Prize acquisition device and prize acquisition game device

Abstract

To provide a prize acquisition device and a prize acquisition game device capable of efficiently operating a holding arm and being miniaturized.SOLUTION: The gripping device 200 includes a gripping arm 203 for gripping the prize P, a swing member 203c for pivotally supporting the gripping arm 203 so as to be swingable in the vertical direction, an upper plate 231 for pressing the base end portion of the gripping arm 203 from above to swing the tip end portion of the gripping arm 203 upward, a lower plate 241 for pressing the base end portion of the gripping arm 203 from below to apply a gripping force to the gripping arm 203, and a drive device 220 for driving the upper plate 231 and the lower plate 241 so as to be displaceable in the vertical direction. Each of the grip arms 203 is pivotally supported by the 203c portion of the swing member, and the distal end portion thereof swings downward by its own weight.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] A prize-capturing game device, such as a crane game machine, is used by placing a large number of prizes in a play field formed inside the cabinet. A player can move a prize-capturing device with a gripping arm within the play field using operating means such as a lever or button. The player can then move the prize-capturing device to the position where the desired prize is placed, then grasp the prize with the gripping arm and lift it up to the prize outlet to win the prize.

[0003] The prize capture devices used in such prize capture game machines are configured to capture prizes by opening and closing the gripping arms using a drive source such as a motor or an electromagnetic coil. In recent years, energy conservation has progressed, and therefore, efficient operation of multiple gripping arms using fewer drive sources has been studied.

[0004] To address this issue, for example, a U-shaped operating member is provided that presses the upper and lower parts of the base end of the gripping arm, and the gripping arm is opened and closed by driving a driving source such as a solenoid (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-105470 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, the prize acquisition device described in Patent Document 1 above requires a certain amount of spacing between the upper and lower flanges used to press the upper and lower parts of the base end of the gripping arm in order to open and close the gripping arm using an operating member, and also requires space for vertical strokes, which results in the prize acquisition device becoming larger.

[0007] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a prize acquisition device and a prize acquisition game device that can operate the gripping arm efficiently and can be made smaller. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to achieve the above object, the invention described in claim 1 is a prize acquisition device for acquiring a prize used in a prize acquisition game device, an arm for grasping a prize; a pivotal support portion that pivotally supports each of the arms so that the arms can swing freely in the up and down direction; a first operating portion for pressing the base end portion of the arm from above to swing the tip end portion of the arm upward; a second operating portion for applying a gripping force to the arm by pressing the base end portion of the arm from below; a driving means for driving the first operating portion and the second operating portion so as to be displaceable in the up and down direction, The arms are characterized in that their distal ends swing downward due to their own weight while being pivotally supported on the pivotal support portions.

[0009] The invention described in claim 2 is the prize acquisition device described in claim 1, the drive means includes a single drive source, a first link mechanism for transmitting the drive force of the drive source to the first operating portion, and a second link mechanism for transmitting the drive force of the drive source to the second operating portion; the first link mechanism and the second link mechanism are interlocked and operated by the drive source, The first link mechanism and the second link mechanism operate in conjunction with each other when driven by the driving source, thereby displacing the first operating part and the second operating part while changing their relative positional relationship.

[0010] The invention described in claim 3 is the prize acquisition device described in claim 1, the first operating portion is displaceable between a first position where the base end of the arm is pressed from above to place the arm in an open state, and a second position which is higher than the first position and where the tip end of the arm swings downward due to its own weight to place the arm in a closed state, the second operating portion is displaceable between a third position at which it abuts the base end portion of the arm in a closed state from below, and a fourth position at which it is lower than the third position and is not abutting at least the base end portion of the arm in a closed state, The driving means is characterized in that after starting to displace the first operating part from the first position to the second position, it drives the first operating part and the second operating part so that it starts to displace the second operating part from the fourth position to the third position.

[0011] The invention described in claim 4 is the prize acquisition device described in claim 1, a biasing means for biasing the second operating portion upward with a biasing force corresponding to the driving force of the driving means, The gripping force of the arm can be changed by changing the biasing force of the biasing means on the second operating portion.

[0012] The invention described in claim 5 is the prize acquisition device described in claim 1, The device is characterized by comprising an adjustment means for adjusting the position of the tip of the arm when the arm is in the closed state.

