Patent Publication Number: US-2009236198-A1

Title: Game machine rewarded with tokens or tickets

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a game machine and more particularly, to a token pushing machine which provides tokens or tickets to the players. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A conventional token pushing game machine generally includes a frame with a pushing device located therein and a pick-up box is located beneath the pushing device. The pushing device includes a horizontal board and a pushing member is movable on the board. Players insert tokens from the insertion unit and the tokens drop on the board and pile up, the pushing member move to push the tokens and some tokens drop from the edge of the board. The tokens drop from the board and are collected in the pick-up box from which the players may pick the tokens as the reward. 
     The players can redeem the tokens to get treats or the players insert the tokens into the game machine again to play the token pushing game. If the player wants to redeem the token, he or she has to leave the game machine and redeem the tokens at an exchange office, once the player leaves the game machine, other players may take that spot and play the machine. Some arcades allow the players to redeem their tokens with tickets which are then collected to a certain number to redeem the treats. Nevertheless, none of the game machines provide tokens and tickets in one machine so that the players can only get tokens or tickets from one machine. 
     The present invention intends to provide a game machine which provides tokens or tickets as rewards and the players can choose either token or tickets as rewards. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a game machine that comprises a main frame having a push device and an insertion unit is connected to the push device. The push device includes a horizontal board and a push member is movable on a top surface of the horizontal board. A counting device is located corresponding to the push device. The counting device includes a counting unit, a split unit, a pick-up box, a token collection box and a ticket unit. The counting unit of the counting device is located corresponding to an outlet of the horizontal board and an outlet of the counting unit is located to the split unit. The split unit includes a guide box which has an outlet and a switch gate is pivotably located to the outlet of the guide box. A driving member is located at a top of the guide box and drives the switch gate via a belt connected therebetween. The token collection box includes a first passage which is located corresponding to the outlet of the split unit and the pick-up box includes a second passage which is located corresponding to the outlet of the split unit. Tokens are selectively guided to either the token collection box or the pick-up box by switching the switch gate, the ticket unit dispenses tickets when tokens are send into the token collection box. 
     The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view to show the game machine of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view to show the game machine with the push device removed; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view to show the game machine with the push device and main frame removed; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view to show the counting device of the game machine of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view to show the split unit of the game machine of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  shows that the tokens are collected to the token collection box from the split unit of the game machine of the present invention, and 
         FIG. 7  shows that the tokens are available in the pick-up box from the split unit of the game machine of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 7 , the game machine of the present invention comprises a main frame  10  having a push device  20  received therein and an insertion unit  15  is connected to the push device  20  so that tokens are inserted into the insertion unit  15  and drop on the push device  20 . The push device  20  includes a horizontal board  21  and a push member  25  which is movable on a top surface of the horizontal board  21 . Two side outlets  22  are defined in two sides of the horizontal board  21  and a return passage  23  communicates with the two side outlets  22 . The tokens are piled on the horizontal board  21  and pushed by the push member  25 , some of the tokens drop from the edge of the horizontal board  21  and enter the side outlets  22 . 
     A counting device  30  is located corresponding to the push device  20  and includes a counting unit  50 , a split unit  60 , a pick-up box  70 , a token collection box  40  and a ticket unit  80 . The counting unit  50  of the counting device  30  is located corresponding an outlet of the horizontal board  21  of the push device  20 . An outlet of the counting unit  50  is located to the split unit  60 . The split unit  60  includes a guide box  61  which has an outlet and a switch gate  62  is pivotably located to the outlet of the guide box  61 . A driving member  63  is located at a top of the guide box  61  and a belt  64  is connected between the driving member  63  and the switch gate  62  which is driven by the driving member  63  via the belt  64 . 
     The token collection box  40  includes a first passage  45  which is located corresponding to the outlet of the split unit  60  and the pick-up box  70  includes a second passage  75  which is located corresponding to the outlet of the split unit  60 . The return passage  23  communicates with the token collection box  40  of the counting device  30 . 
     A touch plate  65  is located at an output shaft of the driving member  63 . A first detection member  66  and a second detection member  67  are located corresponding to the touch plate  65  and the switch gate  62 . The first detection member  66  selectively cuts off the driving member  63  and the second detection member  67  detects that the switch gate  62  returns to its initial position. 
     The tokens that is pushed to drop and enter into counting unit  50  of the counting device  30 , the counting unit  50  counts the number of the tokens which enters the guide box  61  of the split unit  60 . The player chooses one of the options to allow the tokens to set the switch gate  62  via the driving member  63  and the belt  64 . If the switch gate  62  is set to be at upper position, the tokens drop into the pick-up box  70  via the second passage  75  as shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , so that the player can pick up the tokens. 
     If the switch gate  62  is set to a lower position, the tokens enter the token collection box  40  via the first passage  45  as shown in  FIG. 7 . The ticket unit  80  is then activated to dispense tickets. 
     The game machine of the present invention allows the players to set tokens or tickets as their reward without leaving the game machine. 
     While we have shown and described the embodiment in accordance with the present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.