Driving device of mahjong machine pushing and lifting mechanism, mahjong machine pushing and lifting mechanism and mahjong machine

Abstract

The application discloses a mahjong machine pushing and lifting mechanism driving device, a mahjong machine pushing and lifting mechanism and a mahjong machine, belongs to the mahjong machine field, solves the poor stability problem of the mahjong machine pushing and lifting mechanism during operation, and the mahjong machine pushing and lifting mechanism driving device comprises a pushing and lifting motor, a driving gear driven by the pushing and lifting motor, a tile pushing gear for driving the mahjong machine tile pushing mechanism to act, the tile pushing gear is intermittently engaged with the driving gear, a tile lifting gear for driving the mahjong machine tile lifting mechanism to act, and the tile lifting gear is driven by a transition gear between the driving gear, in one pushing and lifting cycle of the mahjong machine pushing and lifting mechanism, the transition gear rotates one circle, and the tile lifting gear intermittently rotates one circle.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This invention relates to the field of mahjong machines, and more particularly to a drive device for a mahjong machine lifting mechanism, a mahjong machine lifting mechanism, and a mahjong machine. [Background Technology]

[0002] Mahjong is a popular intellectual game. After each game, the tiles need to be shuffled, a tedious and time-consuming process. Therefore, mahjong machines with automatic shuffling capabilities have been invented. To reduce the size of mahjong machines, one existing model features an arc-shaped tile-pushing groove, reducing the overall size of the machine by minimizing the size of the tile-pushing structure. The machine contains a tile-pushing mechanism and a tile-lifting mechanism. The pushing mechanism pushes the mahjong tiles onto the lifting mechanism, which then raises them to the tabletop. Since these two mechanisms operate asynchronously, two separate motors are needed to drive each mechanism.

[0003] To reduce costs, CN213313299U discloses a license plate feeding transmission mechanism that can simultaneously drive a license plate pushing mechanism and a license plate lifting mechanism with a single motor. The mechanism includes a license plate feeding strip, a lifting push rod for lifting the license plate feeding strip, and a lifting gear for driving the lifting push rod. The lifting gear is driven by a driven gear and has an arc-shaped bottom track groove at its bottom. One end of the lifting push rod has a roller that extends into the arc-shaped bottom track groove. The rotation of the lifting gear causes the roller to slide relative to the arc-shaped bottom track groove, thereby driving the lifting push rod to drive the license plate feeding strip. The driven gear and the lifting gear always remain meshed. The lifting gear completes one card-raising action with one rotation of the card-raising strip. Due to the limitations of the transmission relationship between the various components in the transmission mechanism, the driven gear cannot be made large. Therefore, the speed ratio between the driven gear and the lifting gear is less than 1. In order to achieve the card-raising action, the curvature of some arc-shaped bottom track grooves changes significantly so that the lifting push rod can complete the card-raising action in a short time when it cooperates with this arc-shaped bottom track groove. Therefore, the lifting speed of the card-raising strip is very fast, which leads to the instability of the mahjong tiles. The relative force between the roller and the inner wall of the arc-shaped bottom track groove is large, which makes the roller easy to deform. [Summary of the Invention]

[0004] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art by proposing a driving device for the lifting mechanism of a mahjong machine, which solves the problem of poor stability during the operation of the lifting mechanism of the mahjong machine.

[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0006] The driving device for the mahjong machine's lifting mechanism includes:

[0007] Boost motor; and,

[0008] The drive gear is driven by the lifting motor; and,

[0009] A card-pushing gear for driving the card-pushing mechanism, the card-pushing gear intermittently meshing with the drive gear; and,

[0010] The tile-lifting gear is used to drive the tile-lifting mechanism. The tile-lifting gear is driven by a transition gear. The tile-lifting gear and the transition gear mesh intermittently. In one lifting cycle of the mahjong machine's lifting mechanism, the transition gear rotates once, and the tile-lifting gear rotates once intermittently.

[0011] Based on the above scheme, the pusher gear includes a first toothless section and a first toothed section. The drive gear meshes with the first toothed section and drives through it. The drive gear disengages from the first toothless section.

[0012] Based on the above scheme, the drive gear is provided with a paddle block, which moves the push gear as the drive gear rotates, causing it to mesh with the drive gear.

[0013] Based on the above scheme, the drive gear is provided with a first push-plate locking arc surface and two first clearance grooves circumferentially spaced on the first push-plate locking arc surface. The push-plate gear is provided with a second push-plate locking arc surface. The first push-plate locking arc surface and the second push-plate locking arc surface are in concave-convex cooperation to position the push-plate gear in the disengaged state.

[0014] Based on the above scheme, the transition gear includes a first transition gear and a second transition gear that are coaxially linked. The first transition gear meshes with the driving gear. The second transition gear includes a second toothless section and a second toothed section. The lifting gear meshes with the second toothed section for transmission, and the lifting gear disengages from the second toothless section.

[0015] Based on the above scheme, the second toothless section is provided with a first lifting plate locking arc surface and two second clearance grooves circumferentially spaced on the first lifting plate locking arc surface. The lifting plate gear is provided with a second lifting plate locking arc surface. The first lifting plate locking arc surface and the second lifting plate locking arc surface are in concave-convex cooperation to position the lifting plate gear in the disengaged state.

[0016] Based on the above scheme, the driving gear includes a first driving gear and a second driving gear that are coaxially linked. The first driving gear intermittently meshes with the card-pushing gear, and the second driving gear meshes with the transition gear. The horizontal projections of the transition gear and the card-raising gear overlap.

[0017] The mahjong machine lifting mechanism includes a tile pushing mechanism and a tile lifting mechanism. The tile pushing mechanism pushes the mahjong tiles to the tile lifting mechanism with an arc-shaped tile pushing trajectory with a central angle greater than 180°. The mahjong machine lifting mechanism also includes the driving device disclosed in any of the above technical solutions.

[0018] Based on the above scheme, the card pushing mechanism includes a card pushing groove and a card pushing component. The card pushing groove includes a card inlet and a card outlet. The card pushing groove from the card inlet to the card outlet has an arc-shaped curved structure with a central angle greater than 180°. The card pushing gear drives the card pushing component to push the mahjong tiles along the card pushing groove.

