Prize acquisition game device

Abstract

To avoid an occurrence of a scratch or the like in a ridge part when a door part is opened or closed since a cover for covering the ridge part is provided in the outside of the ridge part of a mounting part, prevent the appearance of the mounting part from being deteriorated, and to improve durability of the mounting part.SOLUTION: A prize acquisition game device includes a prize exhibition part, a prize acquisition part, and a control panel 82 in which an operation part is provided for operating the movement of the prize acquisition part. The prize exhibition part includes a slidable front plate 31 provided on a front side of the prize exhibition part, a sash 37, which is an example of a support part for supporting the front plate 31 openably and closably, and a mounting part 36 on which the sash 37 is mounted. The mounting part 36 includes an upper surface part 361, a front surface part 362, and a ridge part 363 formed of the upper surface part 361 and the front surface part 362. The ridge part 363 is provided with a second part 372, which is an example of a cover part for covering at least part of the ridge part 363, and an upper end part 821.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a prize acquisition game device.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, there is known a prize acquisition game machine including a prize storage unit, a prize acquisition unit, a suspension member for suspending the prize acquisition unit, a lifting means for raising and lowering the prize acquisition unit, a lifting biasing means for biasing the prize acquisition unit in the lifting direction, a lifting biasing force changing means for changing the biasing force by the lifting biasing means, a moving means for moving the prize acquisition unit in the horizontal direction, a control means for controlling the horizontal movement and lifting and lowering of the prize acquisition unit, an operation means for a player to operate the horizontal movement of the prize acquisition unit, and a lowering stop means for stopping the lowering of the prize acquisition unit. The lifting biasing force changing means has a driving means, and the driving means is operated by an operation command from the outside to change the biasing force of the biasing member continuously (for example, see Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] By the way, in the conventional prize acquisition game device disclosed in Patent Document 1, the ridge portion of the placement portion for placing the slidable door portion provided on the front side of the prize display portion is exposed to the outside. Therefore, when the user slides and opens or closes the door portion or when the user plays the game, the user's nails, coins in hand, etc. may come into contact with the ridge portion and the paint on the ridge portion may peel off. As a result, the appearance of the placement portion may deteriorate, or the durability of the placement portion may decrease.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of these circumstances, and aims to provide a prize acquisition game device in which a cover portion is provided on the outside of the ridge portion of the mounting portion to cover the ridge portion, thereby preventing scratches and other damage to the ridge portion due to opening and closing of the door portion, preventing the appearance of the mounting portion from becoming unsightly and improving the durability of the mounting portion. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] To achieve the above objective, the prize acquisition game device according to the present invention comprises a prize display section having a game space and housing and displaying prizes in the game space, a prize acquisition section movable in the game space for acquiring prizes, and a control panel provided with an operation section for operating the movement of the prize acquisition section. The prize display section has a door section on the front side of the prize display section that allows the game space to be opened and closed, and a mounting section provided below the door section. The mounting section has an upper surface section, a front surface section, a ridge section formed by the upper surface section and the front surface section, and a support section formed on the upper surface section that supports the door section so that it can be opened and closed from below. The ridge section is provided with a cover section that covers the ridge section so that at least a part of the ridge section is not exposed to the outside.

[0007] By adopting this configuration, a cover portion is provided on the outside of the ridge portion of the mounting section, which prevents scratches and other damage to the ridge portion caused by opening and closing the door, thus preventing the mounting section from looking unsightly and improving its durability.

[0008] In the prize-winning game device according to the present invention, the cover portion may be integrally configured with at least one of the support portion and the control panel.

[0009] By adopting this configuration, protection of the edges of the mounting portion can be achieved using a simple structure.

[0010] In the prize acquisition game device according to the present invention, the support portion is a sash that slidably supports the door portion, and the sash has a first portion provided behind the ridge portion of the upper surface portion to support the door portion, and a second portion provided in front of the first portion to cover at least the upper side portion of the ridge portion, and the cover portion may include the second portion of the sash.

[0011] Adopting this configuration allows for a simplification of the cover's structure.

[0012] In the prize-winning game device according to the present invention, the control panel is positioned on the front side of the front portion such that its upper end, located near the front portion, is on the same plane as the top portion or is positioned higher than the top portion, and the cover portion may include the upper end.

[0013] By adopting this configuration, depending on the mounting position of the control panel, a portion of the control panel can function as a cover.

[0014] In the prize-winning game device according to the present invention, the cover portion is an extension portion that extends from the upper end located near the front of the control panel, and the cover portion may be provided to cover the front and upper portions of the ridge.

[0015] By adopting this configuration, the edges can be reliably protected.

[0016] In the prize-winning game device according to the present invention, the cover portion may be configured separately from the support portion and the control panel.

[0017] Adopting this configuration makes it easy to install and modify the cover. [Effects of the Invention]

[0018] According to the present invention, since a cover portion that covers the ridge portion is provided outside the ridge portion of the placement portion, it is possible to avoid the occurrence of scratches or the like on the ridge portion due to the opening and closing of the door portion or the like, prevent the appearance of the placement portion from deteriorating, and improve the durability of the placement portion, thereby making it possible to provide a prize acquisition game device.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0019] [Figure 1] It is a perspective view showing the configuration of the prize acquisition game device according to the present embodiment. [Figure 2] It is a sectional view taken along line II-II of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] It is a sectional view taken along line III-III of FIG. 1. [Figure 4] It is an enlarged view of part A in FIG. 3. [Figure 5] It is a perspective view showing a modified example of the control panel of the prize acquisition game device according to the present embodiment. [Figure 6] It is a side view showing a modified example of the control panel of the prize acquisition game device according to the present embodiment. [Figure 7] It is a diagram showing the configuration of the display unit of the prize acquisition game device according to the present embodiment. [Figure 8] It is a sectional view taken along line VIII-VIII of FIG. 7. [Figure 9] It is a diagram showing the configuration of the administrator key identification unit of the prize acquisition game device according to the present embodiment. [Figure 10] It is a perspective view showing a state in which the rotating portion of the prize support portion of the prize acquisition game device according to the present embodiment is housed. [Figure 11] It is a perspective view showing the state of the prize support portion when the rotating portion of the prize support portion of the prize acquisition game device according to the present embodiment protrudes. [Figure 12] It is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of the prize support portion of the prize acquisition game device according to the present embodiment. [Figure 13] It is a perspective view showing the configuration of the main body portion of the prize support portion of the prize acquisition game device according to the present embodiment. [Figure 14]This is a plan view showing the configuration of the first support section of the prize support section of the prize acquisition game device according to this embodiment. [Figure 15] This is a perspective view showing the configuration of the first support section of the prize support section of the prize acquisition game device according to this embodiment. [Figure 16] This is a perspective view showing the configuration of the rotating part of the prize support section of the prize acquisition game device according to this embodiment. [Figure 17] This is an enlarged view of section B in Figure 10. [Figure 18] This diagram shows the connection between the prize support sections of the prize acquisition game device according to this embodiment. [Figure 19] This is a perspective view showing the prize acquisition unit and drive unit of the prize acquisition game device according to this embodiment, as seen from above. [Figure 20] This is a perspective view showing the prize acquisition unit and drive unit of the prize acquisition game device according to this embodiment, as seen from below. [Figure 21] This diagram shows a part of the configuration of the prize acquisition unit of the prize acquisition game device according to this embodiment. [Figure 22] This diagram shows the configuration of the prize acquisition unit and the third drive unit of the prize acquisition game device according to this embodiment. [Figure 23] This diagram shows the configuration of the support section for the third drive unit of the prize acquisition game device according to this embodiment. [Figure 24] This diagram shows the configuration of the main body of the third drive unit of the prize acquisition game device according to this embodiment. [Figure 25] This figure shows the state in which the main body of the third drive unit is approaching the prize when the biasing force by the biasing force adjustment unit of the prize acquisition game device according to this embodiment is in a weak spring state. [Figure 26] This figure shows the state in which the main body of the third drive unit is in contact with the prize when the biasing force by the biasing force adjustment unit of the prize acquisition game device according to this embodiment is in a weak spring state. [Figure 27] This figure shows the state in which the main body of the third drive unit is approaching the prize when the biasing force by the biasing force adjustment unit of the prize acquisition game device according to this embodiment is in a spring-strong state. [Figure 28]This figure shows the state in which the main body of the third drive unit is in contact with the prize when the biasing force by the biasing force adjustment unit of the prize acquisition game device according to this embodiment is in the spring-strong state. [Figure 29] This diagram shows the functional configuration of the control unit of the prize acquisition game device according to this embodiment. [Figure 30] This flowchart illustrates the control of the usage mode setting process by the control unit of the prize acquisition game device according to this embodiment. [Figure 31] This is a flowchart illustrating the main processing control of the prize acquisition game by the control unit of the prize acquisition game device according to this embodiment. [Figure 32] This is a flowchart illustrating the details of step S10 in Figure 31. [Figure 33] This is a flowchart illustrating the details of step S20 in Figure 31. [Figure 34] This is a flowchart illustrating the details of step S30 in Figure 31. [Figure 35] This is a flowchart illustrating the details of step S50 in Figure 31. [Figure 36] This is a flowchart illustrating the details of step S56 in Figure 35. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0020] The embodiments will be described below with reference to the figures. Unless otherwise specified, the positional relationships in the drawings, such as top, bottom, left, and right, are based on the positional relationships shown in the drawings. Furthermore, the dimensional ratios in the drawings are not limited to those shown. Moreover, the following embodiments are illustrative examples for explaining the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention to these embodiments alone. Furthermore, the present invention can be modified in various ways without departing from its essence.

[0021] <Overview of Prize Acquisition Game Machine 1> First, with reference to Figure 1, an overview of the prize-winning game device 1 according to this embodiment will be described. Figure 1 is a perspective view of the prize-winning game device 1.

[0022] The prize acquisition game device 1 according to this embodiment is an example of a device that can play a prize acquisition game in which prizes are grasped and acquired. As shown in Figure 1, the prize acquisition game device 1 comprises a main body 2 provided at the bottom of the prize acquisition game device 1, a prize display section 3 provided above the main body 2 and having a game space S, a prize support plate 4 that supports prizes in the game space S, a prize drop opening 5 provided to connect the main body 2 and the prize display section 3 and for dropping prizes, a prize acquisition section 6 provided to be movable in the game space S for acquiring prizes, and a drive section 7 provided on the upper side of the game space S for driving the prize acquisition section 6.

[0023] Here, the game space S is a space for displaying prizes and for performing the action of acquiring prizes using the prize acquisition unit 6. The prizes can be anything that can be grasped by the prize acquisition unit 6, such as stuffed animals or dolls (including toys in boxes). The prizes are displayed in the prize display unit 3 by being placed on the prize support plate 4.

[0024] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 1, the prize acquisition game device 1 is a two-player game device that allows two players to play the prize acquisition game simultaneously. For this reason, the above configuration of the prize acquisition game device 1, with the exception of the display unit 9 of the main body 2 which will be described later, is provided with one set on each side in the width direction of the prize acquisition game device 1. In the following, unless otherwise specified, the description will focus on the set on the right side.

[0025] <Details of Prize Acquisition Game Machine 1> Next, with reference to Figures 1 to 28, the details of each component of the prize acquisition game device 1, namely the main body 2, the prize display unit 3, the prize support plate 4, the prize drop-off opening 5, the prize acquisition unit 6, and the drive unit 7, will be described in order. Figures 1 to 9 show the details of the main body 2 and the prize display unit 3. Figures 10 to 18 show the details of the prize support plate 4. Figures 19 to 28 show the details of the drive unit 7.

