STRIKING DEVICES FOR PRIZE-WINNING GAME MACHINES
A striking device for a prize-winning game machine is disclosed, primarily comprising a striking head, an X-Z axis moving mechanism, and a Y-axis striking mechanism. The moving mechanism comprises two symmetrically disposed X-axis guiding rails and a Z-axis guiding rail where both ends of the Z-axis guiding rail are movably connected at X-axis guiding rails. The Y-axis striking mechanism can movably connected at the Z-axis guiding rail and comprises a Y-axis guiding rail and a striking rod moving along and disposed on the Y-axis guiding rail. The striking rod is off-axis aligned and connected to a back surface of the striking head for striking the targets in the prize-winning game machine. Therefore, the Y-axis striking mechanism will not be tilted or shifted during numerous striking operations to greatly increase the durations of the striking head and the striking mechanism.
The present invention relates to a coin-actuated game machine, especially to a striking device for a prize-winning game machine.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThere are various prize-winning game machines in the existing coin-operating amusement industry to provide entertainment to both young and old. General speaking, prize-winning game machines will exhibit the prizes to the public to clearly show what the game players can get when they win to give them the motivation to play. There are different prize-winning game machines with different games using different operation modes. One of them is the long-distance shooting game machine where the prizes are given by the scores. Another one is the crane where a capturing device such as a bucket or a claw is maneuvered by the player to catch the desired prize in a playing field filled with all kinds of prizes. The other one is to strike certain targets to receive corresponding prizes.
As the development of game machines, one has proposed a game machine to received prizes through striking targets such as revealed by Halliburton taught in U.S. Pat. No. 6,315,157 B1 entitled “grid skill amusement game or dispensing device”. A conventional amusement device is provided which allows an operator to exercise his skill to attempt to align a ram or a pusher directly opposite a tubular member which contains a prize. The ram is attached to a bracket secured to a belt on a horizontal member of a support member which can move in response to operator control in a lateral direction along the length of the horizontal member. The horizontal member is attached to belts on opposite vertical members of the support member which enable the horizontal bar to travel in a vertical direction in response to operator control. This arrangement allows an operator to position the ram at any location within in a plane defined by the support member including the horizontal and vertical members. In use, the operator attempts to exercise his skill to directly align the ram in front of an opening of a desired target member from an array of target tubular members. When the operator is satisfied with the location of the ram, or after a predetermined time has elapsed, the ram is driven forward along a third axis toward the tubular member. If an operator has accurately lined the ram up with a target member, the ram will center the target member and push any object contained within the member out the rear. The item falls from the array through a chute to a dispensing area which can be accessed by the operator.
However, when the ram is released by an operator to center the target member to push any object contained within the support member out the rear during the game, it is highly probably that the ram will not center the member but hit the peripheries of the target member. After multiple hitting of the ram on the peripheries of the target member, the ram will easily be damaged affecting the operation of the horizontal members and the vertical members leading to shorter maintenance and repair cycles and even breakdown of the game machine after a period of time. Moreover, the ram after multiple hitting will be shaking during targeting leading to lower prize winning probability which will reduce the interests of an operator playing the game machine.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe main purpose of the present invention is to provide a striking device for a prize-winning game machine to avoid shaking of Y-axis striking mechanism after multiple striking to greatly increase the duration of maintenance and repair as well as the lifetime of the game machine.
The second purpose of the present invention is to provide a striking device for a prize-winning game machine enabled to interchange striking heads for easy maintenance and repair and to interchange different dimensions of striking heads for different gaming requirements.
According to the present invention, a striking device for a prize-winning game machine comprises a striking head, an X-Z axis moving mechanism, and a Y-axis striking mechanism. The striking head is used to hit the targets within the prize-winning game machine. The moving mechanism including two symmetrically disposed X-axis guiding rails and a Z-axis guiding rail where both ends of the Z-axis guiding rail can be horizontally movably connected at the X-axis guiding rails and the Y-axis striking mechanism can be vertically movably connected at the Z-axis guiding rail. The Y-axis striking mechanism includes a Y-axis guiding rail and a striking rod frontward moving along and disposed on the Y-axis guiding rail wherein the front end of the striking rod is off-axis aligned to and connected to a back surface of the striking head.
