Crane game machine having automatic prize arrangement function

Abstract

To provide a crane game machine having an automatic prize arrangement function for automatically adjusting the position of a prize placed in the crane game machine.SOLUTION: A showcase 2 in which a chance position CP is set in a prize arrangement space 200 where a prize is arranged, a crane means 3, a position sensor 41 used for generating reference data by detecting the prize placed in the prize arrangement space 200, and a prize arrangement detection sensor 42 for generating a notification signal when detecting that the prize is not arranged in the chance position CP; And a control means 5 used for controlling the movement control part 31 and the catcher part 32 on the basis of reference data from the position sensor 41 and arranging the prize at the chance position CP when receiving a notification signal from a sensing means 4 arranged away from the catcher part 32 of the crane means 3 and a prize arrangement detection sensor 42.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a crane game machine, and more particularly to a crane game machine with an automatic prize placement function. [Background technology]

[0002] An example of a conventional crane game machine is described in Patent Document 1. FIG. 1 shows an example of a conventional crane game machine. As shown, the crane game machine 1 has a showcase 10 defining an interior space 100 suitable for placing a plurality of prizes (not shown), a catcher unit 11 disposed within the interior space 100 suitable for catching the prizes, and an operation interface 12 connected to the showcase 10 suitable for operating the catcher unit 11. During the game, a player inserts a coin and then operates the catcher unit 11 via the operation interface 12, thereby catching and obtaining a prize that has been placed within the interior space 100 by an operator of the crane game machine 1.

[0003] The operator of the crane game machine 1 must maintain the crane game machine 1, and in particular must arrange the prizes and make adjustments to place them in appropriate positions according to the type, size, weight, and other conditions of the prizes to be placed.

[0004] For example, players tend to judge the difficulty of obtaining a prize from the distance between the prize and the outlet. In other words, if a prize is placed near the outlet, it will seem relatively easy to obtain, and players will be more motivated to insert a coin. Conversely, if a prize is located far from the outlet, it will seem difficult to obtain, and players will be less motivated to play.

[0005] For this reason, the operator of the crane game machine 1 must constantly adjust the position of the prize relative to the outlet to increase players' willingness to speculate, but this task takes a lot of time, and it is difficult for the operator of the crane game machine 1, who is not always near the crane game machine 1, to constantly monitor the state of the crane game machine 1 and move the prizes. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] JP 2023-138754 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a crane game machine having an automatic prize placement function that automatically adjusts the position of a prize placed inside the crane game machine. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a showcase that defines a prize placement space suitable for placing prizes that can be caught, and has a prize outlet that communicates with the prize placement space and is used to discharge the prizes, and in which at least one chance position is set around the prize outlet in the prize placement space; a crane means disposed within the prize placement space and having a movement control section and a catcher section movably connected to the movement control section and adapted to catch a prize; a sensing means disposed away from the catcher portion of the crane means, the sensing means having a position sensor used to detect the prize placed in the prize placement space and generate reference data, and a prize placement detection sensor that generates a notification signal when it detects that a prize is not placed in the at least one chance position; A crane game machine with an automatic prize placement function is provided, which is equipped with a control means that is signal-connected to the crane means and the sensing means, and that, upon receiving the notification signal from the sensing means, controls the movement control unit and the catcher unit based on the reference data to place at least one prize at the at least one chance position. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] As described above, in the crane game machine with automatic prize placement function of the present invention, when the prize placement detection sensor (42) of the sensing means (4) detects that a prize is not placed at the chance position (CP), the control means (5) controls the movement control unit (31) and the catcher unit (32) based on the reference data to place the prize at the chance position (CP). Therefore, the work that the operator of the crane game machine had to do, that is, observing the position of the prize and placing it in the appropriate position, can be done automatically instead of the operator, which is beneficial to the operation of the crane game machine. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a front view showing an example of a conventional crane game machine. [Figure 2] 1 is an explanatory diagram showing one embodiment of a crane game machine with an automatic prize placement function of the present invention. [Figure 3] 10A and 10B are explanatory diagrams showing the effects of the embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing how the control means in this embodiment controls the crane means to move multiple prizes. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] In order to more clearly describe the objectives, technical means and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention, the following will clearly and completely describe the technical means in the embodiments of the present invention in combination with the accompanying drawings of the embodiments of the present invention. It is clear that the described embodiments are only some of the embodiments of the present invention, and are not all of the embodiments. Generally, the components of the embodiments of the present invention depicted and shown in the accompanying drawings can be arranged and designed in various different configurations.