[0026] In the following, the width, depth, and vertical directions of the prize-winning game device 1 and the game space S may be referred to as the "X direction," "Y direction," and "Z direction," respectively. Furthermore, unless otherwise specified, the term "user" in the following description includes both the administrator who manages the prize-winning game device 1 and the player who plays the prize-winning game using the prize-winning game device 1.

[0027] [Main body 2] First, we will explain the details of the main body 2 with reference to Figures 1 to 9.

[0028] As shown in Figure 1, the main body 2 includes an operation unit 8 located on its front side, a display unit 9 for displaying game information and initial settings such as game conditions, a coin slot 10 for receiving game fees, a prize storage section 11 connected to the prize drop-off section 5, and a prize dispensing outlet 12 which is an opening facing the outside of the prize storage section 11. The main body 2 also includes a storage section 13 for storing data and programs used to conduct the prize acquisition game, a timer 14 for acquiring the current time, and a control unit 15 for controlling various operations of the prize acquisition game device 1.

[0029] (Operation Unit 8) The operation unit 8 is configured for performing various operations related to the prize acquisition game. The operation unit 8 comprises a housing 81, a control panel 82 provided on the top surface of the housing 81, a user-operated control section 83 provided on the control panel 82, and a speaker (not shown) provided on the lower side of the housing 81.

[0030] As shown in Figure 4, the control panel 82 is positioned on the front side of the mounting section 36 so as to cover the edge 363 of the mounting section 36 of the prize display section 3, which will be described later. Details of the placement of the control panel 82 will be explained later in conjunction with the description of the mounting section 36 of the prize display section 3.

[0031] The operation unit 83 is configured for operating the prize acquisition unit 6. Specifically, the operation unit 83 is configured to receive movement requests corresponding to the operation of the prize acquisition unit 6 in response to user operations. Here, a movement request is a request from the user to move the prize acquisition unit 6 along the X direction and / or Y direction on a predetermined surface 601 within the game space S.

[0032] Furthermore, the operation unit 83 has a first button 831 for receiving a request to move the prize acquisition unit 6 in the X direction, and a second button 832 for receiving a request to move the prize acquisition unit 6 in the Y direction. Note that the operation unit 83 may have a configuration other than buttons. For example, the operation unit 83 may be a joystick or a lever. In addition to the first button 831 and the second button 832, the operation unit 83 may also have a third button (see the third button 833 in the example shown in Figure 5) for receiving a request to move the prize acquisition unit 6 in the Z direction.

[0033] The speaker is configured to output game sounds such as background music and alarm sounds. Under normal conditions, the speaker outputs game sounds such as background music. However, if the prize acquisition game device 1 receives a certain amount of impact, the speaker can output an alarm sound.

[0034] (Display unit 9) The display unit 9 is configured to display and operate information for the sets on the right and left sides of the prize acquisition game device 1. As shown in Figure 1, the display unit 9 is located in the width direction between the operation unit 8 for the right set and the operation unit 8 for the left set. As shown in Figure 7, the display unit 9 also includes two display operation panels 91 located above the display unit 9, a panel protection section 92 located on the two display operation panels 91, and an administrator key identification section 93 located below the display unit 9.

[0035] The two display and operation panels 91 are for displaying play information, performing initial game settings, and displaying the set initial settings information for the prize acquisition game played in the set on the right or left of the corresponding prize acquisition game device 1. Here, the play information includes the movement information of the prize acquisition unit 6 and the play history of each play. The initial settings information includes setting information for the prize acquisition unit 6 regarding the movement and stopping of each component (i.e., the main unit 60 and the arm 61, which will be described later), setting information for sound regarding the type of sound played to the speaker and its volume, and setting information for the lighting of the prize display unit 3.

[0036] The panel protection section 92 is configured to suppress damage to the display operation panel 91 caused by excessive pressure applied to the display operation panel 91, such as when a user sits on the display operation panel 91 or presses the display operation panel 91 hard with their palm. As shown in Figures 7 and 8, the panel protection section 92 has a main body 921, a window 922 provided in the main body 921 for exposing the two display operation panels 91, and a projection 923 provided to surround the entire circumference of the window 922.

[0037] In the thickness direction of the display operation panel 91, the main body portion 921 and the projection portion 923 are formed above the display operation panel 91. The cross-sectional shape of the projection portion 923 is approximately triangular, as shown in Figure 8. That is, the projection portion 923 rises from the base portion 925 located on the display operation panel 91 side to the tip portion 927 located on the side away from the display operation panel 91, becoming thinner as it rises. Furthermore, the tip portion 927 of the projection portion 923 rises higher than the upper surface of the main body portion 921 in the thickness direction of the display operation panel 91.

[0038] With the panel protection part 92 having such a projection 923, the distance from the tip 927 of the projection 923 to the upper surface of the display operation panel 91 can be increased compared to the case where the projection 923 is not provided. Therefore, even if a user sits on the part of the panel protection part 92 corresponding to the display operation panel 91 or presses that part hard with their palm, there is a certain distance from the tip 927 of the projection 923 to the upper surface of the display operation panel 91, thus reducing the pressure exerted on the display operation panel 91 by the user's actions. Also, because the tip 927 of the projection 923 is thin, a user will feel some pain if they sit on the part of the panel protection part 92 corresponding to the display operation panel 91 or press that part hard with their palm. Therefore, the presence of the tip 927 of the projection 923 can deter the user from performing the above actions. As a result, the adoption of the projection 923 can suppress damage to the panel protection part 92 by the user and ensure reliable protection of the panel protection part 92.

[0039] In the example shown in Figure 7, the projection 923 is provided so as to surround the entire circumference of the window portion 922, but it is not limited to this. The projection 923 may be formed on a part of the entire circumference of the window portion 922, for example, on a pair of sides in the width direction of the window portion 922.

[0040] The administrator key identification unit 93 is configured to identify the "ID" of the administrator key K used by the administrator to activate the management mode, and to identify that the administrator key K is inserted into the slot corresponding to either the set on the right side or the set on the left side of the prize acquisition game machine 1. Here, the management mode is, for example, a usage mode for the administrator to perform maintenance or settings on the prize acquisition game machine 1. Note that the management mode may also include other management functions. As shown in Figure 9, the administrator key identification unit 93 has a left slot 941, a right slot 942, a single reading board 95 for identifying the ID of the administrator key K, and an insertion detection sensor 96.

[0041] The left slot 941 is for inserting the administrator key K when the administrator wants to activate the management mode of the set located on the left side of the prize acquisition game machine 1. The right slot 942 is for inserting the administrator key K when the administrator wants to activate the management mode of the set located on the right side of the prize acquisition game machine 1.

[0042] The single reading board 95 is configured to identify the "ID" of the administrator key K inserted from the left insertion slot 941 and the "ID" of the administrator key K inserted from the right insertion slot 942. If the single reading board 95 can identify the ID of the administrator key K, it transmits that information to the control unit 15. On the other hand, the single reading board 95 cannot determine whether the administrator key K is "inserted" from either the left insertion slot 941 or the right insertion slot 942.

[0043] The insertion detection sensor 96 is a sensor for detecting whether or not the administrator key K is inserted into the insertion slot. The insertion detection sensor 96 is located, for example, above the left insertion slot 941. If the insertion detection sensor 96 detects that the administrator key K is inserted into the left insertion slot 941, it transmits that information to the control unit 15. On the other hand, if the insertion detection sensor 96 cannot detect that the administrator key K is inserted into the left insertion slot 941, it does not transmit any information to the control unit 15.

[0044] Thus, when the control unit 15 receives transmissions from both the single reading board 95 and the insertion detection sensor 96, it determines that the administrator key K is inserted into the left insertion slot 941 and activates the management mode for the set on the left side of the prize acquisition game machine 1. On the other hand, when the control unit 15 receives a transmission from only the single reading board 95 (i.e., when it does not receive a transmission from the insertion detection sensor 96), it determines that the administrator key K is inserted into the right insertion slot 942 and activates the management mode for the set on the right side of the prize acquisition game machine 1.

[0045] In the example shown in Figure 9, the insertion detection sensor 96 is located above the left insertion slot 941, but it is not limited to this. The insertion detection sensor 96 may also be located above the right insertion slot 942. In this case, the control unit 15 determines which insertion slot the administrator key K was inserted into based on whether or not a transmission is received from the insertion detection sensor 96, and activates the management mode for the set on the left or right side of the prize acquisition game device 1 corresponding to that slot.

[0046] Generally, for an administrator key identification unit with different insertion slots, it is necessary to use two reading boards corresponding to each slot in order to identify which slot the administrator key K has been inserted into. However, by using the insertion detection sensor 96 described above, it is possible to easily identify whether the administrator key K is inserted into the left slot 941 or the right slot 942 even if only one reading board 95 is used. With this combination of the insertion detection sensor 96 and one reading board 95, the identification processing of the control unit 15 can be simplified compared to the case where two reading boards 95 are used, and the manufacturing cost of the administrator key identification unit 93 can be reduced.

[0047] (Prize storage compartment 11) The prize storage section 11 is configured to temporarily store prizes that have fallen from the prize drop opening 5 before they are removed from the prize acquisition game device 1 by the user. The prize storage section 11 is located below the prize drop opening 5.

[0048] (Prize payout slot 12) The prize dispensing port 12 is located on the front of the main body 2 and is connected to the prize storage section 11. The prize dispensing port 12 is fitted with an openable and closable door 121. When the door 121 is closed, the prize dispensing port 12 is closed, preventing prizes from flying out and preventing foreign objects from entering the prize acquisition game device 1 through the prize dispensing port 12 (including theft of prizes). On the other hand, when the door 121 is opened, the prize dispensing port 12 is opened, and prizes stored in the prize storage section 11 can be taken out.

[0049] (Control Unit 15) The control unit 15 is configured to control the overall operation of the prize acquisition game device 1. The control unit 15 receives movement requests received by the operation unit 83 and the display unit 9, as well as time information acquired by the timer 14, and then, based on the data and programs stored in the storage unit 13, controls the movement of the prize acquisition unit 6 in the game space S, the output of the speaker, and the lighting of the prize display unit 3, thereby enabling the prize acquisition game to be played. Details of the control unit 15 will be described later.

[0050] [Prize Display Section 3] Next, the details of the prize display section 3 will be explained with reference to Figures 1 to 6. Figures 5 and 6 show modified examples of the cover portion of the mounting section 36.

[0051] As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the prize display section 3 includes a housing section 30, a front panel 31, side panels 32, and a rear panel 33 provided on the front, left and right sides, and rear of the housing section 30, respectively, a support section 34 formed on the upper side of the housing section 30 to support the drive unit 7, an illuminated section 35 provided on the front side above the support section 34, and a mounting section 36 formed on the lower side of the housing section 30 on which the front panel 31 is placed.

[0052] (Front panel 31, side panel 32, and back panel 33) The front panel 31, side panels 32, and back panel 33 are configured to define the game space S. The front panel 31, side panels 32, and back panel 33 are made of a light-transmitting material, such as transparent acrylic resin or glass. This configuration creates a game space S that can be seen from the front, both sides, and the back of the prize-winning game device 1. The back panel 33 may be made of a metal or other plate material.

