JP2001129196A - Game ball discharge device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain excellent controllability in a motor and a rotation restricting means. SOLUTION: A game ball discharge device is provided with a casing 53. In the casing, a ball supplying part 50 is arranged, where a driven gear 63 is disposed between a pair of sprockets 62a and 62b with a plurality of game ball receiving parts 61 on the outer peripheries so as to be rotatable by synchronization, the ball supplying part 50 is arranged to permit the ball receiving part 61 to face corresponding ball discharge flow paths 58a and 58b, a driving gear 68 and a rotation restricting gear 70 for restricting the rotation of the sprockets 62a and 62b are mounted on the shaft of the motor 51 so as to be rotatable by synchronization, the rotation restricting means 52 for restricting the rotation of the sprockets 62a and 62b via the gear 70 is disposed, the ball discharge flow paths 58a and 58b are formed, the motor 51 and the rotation restricting means 52 are arranged to be upper than the ball supplying part 50 and stored.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a game ball discharging device for discharging prize balls and rental balls of game balls.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A pachinko game machine has a storage tank for storing pachinko balls on an upper portion on the back side, and the pachinko balls in the storage tank are used as prize balls or lending balls by a pachinko ball (game ball) discharging device. It is sent to the supply tray on the side.

[0003] As this conventional game ball discharging device, there is a sprocket type device which discharges a game ball by rotating a sprocket having a plurality of ball receiving portions formed on its outer periphery by a motor.

[0004]

In such a game ball discharge device, when the discharge of the game balls is finished, the rotation of the sprocket is stopped by stopping the motor.
In this case, the sprocket may not always stop at a predetermined stop position due to the feed direction of the ball of the sprocket or the inertial force of the ball when the ball is continuously ejected, and therefore, a regulating means for regulating the rotation of the sprocket is provided. Needed.

However, the control of the motor requires adjustment depending on the location of the regulating means. For example, when the regulation means is provided on the sprocket side to directly regulate the rotation of the sprocket, the sprocket can be stopped at a predetermined stop position, but the stop of the motor is stopped by play between gears transmitting the rotation of the motor to the sprocket. A shift occurs between the position and the stop position of the sprocket. Therefore, the motor must be controlled in consideration of the play between the gears.

Further, when the regulating means is provided, the motor, the sprocket and the regulating means are assembled to the casing,
In addition, the electrical wiring becomes complicated, which may lead to an increase in manufacturing cost.

An object of the present invention is to solve such a problem.

[0008]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, in a game ball discharging device (41) for discharging a game ball in response to driving of a motor (51), a ball receiving portion (6) for a plurality of game balls is provided on an outer periphery.
A pair of sprockets (62a, 62b) forming 1)
And a driven gear (6) receiving a rotational force for rotating the sprocket coaxially and synchronously between the sprockets.
3) is provided, and the ball delivery section is arranged such that the ball receiving sections on the outer periphery of the pair of sprockets face the corresponding ball discharge flow paths (58a, 58b). A driving gear (68) for transmitting a rotating force to a sprocket of the ball sending portion and a rotation regulating gear (70) for regulating the rotation of the sprocket can be synchronously rotated on the shaft of the motor. And a rotation restricting means (52) for restricting the rotation of the sprocket via the rotation restricting gear, to form the ball discharge passage, and to connect the motor and the rotation restricting means to the sphere delivery. Placed above the part,
A casing (53) for accommodating the motor, the rotation restricting means, and the ball sending section is provided.

According to a second aspect, in the first aspect, the casing is formed into a three-part structure of a right case (54), a middle case (55), and a left case (56). Attachment part of motion regulation means (for example, 66)
And one of the space between the middle case and the right case or the space between the middle case and the left case is used as a wiring space for the motor and the rotation restricting means, and one of the right case side and the left case side is formed. More wires were passed.

