Patent Publication Number: US-11376491-B2

Title: Method for operating a claw machine

Description:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
     1. Field of Invention 
     The present invention relates to a claw machine and, more particularly, to a method for operating a claw machine. 
     2. Related Prior Art 
     A typical claw machine includes a compartment, a crane module, a claw module, a coin module and an operation module. Multiple prizes are located in the compartment. The crane module and the claw module are in operation in the compartment. The coin module is used to receive at least one coin or token from a player and then wake up the claw machine from a stand-by mode. In a limited period of time, the user uses a joy stick and a button of the operation module to operate the crane module and the claw module to fetch a desired prize, move the desired prize to a location above a chute in communication with the compartment, and drop the desired prize into the chute. However, there is always a need for a new way of operating such a claw machine. 
     The present invention is therefore intended to obviate or at least alleviate the problems encountered in the prior art. 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     It is the primary objective of the present invention to provide a method for operating a claw machine including a compartment for containing multiple prizes, a crane module movable in the compartment, a chute for transporting the prizes out of the compartment, a claw module movable up and down relative to the crane module in the compartment, a turntable module located in the compartment, a coin module for receiving at least one coin, a control system for waking up the claw machine on receiving a signal from the coin module, and an operation module including at least one joy stick and at least one button. 
     To achieve the foregoing objective, the method including the step of using the control system to actuate the turntable module. Then, a player is allowed to operate the joy stick and the button to move the crane module, to lift and lower the claw module relative to the crane module, to open and close the claw module to fetch a desired one of prizes, and to open the claw module to drop the desired prize onto the turntable module. Then, the turntable module casts the desired prize toward the chute in a centrifugal manner. 
     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 three embodiments referring to the drawings wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a claw machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram of the claw machine shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a claw machine according to the second embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a block diagram of the claw machine shown in  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a claw machine according to the third embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is an enlarged partial front view of the claw machine shown in  FIG. 5 ; and 
         FIG. 7  is a block diagram of the claw machine shown in  FIG. 5 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a claw machine  1  includes a compartment  10 , a chute  13 , a crane module  20 , a claw module  25 , a turntable module  30 , a coin module  40 , an operation module  50 , and a control system  60  according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. Multiple prizes  12  are located in the compartment  10 . The chute  13  is in communication with the compartment  10 . The prizes  12  can be moved from the compartment  10  through the chute  13 . The crane module  20  is located in an upper portion of the compartment  10 . The claw module  25  is carried by the crane module  20  so that the former is movable up and down relative to the latter. The turntable module  30  is located in a lower portion of the compartment  10 . The operation module  50  includes at least one joy stick  51  and at least one button  52 . The control system  60  is used to control the crane module  20 , the claw module  25 , the turntable module  30 , the coin module  40  and the operation module  50 . 
     In a first operation, the coin module  40  receives at least one coin or token from a player and then sends a signal to the control system  60 . On receiving the signal from the coin module  40 , the control system  60  wakes up the claw machine  1  from a stand-by mode. 
     The control system  60  actuates the turntable module  30  to rotate a turntable  31  at a constant or changing rate, in a first direction, a second direction or alternately the first and second directions. The joy stick  51  is used to move the crane module  20  in a plane. The button  52  is operated to lift or lower the claw module  25 . Moreover, the button  52  is operated to open or close the claw module  25 . In a predetermined period of time, the joy stick  51  and the button  52  are used to operate the crane module  10  and the claw module  25  to fetch a desired one of the prizes  12  and then drop the desired prize onto the turntable  31 . The turntable  13  casts away the desired prize  12  in a centrifugal manner. The centrifugal cast of the desired prize  12  from the turntable  31  depends on the rate and direction of the rotation of the rotation of the turntable  31  and the size and center of gravity of the desired prize  12 . The player can collect the desired prize  12  from the chute  13  if the desired prize  12  is cast into the chute  13 . 
     To drop the desired prize  12  onto the turntable  31 , when the claw module  25  fetches the desired prize  12 , the control system  60  stops the operation module  50  from controlling the crane module  20  and the claw module  25 . Instead, the control system  60  holds the crane module  20  still in a location and opens the claw module  25  to drop the desired prize  12  onto the turntable  31  in rotation. That is, the control system  60  controls the portion of the turntable  31  onto which the desired prize  12  is dropped. Thus, the control system  60  guarantees dropping of the desired prize  12  onto the turntable  31  in rotation to continue the game. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , for a second operation, the claw machine  1  further includes a sensor  32  for determining whether the claw module  25  is in a predetermined location. The predetermined location is a location of the claw module  25  above the turntable  31  where a vertical line passes the claw module  25  and the turntable  31 . 
     In a predetermined period of time, the joy stick  51  and the button  52  are used to operate the crane module  20  and the claw module  25  to fetch a desired one of the prizes  12  and then move the crane module  20  and the claw module  25  to the predetermined location. The sensor  32  detects the claw module  25  and then sends a signal of location to the control system  60 . 
