IP Library Granted Patent US 12,711,842
Granted Patent B2
US 12,711,842 · App. 18/828,422 · Granted Aug 18, 2026

Prize support unit and prize acquisition game device

Inventors: Masayoshi Ogawa (Tokyo, JP); Akira Wakou (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: SEGA CORPORATION
G07F17/3297A63F9/30G07F17/3216
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,711,842
App. No.
18/828,422
Granted
Aug 18, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A prize support unit including: a main body that directly or indirectly supports prizes, and couplers that are disposed around a periphery of the main body and couples the prize support unit with another prize support unit. Each coupler includes: a rotary body that is rotatable with respect to the main body, and a support that sandwiches and supports both sides of the rotary body in a thickness direction, and guides a rotation of the rotary body. The rotary body has, as a first part, a raised part or a recessed part that is disposed on a first surface of the rotary body on one side in the thickness direction, and the support has, as a second part, a recessed part or a raised part that corresponds to the first part and is disposed on a second surface of the rotary body opposite to the first surface.

Claims (36)

1 . A prize support unit for a prize display case of a prize acquisition game device, comprising:

a main body that directly or indirectly supports prizes, and

couplers that are disposed around a periphery of the main body and couples the prize support unit with another prize support unit; wherein

each of the couplers comprises:

a rotary body that is rotatable with respect to the main body, and

a support that sandwiches and supports both sides of the rotary body in a thickness direction of the rotary body, and guides a rotation of the rotary body;

the rotary body has, as a first part, a raised part or a recessed part that is disposed on a first surface of the rotary body on one side in the thickness direction,

the support has, as a second part, a recessed part or a raised part that corresponds to the first part and is disposed on a second surface of the support opposite to the first surface,

the first part and the second part are rotatably engaged, and

with the rotation of the rotary body, one portion of the first part maintains engagement with the second part while another portion of the first part can engage with a second part of a support of a coupler of the other prize support unit.

2 . The prize support unit according to claim 1 , wherein

the first part has a first side surface,

the second part has a second side surface that contacts the first side surface, and

each of the first side surface and the second side surface has an arc shape in a plan view, and

the first part is rotatable relative to the second part with a slide of the first side surface along the second side surface.

3 . The prize support unit according to claim 1 , wherein

the support has a holding space including an opening formed in a side surface of the main body, and

the rotary body is positioned inside the holding space such that the first surface intersects the side surface and such that the rotary body can enter and exit the holding space through the opening with the rotation of the rotary body.

4 . The prize support unit described in claim 3 , wherein

the first part has a first side surface,

the second part has a second side surface that contacts the first side surface, and

once the opening communicates with an opening of the support of the other prize support unit, the second side surface of the second part and a second side surface of the second part of the other prize support unit are located on a single circle in a plan view.

5 . The prize support unit according to claim 1 , wherein

the first part and the second part respectively have a first stopper and a second stopper that are raised parts on mutually opposing surfaces of the first part and the second part, and

the first stopper and the second stopper come into contact with each other, with the rotation of the rotary body, and stop a rotation of the first part relative to the second part.

6 . The prize support unit according to claim 5 , wherein

the first stopper and the second stopper come into contact with each other once the other portion of the first part engages with the second part of the other prize support unit.

7 . The prize support unit of claim 6 , wherein

the support has a holding space including a first opening formed in a side surface of the main body,

the holding space further includes a second opening disposed opposite to the first opening, and

the rotary body has a main body including the first part and a knob for controlling the rotation of the main body;

the knob extends from the main body, through the second opening, to an outside of the holding space, and come into contact with one of first and second ends of the second opening with the rotation of the rotary body, and

while the knob contacts the first end, the entire main body is held inside the holding space, and while the knob contacts the second end, a half of the first part is located outside the holding space and can engage with the second part of the other prize support unit.

8 . A prize acquisition game device, comprising:

a prize display case that comprises a casing defining a game space and

the prize support unit according to claim 1 that supports the prizes in the game space.