[0012] Figure 2 shows one embodiment of the crane game machine with automatic prize placement function of the present invention. As shown, the crane game machine with automatic prize placement function of this embodiment comprises a showcase 2 defining a prize placement space 200 suitable for placing prizes that can be caught, a crane means 3 disposed within the prize placement space 200 and having a catcher portion 32, a sensing means 4 disposed away from the catcher portion 32 of the crane means 3, and a control means 5 signally connected to the crane means 3 and the sensing means 4.

[0013] The showcase 2 has a prize discharge port 21 that communicates with the prize placement space 200 and is suitable for discharging prizes, and a discharge sensor 22 that is arranged at the prize discharge port 21 and is used to determine the passage of a prize.

[0014] As shown in FIG. 3, three chance positions CP are set around the prize discharge opening 21 in the prize placement space 200. In actual implementation, the chance positions CP may have different shapes and dimensions from those shown in FIG. 3 depending on the type and size of the prize, and the number of chance positions CP may be increased or decreased. That is, it is sufficient that at least one chance position CP is set around the prize discharge opening 21. Any position around the prize discharge opening 21 that makes a player recognize that if a prize is placed there, there is a good chance of winning it corresponds to the chance position CP of the present invention. In addition, the discharge sensor 22 can be configured as an optical sensor that generates a discharge signal that can be used as a reference to indicate that a prize has been discharged when the prize passes through the prize discharge opening 21.

[0015] 2 and 3, the crane means 3 has a movement control unit 31 arranged at an upper position within the prize placement space 200, and the above-mentioned catcher unit 32 that is movably connected to the movement control unit 31 and is suitable for catching prizes. Here, the catcher unit 32 employs a configuration that adjusts the drive coil according to differences in power parameters, thereby making it possible to adjust the force with which the catcher arm of the catcher unit 32 operates, particularly the output when the catcher unit 32 grabs a prize.

[0016] The sensing means 4 is arranged at a location away from the catcher section 32 of the crane means 3, and has a position sensor 41 used to sense the prize moved by the catcher section 32 and generate reference data, and a prize placement detection sensor 42 that generates a notification signal when it detects that no prize is placed at the at least one chance position CP.

[0017] Here, the main function of the position sensor 41 is to determine and continuously detect the relative position of a specific prize, thereby determining the status of the catcher section 32 grabbing the prize. Specifically, the position sensor 41 can be configured as an optical sensor, and the reference data is data indicating whether the catcher section 32 has reliably caught the prize. The position sensor 41 can also be configured as a distance sensor, and in this case the reference data is data indicating the distance between the catcher section 32 and the prize. By outputting this detection result as reference data to the control means 5, the control means 5 can perform more precise and fine control.

[0018] In addition, by using an image recognition system as the position sensor 41, an image of the process in which the catcher section 32 catches the prize can be output to the control means 5 as reference data, thereby providing the control means 5 with information such as how the prize is dropped, the time it takes for the prize to be dropped, the situation at the time the catcher section 32 comes into contact with the prize, or how the prize is discharged from the catcher section 32 through the prize discharge outlet 21.

[0019] In addition, in order to reliably detect whether or not a prize is present at a position determined as the chance position CP, an optical sensor or an image recognition system can be used as the prize placement detection sensor 42 .

[0020] The control means 5 is used to control the crane means 3 based on the reference data from the position sensor 41. More specifically, the control means 5 can be configured as software, hardware, firmware, or a machine that outputs a control command to the crane means 3 by automatic calculation based on the numerical value of the reference data. Thus, when the control means 5 receives a notification signal from the prize placement detection sensor 42 of the sensing means 4, i.e., when no prize is placed at any of the chance positions CP, it controls the movement control section 31 and the catcher section 32 of the crane means 3 based on the reference data from the position sensor 41 to place at least one prize that was placed at a position other than the chance position CP at a chance position CP where no prize is placed.