[0013] The invention described in claim 6 is a prize acquisition game device, The present invention is characterized by comprising a prize acquisition device according to any one of claims 1 to 5. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a prize acquisition device and a prize acquisition game device that can efficiently operate the gripping arm and can be made smaller. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a crane game machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a front view showing the appearance of the gripping device. [Figure 3] FIG. 2(a) is a perspective view of the gripping device as seen from above, and FIG. 2(b) is a perspective view of the gripping device as seen from below. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the configuration of the gripping device. [Figure 5] FIG. 2A is an exploded perspective view of the drive device as seen from the front side, and FIG. 2B is an exploded perspective view of the drive device as seen from the rear side. [Figure 6] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating the internal configuration of the gripping device when the gripping arms are in an open state. [Figure 7] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating the internal configuration of the gripping device when the gripping arms are in a closed state and no gripping force is being applied. [Figure 8] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating the internal configuration of the gripping device when the gripping arms are in a closed state and a weak gripping force is applied. [Figure 9] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating the internal configuration of the gripping device when the gripping arms are in a closed state and a strong gripping force is being applied. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] A prize acquisition game device (e.g., a crane game machine) according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. However, the scope of the invention is not limited to the illustrated examples. In the following description, components having the same functions and configurations will be assigned the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

[0017] First, the overall configuration of a crane game machine 100 as an example of a prize acquisition game device that can be applied to the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 1. In the description of Fig. 1, left and right, front and back, and up and down refer to the left and right, front and back, and up and down based on the state when a player views the crane game machine 100 from the front side.

[0018] The crane game machine 100 is formed, for example, in the shape of a vertically long rectangular parallelepiped, and has an appropriate number of casters C attached to the bottom surface. Therefore, the crane game machine 100 can be easily transported by being pushed by staff at an amusement facility such as a game arcade.

[0019] The crane game machine 100 is configured to include a box-shaped base 1, a play field 2 formed above the base 1, and a ceiling part 3 covering the play field 2 from above.

[0020] The base 1 houses, for example, a control board having a control unit that performs overall control of the crane game machine 100, and the inside can be accessed by opening an opening / closing door 1a provided on the right side of the front of the base 1. In addition, a money collection door 1b is provided at the bottom center of the front of the base 1 so as to be able to open and close, for collecting coins and coins accepted by coin selectors 84a and 84b (described later).

[0021] The playfield 2 has a bottom 2a on which a large number of prizes P are placed, and an internal space is formed by a front panel 2b, a left panel 2c, a right panel 2d, a back panel 2e, and the above-mentioned ceiling 3. The front panel 2b, the left panel 2c, and the right panel 2d are made of plate-like members formed of transparent glass or resin, so that the internal space can be seen. The front panel 2b is made of, for example, a sliding door, and opening the sliding door allows access to the playfield 2.

[0022] A square prize outlet 4 is provided in the front left corner of the bottom 2a of the playfield 2, allowing prizes P to be discharged downward. Prizes P discharged from the prize outlet 4 fall into the prize removal chamber 6, and can be removed from the prize removal chamber 6 by opening a door 7 provided on the left side of the front of the base 1. The door 7 is made of a plate-like member made of transparent glass or resin, and the interior can be seen through the door 7. In addition, a partition plate 5 is erected on the bottom 2a so as to surround the right and rear ends of the prize outlet 4, preventing prizes P placed or stacked on the bottom 2a from falling out of the prize outlet 4.

[0023] A gripping device 200, which functions as a prize capturing device, is provided above the playfield 2 and is suspended by a fixed rod 200a and an extendable rod 200b. Two longitudinal rails (not shown) are provided on the ceiling 3 near the left and right ends, extending in the front-to-rear direction and parallel to each other, and one horizontal rail is suspended between the two longitudinal rails. The horizontal rails are configured to be movable along the direction of extension of the longitudinal rails by a vertical motor. A telescopic device is provided on the horizontal rail, which allows the extendable rod 200b to extend and retract relative to the fixed rod 200a and move left and right along the direction of extension of the horizontal rail by the horizontal motor. The telescopic device extends and retracts the extendable rod 200b, thereby vertically displacing the gripping device 200 attached to the tip of the extendable rod 200b.

[0024] The gripping device 200 is configured to include a main body 200A to which an extendable rod 200b is attached, and one or more gripping arms 203 supported by the main body 200A. The gripping arms 203 are attached so as to be openable and closable by an actuator such as a motor provided on the main body 200A, and are capable of gripping prizes P with gripping claws 203a provided at their tips. The specific configuration of the gripping device 200 will be described later.