[0010]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the rotation of the motor and the sprocket is restricted via the rotation restricting gear mounted on the shaft of the motor so as to be synchronously rotatable, so that the position of the sprocket can be accurately controlled. The required number of balls can be accurately discharged by driving the motor, and the control of the motor can be performed accurately with almost no play. Therefore, good controllability of the motor and the rotation restricting means can be ensured, and adjustment of these controls can be easily performed. Also, motor,
Since the rotation restricting means is disposed above the ball sending section and is assembled with the casing, the ball sending section can be easily assembled.

According to the second aspect of the invention, the wiring can be easily performed without complicating the wiring, and the motor and the rotation restricting means can be more easily assembled to the casing, so that the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a CR machine in which a card ball rental unit 2 is added to a gaming machine (pachinko gaming machine) 1, and a front frame 3 of the gaming machine 1 is opened and closed via a hinge 5 to a main body frame (outer frame) 4. The game board 6 is rotatably mounted, and is housed in a storage frame attached to the back surface of the front frame 3.

On the surface of the game board 6, there is formed a game area in which the image display device 8, the variable winning device 10, and the respective winning ports 11 to 16 are arranged. A cover glass 18 that covers the front of the game board 6 is attached to the front of the front frame 3.

An opening / closing panel 20 below the front frame 3 is provided with an upper plate 21 for supplying a ball to the hitting / launching device, and a fixed panel 22 is provided with a lower plate 23 and an operating unit 24 of the hitting / launching device.

The card ball lending unit 2 has a card (a prepaid card or the like) inserted in the card insertion portion 25 on the front.
A card reader / writer and a ball lending control device for reading, writing, and the like of the data are built in. An operation panel 26 for the card lending unit is formed on the outer surface of the upper plate 21 of the gaming machine 1.

The operation panel 26 for the card ball lending unit has a card balance display section 27 for displaying the balance of the card,
A ball lending switch 28 for instructing ball lending, a card return switch 30 for instructing card return, and the like are provided.

FIG. 2 shows the back side of the gaming machine 1 and the card ball lending unit 2. On the back side of the game board 6, the variable winning device 10 and the winning balls which have won the winning ports 11 to 16 are guided. A prize ball collecting cover (not shown), a display control device 31 for controlling the image display device 8, a decoration control device 3 for controlling the game board 6, the decoration lamp of the front frame 3, and the like.
2. A power supply unit (power supply device) 33, a game board external terminal 34, and the like are attached.

On the back side of the storage frame of the front frame 2, a back mechanism board 35 provided with an opening window for inspection of each device 31-33 on the back side of the game board 6 is provided at the center.

On the upper part of the back mechanism board 35, an external terminal 36 for taking in power from the outside of the gaming machine (the island equipment of the amusement store) (and connecting an external signal line between the management device of the amusement store) and a game ball are provided. The ball storage tank 37 to be stored, the ball of the ball storage tank 37 is used as a gutter unit (semi-sensor unit) 3
A guide gutter 40 leading to 8 is attached. The guide gutter 40 and the gutter unit 38 are formed in two channels.

On the right side of the opening window of the back mechanism board 35, a ball discharging unit 41 (game ball discharging device) for discharging the balls of the gutter unit 38 to the upper plate 21 and the lower plate 23 on the front side of the machine is provided on the left side. A game control device 42 for integrally controlling a game is attached to the game controller.

At the lower portion of the back mechanism board 35, a discharge control device 43 for controlling the ball discharge unit 41, a discharge control device 44 for controlling the hit ball firing device, a relay board 46 for a card ball lending unit, and the like are mounted.

The card insertion unit 25 of the card ball lending unit 2
When a card is inserted into the card ball lending unit and the ball lending switch 28 of the operation panel 26 for the card lending unit is pressed, a ball lending request is issued from the card ball lending unit 2 to the discharge control device 43 and the discharge control device 43 discharges the ball. The unit 41 is driven,
A predetermined number of lending balls are paid out to the upper plate 21 and the like from the ball discharging unit 41.

When a ball shot from the hitting ball shooting device into the game area wins each of the winning ports 11 to 16 and the variable winning device 10, a predetermined prize ball signal is sent from the game control device 42 to the discharge control device 43. The ball discharge unit 41 is driven by the discharge control device 43, and a predetermined number of prize balls are paid out to the upper plate 21 and the like from the ball discharge unit 41.