[0053] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the front panel 31 has a first front panel 311 and a second front panel 312 that are slidable in the width direction. The first front panel 311 is located on the rear side of the second front panel 312. The first front panel 311 and the second front panel 312 are an example of a door that allows the game space S to be opened and closed by sliding in the width direction. With this configuration, the manager of the prize acquisition game machine 1 can open the game space S by opening the first front panel 311 and the second front panel 312, and perform tasks such as operating and maintaining the prize acquisition unit 6 and replenishing prizes. When the manager is not performing tasks, the first front panel 311 and the second front panel 312 are closed, closing the game space S.

[0054] (Mounting section 36) The mounting section 36 is configured to movably support the first front panel 311 and the second front panel 312. The surface of the mounting section 36 is painted, just like the other parts of the housing section 30. Painting improves the appearance of the visible parts of the mounting section 36.

[0055] As shown in Figure 4, the mounting portion 36 has an upper surface portion 361, a front surface portion 362, a ridge portion 363 formed by the upper surface portion 361 and the front surface portion 362, and a sash 37 formed on the upper surface portion 361 that slidably supports the first front plate 311 and the second front plate 312 from below. Here, the sash 37 is an example of a support portion that supports the first front plate 311 and the second front plate 312 so that they can be opened and closed from below. Note that the support portion may be a configuration other than a sash, for example, a configuration that opens and closes each of the first front plate 311 and the second front plate 312 by rotating them.

[0056] The sash 37 is attached to the upper surface portion 361. As shown in Figure 4, the sash 37 has a first portion 371 that is provided behind the ridge portion 363 of the upper surface portion 361 and supports the first front plate 311 and the second front plate 312, and a second portion 372 that is provided in front of the first portion 371 and covers the upper side portion of the ridge portion 363. In this way, the second portion 372 of the sash 37 can function as part of the cover portion that covers the upper side portion of the ridge portion 363 of the mounting portion 36. Although the sash 37 has been described as being formed separately from the upper surface portion 361, the sash 37 may be formed integrally with the upper surface portion 361.

[0057] Next, the positional relationship between the control panel 82 of the operation unit 8 and the mounting section 36 will be described. The control panel 82 is positioned at an angle to the front surface 362 of the mounting section 36. More specifically, as shown in Figure 4, the control panel 82 is positioned on the front surface 362 side of the mounting section 36 such that its upper end portion 821, located near the front surface 362, is at the same level as or higher than the upper surface 361 of the mounting section 36. In other words, the upper end portion 821 is positioned to cover the front side portion of the ridge portion 363. Thus, the upper end portion 821 of the control panel 82 can function as another part of the cover portion that covers the front portion of the ridge portion 363 of the mounting section 36.

[0058] In this manner, the second portion 372 of the sash 37 and the upper end portion 821 of the control panel 82 form a cover portion that covers the ridge portion 363 of the mounting portion 36 in order to protect it. With such a cover portion, scratches and other damage to the ridge portion 363 can be caused by opening and closing the first front panel 311 and the second front panel 312, thereby preventing paint peeling from occurring on the ridge portion 363. As a result, the appearance of the mounting portion 36 can be improved and the durability of the mounting portion 36 can be improved.

[0059] Furthermore, the arrangement of the control panel 82 is not limited to the method described above. For example, the control panel 82 may be arranged such that its upper end portion 821 is in the same plane as the upper surface portion 361 of the mounting portion 36. Also, as shown in Figures 5 and 6, the control panel 82 may have a cover portion 820 that is integrally formed with the control panel 82. The cover portion 820 is an extension that extends from the upper end portion 821 of the control panel 82. Also, as shown in Figures 5 and 6, the cover portion 820 is provided to cover the front and upper portions of the ridge portion 363. Also, the cover portion 820 may be formed separately from the control panel 82 and the sash 37. Also, the three parts, the cover portion 820, the control panel 82, and the sash 37, may be formed as a single unit.

[0060] (Support part 34) The support section 34 is configured to movably support the drive unit 7 and to accommodate a part of the drive unit 7 (the first drive unit 71 and the second drive unit 72, which will be described later). As shown in Figure 1, the support section 34 has a rail 341 provided on its inner circumferential surface that movably supports the drive unit 7. Details of the mounting of the support section 34 and the drive unit 7 will be explained in conjunction with the description of the drive unit 7.

[0061] (Illumination section 35) The illuminated section 35 is configured to emit light to the outside of the prize display section 3. As shown in Figure 1, the illuminated section 35 has a light guide member 351 and a plurality of light-emitting diodes 352 as light-emitting elements. The light guide member 351 is a transparent flat plate made of acrylic resin and has a front side emission surface and a side side emission surface. The plurality of light-emitting diodes 352 are provided on the back side of the light guide member 351.

[0062] Furthermore, the light emitted by the multiple light-emitting diodes 352 enters from the rear end of the light guide member 351, is reflected inside the light guide member 351, is guided to the front side, and is emitted from the front side emission surface and the side side emission surface. Under normal conditions, the illuminated section 35 lights up. This improves the appearance of the prize acquisition game device 1. On the other hand, if the prize acquisition game device 1 receives a certain impact, the illuminated section 35 flashes. This allows the illuminated section 35 to emit an alarm signal to the surroundings.

[0063] [Prize support plate 4] Next, we will explain the details of the prize support plate 4 with reference to Figures 1 to 3 and Figures 10 to 18.

[0064] The prize support plate 4 is a plate-like structure formed between the main body 2 and the prize display section 3 in the vertical direction. As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the prize support plate 4, together with the front plate 31, side plate 32, back plate 33, and support section 34, defines the game space S. The prize support plate 4 has a prize support surface 401 on its upper side in the thickness direction for placing prizes.

[0065] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the prize support plate 4 has a plurality of prize support parts 40. The prize support parts 40 are, for example, plate members made of synthetic resin. The plurality of prize support parts 40 are connected to each other to form the prize support plate 4. In addition, the plurality of prize support parts 40 can be freely combined to form prize support plates 4 with different shapes. Therefore, the shape and size of the prize support surface 401 of the prize support plate 4 can be easily changed according to changes in the type of prize or the game rules.

[0066] As shown in Figures 10 to 14, the prize support section 40 has a main body section 41 that directly or indirectly supports the prize, and a plurality of connecting sections 42 provided on the periphery of the main body section 41 that connect the prize support sections 40 to each other.

[0067] As shown in Figures 12 and 13, the main body 41 is a frame-shaped member and has an outer peripheral surface 411 and an inner peripheral surface 412, which are the sides. In addition, a plate member for placing prizes (not shown) is provided on the upper surface of the main body 41.

[0068] As shown in Figure 12, the connecting portion 42 has a rotating portion 43 that is rotatably mounted on the main body portion 41, and a support portion 44 that guides the rotation of the rotating portion 43 and supports the rotating portion 43 from both sides in the thickness direction of the rotating portion 43. In the following description, the state in which the rotating portion 43 is rotatably attached to the main body portion 41 by the support portion 44 may be referred to as the "assembled state".

[0069] As shown in Figure 12, the support portion 44 has a first support portion 45 that can be attached to the main body portion 41 and a second support portion 46 that is part of the main body portion 41. Between the first support portion 45 and the second support portion 46, as shown in Figures 11 and 12, a housing space S2 is formed. As shown in Figures 10 to 12, the housing space S2 includes an opening 47 that opens to the outer peripheral surface 411 of the main body portion 41 and a second opening 48 that opens to the inner peripheral surface 412 of the main body portion 41 and is provided on the side opposite to the opening 47. As shown in Figures 10 and 11, the rotating portion 43 is positioned in the housing space S2 so that it can move in and out of the housing space S2 through the opening 47 by rotation.

[0070] In the above description, the main body portion 41 has been described as a single component, but the main body portion 41 may also be configured to be divided into two parts, upper and lower, with the opening 47 as the boundary. In this case, either of the upper and lower divided main body portion 41 may include the support portion 44. In other words, the support portion 44 corresponds to either of the upper and lower divided main body portion 41. Furthermore, the upper and lower divided main body portion 41 may be fitted together with the rotating portion 43 in between to form the prize support portion 40.

[0071] The configurations of the rotating part 43 and the first support part 45 will now be described in more detail. As shown in Figure 16, the rotating part 43 has a main body part 430 and a knob 437 for operating the rotation of the main body part 430. The main body part 430 is a plate member with a substantially semicircular shape in plan view. The main body part 430 also has a first surface 431 on one side in the thickness direction and a first part 432 which is a recess provided on the first surface 431. The rotating part 43 is provided such that the first surface 431 intersects the outer peripheral surface 411 and that it can enter and exit the storage space S2 through the opening 47 by rotation.

[0072] The first part 432 has a groove that is approximately semicircular in shape when viewed from above. Furthermore, as shown in Figures 16 and 17, the first part 432 has a first side surface 4321, a third side surface 4322 that is opposite to the first side surface 4321, and a bottom surface 4323 that connects the first side surface 4321 and the third side surface 4322. The first side surface 4321 is the part that contacts the first support part 45, as shown in Figure 17. The shape of the first side surface 4321 when viewed from above is arc-shaped.

[0073] As shown in Figure 16, the bottom surface 4323 of the first part 432 is provided with two protruding first bottom stoppers 435, and the third side surface 4322 is provided with a protruding first side stopper 436. The first bottom stopper 435 and the first side stopper 436 are examples of first stoppers.

[0074] As shown in Figure 16, the knob 437 is provided so as to extend from the periphery of the main body portion 430. In the assembled state, as shown in Figure 18, the knob 437 extends to the outside of the housing space S2 through the second opening 48 and is provided so as to be able to rotate and come into contact with both ends of the second opening 48 (i.e., the first end 4571 and the second end 4572 of the first support portion 45, which will be described later).

[0075] As shown in Figures 14 and 15, the first support portion 45 includes a main body portion 450, a second surface 451 facing the first surface 431 of the rotating portion 43 in the assembled state, a second portion 452 which is a protrusion on the second surface 451 corresponding to the first portion 432, and cylindrical first end portions 4571 and second end portions 4572 provided at both ends of the second surface 451.

[0076] Part 2 452 is a projection with a substantially semi-circular shape in plan view that can be inserted into Part 1 432. Part 2 452 also has a second side surface 4521, a fourth side surface 4522 opposite to the second side surface 4521, and a bottom surface 4523 connecting the second side surface 4521 and the fourth side surface 4522, as shown in Figures 14 and 15. As shown in Figure 17, the second side surface 4521 is in contact with the first side surface 4321 of Part 1 432. The plan view shape of the second side surface 4521 is arc-shaped. Furthermore, the curvature of the plan view shape of the second side surface 4521 is the same as the curvature of the plan view shape of the first side surface 4321. However, the curvature of the plan view shape of the second side surface 4521 may be formed to be slightly larger than the curvature of the plan view shape of the first side surface 4321.

[0077] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 14 and 15, the bottom surface 4523 of the second part 452 is provided with two protruding second bottom stoppers 455, and the fourth side surface 4522 is provided with a protruding second side stopper 456. The second bottom stopper 455 and the second side stopper 456 are examples of second stoppers.

[0078] In the assembled state, the first part 432 and the second part 452 are configured to fit together rotatably. Specifically, the first part 432 is provided to be rotatable relative to the second part 452 by the first side surface 4321 sliding smoothly along the second side surface 4521.

