Patent Publication Number: US-9898885-B1

Title: Prize-dispensing apparatus

Description:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
     1. Field of Invention 
     The present invention relates to a game machine and, more particularly, to a prize-dispensing apparatus for a game machine. 
     2. Related Prior Art 
     A crane machine (or “claw machine”) includes a claw and a crane inserted in a booth. Prizes such as dolls and 3C products are inserted in the booth. In operation, the claw is moved to a position above a desired one of the prizes by the crane, lowered and then closed to grab the desired prize. Then, the claw is raised, moved to a position above a chute by the crane, and opened to drop the desired prize onto the chute so that the prize slips out of the booth along the chute and is claimed. 
     A solenoid and an iron core are used to control the closing and open end of the claw. The design of the iron core could cause inadequate closing or/and open end of the claw. The solenoid could be too hot to provide the claw with a proper force for grabbing the desired prize. In either case, the desired prize could fall from the claw before the claw arrives in the position above the chute. To solve this problem, the solenoid is provided with a stronger current, or the solenoid is made with a larger number of turns. However, both solutions consume more electricity and produce more heat that could overheat the solenoid. 
     The present invention is therefore intended to obviate or at least alleviate the problems encountered in prior art. 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     It is the primary objective of the present invention to provide a game machine with a prize-dispensing apparatus that is light in weight, consumes a relatively small amount of electricity and produces a relatively small amount of heat. 
     To achieve the foregoing objective, the prize-dispensing apparatus includes a casing unit, a preloading unit, a pulling unit, a feed-measuring unit and a grabbing unit. The preloading unit is partially inserted in and movably connected to the casing unit. The pulling unit is inserted in and connected to the casing unit. The grabbing unit includes claws and links. Each claw incudes an upper end pivotally connected to the preloading unit and a lower end for contact with a prize. Each link includes an upper end pivotally connected to the casing unit and a lower end pivotally connected to a portion of a corresponding claw. The claws are closed to grab the prize when the pulling unit is actuated. The claws are opened by the preloading unit when the pulling unit is not actuated. The feed-measuring unit is inserted in the casing unit and used to measure feed of the pulling unit. 
     Other objectives, advantages and features of the present invention will be apparent from the following description referring to the attached drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       The present invention will be described via detailed illustration of the preferred embodiment referring to the drawings wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a prize-dispensing apparatus according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the prize-dispensing apparatus in another position than shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a partial view of the prize-dispensing apparatus depicted in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is another partial view of the prize-dispensing apparatus shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 5  is another perspective view of the prize-dispensing apparatus shown in  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a partial, cross-sectional view of the prize-dispensing apparatus depicted in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a partial, cross-sectional view of the prize-dispensing apparatus in another position than shown in  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 8  is a partial, cross-sectional view of the prize-dispensing apparatus in another position than shown in  FIG. 7 ; 
         FIG. 9  is a partial, cross-sectional view of the prize-dispensing apparatus in another position than shown in  FIG. 8 ; 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view of the prize-dispensing apparatus in another position than shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 11  is a partial, cross-sectional view of the prize-dispensing apparatus in another position than shown in  FIG. 9 ; and 
         FIG. 12  is a partial, cross-sectional view of the prize-dispensing apparatus in another position than shown in  FIG. 11 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 6 , a prize-dispensing apparatus includes a casing unit  10 , a preloading unit  20 , a pulling unit  30 , a feed-measuring unit  40  and a grabbing unit  50  according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. Casing unit  10  includes a shell  11 , a frame  12 , a track set  13  and an idle pulley  14 . Shell  11  is made with a space  112  that includes an open lower end (not numbered). Frame  12  includes a wall  122  and a base  124 . Base  124  is inserted in space  112  and connected to shell  11  so that base  124  is located in the open lower end of space  112 . Base  124  includes an aperture  1242  via which space  112  is in communication with the exterior of shell  11 . Wall  122  is located on and perpendicularly connected to base  124 . Track set  13  includes two tracks  132  and  134 . Track  132  includes a dovetail movably inserted in a dovetail groove made in track  134 . Track  132  is connected to wall  122  of frame  12 . Idle pulley  14  is connected to wall  122  of frame  12 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2 to 6 , preloading unit  20  includes a movable element  21 , two springs  22  and  23 , an upper spacer  24  and a lower spacer  25 . Movable element  21  includes a cylinder  212  extending from a disc  214  perpendicularly. Cylinder  212  is inserted in aperture  1242  so that disc  214  is located beneath and connected to base  124 . Cylinder  212  includes a tunnel  212  with an upper hole  2124  made in an upper end and a lower hole  2126  made in a lower end. Upper hole  2124  is smaller than lower hole  2126 . Cylinder  212  is connected to track  134  of track set  13 . Springs  22  and  23  are inserted in tunnel  2122 , one located above the other. Spring  22  includes an upper end placed against the upper end of tunnel  2122 . Upper and lower spacers  24  and  25  are inserted in tunnel  2122 . Upper spacer  24  is located between springs  22  and  23 . Lower spacer  25  is located against a lower end of spring  23 . Lower spacer  25  includes a C-clip (not numbered) inserted in an annular groove (not numbered) made in a block (not numbered). The C-clip is placed against the lower end of spring  23  while the block is inserted in spring  23 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 4 to 6 , pulling unit  30  includes a motor  31 , a winch  32  and a rope  33 . Motor  31  is connected to wall  122  of frame  12 . Winch  32  is connected to and rotated by a mandrel (not shown) of motor  31 . Rope  33  is wound around winch  32  and idle pulley  14 . Moreover, rope  33  extends throughout upper hole  2124  of cylinder  212 , spring  22 , upper spacer  24  and spring  23 . Rope  33  includes an end connected to winch  32  and another end connected to lower spacer  25 . Thus, rope  33  is operable to pull movable element  21  to adjust force preloaded in springs  22  and  23 . Springs  22  are  23  made with different values of stiffness. Preferably, the value of stiffness of spring  23  is larger than that of spring  22 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 4 to 6 , feed-measuring unit  40  includes a circuit board  41 , a magnet  42 , a coding disc  43  and an encoder  44 . Circuit board  41  is connected to wall  122  of frame  12 . Circuit board  41  includes an upper sensor  412  and a lower sensor  414 . Upper sensor  412  is located near an upper end of circuit board  41 , and lower sensor  414  a lower end of circuit board  41 . Magnet  42  is connected to track  134  so that they are moveable together. Magnet  42  is made corresponding to upper and lower sensors  412  and  414 . Magnet  42  is detected by upper sensor  412  when the former gets near the latter. Magnet  42  is detected by lower sensor  414  when the former gets near the latter. Coding disc  43  is connected to the mandrel of motor  31  so that they are rotatable together. Coding disc  43  is a grating element made with cutouts  432  along its edge. Encoder  44  is electrically connected to circuit board  41 , corresponding to coding disc  43 . Encoder  44  is an optical sensor operable to measure the rotation of motor  31  via cutouts  432  of coding disc  43 . Thus, the feed of motor  31  is measured. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 6 , grabbing unit  50  is connected to a lower face of disc  214  of movable element  21  and connected to shell  11 . Grabbing unit  50  includes a plate  51 , claws  52 , a collar  53  and links  54 . Plate  51  is connected to the lower face of disc  214  of movable element  21 . Plate  51  is made with a bore  512  corresponding to opening  2142  and lower hole  2126 . Each claw  52  includes an upper end pivotally connected to plate  51 . Collar  53  is provided around shell  11 . Each link  54  includes an end pivotally connected to collar  53  and another end pivotally connected to a proper portion of a corresponding claw  52 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 4 to 6 and 8 , motor  31  of pulling unit  30  normally does not drive rope  33 . Thus, cylinder  212  of preloading unit  20  is allowed to extend out of casing unit  10  via aperture  1242  under guidance of track set  13  due to the weight of preloading unit  20 . Plate  51 , which is connected to disc  214  of preloading unit  20 , is synchronously lowered, and so are upper ends of claws  52 . Hence, lower ends of claws  52  are raised and spread. That is, claws  52  are opened. 
     Magnet  42 , which is connected to track  134 , is detected by lower sensor  414  of circuit board  41  as preloading unit  20  reaches a lower limit. Lower sensor  414  accordingly provides a signal. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 4 to 12 , motor  31  is turned on to rotate winch  32  and coding disc  43 . Winch  32  reels rope  33  to raise preloading unit  20  along track set  13  so that preloading unit  20  reaches base  124  of frame  12  of casing unit  10 . Synchronously, magnet  42 , which is connected to track  134 , is raised. Magnet  42  is detected by upper sensor  412  of circuit board  41 . Upper sensor  412  accordingly provides a signal. 
     In the foregoing process, coding disc  43  actuates encoder  44  to digitize the rotation of motor  31 . Thus, the feed of motor  31  is measured, and rope  33  is accordingly wound onto or released from winch  32 . 
     As mentioned above, preloading unit  20  raises plate  51  to close claws  52 . Referring to  FIGS. 11 and 12 , claws  52  are kept closed because they are biased by springs  22  and  23 . Forces exerted on claws  52  by springs  22  and  23  are adjustable by the feed of motor  31  of pulling unit  30 . 
     The present invention has been described via the illustration of the preferred embodiment. Those skilled in the art can derive variations from the preferred embodiment without departing from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the preferred embodiment shall not limit the scope of the present invention defined in the claims