Next, a detailed configuration of the ball discharging unit 41 is shown in FIGS.

The ball discharging unit 41 comprises a ball sending section 50, a motor 51, a rotation restricting means 52, a casing 53 made of a transparent member, and the like.

The casing 53 includes a right case 54, a middle case 55, and a left case 5 as viewed from the front (the side shown in FIG. 2).
6 divided into three parts. On the upper surface of the casing 53, ball inlets 57a, 57b corresponding to the two channels of the gutter unit 38 are provided, and subsequently, ball discharge channels 58a,
58b is on the front side in the casing 53,
The ball outlets 60a and 60b are formed in the bottom surface of the.
The ball inlet 57a, the ball discharge channel 58a, and the ball outlet 60a
Is formed by the middle case 55 and the right case 54, and the ball inlet 57b, the ball discharge channel 58b, and the ball outlet 60b are formed by the middle case 55 and the left case 56.

The ball sending section 50 includes a pair of sprockets 62a and 62b provided with a plurality of (eight in the embodiment) ball receiving sections 61 at equal intervals on the outer periphery so that game balls can be sent, and the sprockets 62a and 62b. And a driven gear 63 mounted coaxially and rotatably in a synchronous manner. The pair of sprockets 62a, 62b are connected to the ball receiving portions 6 on the outer periphery.
It is fixed to the axis 64 with a phase shifted by 個 of 1
At the lower side in the casing 53, the sprocket 62
The ball receiving portions 61 on the outer periphery of the ball discharge channels 5
The ends of the shaft 64 are supported by the right case 54 and the left case 56 via bearings 69 so as to face 8a and 58b. The sprockets 62a, 6
Notches 65a, 65b facing the ball receiving portion 61 on the outer periphery of 2b
Is provided, and a through hole 67 of the ball sending section 50 is formed in the partition wall 66 of the middle case 55.

As the motor 51, for example, a pulse motor is used, and a driving gear 68 and a rotation restricting gear 70 for restricting the rotation of the sprockets 62a, 62b are fixed to the rotating shaft of the motor 51. The motor 51 and the driving gear 6
8. The rotation restricting gear 70 is disposed above (slightly obliquely rearward of) the ball delivery section 50, and the motor 51 is mounted on the partition wall 66 of the middle case 55 serving as an attachment section from the right case 54 side by a flange 71.
Is screwed. A heat radiating hole 72 is formed in the right case 54 behind the motor 51.

The rotation restricting gear 70 has a ratchet tooth 73 for inhibiting rotation (clockwise in FIG. 5) when a stopper member 75 (described later) of the rotation restricting means 52 engages with the outer periphery.
Are formed at the same number and at equal intervals as the ball receiving portions 61 on the outer periphery of the sprockets 62a and 62b of the ball sending portion 50. The sliding portion on the back surface of the ratchet tooth 73 is formed into a smooth curved surface.
The driving gear 68 of the motor 51 and the driven gear 6 of the ball sending section 50
The tooth number ratio of No. 3 is set to 1: 2.

A transmission gear 74 for transmitting the rotation of the shaft of the motor 51 to the driven gear 63 of the ball sending section 50 is provided between the driving gear 68 of the motor 51 and the driven gear 63 of the ball sending section 50.
Is arranged.

The rotation restricting means 52 is provided with a stopper member 75 which can be engaged with the ratchet teeth 73 of the rotation restricting gear 70 fixed to the shaft of the motor 51, and a stopper member 75 for disengaging the stopper member 75 with the ratchet teeth 73. And a return spring 77 that urges the stopper member 75 in the direction of engagement with the ratchet teeth 73.
A mounting plate 81 is inserted into and fixed to a fitting-type mounting portion 80 formed on the side wall of the middle case 55 and the side wall of the right case 54 and the left case 56 which becomes the back surface portion 78 of the casing 53.