[0079] Next, the features of the connecting portion 42 of the prize support portion will be described in detail using an example of connection between prize support portions. In the following description, in order to distinguish between the two prize support portions 40, one prize support portion 40 will be called prize support portion 40a and the other prize support portion 40 will be called prize support portion 40b. When the opening 47a of the connecting portion 42a of one prize support portion 40a is arranged to communicate with the opening 47b of the connecting portion 42b of the other prize support portion 40b, as shown in Figure 18, the plan view shape of the second side surface 4521a of the second portion 452a of the connecting portion 42a and the plan view shape of the second side surface 4521b of the second portion 452b of the connecting portion 42b are configured to lie on a single circumference. Similarly, in that case, the plan view shape of the first side surface 4321a of the first part 432a of the connecting portion 42a and the plan view shape of the first side surface 4321b of the first part 432b of the connecting portion 42b are configured to lie on a single circumference.

[0080] With the above configuration, when connecting the prize support section 40a and the prize support section 40b, the first part 432a of the connecting section 42a rotates smoothly along the second side surface 4521a of the connecting section 42a and the second side surface 4521b of the connecting section 42b, and smoothly enters the storage space S2b of the other prize support section 40b, and can fit into the second part 452b of the connecting section 42b. In this case, the first part 432a of the connecting section 42a is configured such that a part maintains a fit with the second part 452a of the connecting section 42a, and the other part fits into the second part 452b of the connecting section 42b. Similarly, the first part 432b of the connecting section 42b is configured such that a part maintains a fit with the second part 452b of the connecting section 42b, and the other part fits into the second part 452b of the connecting section 42b. As a result, the connecting parts 42a and 42b ensure that one prize support part 40a and the other prize support part 40b are securely connected.

[0081] Furthermore, by the rotation of the first part 432a of the connecting part 42a, the knob 437a can come into contact with the first end 4571a or the second end 4572a that constitute both ends of the second opening 48a. When the knob 437a comes into contact with the first end 4571a, the main body 430a of the connecting part 42a is housed entirely within the storage space S2a, as shown in Figures 10 and 18. On the other hand, when the knob 437a comes into contact with the second end 4572a, the main body 430a of the connecting part 42a is configured such that half of it maintains a fit with the second part 452a, and the other half can fit with the second part 452b of the other prize support part 40b, as shown in Figures 11 and 18. The same applies to the main body 430b of the connecting part 42b. This configuration improves the stability of the connection between one prize support section 40a and the other prize support section 40b.

[0082] Furthermore, when the knob 437a contacts the second end portion 4572a, that is, when the respective halves of the connecting portion 42a and the connecting portion 42b are fitted together, the stoppers on the connecting portion 42a and the connecting portion 42b contact their respective stoppers. Specifically, although not shown in the figures, in the case of the stoppers on the connecting portion 42a, one first bottom stopper 435a of the connecting portion 42a contacts the second bottom stopper 455a, the other first bottom stopper 435a of the connecting portion 42a contacts the second bottom stopper 455b, and the first side stopper 436a of the connecting portion 42a contacts the first side stopper 436a and the second side stopper 436b. The same applies to the stoppers on the connecting portion 42b. This contact between the stoppers stops the rotation of the first portion 432 relative to the second portion 452. As a result, the rotation of the rotating part 43 can be locked.

[0083] [Prize drop-off slot 5] Next, we will explain the details of the prize drop-off opening 5 with reference to Figures 2 and 3.

[0084] The prize drop opening 5 is configured to connect the game space S and the prize storage section 11. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the prize drop opening 5 has a first drop opening 51 formed on the front side of the prize support plate 4, and a second drop opening 52 formed below the first drop opening 51 and the prize support plate 4, which connects the first drop opening 51 and the prize storage section 11.

[0085] The size of the first drop opening 51 can be changed by changing the way the prize support parts 40 of the prize support plate 4 are combined. As shown in Figure 3, the second drop opening 52 is equipped with a drop detection sensor 53 that detects when a prize falls. This drop detection sensor 53 can accurately detect whether or not a user has taken a prize.

[0086] [Prize Acquisition Section 6] Next, we will explain the details of the prize acquisition unit 6 with reference to Figures 1 and 19 to 21.

[0087] The prize acquisition unit 6 is configured to move within the game space S and grasp prizes placed on the prize support plate 4. The prize acquisition unit 6 is installed so as to be suspended from the drive unit 7 within the game space S. As shown in Figure 19, the prize acquisition unit 6 has a main body 60 that is movable within the game space S, and a pair of arms 61 that are installed so as to move in conjunction with the movement of the main body 60 and move relative to the main body 60. Here, the pair of arms 61 is an example of arms for acquiring prizes. The number of arms 61 is not limited to two. For example, there may be one arm installed to hook the prize, or there may be three or more arms installed to grasp the prize. The main body 60 is connected to the drive unit 7, and the pair of arms 61 extend downward from the main body 60. In the following description, the movement of the main body 60 and the pair of arms 61 may be referred to as "movement of the prize acquisition unit 6".

[0088] As shown in Figures 19 to 21, the main body 60 includes a housing 66, a mounting section 62 provided inside the housing 66 for attaching the prize acquisition section 6 to the drive section 7, and an arm drive section 63 for driving the opening and closing movement of a pair of arms 61. Here, the opening and closing movement of the pair of arms 61 is an example of arm movement and includes moving the pair of arms 61 apart from each other and opening, and moving the pair of arms 61 closer together and closing. The pair of arms 61 may also perform movements other than opening and closing.

[0089] The arm drive unit 63 is attached to the mounting part 62 and powered by a cable 64. The bottom of the housing 66 constitutes the bottom 67 of the main body 60, as shown in Figure 20. The bottom 67 is equipped with a bottom sensor (not shown) capable of detecting the pressure that the bottom 67 of the main body 60 applies to the prize. The bottom sensor includes, for example, known pressure sensors, contact sensors, distance sensors, etc. The main body 60 also has a display section 65 formed on the front of the housing 66 for displaying design sheets, etc. Displaying design sheets can improve the appearance of the main body 60.

[0090] As shown in Figure 21, the arm drive unit 63 includes a rotating shaft 631 fixed to the mounting part 62 and rotatably supporting the arm 61, a gripping force operating gear 632 rotatably mounted on the rotating shaft 631, a wound spring 633 wound around the rotating shaft 631, a motor 634 that drives the rotation of the gripping force operating gear 632, and an opening degree sensor 635 that detects the opening degree of the arm 61.

[0091] Motor 634 has an output shaft to which a pinion gear (not shown) is fitted. The gripping force operating gear 632 is a disc-shaped gear that meshes with the pinion gear on the motor 634 side. The gripping force operating gear 632 has an arc-shaped elongated hole portion 6321 of a predetermined length provided on its peripheral edge, and a boss portion 6322 provided on the main surface on one side in the thickness direction. A wound spring 633 is attached to the gripping force operating gear 632 and the arm 61 such that one end (not shown) is loosely inserted into the elongated hole portion 6321 so as to be movable, and the other end 6332 is fixed to the arm 61. The gripping force operating gear 632 and the arm 61 are configured to be able to move in conjunction with each other by this wound spring 633.

[0092] The arm drive unit 63 drives the opening and closing movement of a pair of arms 61 to grasp or release prizes. Specifically, the motor 634 outputs a rotational force in a predetermined direction based on the control of the control unit 15, and transmits this rotational force to the gripping force operating gear 632 via the output shaft and pinion gear, causing the gripping force operating gear 632 to rotate. The rotation of the gripping force operating gear 632 is then transmitted to the arms 61 via the wound spring 633, causing the arms 61 to rotate and open. After the rotation of the gripping force operating gear 632 stops, the spring force of the wound spring 633 causes the arms 61 to continue rotating until they contact the boss portion 6322 and then stop. In this way, the arm drive unit 63, under the operation of the motor 634, can open a pair of arms 61 to a preset opening degree via the output shaft, pinion gear, gripping force operating gear 632, and wound spring 633.

[0093] On the other hand, when closing the pair of arms 61, the motor 634 outputs a rotational force in the opposite direction to the predetermined direction based on the control of the control unit 15. Then, under the reverse operation of the motor 634, the arm drive unit 63 can close the pair of arms 61 via the output shaft, pinion gear, gripping force operating gear 632, and wound spring 633.

[0094] The opening degree sensor 635 is a sensor that detects the opening degree of a pair of arms 61 by detecting the rotation angle of the gripping force operating gear 632. When the opening degree sensor 635 detects the opening degree of the arms 61, it transmits that information to the control unit 15. When the control unit 15 detects that the opening degree information of the arms 61 transmitted from the opening degree sensor 635 has reached a set opening degree, it stops the rotation of the gripping force operating gear 632. In this way, the opening degree of the pair of arms 61 can be maintained at the set opening degree. In addition, when the control unit 15 detects that the opening degree information of the arms 61 transmitted from the opening degree sensor 635 has moved above a predetermined threshold, it stops the movement of the main body 60. In this way, the movement of the pair of arms 61 accompanying the main body 60 can be stopped.

[0095] Here, both the set opening degree and the predetermined threshold related to the opening degree are initial information stored in the storage unit 13. The predetermined threshold related to the opening degree is greater than the set opening degree. For example, the predetermined threshold related to the opening degree may be 90 degrees, while the set opening degree may be an angle smaller than 90 degrees. Note that both the set opening degree and the predetermined threshold related to the opening degree can be changed by setting.

[0096] Furthermore, the set opening degree is the opening degree at which the pair of arms 61 are opened from a closed state to an open state for acquiring a prize, under the control of the control unit 15, before the approach movement of the main body 60 along the approach direction toward the prize begins and when the main body 60 is stopped at the approach starting point described later. Under the control of the control unit 15, if the pair of arms 61 receive only the driving force of the arm drive unit 63, the pair of arms 61 will not be opened to an opening degree greater than the set opening degree.

[0097] On the other hand, as the main body 60 moves toward the prize, one or both of the pair of arms 61 may come into contact with the prize or prize support plate 4, resulting in a movement exceeding a predetermined threshold. If such contact occurs and the main body 60 continues to move toward the prize, the arms 61 will come into contact with the side of the housing 66 due to the reaction force from the prize or prize support plate 4, applying significant pressure to the prize or prize support plate 4 together with the main body 60. In this case, the pressure exerted by the arms 61 and the main body 60 on the prize or prize support plate 4 is the sum of the weight of the arms 61 and at least a portion of the weight of the main body 60. In contrast, if the movement of the main body 60 is stopped when such contact occurs, the pressure acting on the prize or prize support plate 4 will be reduced to only the weight of the arms 61, thus reducing the pressure exerted by the prize acquisition unit 6 on the prize or prize support plate 4 compared to the case where the movement of the main body 60 is not stopped.

[0098] Furthermore, the prize acquisition unit 6 can move in the X, Y, and Z directions within the game space S. Here, the Z direction includes the downward direction (hereinafter referred to as the "Z-direction downward direction") and the upward direction (hereinafter referred to as the "Z-direction upward direction"). The Z-direction downward direction is an example of an approaching direction, which is the direction of getting closer to the prize, and the Z-direction upward direction is an example of an moving-away direction, which is the opposite direction of getting closer. Hereafter, movement along the Z-direction downward direction will be called "approaching movement," and movement along the Z-direction upward direction will be called "moving-away movement." When the two are not distinguished, they may be collectively referred to as "Z-direction movement." Also, when the movement of the prize acquisition unit 6 in the X direction and / or Y direction is not distinguished, they may be collectively referred to as "plane movement." Furthermore, the position where the prize acquisition unit 6 is stopped before the game starts will be called the "waiting position," and the position of the prize acquisition unit 6 after plane movement and before approach movement will be called the "approach starting point."

