Mahjong tile feeding mechanism of mahjong machine

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of mahjong machines, in particular to a mahjong machine tile feeding mechanism of a mahjong machine. The mahjong tile feeding mechanism comprises an arc-shaped mahjong tile feeding track, and the arc-shaped mahjong tile feeding track is provided with an inlet and an outlet; the arc-shaped mahjong tile feeding rail comprises an inner side wall, an outer side wall and a bottom surface, the inner side wall and the outer side wall are arranged on the bottom surface, the side close to the center position of the arc-shaped mahjong tile feeding rail is the inner side wall, and the side away from the center position of the arc-shaped mahjong tile feeding rail is the outer side wall; the side, close to the outer side wall, of the bottom face is the outer side, the end, close to the inner side wall, of the bottom face is the inner side, and at least one section of the bottom face is a slope with the outer side higher than the inner side. The invention aims to solve the technical problem that cards on a flat annular track are easy to block in the prior art.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the technical field of mahjong machines, and particularly to a mahjong machine card-loading mechanism. Background Technology

[0002] Automatic mahjong machines have been rapidly adopted due to their convenience for consumers. Miniaturization and slimming have been key development trends in mahjong machine design. To further reduce size, more and more mahjong machines are adopting rotary lifting mechanisms instead of traditional lifting mechanisms.

[0003] Chinese invention patent CN107773976A, published on March 9, 2018, discloses a circular tile-pushing device for an automatic mahjong machine and an automatic mahjong machine itself. Belonging to the field of mahjong machine technology, it solves the problems of large size and complex structure in existing mahjong machines. The circular tile-pushing device of this invention includes a motor, a base, a turntable, and a tile-pushing block. The motor is mounted on the base, which has a circular tile-pushing groove with a tile inlet and a tile outlet. The turntable is located above the base and is driven to rotate by the motor. The turntable drives the tile-pushing block to push tiles within the circular tile-pushing groove. This rotating tile-pushing method reduces the space required for pushing mahjong tiles.

[0004] Chinese invention patent CN107519637B, published on January 5, 2024, discloses a mahjong machine and its card-loading method. Four sets of card-picking and transporting systems are independently configured without overlap. In this card-loading component, the card storage slot is curved at a large angle, increasing the number of mahjong tiles that can be stored in the slot, while significantly reducing the height of the mahjong machine and manufacturing costs, resulting in a better user experience and comfort. An upward-opening cover is provided, allowing the mahjong tiles at the edge of the lifting tray to push the cover up during the lifting process. Once the lifting tray is flush with the mahjong machine's tabletop, the cover returns to its original position, thus preventing large gaps between the lifting tray and the tabletop or collisions between the edge mahjong tiles and the tabletop.

[0005] Both patented mahjong tiles are mounted along a circular track. The circular track is flat, and the pusher arm is a thin sheet used to push the mahjong tile onto the table. However, during the rotation, the mahjong tile is constantly rubbed against the two inner walls of the circular track on both sides. If the friction time is too long, the inner walls will become thinner, making it easy for the tile to get stuck during the mounting process. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and provide a mahjong machine card feeding mechanism, which aims to solve the technical problem that the flat circular track card feeding mechanism in the prior art is prone to jamming.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention proposes a mahjong machine card-feeding mechanism, including an arc-shaped card-feeding track with an inlet and an outlet; the arc-shaped card-feeding track includes an inner wall, an outer wall, and a bottom surface, the bottom surface having an inner wall and an outer wall, the side closer to the center of the arc-shaped card-feeding track being the inner wall, and the side farther from the center of the arc-shaped card-feeding track being the outer wall; the side of the bottom surface closer to the outer wall being the outer side, and the end of the bottom surface closer to the inner wall being the inner side, and at least one section of the bottom surface being an inclined surface where the height of the outer side is higher than the height of the inner side.

[0008] Preferably, the bottom surface is a plane at the outlet and inlet.

[0009] Preferably, the arc-shaped sign-on track is a single circular arc, and the slope of the bottom surface increases and then decreases from the inlet to the outlet.

[0010] Preferably, the arc-shaped sign-on track is composed of multiple tangentially connected arc segments, and the slope of the bottom surface increases and then decreases from the inlet to the outlet.

[0011] Preferably, the angle between the inclined plane and the plane is 0° to 75°.

[0012] Preferably, the outer sidewall has a first inclined surface at the sloping surface, the first inclined surface being inclined towards the inner sidewall along the height direction of the outer sidewall; the inner sidewall has a second inclined surface at the sloping surface, the second inclined surface being inclined away from the outer sidewall along the height direction of the inner sidewall.

