JP2002172239A - Game machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a game machine having a ball paying-out device capable of paying out balls by reversibly rotating a ball discharge body, while the ball receiving sections of the ball discharge body receive balls each at the top dead center. SOLUTION: This game machine is provided with the ball paying-out device 20 sorting and paying out the balls B received by the ball receiving sections 72 and 76 by the reversible rotation of the ball discharge body 70 having the ball receiving sections 72 and 76 receiving the balls B. The ball receiving sections 72 and 76 receive the balls B each at the top dead center, and the balls B are discharged before the ball receiving sections 72 and 76 reach respectively the next top dead centers by the rotation of the ball discharge body 70. No ball is left in the ball receiving sections 72 and 76 when the ball discharge body 70 is reversed, and the rotation of the ball discharge body 70 is not blocked by the presence of remaining balls.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a game machine such as a pachinko machine and an arrangement ball provided with a ball dispensing device for distributing and dispensing balls.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A gaming machine is provided with, for example, a ball payout device for paying out balls (referred to as prize balls) corresponding to the number of prize balls and paying out balls (referred to as lent balls) corresponding to the number of ball rentals. There is a pachinko machine. The ball dispensing device has a sprocket-shaped ball sending body having a plurality of ball receiving portions (e.g., six rows in each row and a total of 12 balls in two rows) on the outer periphery thereof, and It is known that a ball is received by the ball receiving portion by forward and reverse rotation, and the ball is distributed to a prize ball or a rental ball and paid out. In each of the passages through which the balls allocated to the prize balls or the ball rentals pass separately, detection means for detecting the passing balls are arranged. By detecting the ball by each detecting means, it is recognized whether the ball paid out from the ball payout device is a prize ball or a lending ball.

[0003]

By the way, in the above-described ball dispensing apparatus, it is conceivable to adopt a configuration in which each ball receiving portion of the ball sending body receives the ball at the top dead center and discharges the ball near the bottom dead center. Can be However, taking the above configuration,
For example, when the ball sending body has a total of 12 ball receiving parts in six rows and two rows in total, the balls received by the ball receiving part at the top dead center are the next two to three balls due to the rotation of the ball sending body. It is not released until the ball catch reaches top dead center. For this reason, when the rotation of the ball sending body is stopped, the balls remain in the two or three ball receiving portions in the rotation direction before stopping. The ball remaining in the ball receiving portion (this is referred to as a remaining ball) forms an uneven contour on the outer peripheral portion of the ball sending body.

[0004] On the other hand, balls that are waiting to be supplied to the ball sending body from the next time (hereinafter referred to as standby balls) are waiting in a line in a ball passage extending above the ball sending body. . For this reason, the lowermost standby ball receives a corresponding ball pressure.

[0005] Therefore, when the ball sending body is reversed with the ball remaining in the ball receiving portion, the standby ball at the lowermost end of the ball passage fits into the recess in the uneven contour of the remaining ball. In addition, there is a problem that rotation of the ball sending body is hindered. Therefore, conventionally, it has been difficult to realize a ball dispensing device in which the ball receiving portion of the ball sending body receives the ball at the top dead center.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a ball dispensing device capable of dispensing a ball by rotating the ball dispensing body forward and backward, while the ball receiving portion of the ball dispensing body receives the ball substantially at the top dead center. To provide a gaming machine.

[0007]

To achieve the above object, a gaming machine according to a first aspect of the invention has a gist as set forth in claim 1 of the appended claims. With this configuration, the ball payout device sorts and pays out the ball received by the ball receiving unit by the forward / reverse rotation of the ball sending body. The ball receiving portion receives the ball at approximately the top dead center and releases the ball until the next ball receiving portion reaches the approximately top dead center by the rotation of the ball sending body. Note that the substantially top dead center includes the top dead center and a rotation angle around the top dead center. Therefore, there is no remaining ball left in the ball receiving portion when the ball sending body reverses, and the rotation of the ball sending body is not hindered by the presence of the remaining ball. For this reason, while the ball receiving portion of the ball sending body receives the ball at approximately the top dead center, the ball can be paid out by rotating the ball sending body forward and backward.

[0008] The gist of the gaming machine according to the second invention is as set forth in claim 2 of the claims. With this configuration, the ball dispensing control unit does not reverse the ball sending body until the ball receiving unit stops rotating the ball sending body until the position at which the ball receiving unit substantially reaches the top dead center is set as the rotation stop position. That is, since the ball is released until the ball receiving portion reaches approximately the top dead center, there is no remaining ball left in the ball receiving portion at the time of reversal of the ball sending body, and the ball sending body is present due to the presence of the remaining ball. Rotation is not hindered.

The gist of a gaming machine according to a third aspect of the present invention is as described in claim 3 of the claims. With this configuration, by the rotation of the ball sending body, the inclined wall surface of the preceding ball receiving portion forms a slope from which the ball can be released before the next ball receiving portion substantially reaches the top dead center. For this reason,
When the ball received by the ball receiving portion rolls on the inclined wall surface, the ball can be easily released from the ball receiving portion.

The gist of a gaming machine according to a fourth aspect of the invention is as set forth in claim 4 of the appended claims. With this configuration, since the inclined wall surface of the ball receiving portion forms a slope that descends outward in the radial direction, the ball is easily released from the ball receiving portion using centrifugal force due to the rotation of the ball sending body. be able to.

Further, a gaming machine according to a fifth aspect of the present invention has a gist as set forth in claim 5 of the claims. With this configuration, for a plurality of rows of ball passages,
By the rotation of one ball sending body, the balls can be paid out alternately one ball at a time from the ball receivers in adjacent rows, and the number of payouts per rotation can be increased as compared with the case of a single row. .

[0012]

[First Embodiment] A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Embodiment 1
Is an application of the present invention to a pachinko machine which is one of gaming machines. FIG. 1 shows a rear view of the pachinko machine. In FIG. 1, a front frame 11 is mounted on a front side of the outer frame 10 of the pachinko machine 1 (a back side of the paper in FIG. 1) via a hinge means (not shown) so as to be openable and closable. In addition,
Although not shown, the front frame 11 is provided with a glass door, a front plate, an upper plate and a lower plate, a handle device, and the like, as is well known.

A base frame 12 is mounted on the rear side of the front frame 11 (on the front side of FIG. 1). A game board (not shown) is detachably incorporated in the base frame 12. The periphery of the game board is pressed against the base frame 12 by a mechanism plate 13 (also called a back set plate, a back mechanism plate, or the like). A ball guiding gutter (not shown) is attached to the rear side of the game board, and a back cover body 14 that covers the ball guiding gutter is attached to be openable and closable. Back cover body 14
On the rear side, a main control board box 18 is mounted. The main control board box 18 accommodates a main control board (reference numeral 100 in FIG. 23).

The mechanism plate 13 is formed in a frame shape surrounding the back cover body 14. The mechanism plate 13 is attached to the base frame 12 so as to be openable and closable.
Is closed by With the mechanism plate 13 opened, a game board (not shown) can be attached to and detached from the base frame 12. Further, by closing the mechanism plate 13, the game board is pressed against the base frame 12. Although not shown, in the game area of the game board, as is well known, there are provided an accessory device having a general winning opening, a specific winning opening, a gate opening, a symbol display device, and the like.

A ball tank 16 is provided above the mechanism plate 13.
And a tank rail 17. Ball tank 16
Inside, spheres (also referred to as pachinko spheres, denoted by reference numeral B) are stored. The tank rail 17 is provided in an inclined shape. The upstream end (left end in FIG. 1) of the tank rail 17 is connected to the ball tank 16. The downstream end (the right end in FIG. 1) of the tank rail 17 is connected to a ball payout device 20 (described later). The tank rail 17 causes the balls B flowing down from the ball tank 16 to flow down to the ball discharging device 20 while aligning the balls B in front and rear two rows. A sub-board box 19 containing a sound control board, a lamp control board (not shown), and the like is mounted below the mechanism plate 13.

A ball dispensing device 20 is mounted on one side (the right side in FIG. 1) of the mechanism plate 13 with screws or the like (not shown). 2 is a rear view of the ball dispensing device 20, FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line III-III of FIG. 2, and FIG.
VII-VII line sectional view of FIG. FIG. 2
Is a cover 20A and a ball payout motor 8 shown in FIG.
6 is a rear view of the ball dispensing device 20 excluding 6 (described later).