The striking device for prize-winning game machine according to the present invention has the following advantages and effects:
- 1. Through specific combinations of the striking head and the Y-axis striking mechanism as a technical mean, the striking head connected by the striking rod can move along the Y-axis rail of the Y-axis striking mechanism, therefore, the shaking of the Y-axis mechanism after multiple striking the targets can be avoided to greatly increase the duration of maintenance and repair as well as the lifetime of the game machine. Additionally, the X-axis guiding rails can be immovable secured in the prize-winning game machine.
- 2. Through specific combinations of the striking head and the Y-axis striking mechanism as a technical mean, the striking head is off-axis aligned and connected to one end of the striking rod of the Y-axis striking mechanism so that the striking head is interchangeably jointed to the striking rod of the Y-axis striking mechanism, therefore, the striking head can easily be replaced for maintenance and repair or even interchange different dimensions of striking heads for different gaming requirements.
With reference to the attached drawings, the present invention is described by means of the embodiment(s) below where the attached drawings are simplified for illustration purposes only to illustrate the structures or methods of the present invention by describing the relationships between the components and assembly in the present invention. Therefore, the components shown in the figures are not expressed with the actual numbers, actual shapes, actual dimensions, nor with the actual ratio. Some of the dimensions or dimension ratios have been enlarged or simplified to provide a better illustration. The actual numbers, actual shapes, or actual dimension ratios can be selectively designed and disposed and the detail component layouts may be more complicated.
According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a striking device for a prize-winning game machine is illustrated in
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
In the present invention, through specific combinations of striking head 110 and Y-axis striking mechanism 130 as a technical mean, the striking head is off-axis aligned and connected to one end of the striking rod 132 of the Y-axis striking mechanism 130 and the striking rod 132 is moving along the Y-axis rail 131 of the Y-axis striking mechanism 130 so that the striking rod 132 can linearly and smoothly move along the Y-axis guiding rail 131 to accurately drive the striking head 110 to complete striking actions. Therefore, the shaking of the Y-axis mechanism 130 after multiple striking the targets can be avoided to greatly increase the duration of maintenance and repair as well as the lifetime of the game machine.
Furthermore, there are various specific combinations of the striking head 100 and the Y-axis striking mechanism 132 to form various embodiments such as direct soldering the striking head 110 to the vertical plate 132C of the striking rod 132 or integration of striking head 110 and the striking rod 132 in the same structure to offer a stronger structure to withstand striking. But in a preferred embodiment, as shown in
As shown in
Preferably, as shown in
In a preferred embodiment, as shown in
Moreover, as shown in
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
The above description of embodiments of this invention is intended to be illustrative but not limited. Other embodiments of this invention will be obvious to those skilled in the art in view of the above disclosure which still will be covered by and within the scope of the present invention even with any modifications, equivalent variations, and adaptations.
Claims
1. A striking device for a prize-winning game machine, comprising:
- a striking head for striking a plurality of targets in the prize-winning game machine;
- an X-Z axis moving mechanism comprising two symmetrically disposed X-axis guiding rails and a Z-axis guiding rail, wherein both ends of the Z-axis guiding rail movably connected at the X-axis guiding rails; and
- a Y-axis striking mechanism movably connected at the Z-axis guiding rail, wherein the Y-axis striking mechanism includes a Y-axis guiding rail and a striking rod moving along and disposed on the Y-axis guiding rail, wherein one end of the striking rod is off-axis aligned to and connected to a back surface of the striking head.
2. The striking device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the striking rod is detachably assembled with the striking head.
3. The striking device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the Y-axis striking mechanism further includes a shell accommodating the Y-axis guiding rail and the striking rod, wherein an aiming mark aligned to the striking head is disposed on the shell.
4. The striking device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the aiming mark is a sticker adhered on a top surface of the shell.
5. The striking device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the striking rod includes:
- a sliding base movably embedded in the Y-axis guiding rail to make the striking rod slide along the Y-axis guiding rail; and
- a striking head guiding bar disposed on the sliding base, wherein the connected end of the striking head guiding bar is a vertical plate locking the striking head.
