Prize acquisition game machine

Abstract

To improve a game property by adding a game element.SOLUTION: A prize acquisition game machine 11 that allows a prize X to be acquired on condition that a fixed operation is applied to a target 16 includes: a target driving mechanism 17 for causing the target 16 to make a pendulum motion; an operation tool 18 that acts on the moving target 16 so as to swing down at the target 16, and changes the motion of the target; and an operation tool driving mechanism 19 for causing the operation tool 18 to rotate. The target driving mechanism 17 is connected to a prize holding mechanism 71 for releasing the prize X when the target 16 is pulled down by a fixed length or more by the operation tool 18.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a prize-winning game machine that allows a player to win prizes displayed on the screen. [Background technology]

[0002] In addition to things like crane games that allow players to grab the prizes themselves, there are also prize-winning game machines that allow players to win prizes by performing a certain operation on a target separate from the prize, as disclosed in the following Patent Document 1. The game machine in Patent Document 1 employs a configuration in which, when a hanging target is pulled downward with a fork, the anti-slip member that prevents the prize from sliding off is released, allowing the player to win the prize.

[0003] In conventional prize-winning game machines, the prizes or targets that players aim at during game operations are generally stationary, but there are some machines in which the targets move, as in Patent Document 2 below.

[0004] The game machine of Patent Document 2 is composed of a prize holder configured by suspending multiple hanging bars between a pair of rotating drums, and a moving mechanism operated by a player. The hanging bars of the prize holder are provided with multiple hooks, from which prizes (key holders) are hung. The hooks are L-shaped when viewed from the side, with their tips facing backwards. Therefore, if an object collides with them from the front, the prizes will fall. The moving mechanism is equipped with a moving body that moves toward the prizes. In the game, the moving body collides with the prizes, which move like a Ferris wheel due to the rotation of the rotating drums, and the impact force causes the prizes to fall.

[0005] However, although the prizes in this game machine move, the only game is to hit the moving object with the target. In other words, the essence of the game is the same as a shooting game or a target shooting game, and the only thing the player notices is the movement of the moving object toward the prize, the collision between the moving object and the prize, and the subsequent falling of the prize, a series of mundane phenomena, which makes this game uninteresting. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 4281344 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 11-319303 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] The main object of this invention is to improve the playability of the game by adding a playful element. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The means for achieving this is a prize-winning game machine that allows a player to win a prize on the condition that a certain operation is performed on a target, and is equipped with a target drive mechanism for moving the target, an operating device that acts on the moving target to change the movement of the target, an operating device drive mechanism for operating the operating device, and a prize holding mechanism that releases the prize when the movement of the target is changed by more than a certain amount due to continued operation of the operating device after contacting the target.

[0009] In this configuration, the target, which is moved by the target drive control mechanism, is aimed at with an operating tool operated by the operating tool drive control mechanism to change the target's movement (speed), and the change in the target's movement is continued through a series of operations of the operating tool. When this change is achieved to a certain degree, the prize holding mechanism releases the prize. The player aims at the target, operates the operating tool, and then feels as if the operating tool is touching the target and moving the target as desired, for example, as if catching and pulling the target. Effect of the Invention

[0010] According to this invention, in order to win a prize, it is not enough to simply hit a moving target with the operating tool, but it is necessary to make the target move in a different way using the operating tool, so that a playful element is added as if the target is being moved, improving the game playability and making it more interesting. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an overview of a prize winning game machine. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the prize winning game machine. [Diagram 3] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a target unit and a side view from the operating side. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a side view of the target unit as viewed from the target side. [Diagram 5] FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 4 is a side view of the operating device unit as seen from the operating side. [Figure 7] FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the internal structure of a hook portion of the operating tool. [Figure 8] Control circuit block diagram. [Figure 9] 6 is a flowchart showing the control operation of the hit / miss control drive mechanism. [Figure 10] FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing an example of the movement of a target, etc. [Figure 12] FIG. 11 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing an example of the movement of a target, etc. [Figure 13] FIG. 11 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing an example of the movement of a target, etc. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0012] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0013] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an overview of a prize winning game machine 11 according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 shows an example of its external appearance.