     On receiving the signal of location, the control system  60  actuates the turntable module  30  to rotate the turntable  31  at a constant rate or a changing rate, in a first direction, a second direction or alternately the first and second directions. The claw module  25  drops the desired prize  12  onto the turntable  31  in rotation. Then, the turntable  31  casts the desired the prize  12  in a centrifugal manner. The centrifugal cast of the desired prize  12  from the turntable  31  depends on the rate and direction of the rotation of the rotation of the turntable  31  and the size and center of gravity of the desired prize  12 . The player can collect the desired prize  12  from the chute  13  if the desired prize  12  is cast into the chute  13 . 
     To move the claw module  25 , which fetches the desired prize  12 , to the predetermined location, the control system  60  stops the operation module  50  from controlling the crane module  20  and the claw module  25  when the claw module  25  fetches the desired prize  12 . Instead, the control system  60  operates the crane module  20  to move the claw module  25  to the predetermined location and opens the claw module  25  to drop the desired prize  12  onto the turntable  31  in rotation. Thus, the control system  60  guarantees dropping of the desired prize  12  onto the turntable  31  in rotation to continue the game. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 5 through 7 , in a third operation, the coin module  40  receives at least one coin or token from a user and then sends a signal to the control system  60 . On receiving the signal from the coin module  40 , the control system  60  wakes the claw machine  1  from the stand-by mode. 
     After waking up the claw machine  1 , the control system  60  hands control over the crane module  20  and the claw module  25  to the operation module  50 . The joy stick  51  is operated to move the crane module  20 . The button  52  is operated to lift or lower the claw module  25 . Furthermore, the button  52  is operated to open or close the claw module  25 . In a predetermined period of time, the joy stick  51  and the button  52  are operated to move the crane module  10 , lift or lower the claw module  25  and open or close the claw module  25  to fetch a desired one of the prizes  12  and then drop the desired prize  12  onto the turntable  31  of the turntable module  30 , which is now still. 
     To operate the claw module  25  to drop the desired prize  12  onto the turntable  31 , when the claw module  25  fetches the desired prize  12 , the control system  60  stops the operation module  50  from controlling the crane module  20  and the claw module  25 . Instead, the control system  60  operates the crane module  20  and the claw module  25  to drop the desired prize  12  onto the turntable  31 , which is still. Thus, the control system  60  guarantees dropping of the desired prize  12  onto the turntable  31  to continue the game. 
     The sensor  32  of the turntable module  30  determines whether the desired prize  12  is located on the turntable  31 . If so, the sensor  32  sends a signal to the control system  60 . 
     The sensor  32  can be a weight sensor, a raster sensor or an image sensor for example. The location of the sensor  32  is not limited to the one shown in the drawings. 
     On receiving the signal from the sensor  32 , the control system  60  assigns the operation module  50  to control the turntable module  30  instead of the crane module  20  and the claw module  25 . That is, the joy stick  51 , which was originally assigned to control the crane module  20 , is now assigned to control a motor  33  of the turntable module  30 . Now, the joy stick  51  is operable to control the sense and rate of the rotation of the motor  33  and hence the turntable  31 . Moreover, the button  52 , which was originally assigned to lift or lower and open or close the claw module  25 , is now assigned to actuate the motor  33  of the turntable module  30  before the control system  60  stops the motor  33  after several seconds. 
     The joy stick  51  can control the turntable module  30  in a first manner. The joy stick  51  is rotated clockwise to cause the motor  33  of the turntable module  30  and hence the turntable  31  to rotate in a first direction. Alternatively, the joy stick  51  is rotated counterclockwise to cause the motor  33  of the turntable module  30  and hence the turntable  31  to rotate in a second direction opposite to the first direction. The rate of the rotation of the joy stick  51  determines the rate of the rotation of the motor  33 . To protect the motor  33 , the rate of the rotation of the motor  33  is limited to a safe range. In this safe range, the joy stick  51  is used allowed to control the rate of the rotation of the motor  33 . The turntable  31  and the motor  33  respond to commands and signals from the joy stick  51  and the button  52  in a sensitive and lag-free manner. 
     When the control system  60  assigns the joy stick  51  and the button  52  to control the turntable module  30 , then player is allowed to use the button  52  to actuate the turntable module  30  and use the joy stick  51  to control the direction and rate of the rotation of the turntable module  30 . The player uses his or her eyesight to measure the location of the desired prize  12  on the turntable  31 , and accordingly determines the direction and rate of the rotation of the joy stick  51  to determine the direction and rate of the rotation of the turntable  31 , which in turns rotates the desired prize  12 . Eventually, the turntable  31  casts the desired prize in a centrifugal manner. The player can collect the desired prize  12  from the chute  13  if he or she successfully casts the desired prize  12  into the chute  13 . Finally, the control system  60  stops the turntable module  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.