JP2003181129A - Prize put-out device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a prize put-out device in which a prize can be surely put-out when a game is cleared. <P>SOLUTION: The existence of a prize K is confirmed from a state under waiting before putting out the prize K by a prize switch 13, and when the prize K dose not exist, a motor 4 is not driven. Thus, the waste of power can be prevented. Further, when there is no prize K, such a state is reported to the outside (a clerk in the surroundings, or the like) by sounding a buzzer B. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a prize payout device in a prize acquisition game machine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a prize payout device using a coil hanger can be given as a prize payout device for a prize acquisition game machine in which a prize is paid out when a predetermined condition is played by playing a game. In a prize acquisition game machine using this coil hanger, a ring that connects to the prize is hung on a coil that extends in the horizontal direction. When the game is cleared, the motor connected to the coil drives and the coil rotates. Then, the ring moves on the coil, and the ring drops from the coil. When the prize falls from the coil, the prize payout switch attached to the end of the coil is pressed by the prize, and it is confirmed that the prize has been paid out based on the detection signal from the switch, and the motor stops. It is like this.

[0003]

However, the above conventional game machine has the following problems. -Since the motor is driven even when the free gift is exhausted, there is a problem that useless electric power is used. -If all the prizes on the coil are paid out, you cannot pay the prizes even if you clear the game. However, even when the prize payout device runs out of prizes, when the game is cleared, the coil rotates to try to pay the prizes. If the prize payout switch does not detect the prize even if the coil rotates for a certain period of time, it is determined that the prize has not been paid out, and an error is notified to the outside. However, when the error is notified, the player has cleared the game. Therefore, although the player has the right to obtain the prize, the player's willingness to play is impaired because the prize is not paid out. This is very important for playing the game. The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and a first object thereof is to provide a premium payout device capable of preventing wasteful power consumption. The second purpose is
An object of the present invention is to provide a prize payout device that can surely pay out a prize when a game is cleared.

[0004]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the invention of claim 1, a prize payout device for a prize acquisition game machine for paying a prize when a game is played and a predetermined condition is satisfied. In the above, in addition to hooking the hooking member attached to the prize, a spiral coil for moving the hooking position of the hooking member to one end side by its own rotation, and the other end of the coil. A motor for positively rotating the coil and a prize detecting means for detecting the presence or absence of a prize by contacting the latching member, and driving of the motor based on the detection state of the prize detecting means. The gist of the invention is to include a motor drive control means for controlling. According to the invention of claim 2, claim 1
In the invention described in (3), the motor drive means drives the motor when the game is cleared on the assumption that the prize detection means detects that the prize is hooked on the coil. This is the gist. According to a third aspect of the invention, in the first or second aspect of the invention, the motor drive control means drives the motor to temporarily release the contact between the prize detection means and the latch member. After that, the driving of the motor is stopped when the prize detecting means and the locking member come into contact with each other again. According to a fourth aspect of the invention, in the invention according to any one of the first to third aspects, when the game is cleared, the motor is driven by the motor drive control means, and the prize detection means and the hooking are performed. After the contact with the member is once released, a forced motor stop means for forcibly stopping the drive of the same motor if the prize detection means and the hook member are not contacted again within a predetermined time The point is what you did. According to a fifth aspect of the invention, in the fourth aspect of the invention, when the motor is forcibly stopped by the forcible motor stopping means, a notification means is provided to notify the outside to that effect. This is the gist.

(Operation) According to the invention described in claim 1,
The motor drive control unit drives and controls the motor based on the detection of the presence or absence of the premium by the premium detection unit. According to the invention of claim 2, in addition to the operation of the invention of claim 1, the motor drive control means drives the motor only when the prize detecting means detects a prize. That is, since the motor is not driven when there is no prize, no wasted power is consumed. According to the invention described in claim 3, in addition to the effect of the invention described in claim 1 or 2, the motor is driven by the motor drive control means, and the contact between the prize detection means and the hanging member is temporarily released. After that, when the prize detecting means and the latching member come into contact with each other again, the motor drive control means stops the driving of the motor. According to the invention described in claim 4, in addition to the operation of the invention described in any one of claims 1 to 3, the motor is driven by the motor drive control means, and the prize detection means and the hanging member come into contact with each other. If the prize detecting means and the latching member are not contacted with each other again within a predetermined time after being released, the forced motor stopping means stops the driving of the motor. According to the invention of claim 5, when the motor is forcibly stopped by the forcible motor stopping means, the notification means notifies the outside to that effect. For example, the notification means generates a sound to notify the outside to that effect.