[0014] The prize winning game machine 11 contains prizes X in a play space inside a housing 12, and is configured so that the prizes X in the play space can be seen at least from the front operation surface 13 side. On the operation surface 13 side, an operation panel 14 that a player operates and a prize payout outlet 15 from which won prizes X are paid out are formed. In the play space, a mechanical unit that plays the prize winning game is provided together with the prizes X.

[0015] This prize winning game machine 11 allows a player to win a prize on the condition that a certain operation is performed on a target 16, which is separate from the prize X. The target 16 moves within the play space, that is, it moves by changing the direction and speed, and the player is configured to be able to win the prize X by performing an operation with a game-like quality, rather than a simple operation of simply hitting the target 16.

[0016] The manner of movement of the target 16 can be, for example, a straight line, a circle, an arc, a wave, a parabola, etc., and the manner of operation of the target 16 is diverse, such as capturing, scooping up, hooking and pulling down, etc.

[0017] As an example, a prize-winning game machine 11 will be described below in which a target 16 moves in a pendulum motion as shown in FIG. 1, and a player can win a prize X by catching an approaching target 16 and pulling it down a certain distance.

[0018] The prize winning game machine 11 includes, as mechanical units, a target unit 31, an operation device unit 51, and a prize holding mechanism 71. The target unit 31 includes a target drive mechanism 17 that moves the target 16. The operation device unit 51 includes an operation device drive mechanism 19 that operates an operation device 18 that acts on the moving target 16. The prize holding mechanism 71 includes a prize holding mechanism 71 that releases a prize X when the operation device 18 changes the movement of the target 16 by more than a certain amount.

[0019] The target 16 of the target unit 31 is a pendulum and is formed in a spherical shape. As shown in Fig. 1, the target 16 is attached in a suspended state in the play space by the target drive mechanism 17. The target drive mechanism 17 is composed of one shaft 32 having the target 16 at its tip, and a target drive motor 33 connected to the base end of the shaft 32 (see Fig. 3). With the rotation of the target drive motor 33, the target 16 attached to the shaft 32 performs pendulum motion, tracing an arc orbit around the drive axis of the rotation of the target drive motor 33 (see Fig. 4).

[0020] Because it is a pendulum motion, the target 16 moves on a vertical plane, swinging from the bottom in the vertical direction up to one side, then down to the other side. The direction of movement of the target 16 is set to the front-rear direction, that is, the direction toward and away from the operation surface 13.

[0021] The target drive motor 33 is held by a holder 35 attached to the lower part of a hanging rod 34 suspended from the upper part of the play space, i.e., the ceiling. The target drive motor 33 is attached to the holder 35 in the front-to-rear direction, i.e., on a surface along the plane connecting the operation surface 13 and the depth direction, with the drive shaft facing outward in the left-to-right direction.

[0022] The holder 35 is attached to the hanging rod 34 so that the holder 35 moves downward when the target 16 is pulled down. That is, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, the hanging rod 34 is made of an aluminum frame or the like, and the holder 35 is held slidably in a rail groove formed on the side of the hanging rod 34. The holder 35 is normally biased upward, and is attached so as to move downward when pulled down. The biasing force may be provided by a compression coil spring 36 held between the holder 35 and the lower end of the hanging rod 34.

[0023] 3(a) is a cross-sectional view cut at a position above holder 35, and the lower side in the drawing is the operation surface 13 side. Fig. 3(b) is a side view of hanging rod 34 as seen from the operation surface 13 side. Fig. 4 is a side view of holder 35 as seen from the side having target drive motor 33.

[0024] The target drive motor 33 is configured as a motor with an encoder so that the rotation angle (amount of rotation) and rotation speed can be controlled with high precision.