[0019] Based on the above scheme, the card pushing groove includes an upper card pushing track and a lower card pushing track. The card pushing trajectory of the upper card pushing track is radially outwardly deviated from the card pushing trajectory of the lower card pushing track. The inner ring side of the upper card pushing track is provided with a spring piece protruding into the upper card pushing track.

[0020] Based on the above scheme, the card lifting mechanism includes a card lifting plate, a card lifting rocker arm, a card lifting connecting rod, and a cam curved surface guide groove. The card lifting gear drives the cam curved surface guide groove to rotate. One end of the card lifting connecting rod slides relative to the cam curved surface guide groove, and the other end of the card lifting connecting rod is driven by the card lifting rocker arm. The card lifting rocker arm drives the card lifting plate to perform lifting and lowering movements.

[0021] Mahjong machine, including the mahjong machine lifting mechanism disclosed in any of the above technical solutions.

[0022] The beneficial effects of this invention are:

[0023] The drive device disclosed in this invention is applied to a mahjong machine. The tile-lifting mechanism, under the action of the tile-lifting gear, can remain in a descending or stationary state, flush with the mahjong table. When the tile-lifting mechanism is descending, the tile-pushing mechanism can push the mahjong tiles onto the table. When the tile-lifting mechanism is rising, the tile-pushing mechanism can remain stationary without colliding with it. Because the tile-pushing gear intermittently meshes with the drive gear, and the tile-lifting gear intermittently meshes with the transition gear, the tile-pushing gear and the tile-lifting gear operate independently of each other, and there is no mutual interference between them.

[0024] The power required for the movement of both the pushing and lifting mechanisms is provided by the pushing motor, eliminating the need for two separate motors inside the mahjong machine to drive the pushing and lifting mechanisms, thus saving costs.

[0025] In the prior art disclosed in CN213313299U, the lifting gear rotates slowly. During the tile-raising process, to ensure the tile-raising action is completed within a specified time, the lifting gear needs to drive the lifting push rod in a short period. This results in excessively fast movement of the lifting push rod, leading to poor stability during the tile-raising process. Unlike the prior art, the driving device in this application, within one lifting cycle, drives the tile-raising gear to rotate once per transition gear rotation. When driving the tile-raising mechanism, the tile-raising gear rotates at a moderate speed, allowing the tile-raising mechanism to move at a relatively smooth speed, ensuring the stability of the tile-raising process. One lifting cycle includes: the push gear driving the push mechanism to move from the initial position, pushing the mahjong tile, and then returning to the initial position; the lifting gear driving the lifting mechanism to descend from the initial position, waiting for the mahjong tile to be pushed onto the lifting mechanism; and the lifting gear driving the lifting mechanism to return to the initial position while simultaneously lifting the mahjong tile onto the mahjong machine table.

[0026] Furthermore, the card-pushing gear includes a first toothless section and a first toothed section. The driving gear meshes with the first toothed section for transmission, and disengages from the first toothless section. When the driving gear meshes with the first toothed section, it can drive the card-pushing gear to rotate, thereby driving the card-pushing mechanism to perform a card-pushing action. As the card-pushing gear rotates, the first toothless section rotates to the driving gear and disengages from it, causing the card-pushing gear to enter a stationary state and thus stopping the card-pushing mechanism.

[0027] Furthermore, the drive gear is provided with a lever, which, as the drive gear rotates, actuates the push gear to engage with the drive gear. The lever can gradually approach the push gear as the drive gear rotates and, upon contact with the push gear, actuate the push gear, driving it to rotate and causing the first toothed segment to re-engage with the drive gear.

[0028] Furthermore, the driving gear is provided with a first push-plate locking arc surface and two first clearance grooves circumferentially spaced on the first push-plate locking arc surface. The push-plate gear is provided with a second push-plate locking arc surface. The first and second push-plate locking arc surfaces engage with each other to position the push-plate gear in the disengaged state. When the second and first push-plate locking arc surfaces engage, the driving gear can rotate relative to the push-plate gear without driving the push-plate gear to rotate, and the push-plate gear can remain stationary, thus keeping the push-plate mechanism stationary. During transmission, as the push-plate gear rotates, the first and second push-plate locking arc surfaces engage. The first clearance grooves can avoid the end position of the second push-plate locking arc surface, thus preventing interference between the end of the second push-plate locking arc surface and the driving gear. When the push-plate gear is moved by the lever, the other first clearance groove can avoid the other end position of the second push-plate locking arc surface, so that the second and first push-plate locking arc surfaces disengage.

[0029] Furthermore, the transition gear includes a first transition gear and a second transition gear that are coaxially linked. The first transition gear meshes with the driving gear, and the second transition gear includes a second toothless section and a second toothed section. The lifting gear meshes with the second toothed section for transmission, and the lifting gear disengages from the second toothless section. The first transition gear drives the second transition gear to rotate synchronously by meshing with the driving gear. When the second toothed section meshes with the lifting gear, it can drive the lifting gear to rotate and drive the lifting mechanism to perform the lifting action. As the transition gear rotates, the second toothless section rotates to the lifting gear and disengages from it, causing the lifting gear to enter a stationary state and thus stopping the lifting mechanism.

[0030] Furthermore, the second toothless section is provided with a first lifting plate locking arc surface and two second clearance grooves circumferentially spaced on the first lifting plate locking arc surface. The lifting gear is provided with a second lifting plate locking arc surface. The first and second lifting plate locking arc surfaces engage with each other to position the lifting gear in the disengaged state. When the second and first lifting plate locking arc surfaces engage, the second transition gear can rotate relative to the lifting gear without driving the lifting gear to rotate, and the lifting gear can remain stationary, thus keeping the lifting mechanism stationary. During transmission, as the lifting gear rotates, the first and second lifting plate locking arc surfaces engage, and the second clearance grooves can avoid the end position of the second lifting plate locking arc surface, thus preventing interference between the end of the second lifting plate locking arc surface and the lifting gear. When the second and first lifting plate locking arc surfaces disengage, the other second clearance groove can avoid the other end position of the second lifting plate locking arc surface.

