JP2003071102A - Storage/conveyance mechanism of pachinko ball - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a storage/conveyance mechanism of pachinko balls which is so constructed as to allow the smooth conveying of the balls without relying on a mechanical device such as a mini-lift while securing the substantial storage thereof within islands. SOLUTION: In the storage/conveyance mechanism of pachinko balls, a counter 5 is installed on an end wall of each pachinko island unit 1 and prize balls thrown into the counter 5 flow down the central side of the pachinko island unit 1 along a prize ball recovery gutter 71 installed on a specified gradient and drop into a prize ball storage tank 72 provided below the prize ball recovery gutter 71 to be stored temporarily. The balls further flow down through a prize ball conveying path 73 provided straight on a fixed gradient up to a hoisting polisher 63 from the bottom part of the prize ball storage tank 72 to be conveyed to the hoisting polisher 63.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a pachinko ball storage / transportation mechanism incorporated in a pachinko island stand.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a pachinko hall, a plurality of game machines (pachinko machines) are arranged side by side, and the rear surfaces of the machines are arranged in two rows to form a game machine group called an island. This island usually has multiple locations in the hall,
They are arranged in parallel. Each island is equipped with a pachinko ball storage / transportation mechanism corresponding to the number of game machines on that island. As a general rule, balls are circulated and used on the island, but if the amount of balls circulating on the island becomes excessive due to fluctuations in the number of customers and the ball output rate on each island, the balls were laid across multiple islands. Balls are exchanged between the islands via the inter-island supply route. FIG. 8 shows an outline of a pachinko ball storage / transportation mechanism on such an island.

On each island, a lower tank 81 is provided below the gaming machine p in order to collect and store the balls (out balls) hit by the customer in each gaming machine p. Lower tank 81
The balls stored in 1 are sequentially collected near the center of the island, and are simultaneously polished while being pumped to the top of the island by the pumping and polishing machine 82. The balls that have been pumped are temporarily stored in the upper tank 83.
After being stored inside, it is distributed and supplied to each gaming machine p through a supply gutter 84 provided on the upper part of the island. The balls supplied to each gaming machine p are stored in a winning ball tank 85 provided on the back surface of each gaming machine p, and are discharged to a bowl of the gaming machine p as a prize ball at the time of winning. Further, when the balls that have been pumped in excess of a predetermined amount overflow from the upper tank 83, they are returned to the lower tank 81 again through the supply hose 86.

A counter 87 for prize balls is provided on the end wall of the island. When the customer who has won the prize ball puts it into the counter 87, the prize ball is temporarily stored in the prize ball storage tank 88. When the amount of balls circulating in the island decreases, the balls in the prize ball storage tank 88 are sent to the lifting and polishing machine 82 as needed, and are recycled again.

[0005]

In the pachinko hall, it is required to store a sufficient amount of balls on each island and to circulate them smoothly at all times. For that purpose, it is necessary to design a storage tank having a certain capacity and a transportation route for easily moving the balls by effectively utilizing the internal space of the island. In general, a circulation amount of about 10,000 balls is required for each gaming machine, so in the case of an island consisting of about 40 gaming machines p as shown in FIG. 400,000 is a guideline for proper circulation.

By the way, in the storage / transportation mechanism as shown in FIG. 8, the counter 87 is installed on the end wall of the island, and thousands or tens of thousands of prize balls are thrown into the counter 87 at a stretch. Therefore, the prize ball storage tank 88 for storing it is also arranged in the vicinity of the end wall of the island. Therefore, when the balls in the prize ball storage tank are circulated again, the balls in the prize ball storage tank 88 are temporarily moved to the mini lift 89.
Then, it is sent from the mini lift 89 to the transfer gutter 90, and then sent to the lift polishing machine 82 provided in the center of the island.
However, it is not preferable to provide a large number of mechanical devices such as the mini-lift 89 in the transportation path of the balls, because they often cause a failure or the like and hinder daily business for repair or replacement thereof.

