Arcade Claw with Actuated Prong for Canned Beverage Capture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mechanical claws in arcade games struggle to grasp and retrieve canned beverages due to their smooth surface and lack of structural features, making them difficult to use as prizes.
Innovation Solution
A mechanical three-pronged claw with a motor-actuated prong that moves radially to engage the upper rim and neck of the beverage, allowing for reliable capture and adjustment of difficulty levels by varying the prong distance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional mechanical claw is used to grasp canned beverages, then the claw structure remains simple, but the claw cannot reliably grasp the smooth surface of canned beverages
Solution Approach 1:
The claw is divided into multiple independent prongs (typically three), each capable of independent movement. This segmentation allows each prong to independently engage with different parts of the can (rim, neck, body), increasing the reliability of grasping smooth-surfaced canned beverages while keeping each individual prong structurally simple.
Solution Approach 2:
The claw incorporates movable prongs that can dynamically adjust their position and angle during the grasping process. This dynamic capability allows the claw to adapt to the smooth surface of cans, enabling reliable engagement through barbed edges and curved surfaces that conform to the can's geometry during motion.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the claw is designed to grasp only prizes with easy-to-grasp structures, then the claw design remains simple, but the range of usable prizes is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The claw is designed with universal grasping capabilities that can handle multiple prize types including canned beverages, bottled beverages, and tubular prizes. The combination of barbed prong edges for engagement and curved surfaces for conforming to different geometries allows a single claw design to effectively grasp diverse prize types without requiring multiple specialized claws.
Solution Approach 2:
The claw design incorporates adjustable parameters such as prong angle, prong spacing, and barb configuration that can be modified to optimize grasping for different prize types. This parameter adjustability enables the same basic claw structure to adapt to various prize geometries and sizes, expanding prize compatibility while maintaining design simplicity.
3Reliability
If the claw actively grabs the prize against stationary prongs, then the game reliability improves, but the mechanism complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The claw employs a dynamic mechanism where one or more prongs are actuated to move radially inward against stationary prongs, creating an active grasping action. This dynamic movement allows the claw to reliably engage the can by pressing the barbed edges against the stationary prongs, ensuring firm engagement while using a relatively simple actuation mechanism.
Data Source
AI summary
A claw mechanism for an amusement game such as an arcade crane game is disclosed with a movable leg or prong that pivots about a pin to capture a target at the target's upper rim. The prong is actuated by a solenoid that retracts a rod, causing the prong to pivot inward toward a pair of stationary prongs or fixed support such as a half tube. The prong may be formed with a notch that is configured to engage the rim of an aluminum can for lifting the target/prize off a turntable and into a retrieval bin.