The ball dispensing device 20 includes a case 21, a ball sending body 70, a ball dispensing motor 86, a passage switching member 90 shown in FIG. 3, and various detectors 81 and 82 shown in FIG.
83, 88, etc. The details will be described below in order. FIG.
As shown in FIG. 5, the case 21 is formed in a substantially vertically rectangular box shape by connecting a front case half 22 and a rear case half 32, which are substantially half-shaped. The two case halves 22, 32 are connected, for example, by screw means (not shown). A cover 20A that covers the rear surface of the rear case half 32 (left side in FIG. 3) is detachably attached to the rear side (left side in FIG. 3). The two case halves 22, 32 and the cover 20A are each formed by, for example, resin molding.

A partition plate 31 is sandwiched between the upper halves of the front case half 22 and the rear case half 32. The inside of the upper half of both case halves 22, 32 is divided into two front and rear rows (two right and left rows in FIG. 3) by the middle partition plate 31. The middle partition plate 31 is formed of, for example, a metal plate such as a stainless plate, and a part thereof is electrically connected to the outside of the ball dispensing device 20 to ground static electricity charged on the ball flowing down in the ball passage. It also performs the function of doing.

As shown in FIG. 7, the two case halves 2
Inside 2, 32, the upper ball passage 40, the ball distribution room 45, the prize ball passage 50, the ball lending passage 53, the merging passage 57, and the payout which constitute a ball passage in which the ball B flows down from top to bottom. A passage 60, a branch passage 62, and a ball passage 68 are formed.
The upper spherical passage 40 is, as shown in FIG.
1 is formed in two rows before and after. In addition, each passage 4 that constitutes a ball passage through which the ball B flows from top to bottom
0, 45, 50, 53, 57, 60, 62, and 68 have a passage cross-sectional area that allows the ball B to flow down with a margin.

As shown in FIG. 7, the lower end of the ball sorting chamber 45 communicates with a prize ball passage 50 and a ball lending passage 53. A merging passage 57 communicates with lower ends of the prize ball passage 50 and the ball lending passage 53. Further, at the lower end of the merging passage 57, a payout passage 60 and a ball ejection passage 68 are provided.
Are in communication. Also, at the lower end of the dispensing passage 60,
The branch passage 62 communicates.

In FIG. 7, the two case halves 22, 3 are shown.
2, a pair of passage side walls 41 of the upper ball passage 40 and a pair of passage side walls 4 of the ball distribution chamber 45 are provided.
6, a pair of passage side walls 51 and 54 forming the outer walls of the prize ball passage 50 and the ball lending passage 53, and the prize ball passage 50 and the ball lending between the passage side walls 51 and 54. Partition wall 55 for partitioning the passage 53, a pair of passage side walls 58 of the merging passage 57, and the dispensing passage 6.
A pair of passage side walls 61 and a passage side wall 62a of the branch passage 62 are formed. Further, as a pair of passage side walls of the ball passage passage 68, one (the right side in FIG. 7) of the discharge passage 60, and the surrounding walls 23, 33 surrounding the outer peripheral portions of the two case halves 22, 32. Some are also used. Also, the passage side wall 6 of the branch passage 62
2a, the enclosing walls 23, 3 of the two case halves 22, 32
Part 3 is also used. Note that the front case half 2
The enclosure wall 23 of FIG. 2 is partially shown in FIG. 13 showing an inner view of the main part of the case half 22, and the enclosure wall 33 of the rear case half 32 is the main part of the case half 32. This is partially shown in FIG. 15, which shows an internal view.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a frame control board 84 is mounted on the lower rear portion of the rear case half 32. The frame control board 84 includes a main control board 100 (see FIG. 2) in the main control board box 18 (see FIG. 1).
3). The frame control board 84 is covered with the cover 20A (see FIG. 3). The collective output terminals 84a of the frame control board 84 are exposed through holes 20a provided in the cover 20A (FIG. 3).
reference).

The upper and lower rows of upper spherical passages 40 shown in FIG. 3 are bent substantially in an S-shape as shown in FIG. Each upstream end 40a of each upper spherical passage 40 communicates with the downstream end of each row of the tank rails 17 (see FIG. 1) (see a two-dot chain line 17 in FIG. 7). Thereby, the ball B flowing down from the tank rail 17 flows into the upper ball passage 40.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VI-VI of FIG. 2. As shown in FIG. 6, one of the pair of passage side walls 41 of the upper spherical passage 40 has a lower side near the upstream end 40a (see FIG. 7). The passage side wall 41 located at
2 through the support walls 24 and 34 formed in the upper spherical passage 4.
It is arranged only in the vicinity of the center in the front-rear direction 0 (left-right direction in FIG. 6). Thus, openings 25 and 35 are formed in the lower passage side wall 41 to communicate the inside and outside of the upper spherical passage 40. Therefore, dust falling along with the ball B flowing down to the upper ball passage 40 from the upstream side can be easily discharged out of the case through the openings 25 and 35 (see arrows in FIG. 6).

As shown in FIG. 7, a ball cut detector 83 is provided at the upper end of the case 21. The ball cut detector 83 detects that the supply of the ball B from the tank rail 17 (see FIG. 1) to each of the upper ball passages 40 is interrupted (so-called ball cut), and outputs the signal to the main control board 1.
00 (see FIG. 23) or the frame control board 84 (see FIGS. 3 and 2).
3). On the basis of this, the main control board 100 or the frame control board 84 turns on a ball-out notification lamp (not shown) installed at a predetermined position of the pachinko machine 1 (see FIG. 1) to provide a ball lending and a prize. The payout of any ball stops immediately. As a result, when the ball has run out, the rotating operation of the ball delivery body 70 is stopped in a state where the last ball (also referred to as the last ball) comes near the ball-break detector 83 in the upper ball path 40.

As shown in FIG. 7, both case halves 22, 3
2, upper opening holes 26 and 36 surrounding the lower end portions of both passage side walls 41 forming a downstream end (also referred to as an upper sphere supply port) 40b of the upper sphere passage 40 are formed.
Each lower end of each of the side walls 41 is formed as a first bending piece 42 in the shape of a projection having a small lateral width (width in the left-right direction in FIG. 3), so that elastic deformation or so-called bending deformation is possible. I have. 8 showing an enlarged view of a main part of FIG. 7 shows the state of elastic deformation of each first bending piece 42 of both passage side walls 41 by a two-dot chain line 42. Each of the first bending pieces 42 of both the passage side walls 41 is a main part inner view of the front case half 22 shown in FIGS.
FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line IV, FIG. 15 is a main part inner view of the rear case half 32, and FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XVI-XVI in FIG.

As shown in FIGS. 13 and 15, tapered slopes 42a are formed on the outer surfaces of the lower ends of the first bending pieces 42. As a result, the downstream end portions of the first bending pieces 42 are provided at the ball passages (the upper ball passages 4).
On the 0) side, a protruding portion protruding downstream (reference numeral 41)
A) is formed in a sharp cross section. The upper ball supply port 40b is substantially concentrically adjacent to a lower ball supply port (described later) 45a of the ball distribution chamber 45.

As shown in FIG. 5, which is a cross-sectional view taken along the line V--V in FIG.
0 is provided. The ball sending body 70 has a function of paying out a number of balls B corresponding to the number of winning balls when the balls B enter various winning holes of a game board (not shown), and the pachinko machine 1 (FIG. 1).
And a function of paying out the number of balls B corresponding to the number of ball rentals output from a ball-lending machine (not shown) installed in the ball-bending machine (not shown).
The ball sending body 70 is supported by the front case half 22 via a pin 85 so as to be rotatable around a substantially horizontal axis. The pins 85 are supported by bearings 28 provided on the front case half 22.

In FIG. 5, an output shaft 86a of a ball payout motor 86 is fitted to the rear end (the upper end in FIG. 5) of the ball sending body 70 so as to be capable of transmitting torque. As the ball payout motor 86, a motor that can rotate forward and backward, for example, a stepping motor is used. Ball payout motor 86
Is mounted on the rear side (the left side in FIG. 3) of the rear case half 32, and is covered by the cover 20A (see FIG. 3). Further, the ball payout motor 86 is provided with the main control board 100 (see FIG. 23) or the frame control board 84.
Rotation control is performed based on a payout signal output from (see FIGS. 3 and 23), and rotation control is performed based on a payout signal output from a ball-lending machine (not shown).