[0025] An arm 37 extending obliquely upward is formed on the rear surface of the holder 35, i.e., the surface located opposite the operation surface 13 (see Figs. 1, 3(a), and 4). The arm 37 holds at its tip an end of a wire 72 that constitutes a part of the prize holding mechanism 71.

[0026] The operation tool unit 51 is provided closer to the operation surface 13 than the target unit 31 .

[0027] The operating tool 18 of the operating tool unit 51 is rod-shaped overall, and has a hook portion 18a at its tip, as shown in Fig. 5. Specifically, the operating tool 18 has a hand portion 53 at the tip of a linear arm portion 52, and has two finger portions 54 parallel to the tip of the hand portion 53. The tip of the hand portion 53 and the finger portions 54 form the hook portion 18a described above. Note that Fig. 5 shows a plan view of the operating tool 18 in a horizontal position facing inward away from the operation surface 13.

[0028] The operating tool 18 is rotatably supported by an operating tool drive mechanism 19. That is, the base end of the arm portion 52 is rotatably supported by a motor, similar to the case of the target 16, but the arm portion 52 is connected to an operating tool drive motor 56 via an eccentric member 55 as shown in Figures 1 and 6.

[0029] The eccentric member 55 has a roughly rectangular parallelepiped shape, and the arm portion 52 is attached to one end in the longitudinal direction and connected to the shaft portion of the operating tool drive motor 56. The surface of the eccentric member 55 to which the arm portion 52 is attached and the surface to which the operating tool drive motor 56 is connected are adjacent surfaces that form a right angle with each other. The surface to which the arm portion 52 is attached faces the front-rear direction, and the surface to which the operating tool drive motor 56 is connected is along the front-rear direction. The mounting position of the arm portion 52 is above the shaft portion of the operating tool drive motor 56 when the operating tool 18 is facing the target 16. Note that FIG. 6 is a side view of the operating tool unit 51 when the operating tool 18 is extended horizontally, as viewed from the operating surface 13 side.

[0030] A holder 57 that holds the operating tool drive motor 56 is attached to the lower portion of a vertical rod 58 that extends in the vertical direction. The operating tool drive motor 56 is attached to the innermost surface of this holder 57, opposite the operation surface 13. This operating tool drive motor 56 is also configured as a motor with an encoder so that the rotation angle (amount of rotation) and rotation speed can be controlled with high precision.

[0031] The holder 57 is attached to the vertical bar 58 so as to be movable up and down. That is, as shown in Figures 5 and 6, the vertical bar 58 is made of an aluminum frame or the like, and the holder 57 is held so as to be slidable in a rail groove formed on the side of the vertical bar. The holder 57 is attached to the vertical bar 58 via a vertical movement mechanism 61 that allows fine adjustment of the vertical position. The vertical movement mechanism 61 is for changing the relative positional relationship between the target 16 and the operation tool 18 in the vertical direction. The vertical movement mechanism 61 may be composed of a linear actuator having, for example, a motor 62 and a ball screw 63.

[0032] The upper end of the vertical bar 58 has a support part 64 that is slidable along a horizontal rail, as shown in Fig. 1. The lower end of the vertical bar 58 is supported by a left-right movement mechanism 65, as shown in Fig. 6. The left-right movement mechanism 65 is for changing the relative positional relationship between the target 16 and the operation tool 18 in the left-right direction. This left-right movement mechanism 65 may also be composed of a linear actuator having a motor 66 and a ball screw 67.

[0033] The movement ranges of the up-down movement mechanism 61 and the left-right movement mechanism 65 are set so as to include positions in the up-down direction where the rotation of the operating tool 18 relative to the target 16 can reliably perform the specified function, and in the left-right direction where the target 16 and the operating tool 18 are aligned in a straight line in the front-to-rear direction.

[0034] In this manner, the target 16 and the operation tool 18 are supported so as to be movable relative to each other in the up-down and left-right directions.