[0031] Furthermore, the drive gear includes a first drive gear and a second drive gear that are coaxially linked. The first drive gear intermittently meshes with the push gear, and the second drive gear meshes with the transition gear. The horizontal projections of the transition gear and the lift gear overlap. The first and second drive gears can rotate synchronously and are located at different heights. The transition gear and the push gear are located at different heights and mesh with the second and first drive gears respectively, so that the push gear and the lift gear maintain a vertical distance while allowing them to overlap, thus saving internal space in the mahjong machine.

[0032] The present invention also discloses a mahjong machine pushing mechanism. The pushing mechanism, which moves along an arc-shaped pushing trajectory, occupies a small space inside the mahjong machine. The pushing mechanism is driven by a pushing gear. The pushing gear drives the pushing mechanism to move along the arc-shaped pushing trajectory by rotating, so as to realize the reciprocating motion of the pushing mechanism.

[0033] Furthermore, the card-pushing mechanism includes a card-pushing groove and a card-pushing component. The card-pushing groove includes a card-inlet and a card-outlet. The card-pushing groove from the card-inlet to the card-outlet has an arc-shaped curved structure with a central angle greater than 180°. The card-pushing gear drives the card-pushing component to push the mahjong tiles along the card-pushing groove. This design allows the card-inlet and card-outlet of the card-pushing groove to be close together, reducing the distance between the card-pushing mechanism and the card-lifting mechanism without them overlapping, thus saving internal space in the mahjong machine.

[0034] Furthermore, the card-pushing groove includes an upper card-pushing track and a lower card-pushing track. The card-pushing trajectory of the upper card-pushing track deviates radially outward from the card-pushing trajectory of the lower card-pushing track. The inner ring side of the upper card-pushing track is provided with a spring protruding upward into the upper card-pushing track. During the card-pushing process, the mahjong tiles move along the card-pushing groove, and the movement path of the mahjong tiles is arc-shaped. Each stack of mahjong tiles includes two stacked mahjong tiles. The upper mahjong tiles tend to deviate from the movement path during the movement. This design of the upper card-pushing track's trajectory can reduce the probability of the upper mahjong tiles colliding with the inner ring side of the upper card-pushing track during the movement, thereby reducing collision noise. At the same time, the protruding spring can buffer the upper mahjong tiles.

[0035] Furthermore, the tile-lifting mechanism includes a tile-lifting plate, a tile-lifting rocker arm, a tile-lifting connecting rod, and a cam-shaped curved guide groove. The tile-lifting gear drives the cam-shaped curved guide groove to rotate. One end of the tile-lifting connecting rod slides relative to the cam-shaped curved guide groove, and the other end of the tile-lifting connecting rod is driven by the tile-lifting rocker arm. The tile-lifting rocker arm drives the tile-lifting plate to move up and down. The tile-pushing mechanism can push mahjong tiles onto the tile-lifting plate. When the tile-lifting mechanism is activated, the tile-lifting gear drives the tile-lifting connecting rod to move, which in turn drives the tile-lifting rocker arm. The tile-lifting rocker arm swings to control the tile-lifting plate to lift the mahjong tiles. The tile-lifting gear drives the tile-lifting connecting rod to move by driving the cam-shaped curved guide groove to rotate. One end of the tile-lifting connecting rod engages with the cam-shaped curved guide groove. Because the cam-shaped curved guide groove is a non-circular structure, the tile-lifting connecting rod can change position during the rotation of the cam-shaped curved guide groove. Furthermore, because the lifting gear rotates intermittently with each rotation of the transition gear, the lifting gear's rotational speed is moderate, allowing the lifting plate to move at a relatively smooth speed, thus preventing the mahjong tiles from scattering due to excessive lifting speed. In addition, it reduces wear and relative force between the lifting linkage and the cam guide groove, improving the lifespan of the lifting mechanism. Because the lifting gear operates intermittently, wear between the cam guide groove and the lifting linkage will be even less.

[0036] The present invention also discloses a mahjong machine, which adopts the mahjong machine lifting mechanism disclosed in any of the above-mentioned technical solutions, thereby reducing the number of motors in the mahjong machine and reducing the cost and power consumption of the mahjong machine.

[0037] These features and advantages of the present invention will be disclosed in detail in the following specific embodiments and accompanying drawings. [Attached Image Description]

[0038] The invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings:

[0039] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the mahjong machine lifting mechanism in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0040] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the cooperation between the driving device and the card-lifting mechanism in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0041] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the drive device in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0042] Figure 4 This is a top view of the driving device in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0043] Figure 5 for Figure 4 Enlarged view of point A in the middle;

[0044] Figure 6 This is a bottom view of the driving device in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0045] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the mahjong machine in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0046] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure during the initial stage of the drive unit's lifting process.

[0047] Figure 9 for Figure 8 Enlarged view of point B in the middle;

[0048] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the structure when the drive unit begins to lift.

[0049] Figure 11 for Figure 10 Enlarged view of point C in the middle;

[0050] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the structure when the lifting plate connects with the pushing slot during the lifting process of the drive device;

[0051] Figure 13 A schematic diagram of the structure after the drive unit completes the lifting process;

[0052] Figure 14 for Figure 13 Enlarged diagram of point D in the middle.

[0053] Figure label:

[0054] 10-pump motor;

[0055] Drive gear 100, first drive gear 110, first toothless section 111, first toothed section 112, second drive gear 120, first push-plate locking arc surface 130, first clearance groove 140, and paddle block 150;

[0056] Pushing gear 200, second pushing locking arc surface 210, groove 220;

[0057] Upgrade gear 300, second upgrade locking arc surface 310;

[0058] Transition gear 400, first transition gear 410, second transition gear 420, second toothless section 421, second toothed section 422, first lifting plate locking arc surface 430, second clearance groove 440;

[0059] Base 50, annular upright baffle 51, annular baffle side plate 52;

[0060] Card pusher 500, card inlet 501, card outlet 502, upper card pusher track 503, lower card pusher track 504, card pusher component 510, spring 520;

[0061] 600, lifting plate, 610, arm, 611, rotating shaft, 612, lifting connecting rod, 620, cam curved guide groove, 630, rising section, 631, falling section, 632, transition section, 633, roller, 640;

[0062] Stacking board 700, card pusher 710, conveyor belt 720.

