Prize-winning 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

[0005]

[0001] This invention relates to a prize-winning game machine that allows a player to obtain a displayed prize.

Background Art

[0002] In addition to a crane game machine that allows a player to grab the prize itself, there is a prize-winning game machine that allows a player to obtain a prize on condition that a certain operation is performed on a target other than the prize, as disclosed in Patent Document 1 below, for example. The game machine of Patent Document 1 employs a configuration in which when a target in a suspended state is pulled downward with a fork, the locking of a slip prevention member that prevents the prize from slipping is released, and the prize can be obtained.

[0003] In conventional prize-winning game machines, the prizes and targets that a player aims at in a game operation are basically immovable, but there are some in which the target moves as in Patent Document 2 below.

[0004] The game machine of Patent Document 2 is composed of a prize holding body configured by horizontally mounting a plurality of suspension bars between a pair of rotating drums, and a moving mechanism operated by a player. A plurality of hooks are provided on the suspension bars of the prize holding body, and key holders, which are prizes, are suspended from the hooks. The hook is L-shaped in side view and has its tip facing backward. Therefore, when an object collides from the front, the prize will fall. The moving mechanism includes a moving body that moves toward the prize. In the game, the moving body is made to collide with the prize that moves like a Ferris wheel by the rotation of the rotating drum, and the prize is dropped by the impact force.

[0005] However, although the prizes in this game machine move, it is only a game of hitting the moving body against the target. So to speak, the essence of the game is the same as a shooting game or a target-hitting game, and what is recognized by the player is only a series of ordinary phenomena such as the movement of the moving body toward the prize, the collision between the moving body and the prize, and the accompanying fall of the prize, lacking in interest. <[Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 4281344 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 11-319303 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0007] The main purpose of this invention is to improve the gameplay by adding playful elements. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The means to achieve this is a prize-winning game machine that allows players to win prizes on the condition that they perform certain actions on the target. The target is separate from the prize, the target is attached to the tip of the shaft, and the base end of the shaft is connected The target In contrast, a pendulum traces a circular arc trajectory, rising and falling vertically from the bottom on one side, then rising and falling on the other side, with a predetermined amplitude and speed. motion of Let Equipped with a target drive motor This prize-winning game machine comprises a target driving mechanism, an operating tool that acts on the moving target to change the target's movement, an operating tool driving mechanism that operates the operating tool, and a prize-holding mechanism that releases a prize when the target's movement is changed by a certain amount or more due to the continued operation after the operating tool has come into contact with the target.

[0009] In this configuration, the player controls the movement of a target driven by a target drive control mechanism, and changes the target's movement (speed) by aiming at it with a control device operated by a control device drive control mechanism. The change in the target's movement is then continuously maintained through a series of actions by the control device. When this change exceeds a certain level, the prize holding mechanism releases the prize. The player aims at the target, operates the control device, and then, after the device touches the target, moves the target as desired, giving the player the sensation of, for example, grabbing and pulling the target. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to this invention, in order to obtain a prize, instead of simply applying an operating tool to a moving target, a configuration is adopted in which the operating tool is used to make the target move in another way. Therefore, a playful element as if moving the target is added. For this reason, the gaming property can be improved and the fun can be increased.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0011] [Figure 1] An explanatory diagram showing an overview of a prize-winning game machine. [Figure 2] A perspective view showing the appearance of a prize-winning game machine. [Figure 3] A cross-sectional view of a target unit and a side view seen from the operating side. [Figure 4] A side view of the target unit seen from the target side. [Figure 5] A plan view of an operating tool unit. [Figure 6] A side view of the operating tool unit seen from the operating side. [Figure 7] An explanatory diagram showing the internal structure of the catching part of an operating tool. [Figure 8] A control circuit block diagram. [Figure 9] [[ID=三十五]]A flowchart showing the control operation of an acceptance control drive mechanism. [Figure 10] An explanatory diagram showing an action. [Figure 11] A schematic explanatory diagram showing an example of the movement of a target or the like. [Figure 12] A schematic explanatory diagram showing an example of the movement of a target or the like. [Figure 13] A schematic explanatory diagram showing an example of the movement of a target or the like.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0012] One embodiment for carrying out this invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0013] Fig. 1 shows an explanatory diagram of the outline of the prize-winning game machine 11 according to this invention, and Fig. 2 shows an example of its appearance.