[0006]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, the attachment plate 2 that constitutes the prize payout unit 1 is attached and fixed to the housing 20 via screws 3. As shown in FIG. 4, a motor 4 is attached and fixed to the back surface of the attachment plate 2. The rotary shaft 5 of the motor 4 penetrates through the mounting plate 2 and projects toward the front side of the mounting plate 2. A rotary plate 6 is attached to the tip of the rotary shaft 5, and a helical coil 7 is concentric with the rotary shaft 5 and extends horizontally in the forward direction on the rotary plate 6. With the rotation of the motor 4, the coil 7 also rotates integrally. A plurality of prizes K are hooked on the coil 7 in the front-rear direction. A string 9 as a loop-shaped hooking member is attached to each prize P, and the prize K is hooked on the coil 7 via the string 9. The coil 7 rotates as the motor 4 rotates, and the cord 9 (actually, the portion of the cord 9 that contacts the coil 7) slides according to the inclination of the coil 7 with the rotation, and the prize K is the tip of the coil 7. It is supposed to be extended to the side. Further, a stay support member 10 having a substantially U-shaped cross section is attached and fixed to the attachment plate 2 on the side of the coil 7 (on the left side in FIGS. 2 and 5) with its opening facing leftward. . A stay 12 is supported by the stay support member 10 in parallel with the coil 7 via a shaft 11. A prize switch 13 as a prize detecting means is attached to the lower part of the tip of the stay 7. This prize switch 13
Is composed of a box-shaped main body portion 14 and an elastic needle-shaped detection portion 15. The main body 14 is attached to the stay 7.

The detecting portion 15 is projected from the main body portion 14 toward the coil 7 and is rotatably supported in the main body portion 14 by a shaft 14a as shown in FIGS. 3 (a) and 3 (b). There is. The detection unit 15 is always provided with a spring 16 so that
It is biased counterclockwise in FIG. Detector 15
3 is forcibly rotated clockwise against the urging force of the spring 16, the detection unit 15 presses the switch button 17 exposed from the main body unit 14 as shown in FIG.
When the switch button 17 is pressed, the prize switch 13
Is to output an ON signal. The stay 12 is movable between the position shown in FIG. 5 and the position shown in FIG. By rotating the stay 12, the interval between the detection unit 15 of the prize switch 13 and the coil 7 changes. When the stay 12 is in the position shown in FIG. 5, the tip of the detection unit 15 of the prize switch 13 is arranged on the locus along which the string 9 of the prize K moves. On the other hand, when the stay 12 is in the position shown in FIG. 6, the prize switch 1
The tip portion of the detection unit 15 of No. 3 is designed to be off the track on which the string 9 of the prize K moves.

As shown in the block diagram of FIG. 7, a solenoid C, a buzzer B constituting the informing means, a motor 4, and a prize switch 13 are connected to the controller C constituting the motor drive control means, the forced motor stopping means and the informing means. Has been done. The mounting positions of the buzzer B and the solenoid SL are omitted for convenience of explanation. The prize switch 13 is turned on to the controller C when the switch button 17 is pressed.
Output N signal. The buzzer B sounds when there is an abnormality in the game machine or the prize K has run out. Solenoid S
L operates (extends and contracts) when there is an abnormality in the game machine or when the prize K disappears. When the solenoid SL is driven, coins required for playing a game cannot be inserted through a coin insertion slot (not shown). The motor 4 is driven when the game is cleared.