[0035] 7, the hand portion 53 of the operating tool 18 is provided with a gap changing mechanism 68 that can change the distance between the finger portions 54. The gap changing mechanism 68 changes the gap according to the difficulty level of the game. The gap is configured so that it can be adjusted to a plurality of levels, such as a narrow gap close to the thickness of the shaft 32 that fastens the target 16 (high difficulty level) or a wider gap than the thickness (low difficulty level). The gap changing mechanism 68 is preferably configured with a piston 68b that reciprocates with the rotation of a motor 68a and a pair of L-shaped levers 68c that rotate with the piston 68b.

[0036] The prize holding mechanism 71 is composed of a wire 72, one end of which is connected to the holder 35 of the target unit 31, and a hanger 73 to which the other end of the wire 72 is connected as shown in FIG. 1. The hanger 73 rotatably holds a hook 74. The hook 74 has an L-shaped hanging part 74a at the end of its rotation axis, and the tip of the hanging part 74a faces the operation surface 13. The hook 74 is configured such that, on the condition that the wire 72 is pulled by a certain length, the tip of the hanging part 74a rotates in a direction lowering the tip of the hanging part 74a, and the hanging ring Xa of the prize X inserted in the hanging part 74a comes off, causing the prize X to fall. The wire 72 is arranged with its length adjusted.

[0037] In addition to the above, the prize game machine 11 has the following configuration (see FIG. 8).

[0038] A coin slot (not shown) is formed on the operation surface 13, to which a coin insertion detector 81 is connected. A timer 82 is connected to the coin insertion detector 81, which detects an inserted coin. That is, the inserted coin is detected by the coin insertion detector 81, which triggers the timer 82 to start counting a predetermined length of game time. It is also possible to set the device to determine that a continuous play has occurred when another coin is detected at a certain time after the end of a game.

[0039] 1, the operation panel 14 is provided with an operation tool unit movement switch 83 and a start switch 84. The operation tool unit movement switch 83 is a switch for moving the up-down movement mechanism 61 and the left-right movement mechanism 65 of the operation tool unit 51, and is configured as a lever that can be tilted forward, backward, left and right. The start switch 84 is a switch for starting the operation of the operation tool 18, and is configured as a push button.

[0040] A target position detector 85 is provided in the play space to detect position information of the moving target 16. The target position detector 85 can be configured with an appropriate camera or sensor.

[0041] The housing 12 is provided with a display 86 and a speaker 87, and is configured to perform a desired performance according to the state (mode). In that performance, since the target 16 moves, it is desirable to perform a performance that changes according to the movement.

[0042] Furthermore, inside the prize payout opening 15, a prize payout detection unit 88 consisting of an appropriate sensor may be provided as necessary to automatically count and store the number of prizes paid out.

[0043] Necessary information is stored in the memory unit 89. The components of the memory unit 89 include a performance data memory unit such as video data and audio data for performance, an income information memory unit for storing the amount of money inserted, a game information memory unit for storing the number of games played based on the detection signal of the coin insertion detector, a number of prizes paid out memory unit for storing the number of prizes paid out, etc. In addition, there is a difficulty information memory unit for storing difficulty information for automatic setting depending on differences in the finger spacing of the operating tool, the operating tool speed, the target speed, the target swing width, and the operating tool unit moving speed, and further a win / lose control information memory unit constituting a part of the win / lose control mechanism.

[0044] The win / lose control information constituting the win / lose information storage unit is information necessary for executing a shift operation to shift the win timing, and is composed of win timing information and selection condition information such as the winning probability and the upper limit amount required for the lottery that are appropriately set.