Therefore, the present invention is a pachinko ball having a structure capable of storing a large amount of balls inside the island and smoothly transporting the balls without relying on a mechanical device such as a mini lift. It is intended to provide a storage / transportation mechanism for

[0008]

In order to solve the above problems, the pachinko ball storage / conveyance mechanism of the present invention has a plurality of gaming machines arranged side by side with their backs facing each other and discharged from each gaming machine. In a pachinko island stand configured so that the out balls to be collected are collected from the end side to the center side in the parallel direction of the gaming machine, are pumped upward by the lifting and polishing machine, and are supplied to each gaming machine again. , A counter for collecting prize balls is installed on the end wall of the pachinko island stand, and the prize balls thrown into this counter are in the center of the pachinko island stand along the prize ball collecting gutter provided with a constant slope. While flowing down to the side, it drops into the prize ball storage tank provided below the prize ball collection gutter and is temporarily stored, and further continues from the bottom of the prize ball storage tank to the vicinity of the lifting polisher. Flows down the prize ball transfer path with a constant slope Characterized in that it is carried to the pumped polisher Te.

[0009] Since this structure has the prize ball transfer path which continues at a constant gradient from the bottom of the prize ball storage tank to the vicinity of the lifting and polishing machine, it is not necessary to provide a mechanical device such as a mini lift on this transfer path. There is no need to worry about malfunction of the mini lift.

In the present invention, by providing a shutter on a part of the prize ball conveying path, the prize balls can be smoothly recirculated at a necessary timing.

Along the length direction of the prize ball storage tank, a plurality of openings are provided at appropriate intervals in the flow path of the prize ball collecting trough so that the flowing down prize balls can be uniformly dropped in the gradient direction. It is possible to store a large amount of prize balls.

In the flow path of the prize ball collecting trough, it is preferable that a deflecting member for changing the flow of the prize balls is attached upstream of the opening. With this configuration, the amount of free gift balls stored can be made uniform in the length direction of the free gift ball storage tank.

Further, according to a further configuration of the present invention, a pachinko island stand has a lower stage unit installed below the gaming machine, and a middle stage unit installed almost according to the height of the gaming machine,
It consists of an upper unit provided above the gaming machine, and has a structure in which the lower unit and the upper unit are joined via the middle unit, and inside the lower unit there is formed a space that communicates in the island length direction. The prize ball storage tank is integrated into this space.

According to this structure, the storage / transportation mechanism of the pachinko balls, which has been conventionally prepared separately from the structure of the pachinko island stand, is integrated in the lower unit in advance, so that the site of the installation work. It is possible to significantly save labor for adjusting each part in the above, and to effectively utilize the internal space of the lower unit to maximize the capacity of the prize ball storage tank.

[0015]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

<Basic Structure of Pachinko Island Stand> First, the outline of the structure of the pachinko island stand will be described with reference to FIGS.

The exemplified pachinko island stand 1 is proposed by the present applicant in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-170056 in order to improve the workability of island construction in a pachinko hall. This pachinko island stand 1 is divided into three parts, a lower unit 2 forming a lower part, a middle unit 3 forming an intermediate part, and an upper unit 4 forming an upper part, and the lower unit 2 and the upper unit 4 are It is designed to be joined via a plurality of middle units 3.

The lower unit 2 includes a plurality of support frames 21 arranged at predetermined intervals along the length direction of the pachinko island stand 1, and a lower substrate 22 connecting the support frames 21 along the island length direction. , A shelf plate 23 horizontally attached to the upper part of the lower substrate 22 for mounting the game machine, a waist plate 24 attached to the outer side of the lower substrate 22, and a skirting board 25 for making up the floor contact portion of the support frame 21. And the like. The support frame 21 is a frame-shaped member in which a pair of support legs 211 standing upright in the width direction of the island are connected by a pair of upper and lower lateral beams 212, and the lower end of the support legs 211 is embedded in the floor surface. A base plate 214 for fixing the support leg 211 to the anchor bolt a is formed. On the horizontal beam 212, a lower support column 213 is provided upright at a position slightly inside the support leg 211 at a predetermined interval, and the middle unit 3 is joined to the lower support column 213.