The stopper member 75 is supported by a hook portion 82 extending from the mounting plate 81 with its upper end serving as a fulcrum. When the stopper member 75 is engaged with the ratchet teeth 73, it is located substantially in the tangential direction of the rotation regulating gear 70. Is set to engage with the ratchet teeth 73.

On the side of the stopper solenoid 76, an opening 84 is formed in the partition wall 66 of the middle case 55 for passing the wiring 83 of the stopper solenoid 76. The space between the middle case 55 and the right case 54 is formed as a wiring space for the wiring 83 of the stopper solenoid 76 and the wiring 85 of the motor 51, and these wirings 83, 85
The right case 54 is drawn out of the casing 53 through a wiring port 86 formed together with a heat radiation hole 72 behind the motor 51.

The driving of the motor 51 of the ball discharging unit 41 and the driving of the stopper solenoid 76 are controlled by the discharge control device 43.

When a ball is to be ejected based on a ball lending request from the card ball lending unit 2 or a prize ball signal from the game control device 42, a stopper member 75 is attached to the ratchet teeth 73 of the rotation regulating gear 70 as shown in FIG. Engages with the rotation regulating gear 70
In addition, from the initial state in which the rotation (clockwise in FIG. 5) of the sprockets 62a and 62b is prohibited, the stopper solenoid 76 is driven (excited), and immediately after that, the driving of the motor 51 is started.

The stopper member 75 is attracted by the excitation of the stopper solenoid 76, and the stopper member 75 is separated from the rotation regulating gear 70, while the driving of the motor 51 is transmitted to the ball sending section 50 via the gears 68, 74, 63. The rotation is transmitted, and the rotation of the sprockets 62a and 62b is started.

Thus, the ball discharge channels 58a, 58b
Are inserted into one ball receiving portion 61 of each of the sprockets 62a and 62b, and are sent out (discharged).

In this case, the motor 51 is, for example, 1/8 of a rotation with six pulses, and the sprockets 62a, 62b are
Of the sprockets 62a and 62b and the phase of the
/ 16 rotation), the balls are alternately discharged one by one from the sprockets 62a and 62b every １ ／ rotation of the motor 51. For example, when the required number of discharged balls is seven, the motor 51 is, for example, 6 × 7 = 42 pulses and the sprockets 62a and 62b are rotated 7/16.

Then, before the driving of the predetermined rotation of the motor 51 corresponding to the required number of ejected balls is completed (for example, before the last few pulses (<6 pulses)), the stopper solenoid 7 is provided.
6 is turned off (demagnetized), and the motor 51 is stopped by the end of driving of the motor 51 for a predetermined rotation.

Therefore, while the last ball of the request is properly discharged, the stopper member 75 contacts the sliding portion on the back surface of the ratchet tooth 73 of the rotation regulating gear 70 by the urging force of the return spring 77, and Is stopped, the corresponding ratchet teeth 73 are engaged, and the discharge of the ball is completed.

The balls discharged from the ball discharge unit 41 are paid out to the upper plate 21 and the like on the front side of the gaming machine 1 via a flow path switching unit (not shown) and a discharge path.

As described above, when the ball discharging unit 41 finishes discharging the ball, the stopper member 7 is attached to the rotation regulating gear 70.
5, the rotation of the sprockets 62a, 62b is restricted, so that the sprockets 62a, 62b may be moved depending on the direction in which the balls of the sprockets 62a, 62b are fed or the inertia of the balls.
2b does not rotate excessively, and the sprockets 62a, 62
The position of 2b can be accurately controlled, and the required number of balls can be accurately discharged by driving the motor 51.

In this case, the stopper member 75 is engaged with the rotation restricting gear 70 fixed to the shaft of the motor 51 to restrict the rotation of the motor 51 and the sprockets 62a and 62b. It can be performed accurately without play and without the influence of play between the driving gear 68, the transmission gear 74, and the driven gear 63. Therefore, good controllability of the stopper solenoid 76 for driving the motor 51 and the stopper member 75 can be obtained, and adjustment of these controls can be easily performed.

The play between the driving gear 68, the transmission gear 74, and the driven gear 63 is allowed on the sprockets 62a, 62b side.
2b may be set.