[0025] Meanwhile, a box-shaped operation unit 8 is provided in the center of the front of the base 1. An operation lever 81, an operation button 82, and a display unit 83 are arranged on the top surface of the operation unit 8. The operation lever 81 and the operation button 82 can be operated by the player, and the display unit 83 displays, for example, the remaining number of plays and the remaining play time. The player can move the gripping device 200 to any position within the playfield 2 by operating the operation lever 81, and can lower the gripping device 200 and perform a gripping operation by operating the operation button 82. When the gripping operation is completed, the gripping device 200 rises and moves above the prize discharge opening 4 while maintaining the gripping arm 203 in a closed state, changing the gripping arm 203 to an open state. At this time, if the prize P is being held by the holding device 200, the prize P falls toward the prize discharge outlet 4 and is guided into the prize removal chamber 6, so that the player can remove the prize P from the prize removal chamber 6.

[0026] Two coin selectors 84a and 84b are arranged side by side on the front of the operation unit 8, and each accepts different types of coins and medals. In this embodiment, for example, the coin selector 84a is configured to accept only 100-yen coins, and the coin selector 84b is configured to accept only 500-yen coins, but this is not limited to this. The coins and medals accepted by the coin selectors 84a and 84b are collected, for example, in a collection box located below the base 1, and can be collected by the amusement facility manager unlocking and opening the collection door 1b. The front of the operation unit 8 is configured to be openable and closable, so that, for example, the amusement facility manager can unlock and open the front of the operation unit 8 to perform maintenance on the operation unit 8. Furthermore, instead of or in addition to the coin selectors 84a and 84b, a reader / writer device capable of reading payment information from an IC card or two-dimensional code may be provided, and credit may be accepted based on the payment information read by the reader / writer device.

[0027] Next, the configuration of the gripping device 200 will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0028] 2 and 3, the gripping device 200 includes a thin, disk-shaped main body 200A and a main body case including an upper cover 200c and a lower cover 200d that cover the main body 200A. A rod attachment part 200e that is attached to an extendable rod 200b is provided at the center of the top surface of the main body 200A. A plurality of (e.g., three) gripping arms 203 are provided on the side of the main body case so as to protrude at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. In addition, an adjustment screw 251 that regulates the swing range of each of the plurality of gripping arms 203 is provided on the top surface of the main body case, and the angle of the gripping arms 203 in the closed state can be adjusted by using the adjustment screw 251.

[0029] Next, the internal configuration of the gripping device 200 will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0030] The gripping device 200 is composed of a base substrate 211, an upper plate 231, and a lower plate 241 arranged in this order from above, and is covered with an upper cover 200c and a lower cover 200d.

[0031] The base substrate 211 is formed in the shape of a thin disk. A rod attachment portion 200e (see FIG. 2) is provided to protrude upward from approximately the center of the upper surface of the base substrate 211. Four spacers 212 are provided at approximately equal intervals near the outer edge of the lower surface of the base substrate 211 so as to extend downward. The spacers 212 are screwed to the lower cover 200d, thereby attaching the internal mechanism of the gripping device 200 to the main body case.

[0032] Furthermore, a plurality of (for example, four) guide shafts 213 are protrudingly provided near the spacer 212 on the lower surface of the base substrate 211. A coil spring 213a is wound around each of the plurality of guide shafts 213. The plurality of guide shafts 213 are inserted into insertion holes 234 formed in an upper plate 231 (described later), and have the function of guiding the movement direction of the upper plate 231. The coil springs 213a are biased in the direction in which they extend, and have the function of pressing the upper plate 231 downward relative to the base substrate 211.

[0033] Furthermore, a plurality of mounting portions 214 for supporting and fixing the gripping arms 203 are provided on the lower surface of the base substrate 211. In this embodiment, the mounting portions 214 are arranged so that three gripping arms 203 are attached at approximately equal intervals.