The middle unit 3 is a substantially H-shaped structure in which a pair of intermediate columns 31 facing each other at the same intervals as the lower column 213 are connected via a connecting member 32, and the lower end of the intermediate column 31 is the lower column 213. Is joined to the upper end of the joint via a joint pipe 33. Further, the upper end of the intermediate support column 31 is joined to the lower end of the upper support column 41 in the upper unit via the joint pipe 34.

The upper unit 4 is a structure manufactured in accordance with the length of the lower unit 2, and the upper column 41 facing the upper unit 41.
And an upper frame 42 connected thereto, and an upper substrate 43 connecting them in the lengthwise direction, and are installed on the middle unit 3.

In this pachinko island stand 1, the lower unit 2, the middle unit 3 and the upper unit 4 described above are manufactured in advance in a factory, and the respective units are carried into the installation site in the state of being separated. At the installation site, first, the lower unit 2 is installed at a predetermined position on the floor, and then the middle unit 3 and the upper unit 4 are sequentially joined to each other for assembly. The joining means of the units of each stage is performed by fitting the support pipes (the lower support 213 and the upper support 41) of one unit to the joint pipes 33 and 34 of the other unit, respectively. The fitting pipes 33, 3 are provided in this fitting portion.
The fixing means is not limited to 4, and detachable fixing means such as a screw, a bolt nut, a taper pin, and a split pin may be used, or a permanent fixing means such as an adhesive may be used. Fine adjustment of the installation position and uprightness of the pachinko island stand 1 may be performed when the lower unit 2 is installed, or after the upper unit 4 is joined. With such a structure and an assembling method, the on-site work of the island construction in the pachinko hall is labor-saving, and the work time and the man-hour are reduced.

<Overall Structure of Pachinko Ball Storage / Transportation Mechanism> FIG. 3 shows a pachinko island stand 1 installed as described above.
FIG. 4 is a side view (about half of the length of the island is omitted), and FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of a pachinko ball storage / transportation mechanism incorporated therein. On the pachinko island stand 1 according to the illustrated embodiment, 10 gaming machines p are arranged in parallel with one side facing the back side, and 40 gaming machines p are arranged on the entire island.
Is installed. The pachinko balls used for games circulate in this island, and if a shortage occurs, it will be replenished from other islands through an inter-island supply path (not shown) that connects the upper part of the island. . A counter 5 for prize balls is installed on the end wall of the island. The gift balls won by the customers are collected from the counter 5 and are recycled again on the island.

The pachinko ball storage / conveyance mechanism on the pachinko island stand 1 shown in the figure has a main tank 61 provided at a substantially half portion on the center side of the lower unit 2, and a downstream side (center side of the island) end portion of the main tank 61. A ball collector 62 connected to the above, a lifting and polishing machine 63 standing upright at the center of the island, an upper tank 64 provided at the upper center of the island, and a downward inclination from the upper tank 64 toward the end of the island. Supply gutter 65 provided in, a supply pipe 66 connected from the supply gutter 65 to the winning ball tank of each gaming machine p, an upper sub-tank 67 provided in the upper unit 4 so as to branch from the supply gutter 65, an upper part A supply hose 68 that takes out balls from the downstream side (end side of the island) of the sub tank 67 and supplies them into the main tank 61, and a prize ball collection that is provided so as to descend downward from the counter 5 toward the center side of the island. Gutter 1, prize ball storage tank 7 which is provided below the prize ball collecting gutter 71 at its end side substantially half of the island
2. The prize ball storage path 72 connects the ball collector 62 to the prize ball transfer path 73.