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of the ball sending body 70, FIG. 18 is a front view thereof, FIG. 19 is a side sectional view thereof, and FIG. 20 is a rear view thereof. As shown in FIGS. 17 and 19, the ball sending body 70 is formed by, for example, resin molding, and has a front sprocket portion 71 and a rear sprocket portion 71 arranged front and rear (right and left in FIG. 19) in the front half of the shaft portion 70A. It has a sprocket portion 75. Front sprocket 71
A plurality of (for example, three) substantially concave ball receiving portions 72 are provided at predetermined intervals (for example, 120
(Interval of °) (see FIG. 18). A plurality of (for example, three) substantially concave ball receiving portions 76 are formed at predetermined intervals (for example, at an interval of 120 ° in the case of three) on the outer peripheral portion of the rear sprocket portion 75. (See FIG. 20). Thus, the front sprocket portion 71
The phases of the respective ball receiving portions 72 of the rear sprocket portion 75 and the respective ball receiving portions 76 of the rear sprocket portion 75 are shifted from each other by a half pitch (for example, 60 ° for three) (see FIGS. 18 and 20). ).

A pin hole 70a is formed at the front end of the shaft 70A of the ball sending body 70 (FIGS. 18 and 19).
reference). A shaft hole 70b is formed at the rear end of the shaft portion 70A of the ball sending body 70 (see FIGS. 19 and 20). As shown in FIG. 5, the pin 85 is concentrically fitted in the pin hole 70a of the ball sending body 70, and the output shaft 86a of the ball discharging motor 86 is concentrically fitted in the shaft hole 70b. Mated.

In FIG. 5, prior to the fitting of the ball sending body 70 and the output shaft 86a of the ball payout motor 86, a position detecting member 87 is fitted to the output shaft 86a so as to transmit torque. . Further, as shown in FIG. 2, a detected portion 87a formed of a slit hole is provided on an outer peripheral portion of the position detecting member 87.
And substantially flange-shaped light shielding portions 87b are alternately formed in the circumferential direction. That is, the detected portion 87a is disposed between the light receiving portions 87b adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction of the position detecting member 87, and each of the ball receiving portions 72, 72 of the ball sending body 70 (see FIG. 17).
76, and at positions corresponding to the ball receiving portions 72 and 76 (six positions in the present embodiment). The “position corresponding to each ball receiver 72, 76” means the position of the detected part 87 a detected by the number-of-payout detector 88 when a certain ball receiver 72, 76 is located at the top dead center. Say. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, the number-of-payouts detector 88 is disposed on the rear side (the upper side in FIG. 5) of the rear case half 32. The number-of-payouts detector 88 is composed of, for example, a photo sensor, and optically detects each detected portion 87a of the position detecting member 87.

The number-of-payouts detector 88 and the position detecting member 87
21 and FIG.
This will be described with reference to FIG. For example, as shown in FIG. 21, when the ball sending body 70 is in a stopped state, the top dead end of the rear sprocket portion 75 which is one of the six ball receiving portions 72 and 76 of the ball sending body 70. The detected part 8 corresponding to the ball receiving part 76 located at the point (for convenience of description, the symbol (A) is added)
7a (for convenience of description, the symbol (A) is added) matches the number-of-payouts detector 88 disposed 90 ° to the right from the top dead center position of the ball sending body 70, and the ball receiving portion 76 (A ) Is formed at a position shifted by 90 ° to the right from the above.

Then, the ball sending body 70 rotates in, for example, a counterclockwise direction in FIG. 21 (see an arrow Y2 in FIG. 21), and the next ball receiving portion, that is, the ball receiving portion 76 (top dead center in FIG. 21) ( Front sprocket portion 71 located on the right side of A)
Ball receiving portion 72 (for convenience of explanation, reference numeral (b) is added)
Reaches the top dead center position as shown in FIG. At this time, the light shielding portion 87b of the position detecting member 87 (for convenience of explanation,
After the detection light of the number-of-payouts detector 88 is once shielded by the code (a), the detected part 87a that has reached the number-of-payouts detector 88 next (for convenience of description, the code (b) is replaced by Is detected by the number-of-payouts detector 88, and it is detected that the ball receiving portion 72 (b) has reached the top dead center.

Further, the ball sending body 70 rotates counterclockwise in FIG. 22 (see the arrow Y2 in the figure), and the next ball receiving portion, that is, the ball receiving portion 72 at the top dead center in FIG.
The ball receiving portion 76 of the rear sprocket portion 71 located to the right of (b) (the reference numeral (c) is added for convenience of explanation) reaches the top dead center position. At this time, after the detection light of the number-of-payouts detector 88 is once shielded by the light-shielding portion 87b of the position detecting member 87 (for convenience of explanation, reference numeral (b) is added), the number-of-payouts detector 88 is next. Detected part 87a that has reached
(For convenience of explanation, reference numeral (c) is added) is detected by the number-of-payouts detector 88, and it is detected that the ball receiving portion 76 (c) has reached the top dead center.

The detected parts 87a (A), 87a
Similarly, the detected parts 87a other than (b) and 87a (c) are the ball receiving parts 72 and 76 of the ball transmitting body 70, respectively.
Are formed at the positions corresponding to the. For this reason,
When each of the ball receiving portions 72, 76 reaches the top dead center position, the detected portion 87a is detected by the payout number detector 88, and the ball receiving portion 72, 76 corresponding to the detected portion 87a is moved upward. It is detected that a dead center position has been reached. Further, each of the detected parts 87a is not only rotated counterclockwise in FIG. 21 (see arrow Y2 in the figure) but also clockwise (see arrow Y1 in the figure).
Also in the rotation of, similarly to the above, the number-of-payouts detector 88 detects the number of payouts, and detects that each of the ball receiving portions 72 and 76 has reached the top dead center position.

A signal (in other words, a signal corresponding to the number of the balls B to be paid out) detected by the number-of-payouts detector 88 (see FIGS. 5 and 21) of each detected portion 87a of the position detecting member 87 is the main signal. It is output to the control board 100 (see FIG. 23) and the frame control board 84 (see FIGS. 3 and 23). That is, when the ball delivery motor 86 (see FIGS. 3 and 5) is driven based on a signal corresponding to the number of awarded balls or the number of balls for lending, the ball sending body 70 is rotated in a predetermined direction. An upstream end (also referred to as a lower ball supply port) of the ball distribution chamber 45 from the front and rear upper ball passages 40 (see FIG. 3) in two rows.
After the ball B flowing down to the ball 45a is received by the ball receiving portions 72 and 76 (see FIG. 8) of the two sprocket portions 71 and 75 before and after the ball sending body 70 one by one at the top dead center, the ball B The payout is distributed to the passage 50 or the ball passage 53. When the number of detected parts 87a of the position detecting member 87 detected by the number-of-payouts detector 88 (see FIG. 5) corresponds to the number of balls B to be paid out, the ball payout motor 86 is stopped, and the ball is sent out. The rotation of the body 70 is stopped.

Thus, each ball receiving portion 7 of the ball sending body 70
2, 76 (see FIG. 17) is the ball B received at the top dead center.
The next ball receiving part 72 or 76 is
Are formed so that they are released before reaching the top dead center. That is, as shown in FIGS. 18 and 20, the front or rear wall surface in the rotation direction of each ball receiving portion 72, 76 causes the next ball receiving portion 72 or 76 to reach the top dead center by the rotation of the ball sending body 70. The inclined wall surfaces 72a and 76a form an inclined surface from which the ball B can be released before reaching. Furthermore, the inclined wall surface 7
2a and 76a form a slope that goes down in the radial direction of each of the ball receiving portions 72 and 76.

Further, by the rotation of the ball sending body 70,
When the balls B of the ball receiving portions 72 and 76 are distributed and paid out to the award ball passage 50 or the ball lending passage 53 (see FIG. 8), the balls B are paid out in two front and rear rows. The released spheres B join in a single row of prize ball paths 50 or ball lending paths 53 as shown in FIG. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4 which is a cross-sectional view taken along the line IV-IV of FIG.
The front and rear walls of 32 (labeled with reference numerals 22a and 32a)
From the ball sorting room 45, the award ball passage 50 (and the ball rental passage 5)
It is bent in a substantially tapered shape over 3).

