Patent Publication Number: US-8986171-B2

Title: Boxing game machine

Description:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
     1. Field of Invention 
     The present invention relates to boxing and, more particularly, to a boxing game machine. 
     2. Related Prior Art 
     There have been various boxing game machines. A boxing game machine includes a punch bag for swing between an idle position and an active position and an apparatus for holding the punch bag in the idle position before a token is tossed in the boxing game machine. The apparatus releases the punch bag into the active position from the idle position after a token is tossed in the boxing game machine. The punch bag is returned into the idle position from the active position after it is punched. The apparatus is supposed to hold the punch bag in the idle position. However, in the case of a strong punch on the punch bag, the punch back could bounce back into the active position from the idle position before the apparatus could effectively hold the punch bag in the idle position. 
     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 reliable boxing game machine. 
     To achieve the foregoing objective, the boxing game machine includes a punch bag, a frame, a rocker, a catch, a latch and a spring. The rocker is pivotally connected to the frame between an idle position and an active position. The punch bag is secured to an end of the rocker. The catch is secured to another end of the cocker and formed with a radial edge. The latch is movably supported on the frame and formed with an edge for sliding into contact with radial edge of the catch so that the latch engages with the catch. The spring biases the latch into engagement with the catch to keep the rocker in the idle position. 
     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 boxing game machine in an idle position according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a cut-away view of the boxing game machine shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the boxing game machine in an active position different from the idle position shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a side view of the boxing game machine shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a side view of the boxing game machine in another position than shown in  FIG. 4 ; and 
         FIG. 6  is a side view of the boxing game machine shown in  FIG. 3 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 through 3 , there is shown a boxing game machine in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention. The boxing game machine includes a punch bag  10  connected to a frame  12 . The punch bag  10  is movable between an idle position as shown in  FIG. 1  and an active position as shown in  FIG. 3 . After tossing a token in the boxing game machine, a player is supposed to punch the punch bag  10  hard enough to send the punch bag  10  into the idle position from the active position. The boxing game machine is supposed to keep the punch bag  10  in the idle position before another token is tossed therein. 
     The frame  12  includes upper and lower beams  14 , two walls  16 , a plate  17 , a rod  18  and three guiding elements  20 . The walls  16  are secured to the upper and lower beams  14 . The plate  17  is secured to the upper beam  14 , between the walls  16 . The rod  18  is secured to the upper beam  14 . The guiding elements  20  are connected to the walls  16 . Two of the guiding elements  20  are arranged along a vertical line from which the other guiding element  20  is biased. 
     The boxing game machine includes a rocker  22 , a latch  24 , a buffer  26 , a cushion  28  and a sensor  30  in addition to the frame  12 . The rocker  22  is pivotally connected to the walls  16  by a shaft  32 . The punch bag  10  is secured to an end of the rocker  22 . A catch  34  is secured to another end of the rocker  22 . Moreover, the catch  34  is rotationally connected to the walls  16  by the shaft  32 . The catch  34  is formed with a radial edge  36  and an arched edge  38 . 
     The latch  24  is formed with a chamfer  40 , a tab  42 , a major edge  44 , a minor edge  45  and a cave  46 . The chamfer  40  is formed at a first end of the latch  24 . The tab  42  extends transversely from a second end of the latch  24 . The major edge  44  extends parallel to the minor edge  45 . The tab  42  is located at an upper end of the major edge  44 . The chamfer  40  is located at a lower end of the minor edge  45 . The cave  46  is defined in the second end of the latch  24 . The latch  24  is placed above the catch  34 . 
     One of the guiding elements  20  is in contact with the major edge  44  of the latch  24  while the other guiding elements  20  contact the minor edge  45  of the latch  24 . Therefore, the latch  24  is guided by the guiding elements  20 , which together together form a guiding device. 
     A spring  48  is compressed between the latch  24  and the plate  17 . The latch  24  is biased toward the catch  34  by the spring  48 , which is placed against the plate  17 . A bar  50  is inserted in the cave  46 , the spring  48  and an aperture defined in the plate  17 . Therefore, the spring  48  is positioned by the bar  50 . 
     A cam  52  is connected to a motor  54  by an axle  56  that is supported on the walls  16 . The cam  52  is placed between the walls  16 . The motor  54  is secured to one of the walls  16 . The cam  52 , the motor  54  and the axle  56  together form a moving device. 
     The buffer  26  is secured to the lower beam  14 . The buffer  26  is an elastic block made of rubber or plastics for example. 
     A tab  58  is secured to the shaft  32 . The tab  58  is brought into contact with the buffer  26  as the punch bag  10  gets near the active position. Thus, the rotation of the shaft  32  is buffered and stopped, and so is the drop of the punch bag  10 . 
     Two cranks  60  are secured to the shaft  32 . An end of the cushion  28  is placed between and connected to the cranks  60 . Another end of the cushion  28  is connected to the rod  18 . The cushion  28  is compressed between the cranks  60  and the rod  18  during the drop of the punch bag  10  to the active position. Thus, the rotation of the shaft  32  is damped by the cushion  28 , and so is the drop of the punch bag  10 . Preferably, the cushion  28  includes a helical spring placed around a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder. 
     The sensor  30  is secured to the lower beam  14 . An indicator  62  is secured to the shaft  32 . Preferably, the sensor  30  is an optical sensor that includes an emitter and a receiver and the indicator  62  is an opaque tab. The indicator  62  is brought into the gap between the emitter and the receiver as the punch bag  10  reaches the active position. Thus, the indicator  62  interrupts the communication of light between the emitter and the receiver. On sensing the indicator  62 , the sensor  30  sends a signal for controlling the motor  54 . The sensor  30  and the indicator  62  together form a sensing device. 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , the punch bag  10  is in the idle position. The radial edge  36  of the catch  34  is placed against the major edge  44  of the latch  24 , which is biased toward the catch  34  by the spring  48 . Thus, the rocker  22  is kept in a horizontal position and the punch bag  10  is retained in the idle position. 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , after a token is inserted in the boxing game machine, the motor  54  is turned on to rotate the cam  52  to push the tab  42  upward. Thus, the latch  24  is lifted while the spring  48  is loaded. Accordingly, the major edge  44  of the latch  24  is moved out of the radial edge  36  of the catch  34 . Hence, the rocker  22  is allowed to pivot from the horizontal position. That is, the punch bag  10  is allowed to fall from the idle position. 
     Referring to  FIG. 6 , the punch bag  10  is in the active position. The punch bag  10  can be punched. The punch bag  10  is supposed to swing back to the idle position after it is punched. The arched edge  38  slides on the chamfer  40  so that the rotation of the catch  34  is not considerably hindered by the latch  24 . 
     Advantageously, the spring  48  pushes the latch  24  toward the catch  34  to cause the major edge  44  of the latch  24  to abut against the radial edge  36  of the catch  34  as soon as the punch bag  10  reaches the idle position. Thus, the rocker  22  is effectively kept in the horizontal position and the punch bag  10  is firmly retained in the idle position. 
     The present invention has been described via the detailed 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.