[0013] Preferably, the bottom surface is provided with a first protrusion, the inner sidewall is provided with a second protrusion, and the outer sidewall is provided with a third protrusion.

[0014] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the mahjong machine card-loading mechanism provided by the present invention are as follows: The mahjong machine loads tiles along an arc-shaped track. After entering from the inlet, it tilts, with the inside lower and the outside higher, reducing centrifugal force and making it less likely for the mahjong machine to jam.

[0015] The features and advantages of the present invention will be described in detail through embodiments and in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of a mahjong machine card-loading mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0017] Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of a mahjong machine card-loading mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] Figure 3This is a front view structural schematic diagram of a mahjong machine card-loading mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the AA of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 5 yes Figure 4 Enlarged structural diagram at point C.

[0021] Figure 6 This is a front view schematic diagram of the mahjong machine card-loading mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing the mahjong tiles being loaded.

[0022] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention BB.

[0023] Figure 8 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the mahjong machine's tile-loading mechanism containing mahjong tiles, as per the present invention.

[0024] In the diagram: 1. Arc-shaped license plate mounting track; 11. Inner side wall; 111. Second convex strip; 12. Outer side wall; 121. Third convex strip; 13. Bottom surface; 131. First convex strip; 14. Inlet; 15. Outlet. Detailed Implementation

[0025] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. However, it should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Furthermore, descriptions of well-known structures and technologies are omitted in the following description to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the concept of the invention.

[0026] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that when an element is referred to as being "fixed to" or "set on" another element, it can be directly on or indirectly on the other element. When an element is referred to as being "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to or indirectly connected to the other element.

[0027] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that the terms "center," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, or the orientation or positional relationship commonly used when the product of this invention is in use. They are used only for the convenience of describing the invention and for 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 the invention. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and "third," etc., are used only to distinguish descriptions and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance. 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, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified. "Several" means one or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0028] In the description of this invention, it should also be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "set," "install," "connect," and "link" 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 based on the specific circumstances.

[0029] Many current mahjong machines employ a circular tile-dispensing mechanism, such as the prior art mentioned in the background section. However, in this prior art, the surface of the circular track of the tile-dispensing mechanism is flat. The push rod for the mahjong tile must be as close as possible to the center of the circular track. The further away from the center, the harder it is to push. In such cases, the farther the mahjong tile is, the more likely it is to rotate. While the mahjong tile has a tendency to rotate, the narrower track prevents it from turning over, causing it to jam.

[0030] See Figure 1-8This invention provides a mahjong machine card-loading mechanism, including an arc-shaped card-loading track 1 with an inlet 14 and an outlet 15. The inlet 14 is connected to a mahjong tile stacking mechanism; after the mahjong tiles are stacked, they enter the card-loading mechanism through the inlet 14. The outlet 15 is connected to a card-lifting mechanism; the outlet 15 first enters a ramp and then reaches the tabletop. Both the stacking and lifting mechanisms can be implemented using existing mahjong machine structures. The arc-shaped card-loading track 1 includes an inner wall 11, an outer wall 12, and a bottom surface 13. The bottom surface 13 has the inner wall 11 and the outer wall 12. The side closer to the center of the arc-shaped card-loading track 1 is the inner wall 11, and the side farther from the center is the outer wall 12. The side of the bottom surface 13 closest to the outer wall 12 is the outer side, and the end of the bottom surface 13 closest to the inner wall 11 is the inner side. At least one section of the bottom surface 13 is an inclined surface where the outer side is higher than the inner side.

[0031] After the mahjong tile enters the bottom surface 13 of the tile-laying mechanism, the pusher pushes the tile closer to the center of the mechanism, with both ends of the tile contacting the inner wall 11 and the outer wall 12 respectively to transport it to the table. When the mahjong tile enters the inclined surface of the bottom surface 13, the far end of the tile is higher and the near end is lower, the center of gravity changes, the centrifugal force decreases, and it is less likely to get stuck.

[0032] See Figure 3 In an optional embodiment, the bottom surface 13 is flat at the outlet and inlet, facilitating the placement and delivery of tiles, and also facilitating cooperation with existing mechanisms. The heights at the outlet 15 and inlet 14 are equal; the mahjong tiles only change position, while their height remains the same.

[0033] In an optional embodiment, the bottom surface 13 is a slight slope at the outlet 15 and inlet 14. The outlet 15 and inlet 14 are sloped with a small inclination to facilitate the entry of mahjong tiles.