As shown in FIG. 8, a lower ball supply port 45 is provided at the upstream end of both passage side walls 46 of the ball distribution chamber 45.
Both passage side walls 47 forming a extend downward.
The lower ball supply port 45a is divided into front and rear by a partition piece 31a protruding at the center of the lower end edge of the middle partition plate 31.

In FIG. 8, lower opening holes 27, 37 surrounding the upper halves of both passage side walls 46 including both passage side walls 47 of the ball sorting chamber 45 are formed in both case halves 22, 32. The upper half of each passage side wall 46 including the passage side wall 47 is formed as a second flexure piece 48 in the shape of a protruding piece having a small lateral width (width in the left-right direction in FIG. 3), and is elastically deformed. It is formed so-called flexibly deformable. In FIG. 8, the state of elastic deformation of each second bending piece 48 on both side walls is shown by a two-dot chain line 48. Each of the second bending pieces 48 is well shown in FIGS.

As shown in FIGS. 13 and 15, tapered slopes 47a are formed on the outer surfaces of the lower ends of both side walls 47. Thereby, the ball passage (lower ball supply port 45a) is provided at the downstream end of each of the second bending pieces 48.
On the side, a protruding portion (reference numeral 47A) protruding in the downstream direction is formed to have a sharp cross section.

As shown in FIG. 8, a prize ball detector 81 for detecting the ball B paid out to the prize ball passage 50 is provided in the prize ball passage 50 (see FIG. 4). Prize ball detector 81
Is detected by the main control board 100
(See FIG. 23) and the frame control board 84 (see FIGS. 3 and 23). Further, in the ball-for-lending passage 53, a ball-for-lending detector 82 for detecting the ball B paid out to the passage is provided in the same manner as the prize-ball detector 81. The detection signal of the ball B detected by the ball rental detector 82 is transmitted to the ball rental machine 250.
(See FIG. 23) and the frame control board 84 (see FIGS. 3 and 23). The ball rental machine 250 is disposed at a predetermined position on the front side of the pachinko machine 1 (the back side of the paper in FIG. 1). The prize ball detector 81 and the ball lending detector 82 each include a proximity switch or the like.

When the number of balls B corresponding to the number of awarded balls or the number of balls for lending is insufficient in the number of balls B detected by the detector 81 for awarded balls or the detector 82 for a ball for lending, The signal corresponding to the shortage is the ball payout motor 8.
6, the ball sending body 70 is rotated in the predetermined direction by an amount corresponding to the shortage, and the required number of balls B are paid out without shortage.

As shown in FIG. 8, the prize ball passage 50 and the ball lending passage 53 join at a merging passage 57 downstream thereof. A passage switching member 90 is disposed downstream of the joining passage 57. The passage switching member 90 has a function of selectively guiding the ball B flowing down the merging passage 57 to the discharge passage 60 or the ball discharge passage 68, and includes the front case half 22 and the rear half. It is supported rotatably about a substantially horizontal axis via a pin 91 provided between the case half 32. The pins 91 are supported by pin receiving portions 29 and 39 provided on both case halves 22 and 32 (see FIG. 3).

As shown in FIG. 3, the passage switching member 90
The operating shaft 92a of the switching solenoid 92 is engaged with the rear end (the left end in FIG. 3). The switching solenoid 92 is mounted on the rear side (the left side in FIG. 3) of the rear case half 32, and is covered by the cover 20A. In addition, the switching solenoid 92 changes the position of the passage switching member 90 between the two positions based on the on / off state of a ball removal switch (not shown). That is, as shown by a solid line 90 in FIG. 8, when the switching solenoid 92 is turned off, the passage switching member 90 opens the dispensing passage 60 and the ball removal passage 6
8 is closed, the ball B of the merging passage 57 flows into the payout passage 60. As shown by the two-dot chain line 90 in FIG. 8, when the switching solenoid 92 is turned on and the passage switching member 90 closes the discharge passage 60 and opens the ball ejection passage 68, the ball B of the merging passage 57 is It flows to the drain passage 68.

As shown in FIG. 7, an upper guide wall 6 is provided at the center of the branch passage 62 communicating with the payout passage 60 on the downstream side.
3 are formed. As shown in FIG. 3, the front case half 22 is provided with an upper ball outlet 30A for discharging the ball B on the upper guide wall 63 down the discharge passage 60 to an upper plate (not shown). Have been. The upper surface 63a of the upper guide wall 63 is formed as a slope that is inclined downward toward the upper sphere outlet 30A.

As shown in FIG. 7, a lower guide wall 64 is formed at the center of the lower end of the branch passage 62. As shown in FIG. 3, the front case half 22 is provided with a lower ball outlet 30B for discharging a ball B spilling from the upper guide wall 63 and resting on the lower guide wall 64 to a lower plate (not shown). ing. The upper surface 64a of the lower guide wall 64 is formed as a slope that is inclined downward toward the lower ball outlet 30B.

Also, as shown in FIG.
A ball removal guide wall 65 is formed at the lower end of the ball removal passage 68 communicating with the ball. As shown in FIG. 3, the front case half 22 is provided with a ball discharge port 22A for flowing down the ball discharge passage 68 and discharging the ball B placed on the ball discharge guide wall 65 to the outside of the machine. The upper surface 65a of the ball removal guide wall 65 is formed on a slope that is inclined downward toward the ball removal port 22A.

Next, with reference to the block diagram of the control circuit shown in FIG. 23, the main control board 100 for realizing the pachinko game by the pachinko machine 1 (see FIG. 1) and the payout of the prize balls and the lending balls are controlled. A configuration example with the frame control board 84 will be described. The main control board 100 and the frame control board 84 are provided on the back side of the pachinko machine 1 (see FIG. 1). The main control board 100 mainly includes a CPU (processor) 110. The main control board 100 stores a game control program and necessary data (for example, a jackpot value).
112, a RAM 114 for storing data such as various random numbers and signals, an input processing circuit 102 for receiving signals sent from various input devices and converting them into a data format that can be processed in the main control board 100, a CPU 110 Output processing circuit 10 that operates various output devices (for example, solenoid 154) in response to operation data sent from
4. It has a display control circuit 106 that receives the display data sent from the CPU 110 and controls each display (for example, the ordinary symbol display 151), and a communication control circuit 116 that sends necessary signals to the frame control board 84 and the like. . These components are:
Both are coupled to a bus 118.

The CPU 110 executes a game control program stored in the ROM 112 to implement a game using the pachinko machine 1 (see FIG. 1). EP in ROM112
A ROM is used, and an SRAM is used for the RAM 114.
Any other type of memory may be used. Other types of memories include an EEPROM, a DRAM, and a flash memory.

The input processing circuit 102 includes, for example, a starting port sensor 140, a gate sensor 141, a winning sensor (V zone sensor or the like) 142, a prize ball detector 81, a ball lending detector 82, a payout number detector 88, It is connected to other sensors (frame open sensor etc.). Output processing circuit 104
Is connected to, for example, a solenoid 154 or the like. The display control circuit 106 is connected to a normal symbol display 151. The CPU 110 transmits a winning ball payout signal to the frame control board 84 via the communication control circuit 116. In addition, if necessary, necessary data is transmitted to, for example, a symbol control circuit, a sound control circuit, a lamp control circuit, and the like (not shown).

The frame control board 84 is configured around a CPU 210. The frame control board 84 includes a ROM 20 for storing a ball payout control program, a display control program, and the like.
2. RAM 20 for storing the number of unpaid balls, input / output signals, etc.
4. A communication control circuit 206 that receives a signal (prize ball payout signal or the like) transmitted from the main control board 100 and sends it to the CPU 210, the RAM 204, or the like, various detectors 81, 82, and 88.
An input processing circuit 212 connected to sensors and sensors, a display control circuit 214 of an unpaid ball display (not shown) composed of a liquid crystal display and the like, a drive circuit 216 of a ball payout motor 86,
The ball rental machine communication circuit 211 receives the ball rental machine payout information transmitted from the ball rental machine 250 by operating the ball rental key 253 for paying out the ball rental machine. All of these components are coupled to each other on bus 208.