Detailed Implementation Methods

[0063] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be explained and described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the following embodiments are only preferred embodiments of the present invention and not all of them. Other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments in the implementation methods without creative effort are all within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0064] The terms "exemplary" and "some embodiments" used below are meant to be "used as examples, embodiments, or illustrations," and any embodiment described as "exemplary" is not necessarily to be construed as superior to or better than other embodiments. Numerous specific details are set forth in the following detailed description to better illustrate the invention, and those skilled in the art will understand that this disclosure can be practiced without certain specific details.

[0065] Reference Figures 1 to 14This invention discloses a driving device for a mahjong machine's lifting mechanism, including a lifting motor 10, a drive gear 100, a tile-pushing gear 200, and a tile-lifting gear 300. The mahjong machine's lifting mechanism includes a tile-pushing mechanism and a tile-lifting mechanism. The drive gear 100 is driven by the lifting motor 10. The tile-pushing gear 200 drives the tile-pushing mechanism and is intermittently meshed with the drive gear 100. The tile-lifting gear 300 drives the tile-lifting mechanism and is connected to the drive gear 100 by a transition gear 400. The tile-lifting gear 300 and the transition gear 400 are intermittently meshed. In one lifting cycle of the mahjong machine's lifting mechanism, the transition gear 400 rotates one revolution, and the tile-lifting gear 300 rotates one revolution intermittently.

[0066] The card-pushing mechanism includes a card-pushing slot 500. After being sorted and stacked, the mahjong tiles are placed in the card-pushing slot 500. The card-pushing mechanism can push the sorted mahjong tiles onto the card-lifting mechanism. Some mahjong tiles can be directly pushed onto the table of the mahjong machine, while other mahjong tiles can be lifted onto the table by the card-lifting mechanism.

[0067] The push motor 10 drives the drive gear 100 to rotate. The drive gear 100 drives the push mechanism to move intermittently through intermittent meshing with the push gear 200. When the drive gear 100 meshes with the push gear 200, the push mechanism can push the mahjong tiles. When the drive gear 100 disengages from the push gear 200, the push mechanism remains stationary. The drive gear 100 meshes with the transition gear 400 to drive the transition gear 400 to rotate. The transition gear 400 drives the lifting mechanism to move intermittently through intermittent meshing with the lifting gear 300. When the transition gear 400 meshes with the lifting gear 300, it can drive the lifting mechanism to descend or lift the mahjong tiles onto the mahjong machine table. When the transition gear 400 disengages from the lifting gear 300, the lifting mechanism remains stationary in a descending state.

[0068] Because the push gear 200 and the drive gear 100 mesh intermittently, and the lift gear 300 and the transition gear 400 mesh intermittently, the push gear 200 and the lift gear 300 operate independently of each other and there is no mutual interference between them.

[0069] The power required for the movement of both the pushing and lifting mechanisms is provided by the lifting motor 10, eliminating the need for two separate motors within the mahjong machine to drive the pushing and lifting mechanisms, thus saving costs. Unlike the prior art disclosed in CN213313299U, in this application, the drive device rotates the transition gear 400 once per lifting cycle, driving the lifting gear 300 to rotate once per lifting cycle. When driving the lifting mechanism to lift the tiles, the lifting gear 300 operates at a moderate speed, allowing the lifting mechanism to move at a relatively smooth speed, ensuring the stability of the tile-laying process. One lifting cycle includes: the pushing gear 200 driving the pushing mechanism to move from its initial position, pushing the mahjong tiles, and then returning to its initial position; the lifting gear 300 driving the lifting mechanism to descend from its initial position, waiting for the mahjong tiles to be pushed onto the lifting mechanism by the pushing mechanism; and the lifting gear 300 driving the lifting mechanism to return to its initial position while simultaneously lifting the mahjong tiles onto the mahjong machine table.

[0070] The transition gear 400 includes a first transition gear 410 and a second transition gear 420 that are coaxially linked. The second transition gear 420 intermittently meshes with the tile-lifting gear 300. The driving gear 100 includes a first driving gear 110 and a second driving gear 120 that are coaxially linked. The first driving gear 110 intermittently meshes with the tile-pushing gear 200, and the second driving gear 120 meshes with the first transition gear 410. The first driving gear 110 and the second driving gear 120 can rotate synchronously and are located at different height positions. The first transition gear 410 and the second transition gear 420 can also rotate synchronously and are located at different height positions, so that the tile-pushing gear 200 and the tile-lifting gear 300 maintain a vertical distance while allowing for overlap between them, thus saving internal space in the mahjong machine.

[0071] Reference Figures 2 to 5 , Figure 14 Based on the above embodiments, in one embodiment of the present invention, an intermittent engagement structure of the pusher gear 200 and the drive gear 100 is disclosed.

[0072] The card-pushing gear 200 includes a first toothless section 111 and a first toothed section 112. A first driving gear 110 meshes with the first toothed section 112, and disengages from the first toothless section 111. When the first driving gear 110 meshes with the first toothed section 112, it drives the card-pushing gear 200 to rotate, thus driving the card-pushing mechanism to perform a card-pushing action. As the card-pushing gear 200 rotates, the first toothless section 111 rotates to the position of the first driving gear 110 and disengages from it, causing the card-pushing gear 200 to enter a stationary state, thereby stopping the card-pushing mechanism. The number of teeth on the first driving gear 110 is less than that on the card-pushing gear 200. By placing the toothless section on the card-pushing gear 200, the card-pushing gear 200 only performs one intermittent transmission with the first driving gear 110 per revolution, thus avoiding multiple intermittent movements during a single card-pushing motion, which would reduce card-pushing efficiency.

[0073] The card-pushing mechanism also includes a card-pushing component 510, one end of which extends into the card-pushing groove 500. The card-pushing component 510 is mounted on the card-pushing gear 200, and the rotation of the card-pushing gear 200 drives the card-pushing component 510 to rotate synchronously, thus pushing the mahjong machine within the card-pushing groove 500. The card-pushing gear 200 has a high number of teeth to reduce the rotational speed during the meshing transmission process between the card-pushing gear 200 and the first drive gear 110, enabling the card-pushing component 510 to push the mahjong tiles at a suitable speed within the card-pushing groove 500, and reducing the abnormal noise generated by the collision between the mahjong tiles and the inner wall of the card-pushing groove 500.