The main tank 61 is a storage tank having the largest capacity on the island, and is installed so that the bottom surface is inclined downward toward the center of the island. Main tank 61
The balls stored in (1) are sequentially sent to the lifting and polishing machine 63 via the ball collector 62 connected to the downstream side of the main tank 61. The lifting and polishing machine 63 lifts the balls while polishing them,
It is transported to the upper tank 64. The balls stored in the upper tank 64 are supplied to each gaming machine p through the supply gutter 65, and a part of the balls are stored in the upper sub tank 67. The upper sub-tank 67 is installed so that the bottom surface is inclined downward toward the end of the island. An outlet with a shutter is provided on the downstream side of the upper sub-tank 67, and a supply hose 68 is connected to this outlet. Then, when the storage amount in the main tank 61 decreases, the balls in the upper sub tank 67 drop through the replenishment hose 68 and are replenished in the main tank 61. Further, the balls overflowing from the upper tank 64 fall through an overflow pipe 69 provided along the lifting and polishing machine 63, are returned to the main tank 61 and are stored therein.

<Preservation Ball Storage / Conveyance Mechanism> Of these storage / conveyance mechanisms, the main part of the present invention is a reward ball collection trough 71 communicating with the counter 5, and a reward ball storage tank provided thereunder. At 72. Hereinafter, these forms will be described. 5 is a perspective view showing the configurations of the prize ball collecting trough 71 and the prize ball storage tank 72, and FIGS. 6 and 7 are cross-sectional views taken along the line AA ′ and the position BB ′ in FIG. 4, respectively. .

The prize ball collecting trough 71 is a shallow groove-shaped trough opened upward, the upstream end of which is connected to the discharge port of the counter 5 and is provided so as to be inclined downward at a constant gradient toward the center of the island. Has been. In the flow path 711 of the prize ball collecting gutter 71, openings 712 are formed at appropriate intervals along both side walls. The shape of the opening 712 is an oblong rectangle or an oval extending in the gradient direction, and its opening area is the size of several pachinko balls. At the upstream side of each opening 712 in the flow path 711 of the prize ball collecting trough 71, a deflecting member 713 made of a plate piece having a triangular shape in plan view is attached.

Also, on both side edges of the prize ball collecting gutter 71,
Two out gutters 74 are formed integrally with the prize ball collecting gutter 71 so as to be parallel to the prize ball collecting gutter 71. The out gutter 74 is a shallow groove-shaped gutter that collects out balls from the gaming machines p (five in one example in this example) located on the end side of the island and flows down to the center of the island at any time. Ball collection gutter 71
It is slightly narrower than the above, the flow path is flat, and no opening is provided.

The prize ball storage tank 72 is a box-shaped tank having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape that opens upward, and is installed immediately below the prize ball collecting gutter 71 and the out gutter 74. The bottom plate 721 of the prize ball storage tank 72 is provided so as to descend and incline at a constant gradient toward the center of the island. In addition, the side plate 722 of the prize ball storage tank 72, as shown in FIG.
It is attached so as to be inscribed between both support legs 211 and 211 of the lower unit 2. A gutter support member 723 is bridged at an appropriate interval between the both side plates 722, and the gutter support member 723 supports the prize ball collecting gutter 71 and the out gutter 74.

The end wall on the downstream side (center side of the island) of the prize ball storage tank 72 is doubled. The inner end wall 724 is
The out gutter 74 is formed so as to pass the flow, and the prize ball collecting gutter 71 is formed so as to close the flow path 711.

A box portion 726 is formed between the inner end wall 724 and the outer end wall 725 to collect out balls falling from the downstream end of the out gutter 74 to one side. An out-ball take-out opening 727 is formed in the lower portion of the box portion 726, penetrating a part of the outer end wall 725. Further, a prize ball outlet 728 is also formed on the side of the out ball outlet 727, penetrating the inner end wall 724 and the outer end wall 725. However, the out ball outlet 727 and the prize ball outlet 7
28 is partitioned by a partitioning member 729 so that the balls flowing through the outlets do not mix with each other.