[0014] The prize-winning game machine 11 stores the prize X in the game space inside the housing 12 and is configured such that the prize X in the game space can be seen through at least from the front operation surface 13 side. On the operation surface 13 side, an operation panel 14 for the player to perform operations and a prize payout outlet 15 from which the obtained prize X is paid out are formed. Inside the game space, together with the prize X, a mechanical unit for playing the prize-winning game is provided.

[0015] This prize-winning game machine 11 allows the player to obtain a prize on the condition that a certain operation is applied to a target 16 different from the prize X. The target 16 moves within the game space, that is, it moves with changes in direction and speed, etc., and the player is configured to be able to obtain the prize X by performing an operation with game play, rather than a simple operation such as just hitting the target 16.

[0016] Examples of the movement mode of the target 16 include those with a linear trajectory, a circular shape, an arc shape, a wavy shape, a parabolic shape, etc., and the operation modes for the target 16 are diverse, such as those for capturing, scooping up, hooking and pulling down.

[0017] Hereinafter, as an example, a prize-winning game machine 11 will be described in which, as shown in Fig. 1, the target 16 performs a pendulum movement and the player can obtain the prize X on the condition that the approaching target 16 is hooked and pulled down a certain distance during the operation.

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

[0019] The target 16 of the target unit 31 is a pendulum and is formed in a spherical shape. As shown in Figure 1, the target 16 is suspended in the play space by a target drive mechanism 17. The target drive mechanism 17 consists of a shaft 32 with the target 16 at its tip and a target drive motor 33 connected to the base end of the shaft 32 (see Figure 3). The rotation of the target drive motor 33 causes the target 16, which is attached to the shaft 32, to move in a pendulum motion, tracing an arc trajectory around the drive axis of the target drive motor 33 (see Figure 4).

[0020] Since it is a pendulum motion, the target 16 moves along the vertical plane, swinging up and down from the bottom vertically on one side, and then up and down on the other side. The direction of motion of the target 16 is set to be in the front-back direction, that is, in the direction of approaching or moving away from the operating surface 13.

[0021] The target drive motor 33 is held in a holder 35 attached to the lower part of a hanging rod 34 suspended from the upper part of the play space, i.e., from the ceiling. The drive shaft is attached to the holder 35 with its left and right outward orientation on a surface of the holder 35 that aligns with the front-to-back direction, i.e., the surface connecting the operating surface 13 and the depth direction.

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

[0023] Figure 3(a) is a cross-sectional view with the cutting point above the retainer 35, and the lower part of the drawing is the operating surface 13 side. Figure 3(b) is a side view of the hanging rod 34 as seen from the operating surface 13 side. Figure 4 is a side view of the retainer 35 as seen from the side with the 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 diagonally upward is formed on the rear surface of the holder 35, that is, the surface opposite to the operating surface 13 (see Figures 1, 3(a), and 4). The arm 37 holds the end of a wire 72, which is part of the prize holding mechanism 71, at its tip.

[0026] The operating tool unit 51 is located on the operating surface 13 side of 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 Figure 5. Specifically, the operating tool 18 has a hand portion 53 at the tip of a straight arm portion 52, and 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 constitute the aforementioned hook portion 18a. Figure 5 shows a plan view of the operating tool 18 in a horizontal position, facing inward away from the operating surface 13.

[0028] The operating tool 18 is rotatably supported by the 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 as shown in Figures 1 and 6, the arm portion 52 is connected to the operating tool drive motor 56 via an eccentric member 55.