[0074] To ensure that the pusher gear 200 remains stationary when the first drive gear 110 disengages from the first toothless section 111, the drive gear 100 is provided with a first pusher locking arc surface 130, and the pusher gear 200 is provided with a second pusher locking arc surface 210. The first pusher locking arc surface 130 and the second pusher locking arc surface 210 engage in a concave-convex fit to position the pusher gear 200 in the disengaged state. After the first pusher locking arc surface 130 and the second pusher locking arc surface 210 engage, the first drive gear 110 can rotate relative to the pusher gear 200 without driving the pusher gear 200 to rotate, and the pusher gear 200 can remain stationary, thus keeping the pusher mechanism stationary. The drive gear 100 is also provided with a cylindrical structure coaxially arranged with the first drive gear 110 and the second drive gear 120. The side of the cylindrical structure forms a first push-lock arc surface 130. The push-lock gear 200 is provided with an outwardly protruding boss structure above the first toothless section 111. The boss structure is provided with a second push-lock arc surface 210 on the side of the push-lock gear 200 in the radial direction.

[0075] The cylindrical structure of the drive gear 100 is also provided with two first clearance grooves 140 spaced apart from the first push-plate locking arc surface 130. During the meshing transmission between the first drive gear 110 and the first toothed segment 112, as the push-plate gear 200 rotates, the first push-plate locking arc surface 130 engages with the second push-plate locking arc surface 210. The first clearance groove 140 can avoid the end position of the second push-plate locking arc surface 210, thus preventing interference between the end of the second push-plate locking arc surface 210 and the first drive gear 110. The other clearance groove 140 can avoid the other end position of the second push-plate locking arc surface 210 when the push-plate gear 200 resumes rotation, so that the second push-plate locking arc surface 210 and the first push-plate locking arc surface 130 disengage.

[0076] A protruding lever 150 is provided on the drive gear 100 between the two first clearance grooves 140. The lever 150 rotates with the drive gear 100 and moves the push gear 200 to mesh with the drive gear 100. The push gear 200 has grooves 220 on both sides of the second push lock arc surface 210. The lever 150 can be inserted into the grooves 220 as the drive gear 100 rotates and moves the push gear 200. The groove 220 on one side of the second push lock arc surface 210 engages with the lever 150 when the first push lock arc surface 130 and the second push lock arc surface 210 are about to engage. The groove 220 on the other side of the second push lock arc surface 210 engages with the lever 150 when the first push lock arc surface 130 and the second push lock arc surface 210 are disengaged. Because the pusher gear 200 has a large diameter, to prevent the lever 150 from interfering with the first toothed segment 112 after rotating one revolution with the drive gear 100, multiple grooves 220 are provided circumferentially on the pusher gear 200 to engage with the lever 150. Figure 14 As shown, at this time, one end of the first push card locking arc surface 130 is located in the first clearance groove 140, and the toggle block 150 will soon cooperate with the groove 220 to drive the push card gear 200 to rotate.

[0077] Reference Figures 2 to 4 , Figure 6 , Figure 11 Based on the above embodiments, in one embodiment of the present invention, a meshing structure between the second transition gear 420 and the lifting gear 300 is disclosed.

[0078] The second transition gear 420 includes a second toothless section 421 and a second toothed section 422. The lifting gear 300 meshes with the second toothed section 422 for transmission. The lifting gear 300 disengages from the second toothless section 421. The first transition gear 410 drives the second transition gear 420 to rotate synchronously by meshing with the second driving gear 120. When the second toothed section 422 meshes with the lifting gear 300, it can drive the lifting gear 300 to rotate and drive the lifting mechanism to perform the lifting action. As the transition gear 400 rotates, the second toothless section 421 rotates to the lifting gear 300 and disengages from the lifting gear 300, causing the lifting gear 300 to enter a stationary state and thus stopping the lifting mechanism.

[0079] To ensure that the lifting gear 300 remains stationary when disengaged from the second toothless section 421, the second toothless section 421 includes a first lifting locking arc surface 430, and the lifting gear 300 is provided with a second lifting locking arc surface 310. The first and second lifting locking arc surfaces 430 and 310 engage in a concave-convex fit to position the lifting gear 300 in the disengaged state. When the second and first lifting locking arc surfaces 310 engage, the second transition gear 420 can rotate relative to the lifting gear 300 without causing the lifting gear 300 to rotate, thus keeping the lifting gear 300 stationary and the lifting mechanism stationary.

[0080] The second toothless section 421 also includes two second clearance grooves 440 circumferentially spaced at both ends of the first lifting plate locking arc surface 430. During transmission, as the lifting plate gear 300 rotates, the first lifting plate locking arc surface 430 engages with the second lifting plate locking arc surface 310. The second clearance grooves 440 can avoid the end position of the second lifting plate locking arc surface 310, thus preventing interference between the end of the second lifting plate locking arc surface 310 and the lifting plate gear 300. When the second lifting plate locking arc surface 310 and the first lifting plate locking arc surface 430 disengage, the other second clearance groove 440 can avoid the other end position of the second lifting plate locking arc surface 310. Figure 11 As shown, at this time, one end of the second lifting plate locking arc surface 310 is engaged with the second clearance groove 440, and the lifting plate gear 300 is about to engage with the second toothed section 422. Figure 11 The dotted line in the figure represents the second toothless segment that is obscured by the first transition gear 410.

[0081] The teeth of the second toothed segment 422 are connected to the teeth of the first transition gear 410. From the appearance of the transition gear 400, the teeth of the second toothed segment 422 and the first transition gear 410 are an integral structure to facilitate the processing of the transition gear 400.

[0082] In the actual structure, the lifting gear 300 also has a toothless section and a toothed section. The toothed section of the lifting gear 300 can mesh with the second toothed section 422, and the toothless section of the lifting gear 300 forms the second lifting locking arc surface 310.

[0083] When the first lifting plate locking arc surface 430 engages with the second lifting plate locking arc surface 310, the teeth of the first transition gear 410 are located above the lifting plate gear 300, and at this time the horizontal projections of the transition gear 400 and the lifting plate gear 300 overlap.