Next, the processing operation of the controller C will be described with reference to FIG.
It will be described based on the flowchart of FIG. First, when the power is turned on, in step 101 the controller C
Determines whether the ON signal is output from the prize switch 13. If an ON signal is input from the prize switch 13 here, the process proceeds to step 102. On the other hand, when the ON signal is not input from the prize switch 13 in step 101, the process proceeds to step 106, and the solenoid SL is driven so that the coin cannot be inserted from the coin slot. Then, the process proceeds to step 107, the buzzer B is sounded, and the subsequent processing is repeated. The controller C sends the prize switch 1 in step 101.
When 3 is turned on, the process proceeds to step 102 and it is determined whether or not the game is cleared. In the present embodiment, for the sake of convenience of description, the method of determining game clear will not be described in detail. When it is determined in step 102 that the controller C has not cleared the game, the process is once terminated and the subsequent processes are repeated. On the other hand, if it is determined in step 102 that the game has been cleared, the process proceeds to step 103 to drive the motor 4. Then, the process proceeds to step 104, and it is determined whether or not the premium switch 13 is turned off. Here, if the controller C determines that the prize switch 13 has been turned off, step S10
It is determined whether or not a predetermined time has passed since the prize switch 13 was turned off by shifting to 5. When it is determined in step 105 that the predetermined time has elapsed, it is determined in step 106 whether or not the premium switch 13 is turned on. In step 106, the prize switch 13
When it is determined that is turned on, the process proceeds to step 107, the motor 4 is stopped, and the subsequent processing is temporarily ended. On the other hand, if it is determined in step 101 and step 106 that the prize switch 13 is not turned on, the process proceeds to step 108 to drive the solenoid SL. Then, the process proceeds to step 109 and the buzzer B
After driving, the subsequent processing is once ended.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described. At the start of the game, the prize payout device 1
It is assumed that the string 9 of the prize K in the front row is held in contact with the detection unit 15 of the prize switch 13 as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 4, and 5. That is, the switch button 17 of the prize switch 13 is pressed by the detection unit 15, and the prize switch 13 is held in the ON state (FIG. 3B). When the game is cleared in this state, the motor 4 is driven and the coil 7 is rotated. As the coil 7 rotates, the prize K hooked on the coil 7 is sent to the tip side. At this time, the string 9 in contact with the detection unit 15 of the prize switch 13 resists the elastic force of the detection unit 15 and the detection unit 15
Overcoming and falling off the coil 7. At the same time, the detection unit 15 of the prize switch 13 rotates from the position by the biasing force of the spring 16 to the position shown in FIG. That is, the prize switch 13 is turned off. By changing the prize switch 13 from the ON state to the OFF state,
The payout of the prize K is confirmed. The prize switch 13 is O
Even after the N state is switched to the OFF state, the motor 4 is driven and the coil 13 continues to rotate. That is, the remaining prize K moves further forward. When the string 9 of the prize K in the front row comes into contact with the detection unit 15 of the prize switch 13 and the prize switch 13 is turned on again, the motor 4 stops and the movement of the prize K also stops. When the game is cleared, the above operation is repeated and the prize K is paid out. When the game is cleared when there is only one remaining prize K on the coil 7, the motor 4 is driven and the coil 7 is rotated in the same manner as above. After the last prize K has been paid out, the string 9 that contacts the detection unit 15 of the prize switch 13 does not exist. Therefore, the prize switch 13 is held in the OFF state. Then, when a predetermined time (for example, 2 seconds) has passed, the buzzer B sounds and the outside (personnel etc.)
Is informed that the prize K is gone. Also, the solenoid S that opens and closes the coin slot at the same time as the buzzer B sounds
L is also driven to close the coin insertion slot so that coins cannot be inserted (the player cannot play the game). Buzzer B
Can be stopped and the coin slot can be opened by replenishing the prize payout device 1 with the prize K. When the prize payout device 1 is replenished with the prize K, the stay 12 is rotated from the state of FIG. 5 to the state of FIG. By rotating the stay 12 to the position shown in FIG. 6, the position of the detection unit 15 of the prize switch 13 is deviated from the locus of the string 9 when the coil 7 is moved. As a result, the cord 9 can be easily passed through the coil 7 without the detection unit 15 of the prize switch 13 getting in the way when the prize K is replenished.

