Setting Device for Claw Machine
A setting device for a claw machine is disclosed. The setting device includes: a cabinet, containing therein prizes; a movable gantry assembly, being installed at a top of the cabinet; a claw member, attached to the gantry assembly from below through a string; and a control device, installed outside the cabinet. The control device has a control circuit module, a joystick, a color liquid crystal display, a music player, and a button. After putting one or more coins, a player is allowed to operate the joystick of the control device to displace the gantry assembly and the claw member. The cabinet has a collection hole communicating with the exterior. The color liquid crystal display displays a setting interface. The disclosed device allows a machine owner to easily set relevant setting items through the setting interface so as to provide players with variable playing experiences and in turn increasing revenues of the claw machine.
A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to any reproduction by anyone of the patent disclosure, as it appears in the United States Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.
BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION Field of InventionThe present invention relates to a setting device for a claw machine, which allows a machine owner to easily set setting items through a setting interface displayed in a color liquid crystal display, so as to provide players with variable playing experiences and in turn increasing revenues of the claw machine.
Description of Related ArtsA conventional claw machine, as shown in
1. As the monochrome liquid crystal display 17 only provides limited information, in order to alter the values of setting items set by the factory, machine owners have to memorize respective codes used in different setting items; otherwise, they have to consult machine manuals and even ask help from machine manufacturers, making setting inconvenient; and
2. Since the existing claw machine only provide games that are fixedly programmed, they can soon become monotonous and uninteresting to consumers, and this is adverse to prospects of claw machines.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTIONThe primary objective of the present invention is to solve the foregoing problems by providing a setting device for a claw machine, which comprises a color liquid crystal display control device. The color liquid crystal display is configured to display a setting interface. The setting interface includes: a common setting field, a claw strength setting field, a gantry assembly setting field, a music setting field, a system setting field, a business report field, and an exit field, which enable machine owners to set values for setting items of the claw machine easily and readily through the setting interface.
The invention as well as a preferred mode of use, further objectives and advantages thereof will be best understood by reference to the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
Referring to
The composition and operation of the present invention will be detailed as below. Referring to
The present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments and it is understood that the embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. Moreover, as the contents disclosed herein should be readily understood and can be implemented by a person skilled in the art, all equivalent changes or modifications which do not depart from the concept of the present invention should be encompassed by the appended claims.
Claims
1. A setting device for a claw machine, comprising:
- a cabinet, for holding a plurality of prizes therein, having a collection hole communicated with an exterior thereof and comprising a movable gantry assembly at a top thereof, a claw member being attached to the gantry assembly from below through a string and configured to move vertically as well as to open and close;
- a control device installed outside the cabinet and electrically connected to the gantry assembly and the claw member, wherein the control device comprises a control circuit module, a joystick, a color liquid crystal display, and a button, wherein the control circuit module includes a statistics unit for accumulating, computing and memorizing values, thereby after putting one or more coins, a player being allowed to operate the joystick of the control device to displace the gantry assembly and the claw member, wherein the control circuit module being electrically connected to the gantry assembly, the claw member, the joystick, the color liquid crystal display, and the button, wherein the color liquid crystal display is configured for showing an accumulated number of coins put in the claw machine counted by the statistics unit in a preset time period, and is also configured to alternatively show a setting interface, wherein the setting interface includes a common setting field, a claw strength setting field, a gantry assembly setting field, a music setting field, a system setting field, a business report field, and an exit field, thereby the player is able to operate the setting interface by operating the joystick and pressing the button, wherein the joystick is used to highlight one said field of interest, and the button is used to choose the highlighted field for execution.
2. The setting device, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the common setting field is used to open a common setting interface, which includes a coin face value field, a game charge field, a campaign field, a prize price field, a guarantee voiding time field, a hiding accumulated frequency against guarantee field, a power failure memory field, an accumulated frequency against guarantee memory field, a game duration field, and an exit field, wherein the coin face value field is used to set a monetary value of every coin put in the claw machine for playing one or more games; the game charge field being used to set a monetary value of coins required by each of the one or more game, wherein the campaign field is used to open a campaign setting field, which includes a total value setting area, a frequency setting area, and a exit area, wherein the total value setting area is used to set an accumulated monetary value of coins put in the claw machine for playing said games; the frequency setting area being used to set a number of complimentary games awarded when the accumulated monetary value set in the total value setting area is reached, where in a complimentary game referred to an attempt to operate the control device to get a prize without putting in any coins, wherein the exit area is used to return to the common setting interface, wherein the prize price field is used to set a monetary value of each said prize, wherein, accordingly, when the statistics unit finds that the accumulated monetary value of coins put in reaches the monetary value set in the prize price field, the claw machine awards the player with the set number of said complimentary games, wherein the guarantee voiding time field is used to set a time limit beyond which the player is no more allowed to operate the control device to get one said prize without putting in any coins and when set as “OFF” the corresponding function being deactivated, wherein the hiding accumulated frequency against guarantee field is used to set a time period in which the color liquid crystal display is prevented from showing the accumulated monetary value of coins put in the claw machine provided by the statistics unit, and when set as “OFF” the corresponding function being deactivated, wherein the power failure memory field is used to switch between “ON” where the remaining number of games remains valid when the power is back on after power outage or power blackout and “OFF” where no preservation is provided, wherein the accumulated frequency against guarantee memory field is used to switch between “ON” where the statistics unit resumes accumulating the monetary value of coins put in the claw machine when power is back on after power outage or power blackout and “OFF” where no resumption is provided, wherein the game duration field is used to set a time limit beyond which the control device is not allowed to operate, and the exit field of the common setting interface is used to return to the setting interface.