[0099] The prize acquisition unit 6 is configured, for example, to move in the Z direction after moving in a plane. The plane movement of the prize acquisition unit 6 is performed based on the user's will, while the Z direction movement of the prize acquisition unit 6 is performed based on the initial settings, regardless of the user's will. If the operation unit 83 includes a third button 833 related to movement in the Z direction (see the example shown in Figure 5), the Z direction movement of the prize acquisition unit 6 can be performed based on the user's will, i.e., the user's operation of the third button 833.

[0100] The movement of the prize acquisition unit 6 will now be described in more detail. Movement of the prize acquisition unit 6 in the X and Y directions is achieved by a first method in which the administrator of the prize acquisition game device 1 manually moves the prize acquisition unit 6 in management mode, or by a second method in which the control unit 15 moves the prize acquisition unit 6 based on a movement request input by the administrator of the prize acquisition game device 1 in management mode or by the player in player mode by operating the first button 831 and the second button 832 of the operation unit 83.

[0101] The first method is used to determine the standby position, movement range, and prize insertion position of the prize acquisition unit 6. Here, the standby position of the prize acquisition unit 6 is, for example, the origin of the coordinate space (XYZ space) in which the prize acquisition unit 6 can move. Note that the origin may be a different position from the standby position. The movement range is the range in the XY plane of the coordinate space in which the prize acquisition unit 6 can move. The prize insertion position is the position above the prize insertion opening 5 in which the prize acquisition unit 6 inserts the prize into the prize insertion opening 5. Furthermore, after the prize acquisition unit 6 is moved to the standby position by the first method, the coordinates of the point corresponding to the position of the prize acquisition unit 6 are automatically acquired by the position sensors and encoders of the drive unit 7 (i.e., the X-direction origin sensor 715, the X-direction position sensor 714, and / or the Y-direction origin sensor 725, the Y-direction position sensor 724, and the first encoder 713 and the second encoder 723, which will be described later). Similarly, the coordinates of points corresponding to the movement range and prize placement location can be obtained in the same manner. Through this first method, the administrator can easily obtain and change the origin, waiting position, movement range, and prize placement location.

[0102] The second method is used for acquiring prizes by the prize acquisition unit 6. When using the second method, the drive unit 7 drives the movement of the prize acquisition unit 6 in the X direction and / or Y direction under the control of the control unit 15. Also, similar to the first method, after the prize acquisition unit 6 has been moved by the second method, the coordinates of the point corresponding to the position of the prize acquisition unit 6 are automatically acquired by the position sensor and encoder of the drive unit 7. With this second method, the administrator and the player can move the prize acquisition unit 6 freely and acquire the coordinates of points along the movement path of the prize acquisition unit.

[0103] Furthermore, when using either the first or second method, the prize acquisition unit 6 is moved along the rails of the drive unit 7 (the first rail 711 and / or the second rail 721, described later). The rails of the drive unit 7 are provided so that their longitudinal direction is parallel to the prize support surface 401. Therefore, the prize acquisition unit 6 can move on a predetermined surface 601 (see Figure 1) where its center of gravity is parallel to the prize support surface 401.

[0104] The approach movement of the prize acquisition unit 6 is a movement that automatically occurs along the downward Z-direction after a predetermined planar movement has been performed in order to approach the prize and grasp it. Furthermore, the approach movement of the prize acquisition unit 6 is driven by the drive unit 7 under the control of the control unit 15. Specifically, after the planar movement of the prize acquisition unit 6 has been performed, that is, after it has stopped at the approach starting point on a predetermined surface 601 of the prize acquisition unit 6, the arm drive unit 63 opens the integrated arm 61 to a set opening degree under the control of the control unit 15, and then the drive unit 7 drives the approach movement of the prize acquisition unit 6 based on the initial settings. Subsequently, when the arm 61 of the prize acquisition unit 6 moves beyond a predetermined threshold, or when the bottom sensor detects that the bottom 67 of the main body 60 of the prize acquisition unit 6 has pressed the prize with a predetermined pressure, the approach movement of the main body 60 is stopped. Subsequently, under the control of the control unit 15, a first pressure adjustment is performed to adjust the pressure on the prize or the prize support unit 40 by the arm 61, or a second pressure adjustment is performed to adjust the pressure on the prize by the main body 60.

[0105] Here, the first pressure adjustment is performed to reduce the pressure on the prize or prize support unit 40 by the arm 61 of the prize acquisition unit 6 by stopping the approaching movement of the main unit 60 when the arm 61 moves beyond a predetermined threshold. The second pressure adjustment is performed by adjusting the position between the bottom 67 of the main unit 60 and the prize. Specifically, when the bottom sensor detects that the bottom 67 of the main unit 60 is pressing the prize with a predetermined pressure, the approaching movement of the main unit 60 is stopped, and then the main unit 60 is moved a first distance along the away direction before being stopped, thereby reducing the pressure on the prize by the main unit 60.

[0106] Furthermore, the first distance related to the second pressure adjustment is a distance that reduces the pressure exerted by the main body 60 on the prize to a predetermined value while maintaining contact between the bottom 67 of the main body 60 and the prize, and is, for example, a few millimeters. The first distance is determined by the control unit 15 according to the type of prize, so as to reduce the pressure exerted by the main body 60 on the prize to a predetermined value while maintaining contact between the bottom 67 of the main body 60 and the prize. With such a first distance, it is possible to reduce the pressure exerted by the main body 60 on the prize while maintaining the posture of the main body 60 relative to the prize in a state that does not change significantly. Therefore, the impact of the second pressure adjustment on the prize acquisition operation can be suppressed. In addition, a bottom sensor, including a contact sensor and a distance measuring sensor mounted on the bottom 67, may be used to reduce the pressure exerted by the arm 61 on the prize or the prize support part 40 before pressure is applied to the prize.

[0107] The opening and closing movements of the pair of arms 61 change in accordance with the position change of the prize acquisition unit 6, under the control of the control unit 15. Specifically, the pair of arms 61 are closed when the prize acquisition unit 6 is in the standby position, open to a set opening after the prize acquisition unit 6 moves to the approach start point via plane movement, close to grasp the prize after the prize acquisition unit 6 has made its approach movement and stopped, and then open to release the grasped prize and close again after the prize acquisition unit 6 has moved to the prize insertion position via far-away movement. After that, the prize acquisition unit 6 returns to the standby position with the pair of arms 61 still closed.

[0108] [Drive unit 7] Next, the details of the drive unit 7 will be described with reference to Figures 1 and 19 to 28.

[0109] The drive unit 7 supports the prize acquisition unit 6 so as to suspend it from the drive unit 7 and is configured to drive the prize acquisition unit 6 on a predetermined surface 601 of the game space S based on the control of the control unit 15. The drive unit 7 includes a first drive unit 71 that drives the movement of the prize acquisition unit 6 in the X direction, a second drive unit 72 that drives the movement of the prize acquisition unit 6 in the Y direction, and a third drive unit 73 that drives the movement of the prize acquisition unit 6 in the Z direction. The drive unit 7 is also configured to communicate with the control unit 15 and has a control board 70 for controlling the electrical configurations of the first drive unit 71, the second drive unit 72, and the third drive unit 73 together with the control unit 15.

[0110] The first drive unit 71 includes a first rail 711, a first motor 712 and a first encoder 713 provided on one end of the first rail 711, an X-direction origin sensor 715 and three X-direction position sensors 714 provided along the longitudinal direction of the first rail 711, dogs 716 provided on both ends of the first rail 711, and mounting configurations 717 provided on both ends of the first rail 711 for attaching the first rail 711 to the support 34.

[0111] The first rail 711 is provided to be movable relative to the support unit 34 along the width direction by the attachment of the roller of the first drive unit 71 to the rail 341 of the support unit 34. Since the longitudinal direction of the first rail 711 is provided to be parallel to the prize support surface 401, the longitudinal direction of the first rail 711 corresponds to the X direction of movement of the prize acquisition unit 6.

[0112] The first motor 712 moves the second drive unit 72 and the third drive unit 73 along the first rail 711 (i.e., in the X direction), thereby enabling the prize acquisition unit 6, which is attached to the third drive unit 73, to move in the X direction. The first encoder 713 detects the rotational state of the first motor 712 (for example, the amount of movement or angle of rotation of the first motor 712), thereby detecting the distance the prize acquisition unit 6 has moved in the X direction. With this first encoder 713, the distance the prize acquisition unit 6 has moved in the X direction can be accurately detected using a simple configuration.

[0113] The X-direction origin sensor 715 and the three X-direction position sensors 714 are examples of position sensors that detect the position of the prize acquisition unit 6, that is, the coordinates of a predetermined point on the movement path of the prize acquisition unit 6. The X-direction origin sensor 715, together with the Y-direction origin sensor 725 described later, is a sensor that detects the standby position of the prize acquisition unit 6 as the origin. By obtaining the origin coordinates, the coordinate space (XYZ space) in which the prize acquisition unit 6 is located can be determined. Here, the standby position of the prize acquisition unit 6 is located above the front end of the game space S. Furthermore, the standby position of the prize acquisition unit 6 is a position specified by the administrator of the prize acquisition game device 1 when the prize acquisition unit 6 is manually moved.

[0114] The three X-direction position sensors 714 are sensors that detect the X coordinates of points on the movement path of the prize acquisition unit 6. The two dogs 716 are detectable pieces provided at both ends of the X-direction movement range of the prize acquisition unit 6. These two dogs 716 allow the prize acquisition unit 6 to move within the X-direction movement range.

[0115] The second drive unit 72 includes a second rail 721, a second motor 722 and a second encoder 723 for detecting the rotation state of the second motor 722, a Y-direction origin sensor 725 and three Y-direction position sensors 724 provided along the longitudinal direction of the second rail 721, and dogs 726 provided at both ends of the second rail 721. The second drive unit 72 also includes rollers 727 provided at both ends of the second rail 721 for movably attaching to the rail 342 of the support unit 34, and mounting parts 728 for movably attaching to the first rail 711.

[0116] The second rail 721 is provided to be movable along the depth direction relative to the support unit 34 and the first drive unit 71 by attaching the roller 727 and the rail 342 of the support unit 34, and by attaching the mounting unit 728 and the first rail 711. Since the longitudinal direction of the second rail 721 is provided to be parallel to the prize support surface 401, the longitudinal direction of the second rail 721 corresponds to the Y direction of movement of the prize acquisition unit 6.

[0117] The second motor 722 moves the third drive unit 73 and the first drive unit 71 along the second rail 721 (i.e., in the Y direction), thereby enabling the prize acquisition unit 6, which is attached to the third drive unit 73, to move in the Y direction. The second encoder 723 detects the rotational state of the second motor 722 (for example, the amount of movement or angle of rotation of the second motor 722), thereby detecting the distance the prize acquisition unit 6 has moved in the Y direction. With this second encoder 723, the distance the prize acquisition unit 6 has moved in the Y direction can be accurately detected using a simple configuration.

[0118] The Y-direction origin sensor 725 and the three Y-direction position sensors 724 are examples of position sensors that detect the position of the prize acquisition unit 6, that is, the coordinates of a predetermined point on the movement path of the prize acquisition unit 6. The Y-direction origin sensor 725, together with the X-direction origin sensor 715, is a sensor that detects the standby position of the prize acquisition unit 6 as the origin. The three Y-direction position sensors 724 are sensors that detect the Y coordinates of points on the movement path of the prize acquisition unit 6. The two dogs 726 are detectable pieces provided at both ends of the Y-direction movement range of the prize acquisition unit 6. These two dogs 726 allow the prize acquisition unit 6 to move within the Y-direction movement range.