6. The striking device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the striking rod further includes a reinforced plate connected and locked on the striking head guiding bar to reinforce the structure strength of the vertical plate.
7. The striking device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the striking rod further includes a gear bar disposed on the sliding base, the striking device further comprising a rotating axis disposed parallel to the Z-axis guiding rail and a gear penetrated by the rotating axis and gear-connected with the gear bar so that the gear drives the gear bar to move by rotating the rotating axis.
8. The striking device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the Y-axis striking mechanism further includes a support rack movably connecting with the Z-axis guiding axis, wherein the Y-axis guiding rail is carried on the support rack, wherein the support rack has a constraining component to simultaneously drive the Z-axis movement of the gear.
9. The striking device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the moving mechanism further comprises a vertically moving gear belt connected with the support rack to drive the Y-axis striking mechanism moving up and down along the Z-axis guiding rail.
10. The striking device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the striking rod further includes an elastic component and a position-limiting switch, wherein the position-limiting switch is disposed on the sliding base and located at a back end of the striking head guiding bar, and the elastic component is disposed to elastically push the back end of the striking head guiding bar.
11. The striking device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the moving mechanism further comprises a plurality of horizontal driving gear belts and a synchronized gear belt, wherein the horizontal driving gear belts are disposed in the X-axis guiding rails and the synchronized gear belt is disposed between the X-axis guiding rails so that the horizontal driving gear belts and the synchronized gear belt are connected to each other through a plurality of gear axes.
12. A striking device for a prize-winning game machine, comprising:
- a striking head for striking a plurality of targets in the prize-winning game machine;
- an X-Z axis moving mechanism comprising two symmetrically disposed X-axis guiding rails and a Z-axis guiding rail, wherein both ends of the Z-axis guiding rail movably connected at the X-axis guiding rails; and
- a Y-axis striking mechanism movably connected at the Z-axis guiding rail, wherein the Y-axis striking mechanism includes a Y-axis guiding rail and a striking rod moving along and disposed on the Y-axis guiding rail;
- wherein the striking rod includes:
- a sliding base movably embedded in the Y-axis guiding rail to make the striking rod slide along the Y-axis guiding rail;
- a striking head guiding bar disposed on the sliding base and has a front end connecting with the striking head;
- an elastic component disposed to elastically push a back end of the striking head guiding bar; and
- a position-limiting switch disposed on the sliding base and located at the back end of the striking head guiding bar.
13. The striking device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the Y-axis striking mechanism further includes a shell accommodating the Y-axis guiding rail and the striking rod, wherein an aiming mark aligned to the striking head is disposed on the shell.
14. The striking device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the aiming mark is a sticker adhered on a top surface of the shell.
15. The striking device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the striking rod further includes a gear bar disposed on the sliding base, the striking device further comprising a rotating axis disposed parallel to the Z-axis guiding rail and a gear penetrated by the rotating axis and gear-connected with the gear bar so that the gear drives the gear bar to move by rotating the rotating axis.
16. The striking device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the Y-axis striking mechanism further includes a support rack movably connecting with the Z-axis guiding axis, wherein the Y-axis guiding rail is carried on the support rack, wherein the support rack has a constraining component to simultaneously drive the Z-axis movement of the gear.
17. The striking device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the moving mechanism further comprises a vertically moving gear belt connected with the support rack to drive the Y-axis striking mechanism moving up and down along the Z-axis guiding rail.
18. The striking device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the moving mechanism further comprises a plurality of horizontal driving gear belts and a synchronized gear belt, wherein the horizontal driving gear belts are disposed in the X-axis guiding rails and the synchronized gear belt is disposed between the X-axis guiding rails so that the horizontal driving gear belts and the synchronized gear belt are connected to each other through a plurality of gear axes.
19. A prize-winning game machine comprising a striking device as claimed in claim 12 and a plurality of targets installed in an operation showroom.
20. The prize-winning game machine as claimed in claim 19, further comprising a barrier panel located between the striking device and the targets to block the striking head.
Type: Application
Filed: Jul 2, 2010
Publication Date: Jan 5, 2012
Inventor: Ming-Shan Wei (Taliao Township)
Application Number: 12/830,190
International Classification: A63F 9/02 (20060101);