[0034] An arm support portion 203b is attached to each of the multiple attachment portions 214. A swing shaft 203f that pivotally supports a swing member 203c is formed at the bottom of the arm support portion 203b. The swing member 203c is swingable around the swing shaft 203f, and an arm attachment portion 203e for attaching a base end 203d of the gripping arm 203 is formed at the outer end. Since the gripping arm 203 is attached to the main body 200A in this manner, it is supported so that the tip side (i.e., the side where the gripping claws 203a are provided) is heavier than the base end 203d side. As a result, the gripping arm 203 swings in the direction toward the closed state due to its own weight. Note that a biasing member such as a spring may be provided to bias the gripping arm 203 in the direction toward the closed state. Furthermore, a plate-like blind 203g is engaged with the swinging member 203c, covering the cutouts formed in the upper cover 200c and the lower cover 200d, making it difficult to see inside the gripping device 200. In this manner, in this embodiment, the arm support part 203b functions as a pivotal support part that pivotally supports the gripping arm 203.

[0035] A driving device 220 is attached via a mounting member 220a to an appropriate position on the lower surface of base substrate 211. Driving device 220 opens and closes gripping arm 203 by driving motor 221 (see FIG. 5). The configuration of driving device 220 will be described later with reference to FIG. 5.

[0036] An upper plate 231 disposed below the base substrate 211 is capable of contacting and pressing against the upper end of the inner end of the swinging member 203c. A portion of the upper plate 231 is cut out in a U-shape, and a driving device 220 is disposed in this cutout. An insertion hole 234 through which a guide shaft 213 of the base substrate 211 is inserted is provided in the outer peripheral edge of the upper plate 231, thereby guiding the movement of the upper plate 231 in the up and down direction. At this time, a coil spring 213a wound around the guide shaft 213 presses the lower surface of the base substrate 211 and the upper surface of the upper plate 231, thereby urging the upper plate 231 in a direction away from the base substrate 211. In this embodiment, the coil spring 213a is used to auxiliary separate the base substrate 211 and the upper plate 231, but the coil spring 213a may be omitted.

[0037] A plurality of (for example, four) guide shafts 232 are provided at appropriate positions on the lower surface of the upper plate 231 to protrude downward. A coil spring 232a is wound around each of the plurality of guide shafts. The plurality of guide shafts 232 are inserted into insertion holes 242 formed in a lower plate 241 (described later), and have the function of guiding the movement direction of the lower plate 241. The coil springs 232a are biased in the direction of extension, and have the function of pressing the lower plate 241 downward relative to the upper plate 231.

[0038] Furthermore, a rectangular conversion member 233 is erected facing downward in front of the notch in the lower surface of the upper plate 231. A guide slot 233a extending horizontally is formed in the conversion member 233, and a guide boss 225c (see FIG. 5) of the rotation member 225 constituting the drive device 220 is inserted through the guide slot 233a. In this manner, in this embodiment, the upper plate 231 functions as a first operating part.

[0039] The lower plate 241, which is disposed below the upper plate 231, is capable of abutting against and pressing against the lower end of the inner end of the swinging member 203c. The lower plate 241 is partially cut out in a U-shape, and is aligned vertically with the position of the cutout of the upper plate 231. The drive unit 220 is disposed in this cutout. Furthermore, an insertion hole 242, through which the guide shaft 232 of the upper plate 231 is inserted, is provided at an appropriate position on the lower plate 241, thereby guiding the vertical movement of the lower plate 241. At this time, a coil spring 232a wound around the guide shaft 232 presses the lower surface of the upper plate 231 and the upper surface of the lower plate 241, thereby biasing the lower plate 241 in a direction away from the upper plate 231. In this embodiment, the coil spring 232a is used to auxiliary separate the upper plate 231 and the lower plate 241, but the coil spring 232a may be omitted.

[0040] A contact area 243 is formed in front of the notch in the lower surface of the lower plate 241, against which a lower plate support protrusion 225d of the rotation member 225 constituting the drive device 220 comes into contact, restricting downward movement of the lower plate 241. In this way, in this embodiment, the lower plate 241 functions as a second operating part.

[0041] As shown in FIGS. 5(a) and 5(b), the driving device 220 is configured to include a motor 221, a wheel portion 222, a main spring 223, a sub-spring 224, and a rotating member 225.

[0042] The motor 221 serving as the drive source is, for example, a pulse motor, and has a motor shaft 221a protruding forward at a position slightly eccentric from the center of the tip. The motor shaft 221a can rotate in forward and reverse directions when driven by the motor 221. Note that, although a pulse motor is used as the actuator in this embodiment, an actuator other than a pulse motor may also be used, such as one driven by an electromagnetic coil.