[0029] The eccentric member 55 is roughly rectangular in shape, with an arm portion 52 attached to one end in the longitudinal direction and connected to the shaft portion of the operating tool drive motor 56. The surface on 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 in the front-rear direction, and the surface to which the operating tool drive motor 56 is connected is aligned in the front-rear direction. Furthermore, the attachment 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. Figure 6 is a side view of the operating tool unit 51 with the operating tool 18 extended horizontally, as seen from the operating surface 13 side.

[0030] The retainer 57 that holds the operating tool drive motor 56 is attached to the lower part of the vertical rod 58 that extends vertically. The operating tool drive motor 56 is mounted on the inner back surface of this retainer 57, opposite to the operating surface 13. This operating tool drive motor 56 is also a motor with an encoder so that the rotation angle (amount of rotation) and rotation speed can be controlled with high precision.

[0031] The retainer 57 is mounted on the vertical rod 58 so as to be vertically movable. That is, as shown in Figures 5 and 6, the vertical rod 58 is made of an aluminum frame or the like, and the retainer 57 is held slidably in a rail groove formed on its side surface. The retainer 57 is mounted on the vertical rod 58 via a vertical movement mechanism 61 that allows for fine adjustment of its vertical position. The vertical movement mechanism 61 is for changing the relative positional relationship between the target 16 and the operating 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 rod 58 has a support portion 64 that can slide along a horizontally mounted rail, as shown in Figure 1. The lower end of the vertical rod 58 is supported by a left-right movement mechanism 65, as shown in Figure 6. The left-right movement mechanism 65 is used to change the relative positional relationship between the target 16 and the operating 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 range of motion of the vertical movement mechanism 61 and the horizontal movement mechanism 65 is set such that in the vertical direction it includes a position in which the rotation of the operating tool 18 relative to the target 16 can reliably perform a predetermined action, and in the horizontal direction it includes a position in which the target 16 and the operating tool 18 are aligned straight in the front-to-back direction.

[0034] In this manner, the target 16 and the operating tool 18 are supported so that they can move relative to each other in the vertical and horizontal directions.

[0035] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 7, the hand portion 53 of the operating tool 18 is provided with a gap changing mechanism 68 that allows the spacing between the finger portions 54 to be changed. The gap changing mechanism 68 changes the gap according to the difficulty level of the game. The gap is configured to be adjustable in multiple stages, such as being narrow (high difficulty) or wider (low difficulty), based on the thickness of the shaft 32 that holds the target 16 in place. The gap changing mechanism 68 is preferably composed of a piston 68b that reciprocates with the rotation of a motor 68a and a pair of L-shaped levers 68c that are rotated by the piston 68b.

[0036] The prize holding mechanism 71 consists 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 Figure 1. The hanger 73 rotatably holds a hook 74. The hook 74 has an L-shaped hanging portion 74a in front of its axis of rotation, with the tip of the hanging portion 74a facing the operating surface 13. This hook 74 is configured such that, when the wire 72 is pulled to a certain length, the tip of the hanging portion 74a rotates downward, the hanging ring Xa of the prize X inserted into the hanging portion 74a detaches, and the prize X falls. The wire 72 is routed to an adjustable length.

[0037] In addition to these, the prize-winning game machine 11 has the following configuration (see Figure 8).

[0038] The operating surface 13 has a coin slot (not shown), to which a coin insertion detector 81 is connected. A timer 82 is connected to the coin insertion detector 81, which detects inserted coins. In other words, when an inserted coin is detected by the coin insertion detector 81, this triggers the timer 82 to start measuring a predetermined length of game time. It is also possible to set the system to determine if continuous play is occurring when more coins are detected a certain time after the end of a game.

[0039] As shown in Figure 1, the control panel 14 is equipped with a control unit movement switch 83 and a start switch 84. The control unit movement switch 83 is a switch for moving the vertical movement mechanism 61 and the horizontal movement mechanism 65 of the control unit 51, and is composed of a lever that can be tilted forward, backward, left, and right. The start switch 84 is a switch for starting the operation of the control device 18, and is composed of a push button.