Next, the internal processing when the pachinko machine 1 (see FIG. 1) is performing the prize ball payout operation, for example, the case where the prize ball payout operation is normally performed will be described. In FIG. 23, first, the CPU 1 of the main control board 100
10 detects the winning of the pachinko ball by the winning sensor 142, and calculates the number of winning balls to be paid out (prize ball payout information). The winning ball payout information is stored in the RAM 114 (storage means). On the other hand, an award ball payout instruction signal including the award ball payout information is transmitted to the frame control board 84 via the communication control circuit 116.

The CPU 210 of the frame control board 84 transmits the prize ball payout instruction signal including the prize ball payout information received from the main control board 100 through the communication control circuit 206 to the RAM.
204 (storage means). Also, the CPU 210
Calculates the target rotation angle of the ball payout motor 86 based on the prize ball payout information stored in the RAM 204. Then, the CPU 210 transmits a motor drive signal to the ball payout motor 86 via the drive circuit 216 based on the calculated target rotation angle to drive the ball payout motor 86. When the ball payout motor 86 is driven, the ball delivery body 70
(See FIG. 8) is rotated to execute the payout of the prize ball.

For example, the ball sending body 70 is rotated counterclockwise (FIG. 8).
When one pachinko ball is guided to the prize ball passage 50 by rotating it by 60 ° to the middle Y (see arrow Y2), for example, the target rotation angle corresponding to six prize balls is 360 ° counterclockwise.
It is. For this reason, the CPU 210 of the frame control board 84
So that the ball sending body 70 rotates 360 ° counterclockwise,
A drive signal is output to the ball payout motor 86 (see FIG. 5). During the rotation of the ball sending body 70, the number-of-payouts detector 8
8 (see FIG. 5) detects the detected portion 87a of the position detecting member 87, and confirms the number of dispensed ball sending bodies 70. Further, the ball sending body 70 stops after the last ball of each payout (the sixth ball in the above example) is paid out. However, the number-of-payouts detector 88 (see FIG. 5) directly outputs the last ball of the position detecting member 87. Is stopped when the detected portion 87a corresponding to is detected.

The prize ball detector 81 counts the number of actually won prizes (the number of pachinko balls guided to the prize ball passage 50), and outputs the count information to the CPU 21 of the frame control board 84.
0 is transmitted via the input processing circuit 212. CPU 21
0 updates the prize ball payout information by subtracting the count information from the prize ball payout information stored in the RAM 204. If the prize ball payout information is not “0 (zero)”, the above operation is repeated again at predetermined time intervals, and the prize ball payout information becomes “0”.
Run until The description of the internal processing using the count information of the prize ball detector 81 is an example, and another processing method may be used. For example, a prize ball may be executed until the total prize ball number of the prize ball payout information matches the total count information counted by the prize ball detector 81. The prize ball detector 81 counts the number of actually won prizes, and transmits the count information to the CPU 110 of the main control board 100 via the input processing circuit 102. The CPU 110 stores the count information transmitted from the prize ball detector 81 in the RAM 114
Is determined by subtracting from the total of the prize ball payout information stored in. Thereby, it is monitored whether or not the prize ball control is correctly performed. In this way, by feeding back the counting information, the number of prize balls to be paid out is reliably counted.

In the case of a ball lending machine, for example, the ball lending machine 250 installed in the pachinko machine 1 transmits information including the number of ball lending (ball lending payout information) to the frame control board 84. Frame control board 8
No. 4 CPU 210 transmits the ball rental payment information to the ball rental machine communication circuit 2.
11. And the ball rental information is RA
It is stored in M204. Subsequent processing is the same as in the case of the prize ball described above.

Next, the CPU 210 of the frame control board 84
The operation related to the payout of a ball will be described with reference to FIG. 24 showing a flowchart relating to the process of (see FIG. 23). Note that the CPU 210 corresponds to "ball payout control means" in this specification. In step S11, it is determined whether a prize ball or a lending ball is being paid out. If it is determined that the payout is being performed, the result is "Y (Yes)", and the process ends. If it is determined that payout is not being performed, the result is "N (No)", and the process proceeds to step S12.

In step S12, it is determined whether or not a prize ball is paid out. If it is determined that the prize ball is to be paid out, the result is "Y". In step S13, the ball payout motor 86 (see FIGS. 3 and 5) is set to rotate counterclockwise, and then the process proceeds to step S15. If it is determined that the prize ball has not been paid out, the result is "N".
After setting the clockwise rotation (see FIGS. 3 and 5),
Proceed to step S15.

In step S15, the ball payout motor 86
After rotating (see FIGS. 3 and 5), the process proceeds to step S16. In step S16, it is determined whether or not the number-of-payouts detector 88 (see FIG. 5) has detected the detected portion 87a (see FIG. 21) of the position detecting member 87. If it is determined that the detected portion 87a is not detected, the result is "N", and the process returns to step S15 to continue the rotation. If it is determined that the detected portion 87a has been detected,
It becomes "Y", and the number of payouts is counted up by "1" in step S17, and then the process proceeds to step S18.

In step S18, it is determined whether or not a predetermined number of payouts has been reached. If it is determined that the number of payouts has not reached the predetermined number, "N" is returned, and the process returns to step S15 to continue rotation. If it is determined that the number of payouts has reached the predetermined number, the result is "Y", and in step S19, the rotation of the ball payout motor 86 (see FIGS. 3 and 5) is stopped, and this processing is ended. At this time, the ball payout motor 86
Stops its rotation when one of the ball receivers 72, 76 of the ball transmitter 70 is located at the top dead center. Note that the above process is repeated many times in a short time (for example, every 4 ms).

By the above-described processing, while the ball sending body 70 (see FIG. 8) is rotating in one direction (for example, rotating counterclockwise for paying out prize balls), a signal requesting rotation in the opposite direction (for example, during rotation). For example, even if there is a ball lending payout signal), the rotation continues without reversing until the payout of the ball (for example, the payout of 15 prize balls) is completed. Then, the ball receiving portion (72 or 7) on which the last ball to be paid out (the fifteenth ball) is placed.
When the ball receiver (76 or 72) next to 6) reaches the top dead center, the rotation of the ball transmitter 70 is stopped. After this, the ball payout control means (CPU 210)
In the reverse direction (payout direction of the lending ball), and a predetermined number of payouts can be started. That is, the rotating ball sending body 70 is always stopped when the next ball receiving portion (72 or 76) after releasing the final ball reaches the top dead center. Therefore, in either the normal rotation payout or the reverse rotation payout, control is performed so that rotation starts only from the position where one of the ball receiving portions 72, 76 is at the top dead center. Thus, control is performed so that the intermediate portion between the adjacent ball receiving portions 72 and 76 of the ball sending body 70 does not stop at the top dead center or reverse from that position.

In the above-described pachinko machine 1 (see FIG. 1), when the ball rental machine 250 (see FIG. 23) disposed on the front side (the back side in FIG. 1) is operated, the ball rental machine starts to operate. The number of signals corresponding to the number of rented balls is transmitted to the frame control board 84.
(See FIGS. 3 and 23). Based on this, the ball payout device 20 (see FIG. 3) is used as described above by the payout signal output from the frame control board 84.
3 is controlled to rotate clockwise in FIG. At this time, as shown by a solid line 90 in FIG.
8 is closed.

Then, the ball sending body 70 is rotated clockwise in FIG. 8 (see the arrow Y1 in the figure) and at a rotation angle corresponding to the number of balls to be lent. Thereby, the ball sending body 70
Ball receiving portions 72 of both sprocket portions 71, 75 at
After receiving the ball B supplied from the upper ball passage 40, the ball 76 is distributed to the ball lending passage 53 and discharged.

More specifically, as shown in FIG. 8, assuming that the ball sending body 70 is in a stopped state, the ball receiving portion 76 located at the top dead center of the rear sprocket portion 75 of the ball sending body 70. The ball B that has passed through the upper ball supply port 40b and the lower ball supply port 45a of the ball distribution chamber 45 is received from the upper ball passage 40 (referred to as (A) for convenience of description).