[0043] The wheel portion 222 is attached to the motor 221 with the motor shaft 221a inserted through its center, and can rotate together with the motor shaft 221a. The wheel portion 222 has countless slits formed on its outer periphery, and the amount of rotation can be detected by, for example, detecting the passage of the slits with a photosensor, and the motor 221 can be controlled based on this to open and close the arm 203. In other words, the wheel portion 222 functions as an encoder. In addition, a wheel-side boss 222a is provided eccentrically from the center of the wheel portion 222 and protrudes forward, supporting one end of the main spring 223 and the sub-spring 224.

[0044] The main spring 223 is a helical spring with both ends formed into a hook shape. One of the hook-shaped portions at both ends serves as a wheel-side engaging portion 223a that can be engaged with and disengaged from the wheel-side boss 222a, and the other serves as an operating-part-side engaging portion 223b that can be engaged with and disengaged from an operating-part-side boss 225b of the rotating member 225, which will be described later.

[0045] The sub-spring 224 is formed of a wound spring, and both ends are formed in a ring shape. One of the ring-shaped portions at both ends is a wheel-side retaining portion 224a that is inserted into the wheel-side boss 222a, and the other is an actuating unit-side retaining portion 224b that is inserted into the actuating unit-side boss 225b of the rotating member 225. In this embodiment, the main spring 223 is disposed on the inner circumferential side of the sub-spring 224. In this case, the actuating unit-side engaging portion 223b of the main spring 223 is disposed outside the actuating unit-side retaining portion 224b of the sub-spring 224, and the wheel-side engaging portion 223a of the main spring 223 is disposed outside the wheel-side retaining portion 224a of the sub-spring 224. The arrangement of the main spring 223 and the sub-spring 224 is not limited to this and can be set as appropriate.

[0046] The main spring 223 and the sub spring 224 configured as described above are inserted onto the motor shaft 221a, and are arranged around the axis of the motor shaft 221a.

[0047] Further, the sub-spring 224 applies a biasing force to the rotary member 225, but has a smaller spring constant than the main spring 223, that is, is configured to apply a smaller biasing force to the rotary member 225 than the main spring 223.

[0048] In this embodiment, the gripping force of the gripping arm 203 is adjusted using two springs, the main spring 223 and the sub spring 224, but a configuration in which only one of them is provided is also possible. In addition, it is preferable that the biasing forces of the main spring 223 and the sub spring 224 be set appropriately in accordance with the configuration of the gripping device 200.

[0049] The rotating member 225 is formed in a disk shape and has a support hole 225a at its center through which the tip of the motor shaft 221a is inserted. An operating unit-side boss 225b projects toward the rear side at a position eccentric from the center on the rear side of the rotating member 225, and engages with an operating unit-side engaging portion 223b of the main spring 223, and through which an operating unit-side holding portion 224b of the sub-spring 224 is inserted. Furthermore, a guide boss 225c and a lower plate support protrusion 225d are provided at positions eccentric from the center on the front side of the rotating member 225 and protrude forward at an appropriate interval. The guide boss 225c is inserted into a guide elongated hole 233a of a conversion member 233 provided on the upper plate 231, and the lower plate support protrusion 225d abuts against a contact area 243 of the lower plate 241 from below. Furthermore, a detection piece 225e is protruded from an appropriate position on the outer periphery of the rotating member 225. The detection piece 225e is detected by a photosensor (not shown), thereby making it possible to detect the position of the rotating member 225. In this manner, in this embodiment, the rotating member 225 can displace the upper plate 231 and the lower plate 241 while changing the relative positional relationship between them.

[0050] Since the drive unit 220 is configured as described above, when the motor 221 is driven and the motor shaft 221a rotates clockwise, the wheel portion 222 rotates clockwise together with the motor shaft 221a. The wheel-side boss 222a of the main spring 223 engages with the wheel-side engagement portion 223a and is pressed, generating a biasing force in the clockwise direction. The wheel-side boss 222a is also held by the wheel-side holder 224a and is pressed, generating a biasing force in the clockwise direction for the sub-spring 224. The actuating-part-side engagement portion 223b of the main spring 223 engages with the actuating-part-side boss 225b of the rotating member 225, and the actuating-part-side holder 224b of the sub-spring 224 is held by the actuating-part-side boss 225b. Therefore, the biasing forces of the main spring 223 and the sub-spring 224 generated by the clockwise rotation of the wheel portion 222 are applied to the rotating member 225. As a result, the rotating member 225 rotates clockwise.