[0040] The play area is equipped with a target position detector 85 that detects the position information of the moving target 16. The target position detector 85 can be composed of appropriate cameras and sensors.

[0041] The enclosure 12 is equipped with a display 86 and a speaker 87, and is configured to display desired effects according to the state (mode). Since the target 16 moves during these effects, it is desirable to display effects that change in accordance with the movement of the target.

[0042] Furthermore, a prize dispensing detection unit 88 consisting of appropriate sensors may be provided inside the prize dispensing outlet 15 as needed to automatically count and store the number of prizes dispensed.

[0043] The memory unit 89 stores the necessary information. The components of the memory unit 89 include a performance data storage unit that stores video data and audio data for performances, an income information storage unit that stores the amount of money inserted, a game information storage unit that stores the number of games played based on the detection signal of the coin insertion detector, and a payout prize count storage unit that stores the number of prizes paid out. In addition, there is a difficulty information storage unit that stores difficulty information for automatic setting based on differences in finger spacing of the operating tool, operating tool speed, target speed, target swing amplitude, and operating tool unit movement speed, and a win / fail control information storage unit that constitutes part of the win / fail control mechanism.

[0044] The win / fail control information that constitutes the win / fail information storage unit is information necessary to execute a shift operation that deviates from the winning timing, and consists of winning timing information and selection condition information such as the winning probability and upper limit amount necessary for the lottery, which are set as appropriate.

[0045] The "hit timing" is the timing at which a certain change in the movement of the target 16 is expected due to the synchronization of the movement of the target 16 by the target drive mechanism 17 and the operation of the operating tool 18 by the operating tool drive mechanism 19, and this timing is defined within a certain range for the target 16. Specifically, the hit timing P is determined based on the speed of the target 16 and the operating tool 18, the amount of rotation of the target 16, the shape of the operating tool 18, etc., depending on the position of the target 16 in its trajectory at which the start switch 84 of the operating tool 18 is activated, causing the target 16 to be pulled down by a certain length (see Figure 10). The width of the hit timing P narrows or widens depending on the speed of the target 16 and the operating tool 18, the amount of rotation of the target 16, and the shape of the operating tool 18.

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

[0047] The selection criteria information, such as the probability of winning and the maximum prize amount, is information for the so-called lottery mode and ceiling mode, respectively, and can be set to be changed according to the difficulty of the game, the cost of the prizes, etc.

[0048] The control unit 91 has a control device and an arithmetic unit, and has the necessary computer program for realizing the game installed. It drives each part according to the program, and based on the input, it reads and writes data to the storage unit, causing each part to perform predetermined processing.

[0049] The following describes the general operation of the prize-winning game machine 11, as well as the operations performed by the win / fail control mechanism, i.e., the control unit 91, using the win / fail control information.

[0050] The control unit 91 executes a standby mode according to the program, and performs demonstrations such as visual effects on the display 86 and, if necessary, driving the target drive mechanism 17 and the control tool drive mechanism 19.

[0051] The game starts when the coin insertion detector 81 detects a coin and the control unit 91 receives this signal. Specifically, the control unit 91 sets the target drive mechanism 17 and the control tool drive mechanism 19 to their initial state. 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 automatic difficulty setting or a manually set difficulty setting. As a result, the target 16 swings like a pendulum with a constant amplitude and speed. The control unit 91 also outputs predetermined performance information read from the memory unit 89 to the display 86 and speaker 87.

[0052] The initial state of the target drive mechanism 17 is such that the target 16 is lowered straight down, and the initial state of the operating tool drive mechanism 19 is such that the tip of the operating tool 18 is pointed diagonally upward toward the target 16, as shown in Figure 1.

