JP3394099B2 - Automatic prize dispensing device - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic prize dispenser for a game machine, and more particularly, to an automatic prize dispenser capable of supplying a prize from a surface having a prize dispense port and handling a larger size than before. Regarding a dispensing device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a game machine installed in a shopping center or the like, prizes such as toys and sweets are put into capsules and paid out to a player who has scored a certain score or more as a game. What is often seen. As for the size of this capsule, some crane game machines have a spherical shape with a diameter of 120 mm.
The prize capsules dispensed by the automatic dispenser were approximately egg-sized and approximately 70 mm in diameter and spherical in shape. In addition, in the case of a premium that does not use a capsule, it has been limited to a regular caramel or the like in a box.

[0003]

The above-described conventional game payout machine for game machines has a drawback in that it cannot handle a prize larger than a certain size due to its structure. Therefore, for example, if the capsule has a diameter of 100 mm or less as in the conventional case, a relatively large plush toy cannot be provided as a prize. If a person wants to handle such a large prize, the staff member has to hand it over to the player directly, which is annoying.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned drawbacks and to provide an automatic prize dispenser which uses a non-spherical capsule capable of accommodating a larger prize than ever before and which is easy to replenish and maintain. .

[0005]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the prize automatic dispensing device of the present invention has an equal interval toward the outside at a pitch slightly larger than the maximum outer diameter of the substantially cylindrical prize storage capsule 6. Has a protrusion 7 provided on the upper side, and the upper side is away from the prize slot and the lower side is the prize outlet 1.
Endless belts 8a, 8 for conveying prizes that move toward b
b, 8c, 8d, and a drive mechanism for driving the endless belt.

[0006] Then are arranged along the sides of the upper portion of the endless belt, rotatable in the longitudinal direction of the axis, and orientation in the further above the upper end of the protrusion upper surface thereof is mounted on the endless belt And a rail 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d for supplying a prize storage capsule, which has a means for switching between two postures in which the upper surface is lower than the belt surface of the upper portion of the endless belt.

Further, in order to achieve the above object, the automatic prize dispensing apparatus of the present invention is for detecting the presence / absence of a prize storage capsule near the final position of the prize conveyed by the endless belt near the prize dispensing port. Sensors 9a, 9b
Is arranged.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example in which left and right symmetrical parts having the same function are put together in one embodiment of the present invention. However, in order to make it easy to understand the relationship between the endless belt (hereinafter referred to as a belt) for conveying the prize storing capsule and the capsule for storing the prize (hereinafter referred to as a capsule), the capsule 2 is provided in one capsule storing portion so that the entire structure can be understood.
Only the individual pieces are shown side by side. The capsules 6 are transparent or translucent, and in this embodiment, five capsules are actually arranged in two rows and two stages, so that a maximum of 20 capsules can be stored at the same time.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an example of a game machine incorporating the automatic prize payout device of the embodiment of FIG. However, since the automatic prize payout device is built in, a part of the game machine is shown in a broken view. In FIG. 2, 1 is a game machine, 2 is an automatic prize payout device of this embodiment, 1a is a front service door for device maintenance, and 1b is a prize payout opening. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a part of the game machine showing a state when the front service door of FIG. 2 is opened. FIG. 4 shows an example of a capsule used in the present embodiment. The capsule 6 is divided into upper and lower halves and is formed into a substantially cylindrical shape. For example, a stuffed animal or a confectionery is stored in the transparent or translucent capsule. It is what is done. In FIG. 4, in this embodiment, the outer diameter R1 is about 105 mm, the outer diameter R2 is about 120 mm, and the height H is about 180 mm.