Further, the motor 51 and the rotation restricting means 52 (the solenoid 76 for the stopper and the stopper member 75) are arranged above the ball sending section 50,
3 is easy to assemble the sphere sending unit 50, which is to be assembled last.

The casing 53 is formed in a three-part structure including a right case 54, a middle case 55, and a left case 56, and the space between the middle case 55 and the right case 54 is used as a wiring space for wiring the solenoid 76 for stopper. Since the wiring 83 and the wiring 85 of the motor 51 are drawn out of the casing 53 through the wiring opening 86 of the right case 54, the wiring can be easily performed without complexity. The motor 5 is attached to the middle case 55.
Since the mounting portion of the first and the rotation restricting means 52 is formed and mounted, the mounting to the casing 53 can be performed more easily, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced. That is, after the drive source is attached to the middle case 55, the ball sending section 50 is arranged at a predetermined position on the left case 56 and the right case 54, and the left case 56 and the right case 54 are attached to the middle case 55. Easy.

In the embodiment, the motor 51 is arranged on the middle case 55 and the right case 54 side, and the rotation restricting means 52 is arranged on the middle case 55 and the left case 56 side.
A wiring space is formed in the space between the right case 54 and the right case 54, and the wiring port 86 is formed in the right case 54. The motor 51 is provided on the middle case 55 and the left case 56 side, and the rotation restricting means 52 is provided on the middle case 55. A wiring port 86 may be formed in the left case 56 by arranging the space between the middle case 55 and the left case 56 as a wiring space.

A worm gear may be used for transmitting the rotation of the motor 51.

It should be understood that the embodiments disclosed this time are illustrative in all aspects and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined by the terms of the claims, rather than the description above, and is intended to include any modifications within the scope and meaning equivalent to the terms of the claims.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a gaming machine.

FIG. 2 is a rear view of the gaming machine.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the ball discharging unit according to the embodiment as viewed from an obliquely left direction.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the same seen from the right oblique direction.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the same seen from the left side.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view similarly viewed from the left oblique direction.

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a ball sending section.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 gaming machine 2 card ball rental unit 21 upper plate 23 lower plate 37 ball storage tank 41 ball discharge unit (game ball discharge device) 42 game control device 43 discharge control device 50 ball sending section 51 motor 52 rotation control means 53 casing 54 Right case 55 Middle case 56 Left case 58a, 58b Ball discharge channel 61 Ball receiving portion 62a, 62b Sprocket 63 Follower gear 66 Partition wall 68 Drive gear 70 Rotation regulating gear 73 Ratchet tooth 74 Transmission gear 75 Stopper member 76 Stopper solenoid 76 Stopper solenoid 77 return spring 80 mounting part 84 opening 86 wiring port

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A game ball discharging device for discharging a game ball in response to driving of a motor, comprising: a pair of sprockets each having a plurality of ball receiving portions formed on an outer periphery thereof; A ball sending portion provided with a driven gear receiving rotational power for rotating the sprocket as much as possible, wherein the ball sending portion is arranged such that the ball receiving portions on the outer periphery of the pair of sprockets face the corresponding ball discharge channels. A driving gear for transmitting rotational power to a sprocket of the ball sending-out part, and a rotation restricting gear for restricting the rotation of the sprocket so as to be synchronously rotatable on the shaft of the motor. A rotation restricting means is provided for restricting the rotation of the sprocket via the rotation restricting gear. The ball discharge passage is formed, and the motor and the rotation restricting means are provided above the ball sending section. set on Te, these motors, rotation restricting means, the game ball discharge apparatus characterized in that it comprises a casing for accommodating the ball delivery unit. 2. The casing according to claim 1, wherein the casing is a right case, a middle case,
It is formed in a three-part structure of the left case, and the mounting part of the motor and the rotation restricting means is formed in the middle case, and the space between the middle case and the right case or the space between the middle case and the left case is formed. 2. The game ball discharging device according to claim 1, wherein one of them is a wiring space for the motor and the rotation restricting means, and the wiring is passed from one of the right case side and the left case side.