[0084] A second clearance groove 440 is formed at the connection position between the outer wall of the second toothless section 421 and the second toothed section 422. A first lifting plate locking arc surface 430 is formed between the two second clearance grooves 440. The teeth of the lifting plate gear 300 and the second lifting plate locking arc surface 310 are at the same height position. In this way, the lifting plate gear 300 can be driven by moving the end position of the second lifting plate locking arc surface 310 through the teeth of the second toothed section 422, so that the first lifting plate locking arc surface 430 and the second lifting plate locking arc surface 310 are disengaged.

[0085] Reference Figures 1 to 14 The present invention also discloses a mahjong machine lifting mechanism, wherein the pushing mechanism pushes the mahjong tiles to the lifting mechanism with an arc-shaped pushing trajectory with a central angle greater than 180°, and the mahjong machine lifting mechanism also includes the driving device disclosed in any of the above technical solutions.

[0086] The pusher slot 500 of this application includes a base 50, an annular upright baffle 51, and an annular baffle side plate 52. The annular upright baffle 51 and the annular baffle side plate 52 are disposed on the base 50, with the annular baffle side plate 52 located on the periphery of the annular upright baffle 51. The annular upright baffle 51 has a bending angle greater than 180°. Because the bending angle of the annular upright baffle 51 is greater than 180°, the pusher slot formed by the base 50, the annular upright baffle 51, and the annular baffle side plate 52 has an arc-shaped pusher trajectory with a central angle greater than 180°. The pusher slot 500 designed in this way not only increases the storage capacity, allowing more mahjong tiles to be accommodated in the pusher slot 500, but also arranges the mahjong tiles in the pusher slot 500 in an arc shape, saving more space compared to the traditional straight-line arrangement of mahjong tiles.

[0087] The annular upright baffle 51 is the inner ring wall of the pusher slot 500, and the annular baffle side plate 52 is the outer ring wall of the pusher slot 500. The part of the base 50 that surrounds the pusher slot 500 is used to support the mahjong tiles. The annular upright baffle 51 and the annular baffle side plate 52 define the movement trajectory of the mahjong tiles in the pusher slot 500. The distance between the annular upright baffle 51 and the annular baffle side plate 52 is designed to allow the mahjong tiles to move smoothly between them. This distance is usually slightly larger than the length of the mahjong tiles.

[0088] Reference Figure 2The card lifting mechanism includes a card lifting plate 600, a card lifting rocker arm 610, a card lifting connecting rod 620, and a cam curved surface guide groove 630. The card lifting gear 300 drives the cam curved surface guide groove 630 to rotate. One end of the card lifting connecting rod 620 slides relative to the cam curved surface guide groove 630, and the other end of the card lifting connecting rod 620 is driven by the card lifting rocker arm 610. The card lifting rocker arm 610 drives the card lifting plate 600 to perform lifting and lowering movements.

[0089] The pushing mechanism can push the mahjong tiles onto the lifting plate 600. When the lifting mechanism is activated, the lifting gear 300 drives the lifting linkage 620 to move, which in turn drives the lifting rocker arm 610. The lifting rocker arm 610 swings to control the movement of the lifting plate 600 to lift the mahjong tiles.

[0090] The lifting linkage 620 meshes with the lifting rocker arm 610. The lifting rocker arm 610 includes an arm 611 connected to the lifting plate 600 and a rotating shaft 612 fixedly connected to the arm 611. The rotating shaft 612 is provided with teeth that mesh with the lifting linkage 620. The lifting linkage 620 reciprocates along a linear direction under the drive of the lifting gear 300. By meshing with the rotating shaft 612, it drives the rotating shaft 612 to rotate. When the rotating shaft 612 rotates, the arm 611 connected to the rotating shaft 612 will also swing accordingly. When the arm 611 swings, the end connected to the lifting plate 600 changes position along the length of the lifting plate 600. The lifting plate 600 can only flip up and down relative to the table of the mahjong machine. Therefore, a slot is provided on the lower surface of the lifting plate 600. The arm 611 extends into the slot and can move freely within the slot. When the arm 611 swings, its position change in the vertical direction will push the bottom or top wall of the slot, causing the lifting plate 600 to swing with the arm 611.

[0091] The lifting gear 300 drives the lifting connecting rod 620 to move by rotating the cam curved guide groove 630. The cam curved guide groove 630 is integrally formed below the lifting gear 300 so that it can move synchronously with the lifting gear 300. One end of the lifting connecting rod 620 extends into the cam curved guide groove 630 and can slide relative to the cam curved guide groove 630. Since the cam curved guide groove 630 is a non-annular structure, it will drive the lifting connecting rod 620 to move.

[0092] A rotatable roller 640 is fitted at one end of the lifting connecting rod 620 that extends into the cam curved guide groove 630. The roller 640 is a sleeve or a bearing, which drives the roller 640 to rotate when the cam curved guide groove 630 rotates, thereby reducing the wear between the lifting connecting rod 620 and the cam curved guide groove 630.

[0093] The lower part of the gear 300 has a cam-shaped structure and a surrounding edge that encloses the cam-shaped structure. A cam-shaped guide groove 630 is formed between the surrounding edge and the outer edge of the cam-shaped structure. Figure 9 As shown, Figure 9The area enclosed by the two dotted lines around the Zhong Sheng brand gear 300 is the cam surface guide groove 630. The cam surface guide groove 630 includes an ascending section 631, a descending section 632, and a transition section 633 connecting the ascending section 631 and the descending section 632. Figure 9 The roller 640 is located in the transition section 633, and rotates with the lifting gear 300. Figure 9 In the diagram, the arrow points in the direction of rotation of the lifting gear 300. Roller 640 enters the descending section 632 from the transition section 633. As the lifting gear 300 continues to rotate, the distance between roller 640 and the center of the lifting gear 300 gradually decreases to drive the lifting plate 600 to descend. Figure 9 In the diagram, M refers to the center of the lifting gear. When the roller 640 is located at the intersection of the rising section 631 and the falling section 632, the lifting gear 300 disengages from the second transition gear 420, and the lifting plate 600 is in a descending stationary state. When the roller 640 enters the rising section 631, as the lifting gear 300 rotates, the distance between the roller 640 and the center of the lifting gear 300 gradually increases, thereby driving the lifting plate 600 to rise.