[0119] The third drive unit 73 includes a main body 730 and a support unit 731 that supports the prize acquisition unit 6 so that it can be raised and lowered.

[0120] As shown in Figure 23, the support section 731 is an expandable tube formed by fitting together four pipes 7311, 7312, 7313, and 7314, which are progressively smaller in diameter, in an interlocking manner. The pipes 7311, 7312, 7313, and 7314 are configured to not rotate with each other and not fall out due to the engagement of stoppers 7315 and grooves 7316 provided on their respective circumferential surfaces. The support section 731 also has an upper end portion 7330 provided above pipe 7311 and a lower end portion 7350 provided below pipe 7314. The support section 731 is attached to the third drive unit 73 via a connection between the upper end portion 7330 and the housing of the main body portion 730, and a connection between the lower end portion 7350 and the mounting portion 62 of the prize acquisition unit 6.

[0121] When the prize acquisition unit 6 is positioned on a predetermined surface 601, the weights of pipes 7311, 7312, 7313, and 7314 are supported by the prize acquisition unit 6. On the other hand, as the prize acquisition unit 6 moves closer, the stopper 7315 of pipe 7312 reaches the lower end of the groove 7316 of pipe 7311, so the weight of pipe 7312 is supported by pipe 7311, then the weight of pipe 7313 is supported by pipe 7312, and then the weight of pipe 7314 is supported by pipe 7313.

[0122] As shown in Figures 22 and 24, the main body 730 includes a winding and unwinding unit 732 attached to the prize acquisition unit 6, which is provided inside the housing of the main body 730, and a wire 734 that has been wound up by the winding and unwinding unit 732.

[0123] As shown in Figures 22 and 24, the winding and unwinding section 732 includes a third motor 733, a reduction gear section (not shown), a wire winding pulley 735, a Z-direction movement stop section 737, and a biasing force adjustment section 739. The third motor 733, via the reduction of the reduction gear section, causes the wire winding pulley 735 to rotate in the forward or reverse direction, thereby enabling the wire 734 to be unwound or wound. The unwound or winding of the wire 734 allows the prize acquisition section 6, which is fixed to the wire 734, to move closer to or further away from it in the Z-direction. In this case, the support section 731 expands or contracts in the Z-direction as the length of the wire 734 changes due to the unwound or winding.

[0124] The Z-direction movement stopping unit 737 is configured to stop the Z-direction movement of the main body 60, that is, the approaching or upward movement, when the bottom 67 of the main body 60 comes into contact with the prize due to the approaching movement of the main body 60 and presses the prize with a predetermined pressure. The Z-direction movement stopping unit 737 includes a dog rotation shaft 7371, a swing arm 7372 that can swing about the dog rotation shaft 7371, a Z-direction dog 7373 provided at one end of the swing arm 7372 and swinging together with the swing arm 7372, a tension pulley 7374 rotatably supported by the swing arm 7372, a coil spring 7375 that biases the swing arm 7372 in the direction of lifting the prize acquisition unit 6 by pressing the tension pulley 7374 against the wire 734, an approach stop sensor 7376 for stopping approaching movement (downward movement) in the Z direction, and an upward stop sensor for stopping upward movement in the Z direction.

[0125] One end of the wire 734 is wound by the wire winding pulley 735 of the winding and unwinding section 732, and the other end is unwound from the tension pulley 7374 of the Z-direction movement stop section 737, passing inside the pipes 7311, 7312, 7313, and 7314 of the support section 731. In addition, as shown in Figure 23, a cylindrical connecting section 738 that can move up and down is provided at the other end of the wire 734 inside the pipe 7314. The wire 734 is fixed to the mounting section 62 of the prize acquisition section 6 via the connecting section 738. In this way, the prize acquisition section 6 is installed so as to be suspended by the wire 734.

[0126] As shown in Figures 22 and 24, the biasing force adjustment section 739 is configured to change the biasing force in the lifting direction by the coil spring 7375. The biasing force adjustment section 739 includes a movable retaining plate member 7391, an adjustment knob 7392, and a knob support member 7394 that supports the adjustment knob 7392.

[0127] The movable retaining plate member 7391 is a plate-shaped member that is rotatably attached to the dog rotation shaft 7371, and is positioned so that the end of the coil spring 7375 abuts against it. Here, one end of the coil spring 7375 is hooked onto the swing arm 7372 and fixed, and the other end is hooked onto the movable retaining plate member 7391. Therefore, when the movable retaining plate member 7391 is rotated around the dog rotation shaft 7371, the biasing force of the coil spring 7375, that is, the strength of the biasing force that biases the swing arm 7372 in the direction of lifting the prize acquisition unit 6 by pressing the tension pulley 7374 against the wire 734, changes according to the amount of rotation.

[0128] The adjustment knob 7392 is a component for changing the angle of the movable retaining plate member 7391, and has a screw portion that displaces the position of the tip portion 7393 according to the amount of rotation. The tip portion 7393 is positioned to contact the outer surface of the movable retaining plate member 7391 and to press against it against the repulsive force of the coil spring 7375.

[0129] Furthermore, the adjustment knob 7392 is preferably rotatably supported at two points by a knob support member 7394 attached to the housing of the main body 730. Since the knob portion of the adjustment knob 7392 is located on the outside of the housing of the main body 730, the operator can easily change the biasing force by grasping the knob portion from the outside of the housing of the main body 730 and operating the adjustment knob 7392. In addition, the adjustment knob 7392, which consists of a screw mechanism, allows for stepless adjustment of the biasing force of the coil spring 7375.

[0130] When the adjustment knob 7392 is turned forward to advance the tip portion 7393, the movable retaining plate member 7391 is pushed in as shown in Figures 27 and 28, increasing the biasing force of the coil spring 7375 and putting it into a "strong spring" state. As a result, the biasing force of the coil spring 7375 that biases the swing arm 7372 in the direction of lifting the prize acquisition unit 6 increases, and consequently, the biasing force acting on the prize acquisition unit 6 itself in the lifting direction via the swing arm 7372 and the wire 734 also increases.

[0131] On the other hand, when the adjustment knob 7392 is reversed and the tip portion 7393 is retracted, the movable retaining plate member 7391 returns to the adjustment knob 7392 as shown in Figures 25 and 26, and the biasing force of the coil spring 7375 decreases, resulting in a "weak spring" state. As a result, the biasing force of the coil spring 7375 that biases the swing arm 7372 in the direction of lifting the prize acquisition unit 6 decreases, and consequently, the biasing force in the lifting direction acting on the prize acquisition unit 6 itself via the swing arm 7372 and the wire 734 also decreases.

[0132] Furthermore, some prize-winning game devices are designed to allow for the flexible adjustment of the size and number of arms 61 in response to changes in the shape and size of the prizes, changes in the layout, and changes in the position of the prize drop-off point 5. Changing the size and number of arms 61 changes the weight of the prize-winning unit 6. When the weight of the prize-winning unit 6 changes, the pushing force acting on the prize from the prize-winning unit 6 can be adjusted by appropriately changing the biasing force of the coil spring 7375.

[0133] The proximity stop sensor 7376 is a sensor that, when the main body 60 is moving towards the prize, can send a request to the control unit 15 to stop the approaching movement of the main body 60 based on the detection state of the Z-direction dog 7373. Specifically, when the main body 60 is moving towards the prize and the bottom 67 of the main body 60 is not in contact with the prize, the downward force in the Z-direction acting on the wire 734 is greater than the upward force in the Z-direction acting on the wire 734. In this case, the downward force in the Z-direction acting on the wire 734 is the total weight consisting of the weight of the main body 60, the weight of some or all of the pipes 7311, 7312, 7313, 7314, and some of the weight of the cable 64. The upward force in the Z-direction acting on the wire 734 is the biasing force in the lifting direction by the coil spring 7375. Therefore, the wire 734 is in a pulled state as shown in Figure 25 or Figure 27. In this case, the Z-direction dog 7373 is located behind the approach stop sensor 7376, as shown in Figures 24, 25, and 27. Therefore, the approach stop sensor 7376 can detect the Z-direction dog 7373 and does not send a request to the control unit 15 to stop the approach movement of the main body 60. As a result, under the control of the control unit 15, the third motor 733 continues to drive the wire winding pulley 735, and the approach movement of the main body 60 continues.

[0134] On the other hand, when the bottom 67 of the main body 60 contacts the prize and presses the prize with a predetermined pressure, the downward force in the Z direction acting on the wire 734 is smaller than the upward force in the Z direction acting on the wire 734. In this case, the downward force in the Z direction acting on the wire 734 is the total weight consisting of the weight of the main body 60, the weight of some or all of the pipes 7311, 7312, 7313, and 7314, and some of the weight of the cable 64. On the other hand, the upward force in the Z direction acting on the wire 734 is the resultant force consisting of the biasing force in the lifting direction by the coil spring 7375 and the reaction force from the prize against the aforementioned total weight. As a result, the wire 734 is in a state where the tension applied to it has been loosened, as shown in Figure 26 or Figure 28. Then, due to the action of the coil spring 7375, the Z-direction dog 7373 swings upward together with the swing arm 7372. Therefore, the proximity stop sensor 7376 is unable to detect the Z-direction dog 7373 and sends a request to the control unit 15 to stop the approaching movement of the main body 60. As a result, under the control of the control unit 15, the drive of the third motor 733 to the wire winding pulley 735 is stopped, and the approaching movement of the main body 60 stops. Immediately after the approaching movement of the main body 60 stops, under the control of the control unit 15, the drive of the third motor 733 to the wire winding pulley 735 is restarted, and the main body 60 moves a first distance along the away direction to reduce the pressure that the main body 60 exerts on the prize to a predetermined value while maintaining contact between its bottom and the prize, and then stops.

[0135] The upward stop sensor is a sensor for detecting whether the main body 60 has returned to a predetermined point above in the Z direction (for example, the approach start point or an arbitrary point on a predetermined surface 601). When the upward stop sensor detects that the main body 60 has returned to the predetermined point above in the Z direction, it transmits a request to the control unit 15 to stop the upward movement of the main body 60. As a result, under the control of the control unit 15, the drive of the third motor 733 to the wire winding pulley 735 is stopped, and the upward movement of the main body 60 stops. On the other hand, when the upward stop sensor does not detect that the main body 60 has returned to the predetermined point above in the Z direction, it does not transmit a request to the control unit 15 to stop the approach movement of the main body 60. As a result, under the control of the control unit 15, the drive of the third motor 733 to the wire winding pulley 735 continues, and the upward movement of the main body 60 continues.

[0136] In the following description, the X-direction origin sensor 715, the three X-direction position sensors 714, the Y-direction origin sensor 725, and the three Y-direction position sensors 724 of the drive unit 7 will be collectively referred to as "position sensors," the first motor 712, the second motor 722, and the third motor will be collectively referred to as "motors," and the first encoder 713 and the second encoder 723 will be collectively referred to as "encoders."

[0137] <Details of the control unit 15> Next, the details of the control unit 15 will be described with reference to Figures 29 to 36. Figure 29 is a diagram showing the functional configuration of the control unit 15. Figure 30 is a flowchart of the usage mode setting process control by the control unit 15. Figure 31 is a flowchart of the main process control of the prize acquisition game by the control unit 15. Figures 32 to 35 are flowcharts to explain the details of steps S10, S20, S30, and S50 in Figure 31. Figure 36 is a flowchart to explain the details of step S56 in Figure 35.