[0021] Explaining this with reference to Figures 2 to 4, when an operator of a crane game machine with an automatic prize placement function of the present invention places prizes in the prize placement space 200, he or she must first place prizes at each chance position CP and also place spare prizes at locations other than the chance positions CP. When a prize placed at a chance position CP is acquired or moved out of the chance positions CP, the prize placement detection sensor 42 of the sensing means 4 detects this and outputs a notification signal to the control means 5. Upon receiving the notification signal from the prize placement detection sensor 42, the control means 5 determines the location and distance of any spare prizes located in locations other than the chance positions CP based on the reference data from the position sensor 41, and controls the movement control unit 31 and catcher unit 32 of the crane means 3 to catch any spare prizes located in locations other than the chance positions CP, move them to an empty chance position CP, and release them. This allows the operator of the crane game machine to automatically perform the tedious task of constantly monitoring the prizes in the machine and, if necessary, placing them in the appropriate locations.

[0022] Incidentally, the specific timing for this action of "grabbing up a spare prize that is located in a place other than the chance position CP and moving it to an empty chance position CP" can be set so that it is not performed while the player is operating the machine, for example, during a predetermined maintenance time, off-peak hours, or when a predetermined period of time has passed since no play was performed, or can be appropriately determined by the operator of the crane game machine, such as when a predetermined period of time has passed since there was no prize at the chance position CP.

[0023] To summarize the above, in the crane game machine with automatic prize placement function of the present invention, when the prize placement detection sensor 42 of the sensing means 4 detects that a prize has not been placed at the chance position CP, the control means 5 controls the movement control unit 31 and catcher unit 32 based on the reference data to place the prize at the chance position CP.This means that the work that the crane game machine operator had to do, which was to constantly monitor the state of the crane game machine 1 and place the prize in an appropriate position, can be done automatically instead of the crane game machine operator, and the object of the present invention, which is to automatically adjust the position of the prize placed in the crane game machine, can be reliably achieved.

[0024] Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to this, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0025] 2. Showcase 200 Prize Placement Space 21 Prize outlet 22 Emission sensor 3 Crane means 31 Movement control unit 32 Catcher Club 4 Sensing means 41 Position Sensor 42 Prize placement detection sensor 5. Control measures CP chance position

Claims

1. a showcase that defines a prize placement space suitable for placing prizes that can be caught, and has a prize outlet that communicates with the prize placement space and is used to discharge the prizes, and in which at least one chance position is set around the prize outlet in the prize placement space; a crane means disposed within the prize placement space and having a movement control section and a catcher section movably connected to the movement control section and adapted to catch a prize; a sensing means disposed away from the catcher portion of the crane means, the sensing means having a position sensor used to detect the prize placed in the prize placement space and generate reference data, and a prize placement detection sensor that generates a notification signal when it detects that a prize is not placed in the at least one chance position; A crane game machine with an automatic prize placement function, comprising: control means that is signally connected to the crane means and the sensing means, and that, upon receiving the notification signal from the sensing means, controls the movement control unit and the catcher unit based on the reference data to place at least one prize at the at least one chance position.

2. 2. A crane game machine with an automatic prize placement function as described in claim 1, wherein the position sensor of the sensing means is an optical sensor, and the reference data is data indicating whether the catcher section has reliably caught the prize.

3. 2. A crane game machine with an automatic prize placement function as described in claim 1, wherein the position sensor of the sensing means is a distance sensor, and the reference data is data indicating the distance between the catcher section and the prize.

4. 2. The crane game machine with automatic prize placement function according to claim 1, wherein the position sensor of the sensing means is an image recognition system, and the reference data is an image of the process in which the catcher catches the prize.

5. 5. The crane game machine with automatic prize placement function according to claim 1, wherein the prize placement detection sensor of the sensing means is an optical sensor or an image recognition system.

6. A crane game machine with an automatic prize placement function as described in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the showcase is arranged at the prize discharge outlet and further has a discharge sensor used to determine the passage of the prize.

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