[0053] When the player operates the control unit movement switch 83 from the control panel 14, the control unit 91 drives the vertical movement mechanism 61 and the horizontal movement mechanism 65 according to the input signal to move the control unit 51.

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

[0055] The control operation of this win / fail control drive mechanism will be explained using the flowchart in Figure 9 and the explanatory diagram in Figure 10.

[0056] As described above, the control unit 91 waits for an ON signal input from the start switch 84 (step S1) and starts timing using the timer 82 (step S2).

[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, it compares this 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] If step S4 determines that the timing P is not a hit, the control unit 91 does nothing and continues the operation of the target drive mechanism 17 and the operating tool drive mechanism 19 as is (see e1 in Figure 9).

[0059] At this point, since it is not the winning timing P, even if the operating tool 18 rotates toward the pendulum-like target 16, the operating tool 18 will either miss the target 16 without making contact, or even if it makes contact, it will not be able to catch on it, and thus it will not be able to pull down the target 16. In other words, the prize X will not fall.

[0060] If the control unit 91 determines that it is a winning timing P, it determines whether the current game is a "win" or a "loss" (step S5).

[0061] Whether it's a "win" or a "lose" indicates 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.

[0062] If the selection criteria are based on the probability of winning, the control unit 91 performs a probability calculation using a known random operation and compares the calculation result with a pre-set probability of winning to determine whether it is a "win" or a "loss". If the selection criteria are based on an 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 a "hit" is determined in step S5, the control unit 91 does nothing and continues the operation of the target drive mechanism 17 and the operating tool drive mechanism 19 as is (see e2 in Figure 9).

[0064] At this point, since it is the winning timing P, when the operating tool 18 rotates toward the pendulum-like target 16, there is a high probability that the operating tool 18 will come into contact with the target 16 and hook the finger portion 54, pulling the target 16 down. When the target 16 is pulled down to a predetermined length, the wire 72, which has been pulled downward via the holder 35, rotates the hook 74 of the hanging device 73, causing the prize X to fall.

[0065] If step S5 determines that the target is "missed," the control unit 91 executes a shifting operation. That is, it performs an operation to shift the target drive mechanism 17 or the operating tool drive mechanism 19 away from the hit timing P (see e3 in Figure 9).

[0066] When the operating device drive mechanism 19 is to perform a shifting motion, the control unit 91 controls the operating device drive motor 56 to change its speed in milliseconds. In other words, it causes a very slight delay in movement (slowing down the speed) or acceleration of movement (speeding up the speed). In addition, it is also possible to perform start delay control, which delays the start timing by a small amount of time in milliseconds.

[0067] When the target drive mechanism 17 is made to perform a shifting motion, a very slight delay or acceleration of motion is generated in milliseconds for the target drive motor 33, similar to when it is performed by the operating tool drive mechanism 19.

[0068] Whether to delay or accelerate, and to what extent the delay should be, is determined by where the target 16 is located within a certain range of hit timing P when the start switch 84 is pressed.

[0069] If the range of hit timing P is wide, and it is anticipated that the timing shift would be visually apparent if only one of the target drive mechanism 17 or the operating tool drive mechanism 19 were to perform a shifting operation, then it is preferable to have both the target drive mechanism 17 and the operating tool drive mechanism 19 perform the shifting operation.

[0070] If a shifting motion occurs, even though it was a hit timing P, the timing is missed, so even if the operating tool 18 rotates, the operating tool 18 will either miss or, even if it comes into contact with the target 16, it will not be able to catch on it, and thus the target 16 cannot be pulled down. In other words, the prize X will not fall.

[0071] Thus, a prize can only be won if, in step S4, it is determined that the timing P is a winner, and in step S5, the selection result is "winner" (see e2 in Figure 9).

[0072] As described above, this prize-winning game machine 11 employs a configuration in which the operator 18 is used to aim and act on the pendulum-swinging target 16, thereby changing the movement (speed) of the target 16, and also pulling the target 16 down through a series of actions of the operator 18. In other words, the condition for winning a prize is not simply to hit the target 16 with the operator 18, but to give the target 16 a different movement through a series of actions of the operator 18 and to continue that change in movement. Moreover, both the operator 18 and the target 16 move.