[0138] (Functional configuration of the control unit 15) As shown in Figure 29, the control unit 15 is connected to the storage unit 13, timer 14, operation unit 8, display unit 9, prize acquisition unit 6, lighting unit 35, control board 70 of the drive unit 7, and drop detection sensor 53. The control unit 15 is also connected to each sensor of the prize acquisition unit 6, and each position sensor, motor, and encoder of the drive unit 7 via the connection to the control board 70. Thus, when the control unit 15 detects that a predetermined play fee has been inserted into the coin slot 10 by the user or has identified the ID of the administrator key K, it starts controlling the above configuration.

[0139] Specifically, the control unit 15 receives movement requests input by the user via the first buttons 831 and 2 buttons 832 of the operation unit 8 or the display operation panel 91 of the display unit 9, as well as time information acquired by the timer 14. Based on the data and program stored in the storage unit 13, the control unit 15 drives the motors of the arm drive unit 63 and drive unit 7 of the prize acquisition unit 6, causing the main body 60 of the prize acquisition unit 6 to move (plane movement and Z-direction movement) and the pair of arms 61 to open and close, thereby carrying out the prize acquisition game. In this case, when moving the main body 60, the control unit 15, for example, causes plane movement followed by Z-direction movement. The control unit 15 also controls the output of the lighting unit 35 and speakers, etc., in order to output theatrical lighting and sound effects according to the progress of the prize acquisition game.

[0140] Furthermore, the control unit 15 can receive and store in the storage unit 13 play information for each of the multiple plays of the prize acquisition unit 6 moved by the second method, or movement information of the prize acquisition unit 6 moved by the first method, transmitted from the position sensors of the drive unit 7, the fall detection sensor 53, the opening degree sensor 635 of the arm drive unit 63, the insertion detection sensor 96 of the administrator key identification unit 93 of the display unit 9, and the timer 14.

[0141] Here, the play information includes movement information and play history corresponding to each play. The movement information is information on the past movement of the prize acquisition unit 6 in the game space S, which was moved by the first and second methods described above, acquired by each position sensor and each encoder of the drive unit 7. The play history includes the time each play was performed, acquired by the timer 14, whether or not a prize was acquired for each play, acquired by the fall detection sensor 53, the number of consecutive plays performed to acquire one prize, and the number of prizes acquired through consecutive plays.

[0142] Furthermore, the control unit 15 can perform a first pressure adjustment, which adjusts the pressure applied to the prize or prize support unit 40 by the arm 61, or a second pressure adjustment, which adjusts the pressure applied to the prize by the main body 60, based on the contact state between the prize acquisition unit 6 and the prize or prize support unit 40. The control unit 15 performs the first pressure adjustment when the arm 61 of the prize acquisition unit 6 moves beyond a predetermined threshold. The control unit 15 also performs the second pressure adjustment when the bottom of the main body 60 presses against the prize with a predetermined pressure. The first pressure adjustment is an adjustment to reduce the pressure applied to the prize by the arm 61 by stopping the approaching movement of the main body 60. The second pressure adjustment is an adjustment to reduce the pressure applied to the prize by the main body 60 by moving the main body 60 a first distance along the away direction and then stopping it after stopping the approaching movement of the main body 60.

[0143] Furthermore, the control unit 15 can determine a first distance, depending on the type of prize, so as to maintain contact between the bottom 67 of the main body 60 and the prize, while reducing the pressure exerted by the main body 60 on the prize to a predetermined value.

[0144] (Controlled by the control unit 15) Next, an example of control of the prize acquisition game by the control unit 15 will be described in detail with reference to Figures 1 and 30 to 36. Note that, depending on the settings, the control unit 15 can control different prize acquisition games.

[0145] The control unit 15 performs a usage mode setting process (i.e., setting the management mode or player mode), and then executes the main process for conducting the prize acquisition game in the set usage mode.

[0146] First, the process of setting the usage mode by the control unit 15 will be explained with reference to Figure 30.

[0147] In the usage mode setting process, the control unit 15 first determines whether the administrator key ID has been identified based on whether or not a transmission has been received from the reading board 95 of the administrator key identification unit 93 (step S1). If it is determined that the administrator key ID has been identified (YES in step S1), the control unit 15 determines whether or not a transmission has been received from the insertion detection sensor 96 of the administrator key identification unit 93 (step S2). If it is determined that a transmission has been received from the insertion detection sensor 96 (YES in step S2), the control unit 15 starts the setting process for the left side of the prize acquisition game machine 1 (step S3). Then, the control unit 15 determines whether or not the management mode has been set (step S5). If it is determined that the management mode has been set (YES in step S5), the control unit 15 starts the management mode (step S6) and terminates the usage mode setting process.

[0148] On the other hand, if it is determined that the administrator key ID has not been identified (NO in step S1), the control unit 15 returns to step S1. If it is determined that there is no transmission from the insertion detection sensor 96 (NO in step S2), the control unit 15 starts the setting process for the right side of the prize acquisition game device 1 (step S4). If it is determined that the management mode has not been set (NO in step S5), the control unit 15 starts the player mode (step S7) and terminates the usage mode setting process.

[0149] Next, the main processing by the control unit 15 will be explained with reference to Figures 31 to 36.

[0150] (Step S10) First, the control unit 15 performs an initialization process (step S10).

[0151] In step S10, as shown in Figure 32, the control unit 15 first determines whether the origin position of the prize acquisition unit 6 has been set (step S11). If it determines that the origin position of the prize acquisition unit 6 has been set (YES in step S11), the control unit 15 determines whether the movement range of the prize acquisition unit 6 has been set (step S13). If it determines that the movement range of the prize acquisition unit 6 has been set (YES in step S13), the control unit 15 determines whether the prize insertion position of the prize acquisition unit 6 has been set (step S15). If it determines that the prize insertion position of the prize acquisition unit 6 has been set (YES in step S15), the control unit 15 terminates the initialization process.

[0152] On the other hand, if it is determined that the origin position of the prize acquisition unit 6 has not been set (NO in step S11), the control unit 15 displays an instruction to set the origin on the display operation panel 91 (step S12). In this case, the administrator can manually move the prize acquisition unit 6 to the standby position using the first method based on the instruction to set the origin. When the prize acquisition unit 6 stops at the standby position, the X-direction origin sensor 715 and the Y-direction origin sensor 725 of the drive unit 7 acquire the coordinates of the standby position of the prize acquisition unit 6 and transmit them to the control unit 15. The control unit 15 then sets the standby position as the origin, stores this information in the storage unit 13, and proceeds to step S13.

[0153] Similarly, if the control unit 15 determines that the movement range of the prize acquisition unit 6 has not been set (NO in step S13), it displays a movement range setting instruction on the display operation panel 91 (step S14). In this case, the administrator can manually move the prize acquisition unit 6 along the desired movement range using the first method based on the movement range setting instruction. The X-direction position sensor 714, Y-direction position sensor 724, first encoder 713, and second encoder 723 of the drive unit 7 acquire the coordinates of points along the movement path and transmit them to the control unit 15. The control unit 15 then stores the movement range information in the storage unit 13 and proceeds to step S15.

[0154] Furthermore, if the prize insertion position of the prize acquisition unit 6 is not set (NO in step S15), the control unit 15 displays a prize insertion position setting instruction on the display operation panel 91 (step S104). In this case, the administrator can manually move the prize acquisition unit 6 to the desired prize insertion position using the first method based on the prize insertion position setting instruction. The X-direction position sensor 714, Y-direction position sensor 724, first encoder 713, and second encoder 723 of the drive unit 7 acquire the coordinates of points along the movement path and transmit them to the control unit 15. The control unit 15 then stores the prize insertion position information in the storage unit 13 and completes the initialization process.

[0155] (Step S20) Returning to the explanation of Figure 31, if play mode is selected during the usage mode setting process, the control unit 15 performs the same person determination process (step S20).

[0156] In step S20, as shown in Figure 33, the control unit 15 first acquires play information regarding the start time of the current play and stores it in the storage unit 13 (step S21), and then calculates play information regarding the time interval between the start time of the current play and the end time of the previous play stored in the storage unit 13, and stores it in the storage unit 13 (step S22). Next, the control unit 15 determines whether the acquired time interval is less than or equal to a predetermined time interval (for example, 60 seconds) (step S23). If it is determined to be less than or equal to the predetermined time interval (YES in step S23), the control unit 15 determines that both plays were made by the same person, and associates the play information of the previous play or the play information linked to the play information of the previous play with the same player (step S24), and terminates the same person determination process.

[0157] On the other hand, if it determines that a predetermined time interval has been exceeded (NO in step S23), the control unit 15 determines that both plays were made by different people and terminates the process of determining if the players are the same person without associating the play information from the previous play or the play information linked to the play information from the previous play with the same player (step S25).

[0158] (Step S30) Returning to the explanation of Figure 31, the control unit 15 then performs the surface movement process of the prize acquisition unit 6 (step S30).

[0159] In step S30, as shown in Figure 34, the control unit 15 first causes the prize acquisition unit 6 to move in the X direction. Specifically, the control unit 15 determines whether the player has pressed the first button 831 (step S31). If it is determined that the player has pressed the first button 831 (YES in step S31), the control unit 15 operates the first motor 712 based on the operation signal from the first button 831 to start the movement of the prize acquisition unit 6, which was located in the standby position (origin), in the X direction (step S32). Next, the control unit 15 determines whether the prize acquisition unit 6 has moved to the limit position of the movement range in the X direction based on the movement limit detection signal from the X-direction dog 716 (step S33). If it is determined that the prize acquisition unit 6 has not moved to the limit position of the movement range in the X direction (NO in step S33), the control unit 15 determines whether the player has released the press on the first button 831 (step S34). If the control unit 15 determines that the player has released the press of the first button 831 (YES in step S34), it stops the movement of the prize acquisition unit 6 in the X direction (step S35). After step S35, the prize acquisition unit 6 is positioned at the stopping position of movement in the X direction, i.e., the direction change point. The control unit 15 then acquires the play information transmitted by the position sensor and encoder of the drive unit 7, i.e., the coordinate information of the direction change point, and stores it in the storage unit 13 (step S36).

[0160] Next, the control unit 15 causes the prize acquisition unit 6 to move in the Y direction. Specifically, the control unit 15 determines whether the player has pressed the second button 832 (step S37). If it is determined that the player has pressed the second button 832 (YES in step S37), the control unit 15 operates the second motor 722 based on the operation signal from the second button 832 to start the Y-direction movement of the prize acquisition unit 6 at the direction change point (step S38). After that, the control unit 15 determines whether the prize acquisition unit 6 has moved to the limit position of the Y-direction movement range based on the movement limit detection signal from the Y-direction dog 726 (step S39). If it is determined that the prize acquisition unit 6 has not moved to the limit position of the Y-direction movement range (NO in step S39), the control unit 15 determines whether the player has released the second button 832 (step S40). If the control unit 15 determines that the player has released the second button 832 (YES in step S40), it stops the Y-direction movement of the prize acquisition unit 6 (step S41). After step S41, the prize acquisition unit 6 is positioned at the stop position of Y-direction movement, i.e., the approach start point. The control unit 15 then acquires the play information transmitted by the position sensor and encoder of the drive unit 7, i.e., the coordinate information of the approach start point, and stores it in the storage unit 13 (step S42), thereby ending the plane movement process.