3. The setting device, as claimed in claim 2, wherein when the claw member is selectively located at a bottom of the cabinet for grabbing the prize operates with a first claw strength level or in a “high strength” state, and when the claw member selectively raises back with the prize to a middle part in the cabinet operates with a second claw strength level or is in a “middle strength” state, while when the claw member returning back to a top in the cabinet selectively operates with a third claw strength level or is in a “low strength” state; the claw member is equipped with a temperature sensor, wherien the control circuit module is electrically connected to the temperature sensor and the claw strength setting field is used to open a claw strength setting interface, which includes a high strength field, a middle strength field, a low strength field, a guaranteed-prize claw strength field, a middle-to-low field, a high-to-middle field, a guaranteed-prize frequencies field, a tightening and picking field, a high strength delay field, a hot claw strengthening field, a random high strength field, and an exit field, wherein the high strength field is used to set a power voltage that generates the first claw strength level, the middle strength field is used to set a power voltage that generates the second claw strength level, and the low strength field is used to set a power voltage that generates the third claw strength level, wherein the guaranteed-prize claw strength field is used to set the first, second and third claw strength levels to the maximum power voltage, wherein the middle-to-low field is used to set a time period of a travel from the second claw strength level to the third claw strength level, wherein the high-to-middle field is used to set a time period of a travel from the first claw strength level to the second claw strength level, wherein the guaranteed-prize frequencies field is used to set a number of said complimentary games, wherein the number of complimentary games is infinite or at least one, wherien the tightening and picking field is used to switch between “ON” where a time period in which the first claw strength level is active is prolonged by a preset time period and “OFF” where the corresponding function is deactivated, wherein the high strength delay field being used to set a time period for which implementation of the first claw strength level is delayed, and when set as “OFF”, the corresponding function is deactivated, wherein the hot claw strengthening field is used to switch between “ON” where when the temperature sensor of the claw member detects a preset temperature, the power voltages for the first, second and third claw strength levels are compulsorily increased and “OFF” where the corresponding function is deactivated, wherein the random high strength field is used to set an accumulated number of operations beyond which the first, second and third claw strength levels are realized as the high strength level, so that when the accumulated number of operations performed by the control device as detected by the statistics unit reaches the set number, the first, second and third claw strength levels are randomly realized as the high strength level, and when set as “OFF” the corresponding function is deactivated, the exit field of the claw strength setting interface is used to return to the setting interface.
4. The setting device, as claimed in claim 3, wherein the gantry assembly setting field is used to open a gantry assembly setting interface, which includes a forward speed field, a backward speed field, a leftward speed field, a rightward speed field, a claw dropping speed field, a claw raising speed field, a hovering and raising field, a hovering and dropping to field, a hovering and delay field, a raising delay field, a claw dropping variable field, a tightening delay field, a bottom delay field, a string length field, and an exit field, wherein the forward speed field is used to set a forward speed of the gantry assembly, wherein the backward speed field is used to set a backward speed of the gantry assembly, wherein the leftward speed field is used to set a leftward speed of the gantry assembly, wherein the rightward speed field is used to set a right speed of the gantry assembly, wherein the claw dropping speed field is used to set a dropping speed of the claw member, wherein the claw raising speed field is used to set a raising speed of the claw member, wherein the hovering and raising field is used to set a length of the string further rolled up after the claw member raises to and stops at the top of the cabinet, and when set as “OFF”, the corresponding function is deactivated, wherein the hovering and dropping field is used to set a length of the string further released after the claw member raises to and stops at the top of the cabinet, and when set as “OFF”, the corresponding function is deactivated, wherein the hovering and delay field is used to set the time period for which the claw member raising up to the top of the cabinet is held still before further moving, and when set as “OFF”, the corresponding function is deactivated, wherein the raising delay field is used to set a time period for which the claw member carrying the prize and stopping at the bottom of the cabinet is held still before being raising back, and when set as “OFF”, the corresponding function is deactivated, wherein the claw dropping variable field is used to set an accumulated number of operations beyond which the claw member is activated to drop, so that when the accumulated number of operations where the claw member drops detected by the statistics unit reaches the set number, claw member is activated to drop at different dropping speeds, and when set as “OFF”, the corresponding function is deactivated, wherein the tightening delay field is used to set a time period for which the claw member when being at the bottom of the cabinet bottom operates at the high strength level to grab the prize, and when set as “OFF” the corresponding function is deactivated, wherein the bottom delay field is used to set a time period for which the claw member dropping to the bottom of the cabinet is held still before grabbing the prize, and when set as “OFF”, the corresponding function is deactivated, wherien the exit field is used to return to the setting interface.