In FIG. 1, 3a is a motor 4a via a coupling 10a and a shaft 11a (not shown).
The drive pulley is driven by. Reference numeral 13a is an idler pulley that is driven by the drive pulley 3a via the belt 8a. Reference numerals 7, 7 to 7 are protrusions mounted on the belt 8a at equal intervals. In this embodiment, a total of 11 belts 8a are mounted on the entire circumference of the belt 8a at a pitch slightly wider than the maximum diameter 120 mm of the capsules 6. 5
a to 5d are rails for supplying capsules (hereinafter referred to as rails for supplying capsules) for facilitating insertion from the front service door side without catching on the protrusions 7 and 7 to 7 when the capsule 6 is first placed on the belt. Supply rail).

Each of the capsules 6 housed in the pair of left and right capsule housings has two conveyor belts 8a.
And 8b, or 8c and 8d (8b and 8d are not shown)
By this, the two rows are independently movable, and the drive motor is also independently mounted with 4b in addition to 4a. Reference numeral 10b is a coupling for transmitting the rotational force of the motor 4b to the drive pulley 3b via the shaft 11b. Further, 9b is a sensor that is attached to the final position near the exit of the capsule (arrow B in the figure) and detects the presence or absence of the capsule at that position, and is also symmetrical to the mechanism driven by the motor 4a. The sensor 9a (not shown) is arranged at various positions.

While the motor 4a or 4b is rotating, the capsule 6 is conveyed while being moved between the belts 8a and 8b or 8c and 8d so as to be fitted between the protrusions 7 and 7 of the belt. For example, the capsule 6 shown in FIG. 1 is conveyed to the drive motor in the direction of arrow C in the figure by the drive motor 4a, advances to the position of the pulley 3a, and drops downward. Is paid out to the outside in the direction of arrow A in the figure.

Next, the operation from the supply of capsules to the dispensing of all capsules in this embodiment will be described. 5 to 10 show various states of the right capsule storing part during the storing operation, FIGS. 5 and 6 are partially enlarged perspective views, and FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along the belt. 8 to 10 are shown in FIG.
It is explanatory drawing which showed simply with the same cross section. It should be noted that 6a to 6j in these figures are specific capsules, which are added to indicate their respective positions.

First, when the capsule 6 is to be stored in this embodiment, the front service door 1a shown in FIG. 2 is opened to the state shown by the chain double-dashed line in FIG. Put in the upper row. At this time, in the state shown in FIG. 1, the protruding portion 7 of the belt interferes with the capsule 6 so that the capsule 6 cannot roll down into the interior of the apparatus. Therefore, for example, when the capsules 6, 6 to 6 are put in the capsule storage portion on the right side, the supply rails 5a and 5b of FIG. 1 are raised upward with 15a and 15b as fulcrums as shown in FIG.
A guide rail for rolling the capsule 6 is formed above the protrusions 7.7 to 7. In this state, 5 capsules 6 are inserted. However, FIG. 5 shows a state in which up to four capsules 6 are inserted.

Next, when the supply rails 5a, 5b are tilted back to the original state, the state shown in FIG.
a, 8b protrusions 7 and 7, 7 and 7 ...
All the pieces fit in. When the push button switch of the operation unit (not shown) is pushed once, the drive motor 4a causes the belt 8 to move.
a, 8b are driven, and the five capsules 6, 6 to 6 housed in the upper stage are all conveyed to the lower stage, and the sensor 9a in front of the dispensing port (arranged at a target position for the sensor 9b. 7), the drive motor 4a is stopped and the conveyance is stopped. Thus, as shown in FIG. 7, five capsules 6 are stored in the lower stage of the device. In addition, 12 in the figure of FIG. 7 is a rail made of resin for rolling the capsule in the lower stage of the capsule housing part.

Next, the supply rails 5a and 5b are raised again, and another capsule 6 is newly added to the empty upper stage.
Insert it by rolling it from the front. (This state is shown in FIG. 8.) Here, when the supply rails 5a and 5b are tilted back to the original state, the state shown in FIG. 9 is obtained, and a total of 10 capsules 6 are stored in each of the upper and lower stages. Although only the right side capsule storage section has been described above, the left side capsule storage section can be stored at the same time as the right side capsule storage section.
Steps 6 to 6 can be performed in a short time with a simple operation. Moreover, since the prize replenishment opening and the prize payout opening are on the front of the game machine, it is extremely convenient for the prize replenishment and maintenance.