The flow of balls in the prize ball collection gutter 71 and the prize ball storage tank 72 thus configured is as follows. That is, when the prize balls are thrown into the counter 5, the prize balls immediately flow down the prize ball collecting trough 71 toward the central side of the island. At this time, due to the collision of the flowing balls, a part of the prize balls falls from the opening 712 provided in the flow path 711. The prize ball that has reached the downstream side without dropping on the way is closed by the inner end wall 724 of the prize ball collecting trough 71, which is closed by the inner end wall 724 of the prize ball storage tank 72. It becomes the head and gradually stops upstream. Then, the prize balls also drop from the openings 712 at the stopped positions, and the prize balls are stored in the prize ball storage tank 72.

The deflecting member 713 attached to the flow path 711 of the prize ball collecting trough 71 keeps the flow of the prize balls in the flow path 711.
Toward the center of the opening 712 on the downstream side of the upstream side
It makes it easier to fall from. This turning member 713
If there is not, most of the falling ball is in the opening 7 on the upstream side.
Since it falls from 12, the distribution in the gradient direction of the prize balls stored in the prize ball storage tank 72 becomes uneven. Therefore, by appropriately setting the interval between the openings 712 and attaching the turning member 713 close to the openings 712, the probability that the falling ball falls will be averaged in the gradient direction.

The balls thus dropped into the prize ball storage tank 72 are temporarily stored in the prize ball storage tank 72. This storage amount is determined by the width, depth and length in the gradient direction of the prize ball storage tank 72. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, the gradient length of the prize ball storage tank 72 is set to the gaming machine p5. In the case of about a vehicle, the gradient is about 5%, the depth is about 10 cm, and if the distance between the support legs of the lower unit 2 is about 37 cm, it is possible to secure a storage amount of about 30,000 pieces. .

The balls stored in the free gift ball storage tank 72 flow out from a free gift ball outlet 728 provided on the downstream side (center side of the island) of the free gift ball storage tank 72 as necessary, and the main tank It is transported to the ball collector 62 via the prize ball transporting path 73 provided along the bottom of 61.

The bottom of the main tank 61 has a double bottom as shown in FIG. 7, and has an upper bottom plate 611 and a lower bottom plate 612.
Between the prize ball transfer path 73 and the out ball transfer path 75
Are formed so as to be partitioned from each other. The upstream end of the prize ball transport path 73 communicates with the prize ball outlet 728 of the prize ball storage tank 72, and the upstream end of the out ball transport path 75 communicates with the out ball outlet 727. Further, the downstream end of the prize ball transport path 73 and the downstream end of the out ball transport path 75 are in communication with the ball collector 62.

Out-of-ball transport path 75 of the two transport paths
Always sends the out balls from the gaming machines p to the ball collecting device 62 so as not to retain the out balls. on the other hand,
A shutter 76 is provided on the prize ball transport path 73, for example, at a boundary with the ball collector 62. This shutter 76
Is controlled in conjunction with a sensor (not shown) that monitors the storage amount of the main tank 61 or the upper sub tank 67, and opens and closes as necessary. This makes it possible to optimize the circulation amount of balls on the island.

Storage of pachinko balls constructed in this way
According to the transport mechanism, the prize ball storage tank 72 can be installed in the space inside the lower unit 2 to secure a large storage amount, and the balls in the prize ball storage tank 72 can be smoothly moved at a necessary timing. It becomes possible to recycle. Since the route from the bottom of the prize ball storage tank 72 to the ball collector 62 adjacent to the lifting / polishing machine 63 is continuous with a constant gradient, a mechanical device such as a mini lift is installed in this route when the prize balls are recirculated. No need to install. Therefore, stable operation can be expected without fear of causing a failure of the device.

Further, openings 712 are provided at appropriate intervals in the flow path 711 of the prize ball collecting gutter 71, and the openings 71 are further provided.
Since the diverting member 713 is attached on the upstream side of 2, the thousands or tens of thousands of balls that are thrown in at once from the counter 5 are evenly distributed in the length direction of the prize ball storage tank 72. Can be stored.