[0073] Therefore, while this prize-winning game machine 11 may appear difficult to understand from some perspectives, it utilizes a simple yet captivating pendulum motion, thus attracting the player's interest. Furthermore, the player gains the sensation of catching and pulling a moving target, which enhances the enjoyment of the game.

[0074] Furthermore, since both the target 16 and the control device 18 are movable, the degree of freedom in setting the movements can be increased, allowing for the creation of desired gameplay. Also, because the movement of both the target 16 and the control device 18 is controlled, a variety of highly game-like settings are possible for the methods of controlling success or failure.

[0075] Furthermore, unlike, for example, a game machine where the player grabs and wins a prize, this prize-winning game machine 11 can perform actions that prevent prize dispensing by the win / fail control mechanism in a way that is not visually apparent, thus enhancing the gameplay.

[0076] Furthermore, since the target 16 is spherical and configured to be hooked onto by the hook portion 18a at the tip of the operating tool 18, it is not guaranteed that the predetermined pulling-down action can be performed even after hooking. In particular, since the hook portion 18a is configured with multiple finger portions 54, the fun of the game can be further enhanced.

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

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

[0079] As mentioned above, neither the target 16 nor the operating tool 18 are limited to the movements described above. For example, the target 16 does not have to be spherical; it may be shaped like an object, such as a cherry or a heart. The operating tool 18 does not have to rotate along a fixed trajectory; it may be configured to perform a series of movements in multiple stages, such as moving straight ahead and then descending. Furthermore, the operating tool 18 does not have to move to approach the target 16 when it is acting on it; instead, it may be configured to wait for the target 16 to approach, grab it, and pull it, thus not requiring the operating tool to move towards the target 16.

[0080] Furthermore, in the example described above, the control device 18 was made movable up, down, left, and right relative to the target 16, but both the target 16 and the control device 18 may be made movable, or only the target 16 may be made movable. Also, in order to create differences in difficulty, only relative movement in the left-right direction or only relative movement in the up-down direction may be allowed.

[0081] The prize holding mechanism may be configured to suspend prize X, or to place it on top of other prizes.

[0082] As mentioned above, the movements of the target 16 and the control device 18 can be set in various ways, but in the previous explanation, we exemplified a target 16 that performs a pendulum motion that is easy to understand and familiar to use. Other examples will be explained using the schematic diagrams in Figures 11 to 13.

[0083] Figure 11(a) is a schematic diagram illustrating the movement of the target 16 and operating tool 18 in the example described above. In the figure, the white arrow A indicates the depth direction from the operating surface, and the parallelogram B shown by the dashed line is a virtual plane to facilitate understanding of the three-dimensional space. The solid arrow C represents the movement of the operating tool 18.

[0084] As can be seen in Figure 11(a), the target 16 swings back and forth around axis D which extends in the left-right direction, and the operating tool 18 moves in a way that it catches on the target 16 from the front and above.

[0085] Other examples of movement of the target 16 and the operating tool 18 are shown in the same manner as in this figure, starting with Figure 11(b). Note that the position of arrow C, which represents other movements of the operating tool 18, relative to the target's trajectory is an example and is not limited to the position shown.

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

[0087] Figure 11(c) shows an example where the target 16 revolves horizontally around an axis D that extends vertically. The movement of the operating tool 18 can be from above or below.

[0088] Figure 11(d) shows an example where target 16 moves in an upward-convex arc, opposite to that of a pendulum. Figure 11(e) shows an example where the vertical plane of the motion is in the left-right direction instead of the front-back direction.

[0089] Figure 12(a) shows an example where, instead of a pendulum motion, the target 16 moves both forward and backward and up and down, drawing a mountain-shaped trajectory. Figure 12(b) shows an example where the direction of movement of the target 16 is changed to the left and right direction.