Next, for the payout of prizes, when a signal for instructing the payout of prizes is sent from the main body of the game machine shown in FIG. 2 to the second embodiment, the drive motor 4a on the right side (or the left side).
(Or 4b) rotates to move the right side (or left side) belts 8a, 8b (also 8c, 8d), and the sensor 9
The capsule at the position a (or 9b) is dispensed in the direction A (or the direction B). This state is shown in FIG.

Further, when the next prize payout signal is sent, the motor on the side opposite to the side on which the prize was paid out immediately before is rotated and the prize payout is carried out. In this way, alternating 1
The prizes are paid out one by one, the capsules on both sides are reduced on average, and when the capsules are no longer present at any of the sensors 9a and 9b, the staff is informed of the prize replenishment.
In addition, an empty signal is temporarily output to the middle of the next game until the prize is replenished, and the empty signal is sent to the main body of the game machine.

[0019]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, the capsules have the protrusions attached to the outside at equal intervals with a pitch slightly larger than the maximum outer diameter of the capsule, and the upper portion is from the prize slot. Since the lower part has an endless belt for conveying the prize that moves toward the prize payout opening in the direction away from it, and its drive mechanism, it is possible to put the prize in a larger capsule than before, and it can be used as a stuffed animal. This has the effect of automatically paying out unspecified items or larger items as prizes. At the same time, the prize payout port and the prize replenishment port can be arranged in the same plane in front of the game machine, which has the advantage of facilitating the prize replenishment and maintenance.

Further, the posture is such that it is arranged along the endless belt and is rotated about an axis in the longitudinal direction so that the upper surface thereof is further above the upper end portion of the protrusion attached to the endless belt, and its upper surface. By providing a supply rail that can switch between the two positions, the posture being below the belt surface of the upper portion of the endless belt, there is an effect that the prize replenishing operation becomes easy. Furthermore, by arranging a sensor for detecting the presence / absence of a prize near the final position near the prize payout port of the prize conveyed by the endless belt, a part of the above-mentioned prize supplement operation and the prize payout operation can be performed. Ensure automation.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an example of a game machine incorporating the embodiment of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a state when the front service door of FIG. 2 is opened.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an example of a capsule used in the embodiment of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a state during a capsule storing operation.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a state during a capsule storing operation.

FIG. 7 is a left side view (cross-sectional view) showing a state during a capsule storing operation.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory view (cross-sectional view) schematically showing a state during capsule storage operation.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory view (cross-sectional view) schematically showing a state during a capsule storing operation.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory view (cross-sectional view) schematically showing a state during capsule dispensing.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 game console 2 Free gift dispenser 3a Drive pulley 4a, 4b drive motor 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d Supply rail 6 capsules 7 Belt protrusion 8a, 8c belt 9b sensor 10b coupling 11a, 11b shaft

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A substantially cylindrical prize storage capsule having protrusions provided at equal intervals outward with a pitch slightly larger than the maximum outer diameter, and the upper part is a lower part in a direction away from the prize slot. The portion is provided with an endless belt for conveying a prize that moves toward the prize outlet, and a drive mechanism that drives the endless belt, and is arranged along the side surface of the upper portion of the endless belt.
Can be rotated around the axis of the direction of the endless belt
Located above the upper end of the attached protrusion.
And the upper surface of the endless belt
A hand that switches between two postures, one that is below the
An automatic prize dispenser comprising a rail for supplying a premium storage capsule having a step . 2. A prize storage conveyed by an endless belt.
Collect prizes near the final position near the capsule payout port.
The automatic prize dispensing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a sensor for detecting the presence or absence of a storage capsule is arranged .