[0045] The contact timing is the timing at which a certain or greater change in the movement of the target 16 is expected due to the match between the movement of the target 16 caused by the target drive mechanism 17 and the operation of the operation tool 18 caused by the operation tool drive mechanism 19, and the target 16 is defined within a certain range. Specifically, the contact timing P is determined based on the speed of the target 16 and the operation tool 18, the amount of rotation of the target 16, the shape of the operation tool 18, etc., depending on the position of the target 16 in its trajectory at which the target 16 is pulled down a certain distance when the start switch 84 of the operation tool 18 is turned on (see FIG. 10). The width of the contact timing P narrows or widens depending on the speed of the target 16 and the operation tool 18, the amount of rotation of the target 16, and the shape of the operation tool 18.

[0046] Whether or not it is hit timing P is determined based on whether or not the target 16, the position of which is detected by the target position detector 85, is within the range of hit timing P when the start switch 84 is pressed.

[0047] The winning probability and the upper limit amount of the selection condition information are information for the so-called lottery mode and ceiling mode, respectively, and are set to be changeable according to the difficulty level of the game, the cost of the prize, and the like.

[0048] The control unit 91 has a control device and a calculation device, and has installed therein the computer programs necessary to realize the game. It drives each part according to the programs, and causes each part to execute a predetermined process while reading and writing data from and to the memory part based on input.

[0049] Below, an outline of the operation of the prize game machine 11 will be described, along with an explanation of the win / loss control mechanism, that is, the operation performed by the control unit 91 using the win / loss control information.

[0050] The control unit 91 executes a standby mode according to the program, performs a performance on the display 86, and drives the target drive mechanism 17 and the operation tool drive mechanism 19 as necessary to perform movements as a demonstration.

[0051] When the coin insertion detector 81 detects a coin and the control unit 91 inputs this signal, the game begins. That is, the control unit 91 sets the target drive mechanism 17 and the operation tool drive mechanism 19 to their initial states. At the same time, the timer 82 starts counting down the game time, and starts driving the target drive mechanism 17 based on a predetermined automatically set difficulty level or a manually set difficulty level. This causes the target 16 to perform a pendulum motion with a certain amplitude and speed. The control unit 91 also outputs predetermined performance information read from the memory unit 89 to the display 86 and the speaker 87.

[0052] The initial state of the target driving mechanism 17 is a state in which the target 16 is lowered straight down, and the initial state of the operating tool driving mechanism 19 is a state in which the tip of the operating tool 18 is pointed diagonally upward toward the target 16 as shown in FIG.

[0053] When the player operates the operation unit movement switch 83 on the operation panel 14, the control section 91 drives the up-down movement mechanism 61 and the left-right movement mechanism 65 in accordance with the input signal to move the operation unit 51.

[0054] When the player turns on the start switch 84, the control unit 91 drives the operation device drive motor 56 of the operation device unit 51 under a predetermined condition that reflects the predetermined difficulty level according to the input signal. As a result, the operation device 18 rotates together with the eccentric member 55 and moves downward, and at this time, the win / lose control mechanism is activated.

[0055] The control operation of this hit / miss control drive mechanism will be described with reference to the flow chart of FIG. 9 and the explanatory diagram of FIG.

[0056] The control unit 91 waits for an ON signal to be input from the start switch 84 (step S1) and starts counting time with the timer 82 (step S2), as described above.

[0057] Simultaneously with these operations, the control unit 91 causes the target position detector 85 to detect the position of the target 16 (step S3). Then, the control unit 91 compares the position information with the hit timing information stored in the storage unit 89 to determine whether or not it corresponds to the hit timing P (step S4).

[0058] When it is determined in step S4 that it is not the hit timing P, the control unit 91 does nothing and allows the target driving mechanism 17 and the operation tool driving mechanism 19 to continue as is (see e1 in FIG. 9).

[0059] At this time, since it is not the winning timing P, even if the operating tool 18 rotates toward the target 16 which is performing a pendulum motion, the operating tool 18 will either miss without touching the target 16 or will not be able to hook it even if it does touch the target 16, and therefore the target 16 cannot be pulled down. In other words, the prize X will not fall.

[0060] When it is determined that it is the winning timing P, the control unit 91 judges whether the current game is a "winning" or a "losing" game (step S5).

