (34), and a bearing swing arm (35) disposed on the housing (32). The stacking and pushing motor (33) drives the bearing cam (34) to rotate. The bearing cam (34) is provided with a bearing curved groove (341). The end of the bearing swing arm (35) is provided with a rotating shaft (351) and swings up and down around the rotating shaft (351). The middle part of the bearing swing arm (35) is provided with a bearing roller (352). The bearing roller (352) moves in the bearing curved groove (341). The movable end of the bearing swing arm (35) is movably connected to the up and down lifting bearing block (31).

5. The stacking device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The stacking and pushing device also includes a pusher slider (37) that slides laterally on the housing (32). The pusher slider (37) is connected to the upper pusher head (361) and the lower pusher head (362) to achieve synchronous lateral sliding. The card-bearing cam (34) drives the pusher slider (37) to slide laterally. The pushing action of the upper pusher head (361) and the lower pusher head (362) is linked with the lifting and lowering movement of the card-bearing block (31).

6. The stacking device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The pusher slider (37) is provided with a pusher curve groove (371), and the card-bearing cam (34) is provided with a pusher roller (342). The pusher roller (342) moves in the pusher curve groove (371). Based on the change in the movement position of the pusher roller (342) in the pusher curve groove (371), the pusher slider (37) changes in the lateral direction.

7. A card-picking and transporting system, characterized in that: Includes the stacking device as described in any one of claims 1 to 8.

8. A mahjong machine, characterized in that: Includes the stacking device as described in any one of claims 1 to 8.

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