[0094] Furthermore, within one lifting cycle, the second transition gear 420 rotates once, driving the tile-lifting gear 300 to rotate once. That is, within one lifting cycle, the speed ratio between the second transition gear 420 and the tile-lifting gear 300 is 1. The speed of the tile-lifting gear 300 is moderate, so that the tile-lifting plate 600 can move at a relatively smooth speed, thus avoiding the mahjong tiles from scattering due to excessive lifting speed.

[0095] In the prior art disclosed in CN213313299U, the rotation speed of the lifting gear is relatively slow. In order to complete the tile-lifting action in a short time, the arc surface of the arc-shaped bottom track groove below the lifting gear is designed to be steeper, so as to drive the lifting push rod to make a tile-pushing action in a short time through the steeper arc surface. Unlike the prior art, in the cam curved guide groove 630, the length of the rising section 631 and the falling section 632 is not less than the length of the transition section 633. The roller 640 can complete the rising or falling action of the tile-lifting plate 600 when it slides at least one-third of a revolution along the cam curved guide groove 630. In this way, the curvature radius of the rising section 631 and the falling section 632 is larger, and the arc surface will be more gentle. The tile-lifting connecting rod 620 can move at a gentle speed to drive the tile-lifting plate 600 to rise and fall smoothly, avoiding the stacked mahjong tiles from scattering due to excessive lifting speed. At the same time, it also reduces the relative force between the roller 640 and the inner wall of the cam curved guide groove 630, and the risk of damage to the roller 640 is low. Furthermore, the push gear 200 and the lift gear 300 in this application are independent of each other and there is no direct cooperation between them. Therefore, the speed ratio between the second transition gear 420 and the lift gear 300 can be designed to be 1 in one push cycle.

[0096] The pusher mechanism's pusher slot 500 also includes a card inlet 501 and a card outlet 502. The pusher slot 500, from the card inlet 501 to the card outlet 502, has an arc-shaped curved structure with a central angle greater than 180°. The pusher gear 200 drives the pusher component 510 to push the mahjong tiles along the pusher slot 500. This design allows the card inlet 501 and the card outlet 502 of the pusher slot 500 to move closer to each other, reducing the distance between the pusher mechanism and the lifting mechanism without them overlapping, thus saving internal space in the mahjong machine.

[0097] The card-pushing groove 500 includes an upper card-pushing track 503 and a lower card-pushing track 504. The card-pushing trajectory of the upper card-pushing track 503 is radially outwardly deviated from the card-pushing trajectory of the lower card-pushing track 504. The inner ring side of the upper card-pushing track 503 is provided with a spring piece 520 protruding into the upper card-pushing track 503. During the card-pushing process, the mahjong tiles move along the card-pushing groove 500. The movement path of the mahjong tiles is arc-shaped. Each stack of mahjong tiles includes two stacked mahjong tiles. The upper mahjong tiles tend to deviate from the movement path during the movement. This design of the card-pushing trajectory of the upper card-pushing track 503 can reduce the probability of the upper mahjong tiles colliding with the inner ring side of the upper card-pushing track 503 during the movement, thereby reducing collision noise. At the same time, the protruding spring piece 520 can buffer the upper mahjong tiles.

[0098] The mahjong machine includes a main unit and a base. The main unit has a large shuffling tray and four sets of card sorting mechanisms arranged around the large shuffling tray. The card sorting mechanism includes a card feeding device that picks up mahjong tiles from the large shuffling tray and sends them out, a stacking plate 700 that stacks two mahjong tiles into a pile, a card feeding pusher 710 that sends the stacked mahjong tiles into the lifting mechanism, and the lifting mechanism itself. The stacking plate 700 and the card-feeding pusher 710 are located in front of the card inlet 501. The card-feeding device includes a conveyor belt 720 and a suction wheel that picks up mahjong tiles and places them onto the conveyor belt 720. During the shuffling process, the suction wheel picks up a mahjong tile and places it onto the conveyor belt 720. The conveyor belt 720 conveys mahjong tiles to the stacking plate 700, which has a lifting function. After the first mahjong tile is conveyed onto the stacking plate 700, the stacking plate 700 will sink, allowing the second mahjong tile to be conveyed above the first tile. The card-feeding pusher 710 stacks two mahjong tiles on the stacking plate 700 and then pushes a stack of mahjong tiles into the card-feeding slot 500. The card-feeding pusher 710 also has a notch to avoid the card-feeding component 510.

[0099] Referring to the attached diagram, the complete upward movement process within one upward cycle is as follows:

[0100] 1, such as Figure 8 , Figure 9As shown, after shuffling, the card feeding device, the card stacking plate, and the card pushing head stack the mahjong tiles in the card pushing slot 500. At this time, the drive device is stationary, the upper surface of the card lifting plate 600 is flush with the table of the mahjong machine, and the card pushing component 510 is in the initial position.

[0101] 2, such as Figure 10 , Figure 11 As shown, the drive unit starts operating. The first drive gear on the drive gear 100 meshes with the card-pushing gear 200, driving the card-pushing component 510 to rotate and move towards the card inlet 501. The second drive gear on the drive gear 100 meshes with the first transition gear on the transition gear 400, driving the second transition gear on the transition gear 400 to rotate. The second transition gear drives the card-lifting gear 300 to rotate. (Refer to...) Figure 9 Initially, during the lifting process, roller 640 is located within transition section 633. The rotation of lifting gear 300 does not change the position of lifting linkage 620, and lifting plate 600 remains stationary. Pushing component 510 passes under lifting plate 600 under the drive of pushing gear 200. After roller 640 enters descending section 632 from transition section 633, lifting gear 300 drives lifting linkage 620 to perform linear motion. Lifting linkage 620 engages with the shaft 612 of lifting rocker arm, causing shaft 612 to rotate. The arm of lifting rocker arm swings with the rotation of shaft 612 to drive lifting plate 600 downward.