[0090] Figure 12(c) shows an example where the target 16 travels in a straight line horizontally. In this case, the operating tool 18 can be made to press down on the target 16 and pull it down. Figure 12(d) shows an example where the horizontally traveling target 16 travels in a curved line instead of a straight line.

[0091] Figure 13(a) shows an example where vertical movement is added to the movement of target 16 in Figure 12(c). Figure 13(b) shows an example where vertical movement is added to the movement of target 16 in Figure 12(d).

[0092] Furthermore, in the examples of Figures 12(c) and 12(d), and Figures 13(a) and 13(b), the parallelogram B is drawn horizontally, making the plane that serves as the reference plane for the motion of the target 16 horizontal. However, this plane can also be inclined. In this case, for example, the motion of the target can be represented in a way that resembles a shooting star. Similarly, in Figures 11(a), 11(b), 11(d), and 12(a) and 12(b), the plane on which the trajectory of the target 16 is located may be inclined with respect to the operating plane, and in Figure 11(c), the plane on which the trajectory of the target 16 is located may also be inclined with respect to the horizontal.

[0093] In addition, although not shown in the diagram, the operating tool 18 may be configured to apply a predetermined operation to a part of the target 16, rather than acting on the entire target 16 as described above. For example, the target may be composed of a main part and a subordinate part, with the subordinate part being subordinate to the main part, but the motion mechanism may be connected only to the main part so that its drive can be controlled. When the subordinate part moves beyond a certain distance from the main part, this can trigger the acquisition of a prize. This can be represented, for example, as an action of taking sushi (subordinate part) placed on a moving plate (main part). In this case, the subordinate part may be connected to the main part by a wire or the like, but it can also be configured so that a sensor detects when it has moved beyond a certain distance, making it physically disconnected. [Explanation of Symbols]

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

Claims

1. A prize-winning game machine in which a prize is awarded on the condition that a certain operation is performed on the target, The aforementioned target is separate from the prize, The target is provided at the tip of the shaft. A target drive mechanism comprising a target drive motor connected to the base end of the aforementioned shaft, which causes the target to perform a pendulum motion with a predetermined amplitude and speed, tracing an arc trajectory that moves vertically from below to the upper side and then downward, and then upward to the upper side and then downward, An operating tool that acts on the moving target to change the movement of the target, A device drive mechanism for operating the aforementioned device, The prize-holding mechanism releases the prize when the target's movement is altered by a certain amount or more due to the continued operation of the operating tool after it has come into contact with the target. A game machine where you can win prizes.

2. The system includes a hit / fail control mechanism that detects whether a certain or greater change in the target's movement is expected due to the synchronization of the target's movement by the target drive mechanism and the operation of the operating tool by the operating tool drive mechanism, and if it is a hit timing, it performs a shifting operation to move at least one of the target drive mechanism or the operating tool drive mechanism away from the hit timing according to a preset selection condition. The prize-winning game machine according to claim 1.

3. The aforementioned operating device hooks onto the approaching target and pulls it downwards. A prize-winning game machine according to claim 1 or claim 2.

4. The operating tool has a hook portion that catches on the target or the shaft that connects the target. A prize-winning game machine according to claim 1 or claim 2.

5. The aforementioned hooking portion is configured to include finger portions with gaps between them. The prize-winning game machine according to claim 4.

6. A gap adjustment mechanism is provided that allows the spacing between the aforementioned finger sections to be changed according to the difficulty level of the game. The prize-winning game machine according to claim 5.

7. The target and the operating tool are supported so as to be able to move relative to each other in at least one of the vertical or horizontal directions. A prize-winning game machine according to claim 1 or claim 2.

8. The retainer for holding the target drive motor is mounted on a vertical rod so as to be movable downward, and the retainer is biased upward so as to move downward when the target is pulled down. A prize-winning game machine according to claim 1 or claim 2.

Images