[0061] "Hit" or "lose" refers to whether or not the payout of prize X is permitted; in the former case, the payout is permitted, and in the latter case, it is not permitted.

[0062] When the selection condition is based on the probability of winning, the control unit 91 executes a probability calculation using a known random calculation, and compares the calculation result with a preset probability of winning to determine whether it is a "win" or a "loss." When the selection condition is the upper limit amount, the control unit 91 compares the accumulated amount according to the number of games played with the upper limit amount, and determines whether it is a "win" or a "loss" depending on whether the accumulated amount has reached the upper limit amount.

[0063] If it is determined in step S5 that there is a hit, the control unit 91 does nothing and allows the target driving mechanism 17 and the operation tool driving mechanism 19 to continue as is (see e2 in FIG. 9).

[0064] At this time, it is the winning timing P, and when the operating tool 18 rotates toward the target 16 which is performing a pendulum motion, there is a high probability that the operating tool 18 will come into contact with the target 16, hook the finger part 54, and pull down the target 16. When the target 16 is pulled down a preset length, the wire 72 pulled downward via the holder 35 rotates the hook 74 of the hanger 73, causing the prize X to drop.

[0065] When it is determined in step S5 that the hit has been missed, the control unit 91 executes a shifting operation. That is, the control unit 91 performs an operation to shift the hit timing P from the target driving mechanism 17 or the operation tool driving mechanism 19 (see e3 in FIG. 9).

[0066] When the operation tool drive mechanism 19 is caused to perform a shifting operation, the control unit 91 controls the operation tool drive motor 56 to change its speed in milliseconds. That is, the control unit 91 causes a very slight movement delay (slows down the speed) or movement promotion (speeds up the speed). In addition, the control unit 91 can also perform a start delay control that delays the start timing by a slight time in milliseconds.

[0067] When the target drive mechanism 17 is caused to perform a shifting operation, a very slight movement delay or movement promotion is generated in the range of milliseconds for the target drive motor 33, as in the case where the operation is performed by the operation tool drive mechanism 19.

[0068] Whether to delay or accelerate, and by how much to shift, is determined based on where in the fixed range of hit timing P the target 16 is located when the start switch 84 is pressed.

[0069] When the range of the impact timing P is wide and it is expected that the shift in timing would be visually noticeable if only one of the target driving mechanism 17 or the operating tool driving mechanism 19 were to perform a shifting operation, it is advisable to have both the target driving mechanism 17 and the operating tool driving mechanism 19 perform the shifting operation.

[0070] If the shifting operation is performed, the hit timing P is missed, so even if the operating tool 18 rotates, the operating tool 18 will either miss or will not hook the target 16 even if it comes into contact with it, and the target 16 will not be pulled down. In other words, the prize X will not fall.

[0071] In this way, a prize can be won basically when the winning timing P is determined in step S4 and the selection result is "winning" in step S5 (see e2 in FIG. 9).

[0072] As described above, this prize winning game machine 11 employs a configuration in which the control device 18 is aimed at the target 16 that moves in a pendulum motion, changing the motion (speed) of the target 16, and pulling the target 16 down with a series of movements of the control device 18. In other words, the condition for winning a prize is not simply to hit the target 16 with the control device 18, but to give the target 16 a different motion through a series of movements of the control device 18 and to continue the change in motion. Moreover, not only the control device 18 but also the target 16 moves.

[0073] Therefore, this prize winning game machine 11 attracts the interest of players because, although it may seem difficult to operate depending on how you look at it, it utilizes a simple yet captivating pendulum motion. And, since the player feels as if he or she is catching and pulling a moving target, the fun is increased.

[0074] In addition, because both the target 16 and the operating tool 18 move, the degree of freedom in setting the action can be increased, and the game can have the desired characteristics. And because the configuration controls the movement of the target 16 and the operating tool 18, the way in which the win / lose is controlled can also be set in a variety of ways to add a high level of gameplay.