[0051] Meanwhile, in the drive unit 220, when the motor 221 is driven and the motor shaft 221a rotates counterclockwise, the wheel portion 222 rotates counterclockwise together with the motor shaft 221a. When the main spring 223 is in an extended state, the wheel-side engaging portion 223a disengages from the wheel-side boss 222a of the wheel portion 222, and the biasing force of the main spring 223 is interrupted. On the other hand, the wheel-side holding portion 224a of the sub-spring 224 continues to be held by the wheel-side boss 222a, so the biasing force of the sub-spring 224 is transmitted. In this state, the biasing force of the sub-spring 224 generated by the counterclockwise rotation of the wheel portion 222 is applied to the rotating member 225, causing the rotating member 225 to rotate counterclockwise.

[0052] In this manner, in this embodiment, the drive device 220 functions as a drive means. Also, in this embodiment, the wheel portion 222, the main spring, the sub-spring 224, and the rotating member 225 function as a first link mechanism and also as a second link mechanism.

[0053] The operation of the gripping device 200 configured as above will be described with reference to Figures 6 to 9. For the sake of explanation, the upper cover 200c and the lower cover 200d are omitted from Figures 6 to 9.

[0054] FIG. 6 shows the grip arm 203 in an open state. In the state shown in FIG. 6, the motor 221 is driven, and the wheel portion 222 rotates counterclockwise. At this time, the engagement between the main spring 223 and the wheel portion 222 is released, so the biasing force of the main spring 223 on the rotating member 225 is interrupted, and only the biasing force of the sub-spring 224 is transmitted to the rotating member 225. In the state shown in FIG. 6, the rotating member 225 rotates counterclockwise, and the guide boss 225c inserted into the guide elongated hole 233a of the conversion member 233 is at approximately the 9 o'clock position. When the guide boss 225c rotates counterclockwise from the 12 o'clock position, the conversion member 233 is pushed down, and the upper plate 231 attached to the conversion member 233 also moves downward. Meanwhile, as the rotating member 225 rotates counterclockwise from the 6 o'clock position, the lower plate support protrusion 225d slides on the contact area 243 of the lower plate 241 and pushes up the lower plate 241. Thereafter, the lower edge of the conversion member 233 abuts against the upper surface of the lower plate 241, restricting the up-and-down movement of both the upper plate 231 and the lower plate 241. In this state, the upper plate 231 presses against the upper edge of the swinging member 203c to which the gripping arm 203 is attached, and the gripping arm 203 is set to the open state.

[0055] FIG. 7 shows a state in which the gripping arm 203 is in a closed state and no gripping force is being applied by the pressing of the lower plate 241. In the state shown in FIG. 7, the motor 221 is driven, and the wheel portion 222 rotates clockwise from the state shown in FIG. 6. At this time, the wheel-side engaging portion 223a of the main spring 223 engages with the wheel-side boss 222a of the wheel portion 222, so that the main spring 223 applies a biasing force to the rotating member 225. However, the contraction force of the main spring 223 is in a small state. When the motor 221 is driven and the rotating member 225 rotates clockwise due to the biasing forces of the main spring 223 and the sub-spring 224, the guide boss 225c inserted into the guide elongated hole 233a of the conversion member 233 is at approximately the 11 o'clock position. As a result, the upper plate 231 reaches approximately the top dead center, causing the swinging member 203c to which the gripping arm 203 is attached to swing due to the weight of the gripping arm 203, displacing the gripping arm 203 to a closed state. Meanwhile, the lower plate support protrusion 225d of the rotating member 225, which supports the lower surface of the lower plate 241, is positioned approximately at 7 o'clock. As a result, the biasing force of the coil spring 232a wound around the guide shaft 232 connecting the upper plate 231 and the lower plate 241 causes the lower plate 241 to abut against the lower plate support protrusion 225d, releasing the abutment between the lower edge of the swinging member 203c and the lower plate 241, and no gripping force is applied to the gripping arm 203 by the drive unit 220. That is, in the state shown in FIG. 7, the upper plate 231 has started to move from its lowest point to the top dead center.

[0056] In addition, in this embodiment, an adjustment screw 251 is provided corresponding to each of the three gripping arms 203, and by tightening the adjustment screw 251, the tip advances downward, abuts against the abutment portion 203h of the oscillating member 203c, and is pushed downward, so that the angle of the gripping arm 203 when it is in the closed state can be changed.