5. The setting device, as claimed in claim 4, wherein the control device has a music player and a USB port, wherein the control circuit module is electrically connected to the music player and the USB port, wherein the music setting field is used to open a music setting interface, which includes a game music field, a standby music field, a music interval field, a guaranteed-prize music field, a sound volume field, a music download field, and an exit field, wherein the game music field is used to set a music track to be played by the music player during said games, wherein the standby music field is used to set a music track to be played by the music player during standby between the games, wherein the music interval field is used to set a time interval between two said music tracks played by the music player, wherein the guaranteed-prize music field is used to set a music track played by the music player during said complimentary games, wherein the sound volume field is used to set a sound volume of the music track played by the music player during the games, wherein the music download field is used to open a music download confirmation interface, where “Yes” or “No” are to be chosen to determine whether music tracks stored in a portable storage device inserted into the USB port are to be downloaded, wherein the exit field of the music setting interface is used to return to the setting interface.
6. The setting device, as claimed in claim 5, wherein the collection hole is equipped with an infrared sensor and the cabinet has therein a shake detector, wherein the control circuit module is electrically connected to the infrared sensor and the shake detector, wherein the system setting field is used to open a system setting interface, which includes a business mode field, a sensor detection field, a shake detection field, an electrical interference detection field, a hole position field, a system reset field, and an exit field, wherein the business mode field is where the claw machine is set into any of a normal mode, a guaranteed-prize mode and a complimentary game mode; in the normal mode, the claw machine operating with default settings, wherein in the guaranteed-prize mode, the control device is operatable until one said prize is awarded, wherein in the complimentary game mode, the control device is operatable for an unlimited number of games to grab the prizes and no coins have to be put into the claw machine, wherein the sensor detection field is used to set a time period for which the infrared sensor is turned off after detecting one of the prizes passes through the collection hole, wherein the shake detection field is used to switch between “ON” where the claw machine stops when the shake detector detects the cabinet is shaken and “OFF” where the corresponding function is deactivated, wherein the electrical interference detection field is used to switch between “ON” where the claw machine stops when the control circuit module receives an improper external voltage and “OFF” where the corresponding function is deactivated, wherein the hole position field being used to set where the claw member is released, wherein the system reset field is used to reset all the setting items to their default values, wherein the exit field of the system setting interface is used to return to the setting interface.
7. The setting device, as claimed in claim 6, wherein the business report field is used to open a business report setting interface, which includes a single-batch report field, an accumulative report field, and an exit field, wherein the single-batch report field is used to open a single-batch report interface, which includes a coin count information area, a clear button for the coin count information area, a prize-awarded frequency information area, a clear button for the prize-awarded frequency information area, a shake frequency information area, a clear button for the shake frequency information area, and an exit button, wherein the coin count information area shows a total number of coins put into the claw machine from the last time when the information was cleared to the present time when the single-batch report interface is opened, and use of the clear button zeroing the coin count information area, thereby clearing the information again, wherein the prize-giving count information area shows a total number of the prizes awarded to players from the last time when the information was cleared to the present time when the single-batch report interface is opened, and use of the clear button zeroing the prize-giving count information area, thereby clearing the information again, wherein the shake frequency information area shows a total number of times the claw machine has been undue shaken from the last time when the information was cleared to the present time when the single-batch report interface is opened, wherein the total number is provided by the statistics unit, and use of the clear button zeroing the prize-giving count information area, thereby clearing the information again, wherein the exit button of the single-batch report interface is used to return to the business report setting interface, wherein the accumulative report field is used to open an accumulative report interface, which includes a total coin count information area, a total prize-awarded information area, a total shake information area, and an exit button, wherein the total coin count information area showing a total number of times coins which have been put into the claw machine during all business hours of the claw machine, wherein this total number cannot be cleared, wherein the total prize-giving count information area shows a total number of prizes have been awarded during all the business hours, wherein this total number cannot be cleared, wherein the total shake information area shows a total number of times the claw machine has been undue shaken, wherein the total number is provided by the statistics unit, and this total number cannot be cleared, wherein the exit button of the accumulative report interface is used to return to the business report setting interface, wherein the exit field of the business report setting interface is used to return to the setting interface.
Type: Application
Filed: Oct 7, 2019
Publication Date: Apr 8, 2021
Inventor: Chen-Chi Lin (Taichung City)
Application Number: 16/595,431