JP2000210443A - Ball dispensing device for pachinko machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To dispense pachinko balls at a sufficiently high speed by two columns of ball moving gutters, and to remove the possibilities of a detection mistake caused by the overlapping of pachinko balls and the extra dispensing of pachinko balls caused by the inertial rotation or the like of a pulse motor due to detection delay. SOLUTION: This device is constructed in such a manner that two columns of ball moving gutters 5a or the like are formed in both sides of a lead screw 1 rotated by a pulse motor 2, and a ball count sensor 8 composed of a light projector 10 and a light receiver is set so as to pass its optical axis through both ball moving gutters. Thus, the pachinko balls of both ball moving gutters at the instance of releasing constrain of the lead screw 1 from a screw groove 1a are detected.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a ball dispensing apparatus for a pachinko game machine that dispenses a desired number of pachinko balls to a dispensing passage by rotating a lead screw.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there are various types of ball dispensing devices in pachinko game machines, in which a lead screw is rotated by a pulse motor and the number of rotations is controlled to pay out a predetermined number of pachinko balls. Is one of them.

In the ball dispensing device disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open Publication No. 63-32581, a pachinko ball is formed by gradually increasing the lead angle of a lead screw toward the advancing direction. It is intended that the detection error of the sensor due to overlapping and falling is prevented, and the number of payouts is accurately detected. However, in the ball dispensing device disclosed in this publication, a sensor is provided in the middle of the dispensing gutter, and the sensor detects a falling pachinko ball, so that a predetermined number of pachinko balls are detected by the sensor. After that, even if a stop command is issued to the pulse motor, the pulse motor further rotates the lead screw by inertia, so that there is a possibility that the pachinko ball may be unnecessarily paid out. In particular, in order to allow a large number of pachinko balls to be dispensed in a short time, a pachinko ball may be excessively dispensed due to such inertia when a ball moving gutter is formed in two rows on both sides of one lead screw. .

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention solves the above-mentioned drawbacks and, while forming ball moving gutters in two rows in order to secure sufficient pachinko ball paying ability, the pachinko balls are formed by inertial rotation of a pulse motor. It is an object of the present invention to provide a ball dispensing device that does not make the number of dispensed inaccurate.

[0005]

For this purpose, a ball dispensing device in a pachinko game machine according to the present invention has two rows of ball moving gutters formed on both sides of a lead screw rotated by a pulse motor, and a light emitting device and a light receiving device. Is provided so that its optical axis passes over both ball moving gutters, so as to detect pachinko balls of both ball moving gutters at the moment when the restraint from the screw groove of the lead screw is released. It is characterized by the following.

[0006]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 1 to 3, reference numeral 1 denotes a lead screw, and reference numeral 2 denotes a pulse motor for rotating the lead screw. The thread groove 1a of the lead screw 1 is formed such that the lead angle α gradually increases in the traveling direction (in this case, downward). Incidentally, the lead angle α1 at the upper end is set to about 20 degrees and the lead angle α2 at the lower end is set to about 40 degrees, as shown enlarged in FIG. The lead screw has an outer diameter d of 7 m.
The diameter of the pachinko ball 3 is smaller than the diameter of the pachinko ball 3 (about 11 mm).

Reference numeral 4 denotes a plastic case fixed to the pulse motor 2, and the case includes a pair of ball moving troughs 5.
a, 5b are formed so as to sandwich the lead screw from the symmetrical position on both sides, and a passage 6 is provided above the ball moving gutters 5a, 5b.
The a and b are bent in a crank shape, and the pachinko balls 3 are arranged in a line from a prize ball tank (not shown) through a straightening gutter in each passage and flow down by their own weight. The lower ends 7a, 7b of the pair of ball moving gutters 5a, 5b are open and communicate with the premium ball payout gutter.

Reference numeral 8 denotes a ball counting sensor comprising a light projecting device 10 and a light receiving device 11. The ball counting sensor has the light projecting device 10 and the light receiving device 11 mounted on a U-shaped mounting frame 9 fixed near the lower end of the case 4. Each can be mounted face-to-face. The optical axis 12 is provided outside the lead screw 1 so as to pass over both the ball moving gutters 5a and 5b, and at the moment when the pachinko ball 3 is released from the screw groove 1a of the lead screw 1, the light is released. By blocking the shaft 12, the pachinko balls 3 are detected and counted as electric signals. Note that 13
Is a bearing formed horizontally between the lower ends 7a and 7b of the case 4. The small shaft 14 formed at the tip of the lead screw 1 is supported by the bearing to stabilize the support of the lead screw 1. Let me.

The rotation and stop of the pulse motor 2 are controlled by a ball dispensing control circuit (not shown). By rotating the lead screw 1, the pachinko balls in both the ball moving gutters 5a and 5b flow down while being restrained by the screw grooves 1a. Are discharged from the lower ends 7a and 7b to the prize ball payout gutter. The pachinko ball passing through both ball moving gutters 5a and 5b cuts off the optical axis 12 so that an electric signal obtained from the light receiver 11 is input to the ball payout control circuit, and the rotation of the pulse motor 2 is controlled. , A predetermined number of pachinko balls can be discharged to a prize ball payout gutter.

A ball counting sensor 8 composed of a light projector 10 and a light receiver 11 is connected to an optical axis 12 of the ball moving troughs 5a, 5a.
By providing the sensor so as to straddle over b, a single ball counting sensor can detect pachinko balls flowing down both ball moving gutters, and there is an advantage that manufacturing costs are reduced as compared with providing a plurality of sensors. The thread groove 1 of the lead screw 1
Since the ball counting sensor 8 is provided so that the pachinko ball at the moment when the restraint from the position a is released interrupts the optical axis 12, the pachinko ball that alternately flows down the two ball moving gutters 5a and 5b overlaps with each other to generate light. In addition to preventing the shaft 12 from being interrupted, the detection error is prevented, and the possibility that the pachinko ball is unnecessarily paid out due to the inertia rotation of the pulse motor due to the detection delay is also eliminated.

In this embodiment, an example is shown in which the lead screw 1 is provided vertically, but the lead screw 1 may be provided horizontally or inclined.

[0012]

As described above, the ball dispensing device for a pachinko game machine according to the present invention has two rows of ball moving gutters formed on both sides of a lead screw rotated by a pulse motor, and includes a light projector and a light receiver. The ball counting sensor is provided so that its optical axis passes over both ball moving gutters, and can detect pachinko balls of both ball moving gutters at the moment when the restraint from the screw groove of the lead screw is released. As a result, the pachinko balls can be dispensed at a sufficiently high speed by the two rows of ball moving gutters, and there is a risk of causing a detection error due to the overlap of the pachinko balls, and the pachinko balls are additionally unnecessary due to the inertial rotation of the pulse motor due to the detection delay. This eliminates the possibility of being paid out, and has the effect of always and accurately paying out pachinko balls.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing an embodiment of a ball payout device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line BB of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged side view of a lead screw of the ball dispensing device according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 lead screw 1 a screw groove 2 pulse motor 3 pachinko ball 5 a, 5 b ball moving gutter 8 ball counting sensor 10 light emitter 11 light receiver 12 optical axis α lead angle

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. Two rows of ball moving gutters are formed on both sides of a lead screw rotated by a pulse motor,
A ball counting sensor comprising a light emitter and a light receiver is provided so that its optical axis passes over both ball moving gutters, and the pachinko balls of both ball moving gutters at the moment when the restraint from the screw groove of the lead screw is released. A ball payout device in a pachinko game machine, wherein a ball can be detected.