Rotating Prize Mixer for Buried Prize Accessibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Prize capture and dispensing devices often have buried prizes at the bottom of the prize area, which are not easily accessible to players, leading to reduced player engagement and profitability. Additionally, traditional methods to attract players, such as flashing lights and sounds, are often ineffective in competitive environments.
Innovation Solution
A prize mixer system is introduced, which changes the location and/or orientation of prizes within the prize area by contacting them. This system can be located at the bottom of the prize area and moves relative to the prizes, or the prizes can move relative to a stationary mixer. The prize mixer includes a rotatable shaft with radially extending members and a drive mechanism to effect rotation, allowing for the mixing of prizes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If prizes are stacked on top of each other in the prize area, then the prize area can contain a large number of prizes, but prizes at the bottom are buried and not easily accessible to players
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by introducing a rotating platform that continuously moves prizes within the prize area. This dynamic movement ensures that prizes are not statically stacked in a fixed configuration, allowing both a large quantity of prizes to be maintained while improving accessibility as prizes rotate into playable positions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements another dimension by adding rotational movement to the prize area. Instead of simply stacking prizes vertically, the rotating platform introduces a temporal and spatial dimension, allowing prizes to move between different positions and depths, thereby making buried prizes accessible without reducing the total quantity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If traditional methods like flashing lights and sounds are used to attract players, then attention can be captured, but these methods are often ineffective in areas with other games that have flashing lights or make sounds
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by transforming the attraction mechanism from static visual/audio elements to dynamic mechanical movement. The rotating platform creates continuous motion and reconfiguration of prizes, which serves as a novel attractor that differentiates the game from competitors using conventional flashing lights and sounds.
Data Source
AI summary
A prize mixer is provided for a prize capture and dispensing device. The prize mixer is configured to change the location and/or orientation of prizes within a prize area of the device, preferably by contacting one or more of the prizes. The prize mixer may be located at or near a bottom of the prize area and be configured to move relative to the prizes, such as in a linear or rotating motion. The prize mixer may comprise a plurality of rotatable arms which define ramped surfaces, the arms rotated by a drive shaft. The prize mixer may be activated automatically or by a player of the device, such as for payment, as a bonus, or upon a triggering event.