As described above in detail, in the present embodiment, the prize payout device 1 is configured as described above, so that the following effects can be obtained. In the present embodiment, unlike the prior art that includes a detection unit that detects the payout of the prize K by coming into contact with the prize K when the coil K is disengaged from the coil 7, in the present embodiment, the presence of the prize K is more than in the standby state before the payout of the prize K. And the motor 4 is not driven when the prize K does not exist. This can prevent wasteful power consumption. -When the prize K is exhausted, the buzzer B is sounded outside (around the attendant, etc.) to notify the fact, so that the prize payout device 1 can be quickly replenished with the prize K. . When the prize K is exhausted, it is possible to prevent the player from feeling uncomfortable that the prize has not been paid when the game is cleared by disabling the coins and disabling the game. In the present embodiment, the presence / absence of the prize K is detected by the prize switch 13 that comes into contact with the string 9 that hooks the prize K on the coil 7. This makes it possible to reliably detect the presence or absence of the prize K. That is, if the presence or absence of a premium is indirectly detected by using an optical sensor or an ultrasonic sensor, malfunction may occur depending on the surrounding environment (external light condition, noise condition, etc.). is there. However, in the present embodiment, since the presence or absence of the prize K is detected by the direct contact, the malfunction of the prize payout device 1 can be significantly reduced.

[0012]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the drive of the motor is controlled based on the detection state of the premium detection means. Therefore, for example, when the premium is exhausted, the motor is not driven. can do. As a result, there is an excellent effect that wasteful power consumption can be prevented when there is no prize. According to the invention described in claim 2, in addition to the effect of the invention described in claim 1, since the motor is not driven only in the state where the prize is hooked on the coil, the useless power consumption can be more reliably achieved. It can prevent consumption. According to the invention of claim 3, in addition to the effect of the invention of claim 1 or 2, it is possible to quickly detect the presence or absence of a prize after paying out the prize. That is, since it is possible to detect the presence or absence of a free gift before playing the game, it is possible to prevent the game from being played in the absence of the free gift. As a result, there is an excellent effect that it is possible to prevent the player's willingness to play the game from being impaired. According to the invention described in claim 4, in addition to the effect of the invention described in any one of claims 1 to 3, within a predetermined time after the contact between the prize detecting means and the hanging member is once released. If the prize detecting means and the latching member are not contacted again, the motor drive is forcibly stopped, so that the motor drive can be quickly stopped even when the prize is exhausted. This has an excellent effect that it is possible to further prevent wasteful power consumption. According to the invention as set forth in claim 5, in addition to the effect of the invention as set forth in claim 4, when the prize is exhausted, the notification means informs the outside to the player or the staff. It has an excellent effect that a game can be surely prevented from being played in a state where there is no prize.

[0013]

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a premium payout device according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the premium payout device.

FIG. 3A is a schematic plan view of a premium switch in a state where a switch button is not pressed. (B) is a schematic plan view of the premium switch with the switch button pressed.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the premium payout device.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the premium payout device with the stay closed.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the premium payout device with the stay open.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a control operation of the controller.

[Explanation of symbols]

4 ... Motor, 7 ... Coil, 9 ... String as a locking member, 1
3 ... Prize switch as prize detection means, C ... Motor drive control means, forced motor stop means, controller constituting notification means, K ... Gift, B ... Buzzer constituting notification means

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A prize payout device for a prize acquisition game machine, which pays out a prize when a game is played to meet a predetermined condition, wherein a hook member attached to the prize is hooked, and the player's own rotation is performed. And a motor that is connected to the other end of the coil and that positively rotates the coil, and a spiral coil that moves the hooking position of the hooking member to one end side, and that is in contact with the hooking member. Thus, the prize payout device comprising: a prize detecting means for detecting the presence / absence of a gift; and a motor drive control means for controlling the drive of the motor based on the detection state of the prize detecting means. 2. The motor driving means drives the motor when the game is cleared on the premise that the prize detecting means detects that the prize is hooked on the coil. The prize payout device according to claim 1. 3. The motor drive control means drives the motor to once release the contact between the prize detecting means and the hooking member, and then again contacts the prize detecting means and the hooking member. The prize payout device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the drive of the motor is stopped when the product is broken. 4. When the game is cleared, the motor is driven by the motor drive control means, and once the contact between the prize detecting means and the latching member is released, the prize detecting means is again detected within a predetermined time. 4. A forcible motor stopping means for forcibly stopping the driving of the motor when no contact between the hook and the locking member is made is provided. Prize payout device. 5. The prize payout according to claim 4, wherein when the forcible motor is forcibly stopped by the forcible motor stopping means, a notifying means for notifying the outside is provided. apparatus.