[0102] 3, such as Figure 12 As shown, the card lifting plate 600 descends to engage with the card outlet 502, the card lifting gear 300 and the second transition gear disengage and remain stationary, and the card pushing gear 200 continues to rotate and drives the card pushing component 510 to enter the card pushing groove 500 from the card inlet 501.

[0103] 4, such as Figure 13 , Figure 14As shown, as the pusher gear 200 continues to rotate, the pusher component 510 pushes the mahjong tiles, causing them to slide along the pusher groove 500. The mahjong tiles can slide from the outlet 502 onto the lifting plate 600. When the pusher component 510 returns to its initial position, some of the mahjong tiles in the pusher groove 500 are pushed onto the lifting plate 600, while the remaining tiles are directly pushed onto the mahjong machine's tabletop. At this point, the first drive gear disengages from the pusher gear 200, and the lifting gear 300... The lifting gear 300 and the second transition gear engage to drive the lifting plate 600 upwards until its upper surface is flush with the mahjong table. The lifting gear 300 and the second transition gear continue to mesh, but the rollers on the lifting connecting rod 620 are located in the transition section of the cam curved guide groove. The rotation of the lifting gear 300 does not change the position of the lifting connecting rod 620, maintaining the lifting plate 600 in a stationary state flush with the mahjong table. The drive then stops, and the rollers remain in the transition section. At this time, the pushing gear 200 and the driving gear 100 are about to mesh. When a new round of lifting begins, the pushing gear 200 and the driving gear 100 can immediately engage to drive the pushing component 510. The engagement state of the lifting gear 300 and the transition gear 400 at this time can be referenced... Figure 9 .

[0104] Reference Figure 7 The present invention also discloses a mahjong machine, which adopts the mahjong machine lifting mechanism disclosed above. The mahjong machine lifting mechanism has the driving device disclosed above, thereby reducing the number of motors in the mahjong machine, reducing the cost and power consumption of the mahjong machine, and at the same time, the tile pushing mechanism in the mahjong machine is not easily damaged, thus improving the service life of the product.

[0105] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Those skilled in the art should understand that the present invention includes, but is not limited to, the contents described in the accompanying drawings and the specific embodiments above. Any modifications that do not depart from the functional and structural principles of the present invention will be included within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A mahjong machine lifting mechanism, characterized in that, It includes a card pushing mechanism, a card lifting mechanism, and a driving device, wherein the driving device includes... Thrust motor; as well as, The drive gear is driven by the lifting motor; as well as, A pusher gear is used to drive the pusher mechanism of a mahjong machine, and the pusher gear meshes intermittently with the drive gear; as well as, The tile-lifting gear is used to drive the tile-lifting mechanism of the mahjong machine. The tile-lifting gear is driven by the drive gear. The tile-lifting gear and the drive gear are intermittently meshed. In one lifting cycle of the mahjong machine's lifting mechanism, the drive gear rotates once and the tile-lifting gear rotates once intermittently. The transition gear includes a first transition gear and a second transition gear that are coaxially linked. The first transition gear meshes with the driving gear. The second transition gear includes a second toothless section and a second toothed section. The card-lifting gear meshes with the second toothed section for transmission. The card-lifting gear disengages from the second toothless section. The card-pushing gear and the card-lifting gear operate independently of each other and do not interfere with each other. The card-lifting mechanism includes a card-lifting plate, a card-lifting rocker arm, a card-lifting connecting rod, and a cam curved surface guide groove. The card-lifting gear drives the cam curved surface guide groove to rotate. One end of the card-lifting connecting rod slides relative to the cam curved surface guide groove, and the other end of the card-lifting connecting rod is driven by the card-lifting rocker arm. The card-lifting rocker arm drives the card-lifting plate to move up and down. The cam curved surface guide groove includes an ascending section, a descending section, and a transition section connecting the ascending section and the descending section. The length of the ascending section is not less than the length of the transition section.

2. The mahjong machine lifting mechanism as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The pusher gear includes a first toothless section and a first toothed section. The drive gear meshes with the first toothed section and disengages from the first toothless section.

3. The mahjong machine lifting mechanism as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The drive gear is equipped with a paddle block, which, as the drive gear rotates, actuates the push gear to engage with the drive gear.

4. The mahjong machine lifting mechanism as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The drive gear is provided with a first push-plate locking arc surface and two first clearance grooves circumferentially spaced on the first push-plate locking arc surface. The push-plate gear is provided with a second push-plate locking arc surface. The first push-plate locking arc surface and the second push-plate locking arc surface are in concave-convex cooperation to position the push-plate gear in the disengaged state.

5. The mahjong machine lifting mechanism as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The second toothless section is provided with a first lifting plate locking arc surface and two second clearance grooves circumferentially spaced on the first lifting plate locking arc surface. The lifting plate gear is provided with a second lifting plate locking arc surface. The first lifting plate locking arc surface and the second lifting plate locking arc surface are in concave-convex cooperation to position the lifting plate gear in the disengaged state.

6. The mahjong machine lifting mechanism as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The drive gear includes a first drive gear and a second drive gear that are coaxially linked. The first drive gear intermittently meshes with the push gear, and the second drive gear meshes with the transition gear. The horizontal projections of the transition gear and the lift gear overlap.

7. The mahjong machine lifting mechanism as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The pushing mechanism pushes the mahjong tiles to the lifting mechanism with an arc-shaped trajectory with a central angle greater than 180°.

8. The mahjong machine lifting mechanism as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The card-pushing mechanism includes a card-pushing groove and a card-pushing component. The card-pushing groove includes a card inlet and a card outlet. The card-pushing groove from the card inlet to the card outlet has an arc-shaped curved structure with a central angle greater than 180°. The card-pushing gear drives the card-pushing component to push the mahjong tiles along the card-pushing groove.

9. The mahjong machine lifting mechanism as described in claim 8, characterized in that, The card pushing groove includes an upper card pushing track and a lower card pushing track. The card pushing trajectory of the upper card pushing track is radially outwardly deviated from the card pushing trajectory of the lower card pushing track. The inner ring side of the upper card pushing track is provided with a spring piece that protrudes into the upper card pushing track.

10. A mahjong machine, characterized in that, The mahjong machine lifting mechanism includes any one of claims 1 to 9.

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