Thus, the ball sending body 70 is rotated by one pitch in the clockwise direction in FIG. 8 (see the arrow Y1 in the figure). Note that one pitch here is one pitch including the ball receiving portions 72 and 76 of both sprocket portions 71 and 75, and is 60 ° in the case of six in the present embodiment.
Then, the state shown in FIG. 11 is obtained. In this state, the ball receiving portion 72 of the front sprocket portion 71 located to the left of the ball receiving portion 76 (A) of the next ball receiving portion, ie, the rear sprocket portion 75 at the top dead center in FIG. For the sake of explanation,
(B) is reached at the top dead center. Thus, the next ball B that has passed through the lower ball supply port 45a of the ball sorting chamber 45 falls and is received by the ball receiving portion 72 (B).

By the time the ball receiving portion 72 (B) of the front sprocket portion 71 reaches the top dead center, the front portion of the ball receiving portion 76 (A) of the rear sprocket portion 75 in the rotation direction is not reached. Since the inclined wall surface 76a forms a slope descending outward in the radial direction, the ball B received by the ball receiving portion 76 (A) rolls on the inclined wall surface 76a and is discharged into the ball lending passage 53 and falls. I do.

Further, when the ball sending body 70 is rotated by one pitch in the clockwise direction in FIG. 11 (see the arrow Y1 in the figure), the state shown in FIG. 12 is obtained. In this state, the ball receiving portion 76 (of the rear sprocket portion 75 located on the left of the ball receiving portion 72 (B) of the front sprocket portion 71 at the top dead center in FIG. For the sake of explanation, reference numeral (C) is added) reaches the top dead center. This allows
The next ball B that has passed through the lower ball supply port 45a of the ball sorting chamber 45 falls and is received by the ball receiving portion 76 (C). Thus, the ball receiving portion 76 (C) of the rear sprocket portion 75
By the time the ball reaches the top dead center, the inclined wall surface 72a on the front side (right side in FIG. 12) in the rotation direction of the ball receiving portion 72 (B) of the front sprocket portion 71 has a slope descending radially outward. To form the ball, the ball B received by the ball receiving portion 72 (B) rolls on the inclined wall surface 72a and is released to the ball-rental passage 53 and falls.

By the repetition of the above, the balls B discharged and dropped into the ball lending passage 53 are sequentially discharged through the merging passage 57 to the payout passage 60. In addition, the passage 53 for ball rental
Is detected by the ball-lending detector 82. As described above, the detection signal of the ball B by the ball-lending detector 82 is output to the ball lending machine 250 (see FIG. 23) and the frame control board 84 (see FIGS. 3 and 23). You. If the number of detected balls detected by the detector for ball rental 82 (see FIG. 8) is insufficient for the number of balls B corresponding to the number of ball rentals, a signal corresponding to the shortage is output to a ball payout motor. 8, the ball sending body 70 rotates in the direction of arrow Y1 in FIG. 8 by an amount corresponding to the shortage, and the required number of balls B are paid out without shortage.

The ball B paid out to the payout passage 60
Falls into the branch passage 62 shown in FIG. 7 and rolls on the upper sphere outlet 30A (see FIG. 3) from above the upper guide wall 63 located immediately below the payout passage 60, and finally the upper plate (not shown) Paid out.

When the ball B shot into the game area of the game board (not shown) flows into the winning opening, the ball B is detected by a winning opening detector (not shown). Based on this, when the signal output from the detector is output to the main control board 100 (see FIG. 23), the number corresponding to the number of prize balls output from the main control board 100 (see FIG. 23) Is output to the frame control board 84 (see FIGS. 3 and 23). Further, the ball payout device 20 (see FIG. 3) is operated by the payout signal output from the frame control board 84.
The ball payout motor 86 is controlled to rotate in a direction opposite to the rotation direction at the time of paying out the ball lending, that is, counterclockwise in FIG.

Then, the ball sending body 70 is rotated counterclockwise in FIG. 8 (see the arrow Y2 in the figure) and at a rotation angle corresponding to the number of winning balls. Thereby, the ball sending body 7
0 each ball receiving part 7 of both sprocket parts 71 and 75
After receiving the ball B supplied from the upper ball passage 40, the ball 2 is distributed to the winning ball passage 50 and released.

More specifically, as shown in FIG. 8, assuming that the ball sending body 70 is in a stopped state, as described above, the top dead center of the rear sprocket portion 75 of the ball sending body 70 as described above. The ball B passing through the upper ball supply port 40b and the lower ball supply port 45a of the sorting chamber 45 from the upper ball passage 40 is received by the ball receiving portion 76 (A) located at the position.

As a result, the ball sending body 70 is rotated by one pitch in the counterclockwise direction in FIG. 8 (see the arrow Y2 in the figure). Then, the state shown in FIG. 9 is obtained. In this state, the ball receiving portion 72 of the front sprocket portion 71 located to the right of the ball receiving portion 76 (A) of the next ball receiving portion, that is, the rear sprocket portion 75 at the top dead center in FIG. For convenience of explanation, reference numeral (b) is added) reaches the top dead center. As a result, the next ball B passing through the lower ball supply port 45a of the ball sorting chamber 45 falls and is received by the ball receiving portion 72 (b).

By the time the ball receiving portion 72 (b) of the front sprocket portion 71 reaches the top dead center, the front portion of the ball receiving portion 76 (A) of the rear sprocket portion 75 in the rotational direction is not reached. Since the inclined wall surface 76a forms a slope descending outward in the radial direction, the ball B received by the ball receiving portion 76 (A) rolls on the inclined wall surface 76a and is released into the prize ball passage 50 and falls. I do.

Further, when the ball sending body 70 is rotated by one pitch in the counterclockwise direction in FIG. 9 (see the arrow Y2 in the figure), the state shown in FIG. 10 is obtained. In this state, the ball receiving portion 76 (of the rear sprocket portion 75 located to the left of the next ball receiving portion, ie, the ball receiving portion 72 (b) of the front sprocket portion 71 at the top dead center in FIG. 9). For convenience of explanation, reference numeral (c) is added) reaches the top dead center. As a result, the next ball B passing through the lower ball supply port 45a of the ball sorting chamber 45 falls and is received by the ball receiving portion 76 (c). By the time the ball receiving portion 76 (c) of the rear sprocket portion 75 reaches the top dead center, the front sprocket portion 7
The ball receiving portion 72 (b) is received by the ball receiving portion 72 (b) because the inclined wall surface 72a at the front (the left side in FIG. 9) in the rotation direction of the first ball receiving portion 72 (b) forms a slope descending outward in the radial direction. The ball B, which has been rolling, rolls on the inclined wall surface 72a and is released into the prize ball passage 50 and falls.

By the repetition of the above, the balls B discharged and dropped into the prize ball passage 50 are sequentially paid out to the payout passage 60 through the merging passage 57. The prize ball passage 50
Is detected by the prize ball detector 81. As described above, the detection signal of the ball B detected by the prize ball detector 81 is transmitted to the main control board 100 (FIG. 23).
) And the frame control board 84 (see FIGS. 3 and 23). When the number of detected balls detected by the prize ball detector 81 (see FIG. 8) is insufficient for the number of balls B corresponding to the number of prize balls, a signal corresponding to the shortage is output to the ball payout motor. 8, the number of the sphere sending bodies 70 corresponding to the number of deficiencies is indicated by an arrow Y in FIG.
It rotates in two directions, and the required number of balls B are paid out without shortage.

By the way, when the ball sending body 70 (see FIG. 8) rotates in the arrow Y1 direction or the arrow Y2 direction, the ball B received by each of the ball receiving portions 72 and 76 is properly received by the ball receiving portion. If not, the ball B (specifically, the ball B) is placed under the passage side wall 47 of one of the second bending pieces 48 in the lower ball supply port 45a (that is, the front of the ball sending body 70 in the rotation direction).
) May cause “ball biting”.

In such a case, the ball B that enters the lower side of the passage side wall 47 of the second bending piece 48 and is caught is
With the rotation of the ball sending body 70, the ball is pushed up in the upstream direction of the lower ball supply port 45a. Along with this, the passage side wall 47 of the second bending piece 48 is temporarily displaced in the upstream direction of the lower ball supply port 45a by utilizing the elasticity of the second bending piece 48 (indicated by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 8). 48), the second bending piece 48 is restored by the elastic restoration. As a result, the ball B that generates ball biting is transferred to the ball receiving portions 72, 76 of the ball sending body 70.
When the ball is pushed back and received properly, the occurrence of ball biting is prevented.