[0034] In an optional embodiment, the arc-shaped tile-loading track 1 is a single circular arc (not shown in the figure) with a fixed radius. The slope of the bottom surface 13 increases and then decreases from the inlet to the outlet. As long as the inlet and outlet are both flat, the varying slope in the middle facilitates the transport of the mahjong tiles.

[0035] See Figure 3 In an optional embodiment, the arc-shaped card-laying track 1 is composed of multiple interconnected tangential arcs, and the slope of the bottom surface 13 increases and then decreases from the inlet to the outlet. The arc-shaped card-laying track 1 shown in the figure is not a fixed, straight arc; the center of the middle section is offset, positioned closer to the left relative to the previous arc, thus shortening the length of the arc-shaped card-laying track 1 and making it easier to reduce the overall size of the mahjong machine.

[0036] See Figure 4 In an optional embodiment, the angle between the inclined plane and the plane is 0° to 75°. Preferably, it is 0° to 15°; if the angle is too large, the mahjong pieces are difficult to control. The mahjong pieces enter from inlet 14, and the slope of the inclined plane gradually increases to 15°, then decreases to 0° at outlet 15.

[0037] See Figure 4 In an optional embodiment, the outer wall 12 has a first inclined surface at its sloping end, the first inclined surface tilting towards the inner wall 11 along the height direction of the outer wall 12; the inner wall 11 has a second inclined surface at its sloping end, the second inclined surface tilting away from the outer wall 12 along the height direction of the inner wall 11. The mahjong tile tilts along the inclined surface, and the inner wall 11 and outer wall 12 provide corresponding moving tracks, with the distance between them remaining constant, just enough to allow the mahjong tile to pass through, preventing the mahjong tile from deflecting.

[0038] See Figure 5 In an optional embodiment, the bottom surface 13 is provided with a first protrusion 131, the inner sidewall 11 is provided with a second protrusion 111, and the outer sidewall 12 is provided with a third protrusion 121. The protrusions reduce the contact area between the mahjong tile and each surface, reducing friction and wear, and making the movement of the mahjong tile smoother.

[0039] The first protrusion 131 has two sections, located at both ends of the bottom surface 13. The second protrusion 111 and the third protrusion 121 also have two sections, with the upper and lower sections respectively contacting the upper and lower stacks of mahjong tiles.

[0040] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions or improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A mahjong machine card-loading mechanism, comprising an arc-shaped card-loading track (1), wherein the arc-shaped card-loading track (1) is provided with an inlet (14) and an outlet (15); characterized in that: The arc-shaped sign-up track (1) includes an inner wall (11), an outer wall (12) and a bottom surface (13). The bottom surface (13) is provided with an inner wall (11) and an outer wall (12). The side closer to the center of the arc-shaped sign-up track (1) is the inner wall (11), and the side farther away from the center of the arc-shaped sign-up track (1) is the outer wall (12). The side of the bottom surface (13) closer to the outer wall (12) is the outer side, and the end of the bottom surface (13) closer to the inner wall (11) is the inner side. At least one section of the bottom surface (13) is an inclined surface with an outer height higher than the inner height.

2. The mahjong machine card-loading mechanism as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The bottom surface (13) is flat at the outlet (15) and inlet (14).

3. The mahjong machine card-loading mechanism as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The arc-shaped sign-up track (1) is a complete arc, and the slope of the bottom surface (13) increases and then decreases from the inlet (14) to the outlet (15).

4. The mahjong machine card-loading mechanism as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The arc-shaped sign-up track (1) is composed of multiple tangentially connected arcs, and the slope of the bottom surface (13) increases and then decreases from the inlet (14) to the outlet (15).

5. A mahjong machine card-adding mechanism as described in claim 3 or 4, characterized in that: The angle between the inclined plane and the plane is 0° to 75°.

6. The mahjong machine card-loading mechanism as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The outer wall (12) has a first inclined surface at the inclined surface, which is inclined towards the inner wall (11) along the height direction of the outer wall (12); the inner wall (11) has a second inclined surface at the inclined surface, which is inclined away from the outer wall (12) along the height direction of the inner wall (11).

7. The mahjong machine card-loading mechanism as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The bottom surface (13) is provided with a first protrusion (131), the inner sidewall (11) is provided with a second protrusion (111), and the outer sidewall (12) is provided with a third protrusion (121).

8. The mahjong machine card-loading mechanism as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The bottom surface (13) is a small slope at the outlet (15) and inlet (14).

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