[0075] Furthermore, unlike a game machine in which a player grabs a prize to win, this prize winning game machine 11 can operate in a way that the prize payout refusal operation by the win / lose control mechanism cannot be seen by the naked eye, which also enhances the playability of the game.

[0076] In addition, the target 16 is spherical and configured to hook the hook portion 18a at the tip of the operating tool 18, so it is not necessarily configured to perform a predetermined pulling down operation even after hooking. In particular, the hook portion 18a is configured with a plurality of finger portions 54, which can further increase the interest of the game.

[0077] Furthermore, the difficulty of the game can be adjusted not only by the movement of the target 16 and the operating device 18 but also by the spacing of the finger portion 54 of the hook portion 18a, allowing for a variety of adjustments, which also enhances the value of the game machine.

[0078] The above configuration is one embodiment for carrying out the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to only the above configuration, but other configurations can be adopted.

[0079] As described above, the target 16 and the operating tool 18 are not limited to the above-mentioned movements. For example, the target 16 may be shaped like a cherry or a heart, instead of a sphere. The operating tool 18 may be configured to move in a series of multiple steps, such as moving straight and then descending, instead of rotating in a fixed orbit. In addition, the operating tool 18 may be configured not to move closer to the target 16 when acting on it, but to wait for the approaching target 16, grab it, and pull it, instead of moving to hook the moving target 16.

[0080] In the above example, the operating tool 18 is movable up, down, left, and right relative to the target 16, but both the target 16 and the operating tool 18 may be movable, or only the target 16 may be movable. Also, to differentiate the level of difficulty, only relative movement in the left-right direction or only relative movement in the up-down direction may be permitted.

[0081] The prize holding mechanism may be configured to hang the prize X or to place it thereon.

[0082] As mentioned above, the movements of the target 16 and the operating tool 18 can be set in various ways, but the above explanation shows an example of the target 16 that moves in a pendulum motion, which is easy to understand and familiar. Other examples will be added using the schematic explanatory diagrams of Figures 11 to 13.

[0083] Fig. 11(a) is a schematic explanatory diagram of the movement of the target 16 and the operating tool 18 in the above-mentioned example. In the figure, the outline arrow A is a mark indicating the depth direction from the operating surface, and the parallelogram B shown by the imaginary line is a virtual surface to make it easier to understand the three-dimensional space. The solid line arrow C indicates the movement of the operating tool 18.

[0084] As can be seen in FIG. 11(a), the target 16 swings back and forth about an axis D extending in the left-right direction, and the operating tool 18 moves so as to be caught by the target 16 from above and in the front.

[0085] In the same manner as the representation in this figure, other examples of the movements of the target 16 and the manipulation tool 18 are shown in Fig. 11(b) and subsequent drawings. Note that the position of the arrow C representing the other movement of the manipulation tool 18 relative to the trajectory of the target is one example, and is not limited to the position shown in the figure.

[0086] That is, FIG. 11(b) is an example in which the pendulum motion of the target 16 is in the left-right direction instead of the front-back direction, unlike FIG. 11(a).

[0087] 11(c) shows an example in which the target 16 revolves horizontally around a vertically extending axis D. The operation tool 18 can move from below as well as from above.

[0088] Figure 11(d) is an example in which the target 16 moves in an upward convex arc in the opposite direction to the pendulum, while Figure 11(e) is an example in which the vertical plane of the movement is left-right rather than front-back.

[0089] Figure 12(a) shows an example in which the target 16 moves not in a pendulum motion but in an up-down motion as well as in a forward-backward motion, tracing a mountain-shaped trajectory. Figure 12(b) shows an example in which the movement direction of the target 16 is changed to the left-right direction.

[0090] Fig. 12(c) is an example in which the target 16 travels in a straight line in the horizontal direction. In this case, the operating tool 18 can move in a manner such as pressing down and pulling down the target 16. Fig. 12(d) is an example in which the target 16 travels horizontally in a curved line instead of a straight line.