[0057] FIG. 8 shows a state in which the gripping arm 203 is in a closed state and a gripping force is applied by pressing the lower plate 241. In the state shown in FIG. 8, the motor 221 is driven, and the wheel portion 222 rotates further clockwise from the state shown in FIG. 7. At this time, the main spring 223 and the sub spring 224 contract, and as a result, the biasing force of the main spring 223 and the sub spring 224 against the rotating member 225 increases. Therefore, when the motor 221 is driven, the biasing force of the main spring 223 and the sub spring 224 can rotate the rotating member 225 further clockwise. In the state shown in FIG. 8, the guide boss 225c inserted into the guide elongated hole 233a of the conversion member 233 is located at approximately the 1 o'clock position, while the lower plate support protrusion 225d is located at approximately the 9 o'clock position. As a result, upper plate 231 is at approximately the top dead center, while lower plate 241 is pressed from below by lower plate support protrusion 225d, and lower plate 241 moves upward against the biasing force of coil spring 232a wound around guide shaft 232 connecting upper plate 231 and lower plate 241. In the state shown in FIG. 8, the lower end edge of swing member 203c to which gripping arm 203 is attached is pressed upward by lower plate 241. That is, in the state shown in FIG. 8, the upward movement of lower plate 241 is restricted by swing member 203c abutting against upper plate 231, which also restricts clockwise rotation of rotating member 225. Meanwhile, wheel portion 222 can rotate clockwise when driven by the motor, and as a result, main spring 223 and sub spring 224 contract, the biasing force on rotating member 225 increases, and the gripping force of gripping arm 203 increases. In other words, in the state shown in Figure 8, after the upper plate 231 starts moving from the lowest point to the top dead center, the lower plate 241 starts moving from the bottom dead center (the position where the lower plate support protrusion 225d is at 6 o'clock) to the top point.

[0058] 9 shows a state in which gripping arm 203 is in a closed state, and a gripping force greater than that in the state shown in FIG. 8 is being applied. In the state shown in FIG. 9, motor 221 is driven, and wheel portion 222 rotates further clockwise from the state shown in FIG. 8, while movement of rotating member 225 is still restricted. Therefore, main spring 223 and sub spring 224 are compressed to a greater extent than in the state shown in FIG. 8, and as a result, the biasing force of main spring 223 and sub spring 224 on rotating member 225 is greater than in the state shown in FIG. 8. Therefore, the pressing force of lower plate support protrusion 225d of rotating member 225 on lower plate 241 increases, and the gripping force of gripping arm 203 is greater than in the state shown in FIG. 8.

[0059] In this way, in this embodiment, the upper plate 231 can be said to be displaceable between a first position in which the base end of the gripping arm 203 is pressed from above to open the gripping arm 203, and a second position which is higher than the first position and in which the tip end of the gripping arm 203 swings downward due to its own weight to close the gripping arm 203.

[0060] In addition, in this embodiment, it can be said that the lower plate 241 is displaceable between a third position where it abuts the base end of the gripping arm 203 from below, and a fourth position where it is in a non-contact state with the base end of the gripping arm 203, which is at least in a closed state.

[0061] As described above, according to this embodiment, the gripping device 200 includes gripping arms 203 for gripping prizes P, swinging members 203c that pivotally support the gripping arms 203 so that they can swing up and down, an upper plate 231 that presses the base ends of the gripping arms 203 from above to swing the tips of the gripping arms 203 upward, a lower plate 241 that presses the base ends of the gripping arms 203 from below to apply a gripping force to the gripping arms 203, and a drive unit 220 that drives the upper plate 231 and the lower plate 241 so that they can be displaced up and down. The tips of the gripping arms 203 swing downward due to their own weight while pivotally supported by the swinging members 203c. As a result, the gripping arms can be operated efficiently and the prize capturing device can be made smaller.

[0062] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the drive device 220 includes a motor 221, a wheel unit 222, a main spring 223, a sub-spring 224, and a rotating member 225 (first link mechanism) for transmitting the driving force of the motor 221 to the upper plate 231, and a wheel unit 222, a main spring 223, a sub-spring 224, and a rotating member 225 (second link mechanism) for transmitting the driving force of the motor 221 to the lower plate 241. The first link mechanism and the second link mechanism operate in conjunction with each other when driven by the motor 221. As a result of the first link mechanism and the second link mechanism operating in conjunction with each other when driven by the motor 221, the upper plate 231 and the lower plate 241 are displaced while changing their relative positional relationship. As a result, an increase in the number of parts is suppressed, and the prize acquisition device can be made smaller.