At the same time, several pieces (for example, three to five pieces) located inside the first flexible piece 42 located on the upstream side of the second flexible piece 48 and waiting in a state where the ball pressure is applied. When the ball B receives the reaction force from the ball B that generates the ball biting, the ball B is alternately pushed out of the upper ball passage 40 with the rotation of the ball sending body 70. Along with this, both first flexures 42 utilize the elasticity of the upper flexures 42 to form upper spherical passages 4.
The spheres B are temporarily displaced outward in the direction of 0 (see a two-dot chain line 42 in FIG. 8), and the several balls B are laterally shifted. This allows
Although there are many balls waiting in a state where the ball pressure is applied upward, the ball B that generates ball bite can move upward. As a result, the ball B is pushed back to the correct position of the ball receiving portions 72 and 76 of the ball sending body 70 while avoiding the ball biting state, and is properly received. That is, the occurrence of ball biting is prevented. In addition, by the return of both the first bending pieces 42,
The deviation of the waiting ball B is corrected. As described above, the cooperation between the first bending piece 42 and the second bending piece 48 effectively prevents the occurrence of ball biting.

The ball B paid out to the payout passage 60 (see FIG. 7) falls into the branch passage 62 and
From the upper guide wall 63 located immediately below the upper sphere outlet 30
A (see FIG. 3) is rolled and paid out to an upper plate (not shown).

Further, an upper plate (not shown) is filled with a ball B for rented ball or award ball, and the ball B is filled with the upper ball outlet 30A.
(See FIG. 3). In this state, the ball B paid out to the payout passage 60 hits the upper guide wall 63 of the branch passage 62 (see FIG. 7) and rolls laterally, and then from above the lower guide wall 64 located at the bottom of the branch passage 62. Roll down the lower ball outlet 30B (see FIG. 3) and lower the plate (not shown).
Paid out.

The ball tank 16 and the tank rail 17
(See FIG. 1) and the upper ball passage 40 of the ball payout device 20
In order to discharge the ball B in the outside (see FIG. 7), a ball removal switch (not shown) is turned on. Then, the signal of the switch for removing the ball is transmitted from the main control board 100 (see FIG. 23) to the frame control board 84 (see FIGS. 3 and 23).
Is output to Based on this, the frame control board 84 (FIG. 3)
And FIG. 23), the passage switching member 90 is switched to a state in which the dispensing passage 60 is closed and the ball ejection passage 68 is opened (see a two-dot chain line 90 in FIG. 8). The rotation of the motor 86 (see FIG. 3) is controlled in either direction.

As a result, the balls B in the ball tank 16 and the tank rail 17 (see FIG. 1) and the upper ball passage 40 (see FIG. 7) of the ball payout device 20 are transferred to the prize ball passage 50 or the payout passage 60. It is discharged and flows down to the ball passage 68 (see FIG. 7) through the merging passage 57. The ball B discharged to the ball removal passage 68 rolls from the ball removal guide wall 65 through the ball removal port 22A (see FIG. 3) and is discharged outside the machine.

According to the pachinko machine 1 described above, the ball dispensing device 20 (see FIG. 7) receives the ball receiving portions 72 and 76 (see FIG. 8) at the top dead center by the forward and reverse rotation of the ball sending body 70. The ball B is released until the next ball receiver 72 or 76 reaches the top dead center. Therefore, unlike the conventional example, there is no remaining ball B left in each of the ball receiving portions 72 and 76 when the ball sending body 70 is reversed, and the presence of the remaining ball B causes the ball sending body 70 to rotate.
Rotation is not hindered. For this reason, while the ball receiving portions 72 and 76 of the ball sending body 70 receive the ball B at the top dead center, the ball sending body 70 is rotated forward and reverse to rotate the ball B
Can be paid out.

A position detecting member 87 corresponding to the stop position of each ball receiving portion 72, 76 of the ball sending body 70 (see FIG. 8).
Each of the detected portions 87a is formed on the other hand, and the detected portion 87a corresponding to the ball receiving portion 72 or 76 on which the final ball is placed is determined by the ball payout control means (CPU 210 of the frame control board 84). 5) (that is, after the last ball is placed on the ball receiving portion 72 or 76), the number-of-payouts detector 8
Until the next detection of the portion to be detected 87a, the ball sending body 7
The rotation of 0 is continued, and when the detected part 87a is detected, the ball sending body 70 is stopped as the rotation stop position, and control is performed so that the reverse rotation of the ball sending body 70 is allowed only at the rotation stop position. Therefore, as described above, the ball receiving portion (76) next to the ball receiving portion (72 or 76) on which the final ball is placed.
Or 72) reaches the top dead center and the corresponding detected portion 87a
The final sphere is released until is detected. For this reason,
With the final ball resting on the ball receiving portion 72 or 76, the ball sending body 7
0 does not reverse. Therefore, when the ball sending body 70 rotates in the reverse direction, there is no remaining ball left in the ball receiving portion 72 or 76. Therefore, the remaining ball placed on the ball receiving portion 72 or 76 and the standby ball do not rub against each other, so that the rotation of the ball sending body 70 is not hindered or stopped.

By the rotation of the ball sending body 70, each inclined wall surface 72a, 76a of the ball receiving portion 72 or 76 before the next ball receiving portion 72 or 76 (see FIG. 8) reaches the top dead center.
76a forms a slope from which the ball B can be released (FIGS. 9 to 1).
2). Therefore, the ball B received by the ball receiving portion 72 or 76
Can be easily released from the ball receiving portions 72 and 76 by rolling on the inclined wall surfaces 72a and 76a.

The inclined wall surfaces 72 of the ball receiving portions 72, 76
Since a and 76a (see FIG. 18) form a slope descending outward in the radial direction, the ball B is easily received from each of the ball receiving portions 72 and 76 by utilizing the centrifugal force generated by the rotation of the ball sending body 70. Can be released.

Further, with respect to a plurality of rows of ball passages (corresponding to the upper ball passages 40), the rotation of one ball sending body 70 causes the ball receivers 72 or 76 (see FIG. 17) of the adjacent rows to alternate one by one. The balls B can be paid out by balls, and the number of payouts per rotation can be increased as compared with the case of a single row.

The ball receiving portions 72, 76 of the ball sending body 70
Are reduced (for example, three per row of ball passages), and each ball receiving portion 72, 76 is formed shallow. Thus, the ball B of each of the ball receiving portions 72 and 76 can be released earlier until the ball sending body 70 rotates by one pitch or more. In this embodiment, the ball pressure of the ball B waiting in the upper ball passage 40 always acts on the ball B received by the ball receiving portions 72 and 76 from the lower ball supply port 45a. The ball B can be received even in a shallow ball receiving portion without spilling the ball B.

[Embodiment 2] Embodiment 2 of the present invention
Will be described with reference to the drawings. The second embodiment is a modification of the sphere sending-out body 70 of the first embodiment, so that the modified portion will be described in detail, and redundant description will be omitted. FIG.
5 is a perspective view of the ball sending body 70, and FIG. 26 is a front view thereof. As shown in FIGS. 25 and 26, the ball sending body 70 of this embodiment has a ball receiving portion 72 of a front sprocket portion 71 and a ball receiving portion 76 of a rear sprocket portion 75.
Are formed two by two. For this reason, the ball receiving portions 72 and 76 of the sprocket portions 71 and 75 are formed at intervals of 180 °. Therefore,
The phases of the ball receiving portions 72 of the front sprocket portion 71 and the ball receiving portions 76 of the rear sprocket portion 75 are shifted from each other by a half pitch, that is, 90 °.