[0091] Fig. 13(a) is an example in which up and down movement is added to the movement of the target 16 in Fig. 12(c). Fig. 13(b) is an example in which up and down movement is added to the movement of the target 16 in Fig. 12(d).

[0092] In the examples of Fig. 12(c) and (d) and Fig. 13(a) and (b), parallelogram B is drawn horizontally and the plane serving as the reference for the movement of target 16 is horizontal, but this plane can also be inclined. In this case, for example, the movement of the target can be expressed in a manner reminiscent of a shooting star. Similarly, in Fig. 11(a), (b), (d), and (e) and Fig. 12(a) and (b), the plane on which the trajectory of target 16 is located can be inclined with respect to the operation surface, and in Fig. 11(c), the plane on which the trajectory of target 16 is located can also be inclined with respect to the horizontal.

[0093] In addition, although not shown in the figures, the operating tool 18 may be configured to perform a predetermined operation on a part of the target 16, rather than acting on the entire target 16 as described above. For example, the target may be configured to include a master part and a slave part, and although the slave part is subordinate to the master part, a motion mechanism is connected only to the master part so that its drive can be controlled. Then, when the slave part is moved away from the master part by a certain distance or more, this is the trigger for the player to win a prize. This can be expressed, for example, as an action of picking up sushi (slave part) placed on a moving plate (master part). In this case, the slave part may be connected to the master part by a wire or the like, but may be configured to be physically disconnected by a sensor that detects when the slave part has moved away by a certain distance. [Explanation of symbols]

[0094] 11…Prize-winning game machine 16…Target 17...Target drive mechanism 18...Operating tools 18a…Hook section 19...Operating tool drive mechanism 31…Target unit 32...Axis 51...Operation tool unit 54…Finger part 61...Vertical movement mechanism 65…Left and right movement mechanism 71...Prize holding mechanism X…Prize

Claims

1. A prize winning game machine that allows a target to win a prize on the condition that the target performs a certain operation, The target is separate from the prize, The target is provided at the tip of the shaft, a target drive mechanism including a target drive motor connected to the base end of the shaft and causing the target to perform pendulum motion with a predetermined swing amplitude and speed, drawing an arcuate trajectory that rises and falls from below vertically to one side and then rises and falls to the other side; a manipulator that acts on the moving target to change the movement of the target; an operating tool drive mechanism that operates the operating tool; The operation tool is provided with a prize holding mechanism that releases a prize when the movement of the target is changed by a certain amount or more due to a continuous operation after the operation tool has contacted the target. Prize-winning game machine.

2. A hit / miss control mechanism is provided which detects whether a change in the movement of the target by the target drive mechanism or more than a certain amount due to a match between the movement of the target by the operation of the operation tool drive mechanism and the operation of the operation tool is a predicted hit timing, and when it is a hit timing, causes at least one of the target drive mechanism or the operation tool drive mechanism to execute a shift operation to shift it from the hit timing in accordance with a preset selection condition when it is a miss. The prize winning game machine according to claim 1.

3. The operating tool catches the approaching target and pulls it down.

3. The prize winning game machine according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The operating tool has a hook portion that hooks onto the target or the shaft that fastens the target.

3. The prize winning game machine according to claim 1 or 2.

5. The hook portion is configured to have finger portions with gaps between them.

5. The prize winning game machine according to claim 4.

6. A gap change mechanism is provided that allows the distance between the fingers to be changed depending on the difficulty of the game.

6. The prize winning game machine according to claim 5.

7. The target and the operating tool are supported so as to be relatively movable in at least one of the vertical direction and the horizontal direction between them.

3. The prize winning game machine according to claim 1 or 2.

8. A holder for holding the target drive motor is attached to a vertical rod so as to be movable downward, and the holder is biased upward so as to move downward when the target is pulled down.

3. The prize winning game machine according to claim 1 or 2.

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