[0161] On the other hand, if the control unit 15 determines that the player has not pressed the first button 831 during the above face movement process (NO in step S31), the control unit 15 proceeds to step S37. If the control unit 15 determines that the prize acquisition unit 6 has moved to the limit of its movement range in the X direction (YES in step S33), the control unit 15 proceeds to step S35. If the control unit 15 determines that the player has not released the first button 831 (NO in step S34), the control unit 15 returns to step S33. If the control unit 15 determines that the player has not pressed the second button 832 (NO in step S37), the control unit 15 terminates the face movement process. If the control unit 15 determines that the prize acquisition unit 6 has moved to the limit of its movement range in the Y direction (YES in step S39), the control unit 15 proceeds to step S41. If the control unit 15 determines that the player has not released the second button 832 (NO in step S40), it returns the process to step S39.

[0162] (Step S50) Returning to the explanation of Figure 31, after the surface movement process of the prize acquisition unit 6 is completed, the control unit 15 performs the prize acquisition process of the prize acquisition unit 6 (step S50).

[0163] In step S50, as shown in Figure 35, the control unit 15 first causes the prize acquisition unit 6 to move closer, the arms 61 to open and close, and the pressure to adjust. Specifically, the control unit 15 operates the arm drive unit of the prize acquisition unit 6 to open the pair of arms 61 of the prize acquisition unit 6 at the approach starting point to a set opening (step S51). Then, the control unit 15 operates the third motor 733 to start the movement of the prize acquisition unit 6 in the downward direction in the Z direction, i.e., the approach movement (step S52). Next, the control unit 15 determines whether there is a detection signal from the opening degree sensor 635 indicating that the arm 61 has moved beyond a predetermined threshold due to contact with the prize or prize support unit 40 (step S53). If it is determined that there is a detection signal from the opening degree sensor 635 (YES in step S53), the control unit 15 performs a first pressure adjustment to reduce the pressure on the prize or prize support unit 40 by the arm 61 (step S55). In step S55, the control unit 15 stops the approaching movement of the prize acquisition unit 6. Then, the control unit 15 activates the arm drive unit of the prize acquisition unit 6 to close the pair of arms 61, thereby performing the action of grasping the prize (step S57).

[0164] Next, the control unit 15 moves the prize acquisition unit 6 to the prize insertion position. Specifically, after closing the pair of arms 61, the control unit 15 activates the third motor 733 to start the upward movement of the prize acquisition unit 6 in the Z direction, i.e., the movement away from the prize (step S58). Then, the control unit 15 determines whether the prize acquisition unit 6 has moved to the limit of its movement range in the Z direction based on whether or not there is a request from the upward stop sensor to stop the upward movement (step S59). If it is determined that there is a request from the upward stop sensor to stop the upward movement (YES in step S59), the control unit 15 stops the upward movement (movement away from the prize acquisition unit 6) in the Z direction (step S60). Next, the control unit 15 sequentially activates the second motor 722 and the first motor 712 to move the prize acquisition unit 6 toward the prize insertion position (step S61). In step S61, the control unit 15 causes the prize acquisition unit 6 to move in the Y direction and the X direction. Next, the control unit 15 determines whether the prize acquisition unit 6 has reached the prize insertion position (step S62). If it determines that the prize acquisition unit 6 has reached the prize insertion position (YES in step S62), the control unit 15 activates the arm drive unit of the prize acquisition unit 6 to open and then close the pair of arms 61 (step S63).

[0165] Here, if the pair of arms 61 grasp the prize in step S57, in step S63, the pair of arms 61 open, causing the prize to fall into the first drop-off opening 51. When the prize falls, it passes through the second drop-off opening 52 and is temporarily stored in the prize storage unit 11. The prize is also detected by the drop detection sensor 53 when it passes through the second drop-off opening 52. Thus, it is possible to detect whether or not a prize has been acquired in each play. The control unit 15 then acquires the play information regarding whether or not a prize has been acquired, transmitted by the drop detection sensor 53, stores it in the storage unit 13 (step S64), and terminates the prize acquisition process. In this way, the control unit 15 terminates the main process.

[0166] On the other hand, if the control unit 15 determines that there is no detection signal from the opening sensor 635 (NO in step S53), it determines whether there is a detection signal from the proximity stop sensor 7376 indicating that the bottom 67 of the main body 60 has come into contact with the prize and is pressing the prize with a predetermined pressure (step S54). If the control unit 15 determines that there is a detection signal from the proximity stop sensor 7376 (YES in step S54), it performs a second pressure adjustment to reduce the pressure on the prize by the main body 60 (step S56). In step S56, as shown in Figure 36, the control unit 15 stops the approaching movement of the main body 60 (step S561) and then starts the receding movement of the main body 60 (step S562). Next, the control unit 15 determines whether the main body 60 has moved a first distance along the receding direction (step S563). In step S563, the control unit 15 determines a first distance such that, depending on the type of prize, the pressure exerted by the main body 60 on the prize is reduced to a predetermined value while maintaining contact between the bottom 67 of the main body 60 and the prize. If the control unit 15 determines that the main body 60 has moved the first distance along the direction of receding (YES in step S563), the control unit 15 stops the receding movement of the main body 60 (step S564) and terminates the second pressure adjustment. On the other hand, if the control unit 15 determines that the main body 60 has not moved the first distance along the direction of receding (NO in step S563), the control unit 15 returns the process to step S563.

[0167] Furthermore, if the control unit 15 determines that the prize acquisition unit 6 has not moved to the limit of its movement range in the Z direction (NO in step S59), the control unit 15 returns to step S59. If the control unit 15 determines that the prize acquisition unit 6 has not reached the prize insertion position (NO in step S62), the control unit 15 returns to step S62.

[0168] (Steps S70, 90, 110) Returning to the explanation of Figure 31, after the prize acquisition process of the prize acquisition unit 6 is completed, the control unit 15 moves the prize acquisition unit 6 to the standby position (step S70). Then, the control unit 15 determines whether or not the prize acquisition unit 6 has arrived at the standby position (step S90). If it is determined that the prize acquisition unit 6 has arrived at the standby position (YES in step S90), the control unit 15 obtains the end time of play, stores it in the storage unit 13 (step S110), and terminates the main process. On the other hand, if it is determined that the prize acquisition unit 6 has not arrived at the standby position (NO in step S90), the control unit 15 returns the process to step S90.

[0169] The prize acquisition game device 1 according to the embodiment described above comprises a prize display unit 3 having a game space S and housing and displaying prizes in the game space S, a prize acquisition unit 6 that is movable in the game space S for acquiring prizes, and a control panel 82 on which an operation unit 83 for operating the movement of the prize acquisition unit 6 is provided. The prize display unit 3 includes a front panel 31 which is an example of a door that is provided on the front side of the prize display unit 3 and slides to open and close the game space S, and a mounting provided below the front panel 31. The mounting portion 36 has an upper surface portion 361, a front surface portion 362, a ridge portion 363 formed by the upper surface portion 361 and the front surface portion 362, and a sash 37 formed on the upper surface portion 361, which is an example of a support portion that supports the front plate 31 so that it can be opened and closed from below the front plate 31. The ridge portion 363 is provided with a cover portion (for example, the second portion 372 of the sash 37 and the upper end portion 821 of the control panel 82, or the cover portion 820) that covers the ridge portion 363 so that at least a part of the ridge portion 363 is not exposed to the outside. As a result, since a cover portion that covers the ridge portion is provided on the outside of the ridge portion of the mounting portion, scratches on the ridge portion due to opening and closing of the door portion can be avoided, the appearance of the mounting portion can be prevented from becoming unsightly, and the durability of the mounting portion can be improved.

[0170] Furthermore, in the prize acquisition game device 1 according to the embodiment described above, the cover portion may be integrally configured with at least one of the sash 37 and the control panel 82. As a result, protection of the edges 363 of the mounting portion 36 can be achieved using a simple configuration.

[0171] Furthermore, in the prize acquisition game device 1 according to the embodiment described above, the sash 37 is configured to slidably support the front plate 31, and the sash 37 has a first portion 371 provided behind the ridge portion 373 of the upper surface portion 361 of the mounting portion 36 to support the front plate 31, and a second portion 372 provided in front of the first portion 371 to cover at least the upper side portion of the ridge portion 363, and the cover portion may include the second portion 372 of the sash 37. As a result, the configuration of the cover portion can be simplified.

[0172] Furthermore, in the prize acquisition game device 1 according to the embodiment described above, the control panel 82 is positioned on the front side of the front portion 362 such that the upper end portion 821 located near the front portion 362 of the mounting portion 36 belongs to the same plane as the upper portion 361 or is positioned higher than the upper portion 361, and the cover portion may include the upper end portion 821. As a result, depending on the mounting position of the control panel 82, a part of the control panel 82 can be made to function as a cover portion.

[0173] Furthermore, in the prize acquisition game device 1 according to the embodiment described above, the cover portion is an extension portion that extends from the upper end portion 821 of the control panel 82 located near the front portion 362 of the mounting portion 36, and the cover portion may be provided to cover the front and upper portions of the ridge portion 363 of the mounting portion 36. As a result, the ridge portion 363 of the mounting portion 36 can be reliably protected.

[0174] Furthermore, in the prize acquisition game device 1 according to the embodiment described above, the cover portion may be configured separately from the sash 37 and the control panel 82. As a result, the cover portion can be easily attached or modified.

[0175] Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and any modifications made to the above-described forms by those skilled in the art are also included within the scope of the present invention, as long as they retain the features of the present invention. In other words, the elements and their arrangement, materials, conditions, shapes, sizes, etc., of the embodiments described above are not limited to those exemplified and can be modified as appropriate. In addition, the elements of the embodiments described above can be combined to the extent that it is technically possible, and any combination thereof is also included within the scope of the present invention, as long as it retains the features of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0176] 1… Prize acquisition game machine 3…Prize display section 4… Prize support plate 6… Prize Acquisition Department 15…Control Unit 40…Prize support section 60...Main body 61... Arm

Claims

1. A prize display section having a game space for storing and displaying prizes; A prize capture unit that is movably provided in the game space; a control panel provided with an operation unit for operating the movement of the prize capture unit; the prize display section has a door section that allows the game space to be opened and closed, an upper surface section, a front surface section, and a ridge section formed by the upper surface section and the front surface section, A cover portion is provided on the ridge portion so that at least a part of the ridge portion is not exposed to the outside. A prize-winning game device.

2. The prize display section has a support section that supports the door section, The prize acquisition game device according to claim 1 , wherein the cover portion is integral with at least one of the support portion and the control panel.

3. The support portion is a sash that slidably supports the door portion, The sash has a first portion provided rearward of the ridge portion of the upper surface portion and supporting the door portion, and a second portion provided forward of the first portion and covering at least an upper surface portion of the ridge portion, The prize acquisition game device according to claim 2 , wherein the cover portion includes the second portion of the sash.

4. the control panel is disposed on a front side of the front portion such that an upper end portion located near the front portion is in the same plane as the top surface portion or is located higher than the top surface portion; The prize acquisition game device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the cover portion includes the upper end portion.

5. the cover portion is an extension portion provided to extend from an upper end portion located near the front portion of the control panel, The prize acquisition game device according to claim 2 , wherein the cover portion is provided so as to cover a front side portion and an upper side portion of the ridge portion.

6. The prize acquisition game device according to claim 1 , wherein the cover portion is configured separately from the support portion and the control panel.

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