Further, the prize ball collecting trough 71 and the prize ball storage tank 72 according to the present invention utilize the internal space of the lower unit 2 constituting the pachinko island stand 1 to make use of the lower unit 2
It can be integrally formed with, and the assembling work can be performed in advance in the factory. Therefore, there is no loss of construction merit obtained by the three-stage pachinko island stand 1 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the efficiency of installation work for island construction is reduced, and the work time and man-hours are reduced. Can be achieved.

[0040]

According to the pachinko ball storage / transportation mechanism of the present invention, the prize balls thrown into the counter installed on the end wall of the pachinko island stand are moved along the prize ball collecting trough provided at a constant gradient. While flowing down to the center of the island, it drops into the prize ball storage tank provided below and temporarily stores it, and further descends at a constant gradient from the bottom of the prize ball storage tank toward the center of the island. Since it is configured to flow down the inclined prize ball transportation path and recirculate it inside the island, it is possible to secure a large storage amount inside the island, and the balls can be relied on by a mechanical device such as a mini lift. It can be smoothly transported. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the chances of equipment failure and maintenance, and reduce the time and effort required to continue daily operation.

Further, since the pachinko ball storage / transportation mechanism of the present invention can be integrally incorporated in the lower unit of the island stand structure having a three-stage structure, the adjustment work of each part in the installation work of the island stand can be greatly performed. In addition to being labor-saving, the internal space of the lower unit can be effectively used to maximize the capacity of the prize ball storage tank.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a basic structure of a pachinko island stand in an exploded state.

FIG. 2 is an end view showing the basic structure of a pachinko island stand in an exploded state.

FIG. 3 is a partial side view of a completed pachinko island stand.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of a pachinko ball storage / transportation mechanism incorporated in the pachinko island stand of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a gift ball collection gutter and a gift ball storage tank according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line A-A ′ in FIG.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line B-B ′ in FIG.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of a pachinko ball storage / transportation mechanism according to a conventional configuration.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Pachinko island stand 2 Lower unit 3 Middle unit 4 Upper unit 5 counter 63 Lifting and polishing machine 71 Free gift collection gutter 711 flow path 712 opening 713 Deflection member 72 prize ball storage tank 73 Freebie Ball Conveying Path 76 shutter p game machine

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of gaming machines are arranged side by side with their backs facing each other, and out balls discharged from each gaming machine are collected from the end side in the parallel direction of the gaming machines to the center side, In a pachinko island stand configured to be lifted up by a lifting and polishing machine and resupplied to each gaming machine, a counter for collecting prize balls is installed on the end wall of the pachinko island stand. The prize balls thrown into the vessel flow down to the center of the pachinko island stand along the prize ball collection gutter provided at a constant slope, and in the prize ball storage tank provided below the prize ball collection gutter. It is dropped and temporarily stored, and further, it flows down to the prize ball polishing machine by flowing down the prize ball transfer path that is provided with a constant gradient from the bottom of the prize ball storage tank to the vicinity of the pumping machine. A storage / transportation mechanism for pachinko balls. 2. The pachinko ball storage / transportation mechanism according to claim 1, wherein a shutter is provided in a part of the prize ball transport path. 3. The flow path of the gift ball collecting gutter is provided with a plurality of openings at appropriate intervals for allowing the flowing down gift balls to drop evenly in the gradient direction. Storage and transport mechanism for pachinko balls. 4. A pachinko ball storage / storage device according to claim 3, wherein a deflecting member for changing the flow of the prize ball is attached upstream of the opening in the flow path of the prize ball collecting trough. Transport mechanism. 5. The pachinko island stand is composed of a lower unit installed below the gaming machine, a middle unit installed almost to the height of the gaming machine, and an upper unit installed above the gaming machine. In addition to the structure in which the lower unit and the upper unit are joined via the middle unit, a space communicating with the island length direction is formed inside the lower unit, and the prize ball storage tank is integrated in this space. The pachinko ball storage / transportation mechanism according to claim 1, which is incorporated.