[0063] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the upper plate 231 is movable between a first position where the base end of the gripping arm 203 is pressed from above to open the arm 203, and a second position above the first position where the tip of the gripping arm 203 swings downward due to its own weight to close the arm. The lower plate 241 is movable between a third position where the lower plate 241 abuts the base end of the gripping arm 203 from below when the arm 203 is in the closed state, and a fourth position below the third position where the lower plate 241 is not abutting the base end of the gripping arm 203 when the arm 203 is in the closed state. After the drive unit 220 starts displacing the upper plate 231 from the first position to the second position, the drive unit 220 drives the upper plate 231 and the lower plate 241 so that the lower plate 241 starts displacing from the fourth position to the third position. As a result, the movable ranges of the first and second actuating units can be made compact, thereby enabling the prize acquisition device to be made more compact.

[0064] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the main spring 223 and the sub spring 224 urge the lower plate 241 upward with a urging force that corresponds to the driving force of the drive unit 220. It is possible to change the gripping force of the gripping arm 203 by changing the urging force of the main spring 223 and the sub spring 224 applied to the lower plate 241. As a result, it is possible to adjust the gripping force with a simple configuration.

[0065] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the adjustment screw 251 can adjust the positions of the tips of the multiple gripping arms 203 when the gripping arms 203 are in a closed state. As a result, the state of the arms can be changed depending on the type of prize, which adds variety to the game.

[0066] It should be noted that the actions and effects described in the embodiments of the present invention are merely a list of the most preferable actions and effects resulting from the present invention, and the actions and effects of the present invention are not limited to those described in the embodiments of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0067] 100 Crane game machines (prize-winning game devices) 200 Grasping device (prize acquisition device) 203 Grasping Arm 203c Swing member (support part) 220 Drive device (drive means) 221 Motor (drive source) 222 Wheel section (first link mechanism, second link mechanism) 223 Main spring (first link mechanism, second link mechanism, biasing means) 224 Sub-spring (first link mechanism, second link mechanism, biasing means) 225 Rotating member (first link mechanism, second link mechanism) 231 Upper plate (first operating part) 241 Lower plate (second operating part) 251 Adjustment screw (adjustment means)

Claims

1. A prize acquisition device for acquiring a prize used in a prize acquisition game device, an arm for grasping a prize; a pivotal support portion that pivotally supports each of the arms so that the arms can swing freely in the up and down direction; a first operating portion for pressing the base end portion of the arm from above to swing the tip end portion of the arm upward; a second operating portion for applying a gripping force to the arm by pressing the base end portion of the arm from below; a driving means for driving the first operating portion and the second operating portion so as to be displaceable in the up and down direction, The prize acquisition device is characterized in that the arms are each pivotally supported on the pivot support portion and have their tips swing downward due to their own weight.

2. the drive means includes a single drive source, a first link mechanism for transmitting the drive force of the drive source to the first operating portion, and a second link mechanism for transmitting the drive force of the drive source to the second operating portion; the first link mechanism and the second link mechanism are interlocked and operated by the drive source, A prize acquisition device as described in claim 1, characterized in that the first link mechanism and the second link mechanism operate in conjunction with each other when driven by the drive source, thereby displacing the first operating part and the second operating part while changing their relative positional relationship.

3. the first operating portion is displaceable between a first position where the base end of the arm is pressed from above to place the arm in an open state, and a second position which is higher than the first position and where the tip end of the arm swings downward due to its own weight to place the arm in a closed state, the second operating portion is displaceable between a third position at which it abuts the base end portion of the arm in a closed state from below, and a fourth position at which it is lower than the third position and is not abutting at least the base end portion of the arm in a closed state, The prize acquisition device described in claim 1, characterized in that the driving means drives the first operating unit and the second operating unit so that after the first operating unit starts to displace from the first position to the second position, the second operating unit starts to displace from the fourth position to the third position.

4. a biasing means for biasing the second operating portion upward with a biasing force corresponding to the driving force of the driving means, 2. The prize acquisition device according to claim 1, wherein the gripping force of the arm can be changed by changing the biasing force of the biasing means on the second operating portion.

5. 2. The prize acquisition device according to claim 1, further comprising an adjustment means for adjusting the position of the tip of the arm when the arm is in the closed state.

6. A prize acquisition game device comprising the prize acquisition device according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

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