According to the sphere sending body 70 of the second embodiment configured as described above, the sphere sending body 70 of the first embodiment (FIG. 1)
7 to FIG. 20), each ball receiving portion 72 of the front sprocket portion 71 and each ball receiving portion 7 of the rear sprocket portion 75.
One pitch including the number 6 is 90 °. Therefore,
The ball B received by the ball receiving portion 72 at the top dead center is sent to the ball sending body 7.
In the first embodiment, when the next ball receiving portion 72 discharges by the rotation of 0 until the next ball receiving portion 72 reaches the top dead center, the ball sending body 70 is rotated by 60 °.
In contrast to the fact that the ball B must be released before the rotation, in the second embodiment, the ball sending body 70 is set at 60 ° of 1.5 °.
Because it is only necessary to release the sphere B before rotating 90 degrees twice,
The degree of freedom of the shape of the ball receiving portion 72 can be increased.

[Embodiment 3] Embodiment 3 of the present invention
Will be described with reference to the drawings. The second embodiment is a modification of the sphere sending-out body 70 of the first embodiment, so that the modified portion will be described in detail, and redundant description will be omitted. FIG.
7 is a perspective view of the ball sending body 70, and FIG. 28 is a front view thereof. As shown in FIG. 27 and FIG. 28, a sphere delivery body 70 of this embodiment has a configuration in which the rear sprocket portion 75 in the first embodiment is eliminated, and corresponds to a single row of sphere passages. .

According to the ball sending body 70 of the third embodiment configured as described above, the ball sending body 70 (see FIG. 17) corresponding to the two rows of upper ball passages 40 (see FIG. 3) in the first embodiment.
20), the pitch of the ball receiving portion 72 in the rear sprocket portion 71 is twice the angle, that is, 120 degrees.
°. Therefore, the ball B received by the ball receiving portion 72 at the top dead center is transferred to the next ball receiving portion 7 by the rotation of the ball sending body 70.
It is only necessary to release the ball 2 before it reaches the top dead center (until it rotates 120 °), so that the degree of freedom of the shape of the ball receiving portion 72 can be increased.

[Embodiment 4] Embodiment 4 of the present invention
Will be described with reference to the drawings. The fourth embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the ball delivery is changed. Therefore, the changed portion will be described in detail, and redundant description will be omitted. FIG. 29 is a cross-sectional view of a main part showing a ball payout device, and FIG.
FIG. 31 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XXX-XXXI of FIG.
A line sectional view is shown. As shown in FIG. 29, the ball sending body (reference numeral 370) of this embodiment is provided with a U-shaped deep ball receiving portion 37 on the outer periphery of a sprocket portion 371.
6 are formed at intervals of 60 °.

Thus, each ball receiving portion 37 of the ball sending body 370
The front or rear wall in the rotation direction 2 is a sphere delivery body 370
The inclined wall surface 372a which forms a slope capable of discharging the ball B toward the front case half 322 of the case 321 (see FIGS. 30 and 31) before the next ball receiving portion 72 reaches the top dead center by the rotation of. FIG. 31). The inclined wall surface 372a forms an inclined surface that goes down in the axial direction of the ball receiving portion 372 (outward in the plate thickness direction, to the right in FIG. 31).

The ball sorting chamber 3 in the case 321
45 (see FIG. 29) is connected to the lower ball supply port 34.
It is formed so as to surround the peripheral surface other than 5a. Also, the two case halves 322, 332 in the case 321
Are provided so as to close both end surfaces of the ball sending body 370 as shown in FIGS. As shown in FIG. 31, the front case half 322 has a prize ball discharge port 350 through which the balls B released from the ball receiving portions 372 of the ball transmitter 370 pass, and a ball lending ball. The discharge port 353 (see two-dot chain lines 350 and 353 in FIG. 29) is open.

Also in this embodiment, the ball delivery body 37
When 0 (see FIGS. 29 to 31) is rotated from the stopped state to either side, the ball receiving portion 372 next to the sprocket portion 371 is rotated.
By the time the ball reaches the top dead center, the front inclined wall surface 372a in the rotation direction of the ball receiving portion 372 of the sprocket portion 371 (FIG. 3).
1) forms an inclined surface which goes down in the axial direction (outward in the thickness direction), so that the ball B previously received by the ball receiving portion 372 rolls on the inclined wall surface 372a and receives a prize ball. Through the discharge port 350 or the ball release ball discharge port 353 (see two-dot chain lines 350 and 353 in FIG. 29), it is discharged to a payout passage (not shown) on the downstream side. When the next ball receiving portion 372 reaches the top dead center, the next ball B that has passed through the lower ball supply port 345a of the ball sorting chamber 345 falls into the ball receiving portion 372 and is received.

In this embodiment, the ball receiving portion 372
The inclined wall surface 372a that forms a slope that descends radially outward on the front and rear wall surfaces in the rotation direction of
Need to be provided). For this reason, the ball sending body 370
The number of the ball receiving portions 372 can be increased to, for example, six or more, or the ball receiving portions 372 can be formed deep. Therefore, according to this embodiment, even if there is almost no ball pressure of the ball B waiting in the upper ball passage 40 (see FIG. 7), the ball B can be reliably sent out without spilling.

[0101]

As described above, according to the present invention,
There is no remaining ball left in the ball receiver when the ball transmitter is reversed, and the rotation of the ball transmitter is not hindered by the presence of the remaining ball, so that the ball receiver of the ball transmitter is almost at the top dead center. The ball can be dispensed by rotating the ball sending body forward and reverse while receiving the ball.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a rear view of a pachinko machine according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a rear view of the ball payout device.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line IV-IV of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line VV of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line VI-VI of FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line VII-VII of FIG. 3;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of a main part of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a main part showing a state in which a first winning ball is paid out.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a main part showing a state in which a second winning ball is paid out.

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of a main part showing a state in which the first ball is paid out.

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of a main part showing a state of dispensing a second ball.

FIG. 13 is an internal view of a main part of the front case half.

FIG. 14 is a sectional view taken along line XIV-XIV of FIG.

FIG. 15 is an internal view of a main part of a rear half of the case.

FIG. 16 is a sectional view taken along line XVI-XVI in FIG. 15;

FIG. 17 is a perspective view showing a ball sending body.

FIG. 18 is a front view of a ball sending body.

FIG. 19 is a side sectional view of a sphere delivery body.

FIG. 20 is a rear view of the ball sending body.

FIG. 21 is an explanatory diagram showing a relationship between a number-of-payouts detector and a detected part of a position detecting member.

FIG. 22 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the number-of-payouts detector and the detected portion of the position detecting member in a first winning ball payout state.

FIG. 23 is a block diagram of a control circuit.

FIG. 24 is a flowchart illustrating processing of a CPU of a frame control board.

FIG. 25 is a perspective view showing a sphere delivery body according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

FIG. 26 is a front view of a ball sending body.

FIG. 27 is a perspective view showing a sphere delivery body according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention.

FIG. 28 is a front view of a ball sending body.

FIG. 29 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view showing a ball dispensing apparatus according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention.

30 is a sectional view taken along the line XXX-XXX in FIG. 29.

FIG. 31 is a sectional view taken along the line XXXI-XXXI of FIG. 29.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Pachinko machine (game machine) 20 Ball dispensing device 40 Upper ball passage (ball passage) 70 Ball sending body 72, 76 Ball receiving portion 72a, 76a Inclined wall surface 370 Ball sending member 372 Ball receiving portion 372a Inclined wall surface B ball

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A ball dispensing device for distributing and dispensing a ball received by said ball receiving portion by forward and reverse rotation of a ball sending body having a ball receiving portion for receiving a ball, wherein said ball receiving portion is substantially deadly A gaming machine configured to receive a ball at a point and to release the ball by rotation of the ball sending body until the next ball receiving portion substantially reaches a top dead center. 2. The game machine according to claim 1, wherein the ball dispensing control means for controlling the rotation of the ball sending body sets a position at which the ball receiving portion substantially reaches a top dead center of the ball sending body. A gaming machine having a rotation stop position and allowing the ball sending body to reverse only at the rotation stop position. 3. The gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the ball receiving portion is capable of releasing a ball by the rotation of the ball sending body until the next ball receiving portion substantially reaches a top dead center. Gaming machine with an inclined wall that forms a simple slope. 4. The gaming machine according to claim 3, wherein the inclined wall surface forms a slope that descends radially outward of the ball receiving portion. 5. The gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the ball sending body has a plurality of rows of ball receiving portions corresponding to a plurality of rows of ball passages. A gaming machine wherein the ball receiving portions are formed so as to be shifted from each other by a predetermined angle with respect to a rotation direction of the ball sending body.