JP2004351088A - Launching device for pachinko game machine - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a launching device in which uneven shots of pachinko balls are suppressed and each of pachinko balls can be efficiently rotated. <P>SOLUTION: The launching device 14 comprises a launching rail 26, and a linear motor 28 which is fixed on the upper surface of the launching rail 26 and in which a shaft part 29 is provided to reciprocate in the lengthwise direction of the launching rail 26. A slider 33 which slides while holding a pachinko ball T, is provided on the tip of the shaft part 29. On the slider 33, the bottom of the pachinko ball T is held to be brought into contact with the launching rail 26. The pachinko ball T is rolled on the launching tail 26 with the moving action of the slider 33. Therefore, the pachinko ball T is sufficiently rotated, when the shot pachinko ball T is brought into contact with a nail, its action is varied and the pachinko ball T plays well with the nail to prolong the time in which the pachinko ball stays in a game zone. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a launching device for a pachinko machine.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art A launching device for a pachinko machine that has been widely used in the related art is one in which a firing hammer reciprocates by operating a firing handle, and uses the firing hammer to strike a pachinko ball to fire a pachinko ball.
[0003]
However, in such a launching device, the pachinko ball is hit with a firing hammer to give the initial velocity in a very short time, so even if the strike position and strike strength are slightly different, the direction and speed of the pachinko ball change. As a result, there is a problem that so-called uneven flying occurs.
[0004]
In view of this, as a firing device, the pachinko ball is placed on a slider (moving body) provided reciprocally on the rail, and the slider is moved from the start position to the end position. A device that uses force to fire has been proposed (for example, see Patent Document 1).
[0005]
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-289957 (FIG. 7)
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
Indeed, the use of such a launching device eliminates the unevenness of the pachinko ball.
However, since the pachinko ball fired by such a launching device does not sufficiently rotate the pachinko ball as compared with a case where the ball is hit with a firing hammer, the movement of the pachinko ball on the game board may be monotonous. Was.
[0007]
That is, in the launching device using the conventional launching hammer, the pachinko ball struck by the launching hammer has been sufficiently rolled on the guide rail and given rotation, and then released into the game area. When the rotated pachinko ball touches the nail, the direction in which the ball is flipped changes complicatedly, and the pachinko ball often plays with the nail and gains time to stay in the game area.
However, in the device described in JP-A-8-289957, the pachinko ball slides on the rail in a state where the pachinko ball is completely mounted on the slider. could not. For this reason, when the pachinko ball fired comes into contact with a nail on the game board, the change in movement due to rotation is poor, and the time spent in the game area is short.
[0008]
The present invention has been completed on the basis of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a launching device that suppresses the unevenness of the pachinko ball and that can sufficiently rotate the pachinko ball. .
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems and Functions / Effects]
The effective means for solving the above-mentioned problems and the operation and effects thereof will be described below.
<Means 1>
Means 1 is a launching device of a pachinko machine equipped with a slider that slides on a rail from a start position to an end position while holding a pachinko ball and releases a pachinko ball at the end position, wherein the slider includes: A ball holding portion is provided for holding the pachinko ball in a state where the bottom thereof contacts the rail and allows free rotation, and rolls the pachinko ball on the rail with the movement of the slider. A launch device characterized by the following.
[0010]
According to the configuration of the present means, since the slider is moved while holding the pachinko ball on the slider, and thereby the initial speed is given to the pachinko ball, the unevenness in flying is eliminated as compared with the case where the pachinko ball is hit with a firing hammer. You.
[0011]
Further, the pachinko ball rolls on the rail with the movement of the slider. Therefore, since the pachinko ball is given sufficient rotation, when the fired pachinko ball comes into contact with the nail, the movement is changed, and the pachinko ball plays well with the nail and gains time to stay in the game area. be able to.
[0012]
<Means 2>
Means 2 is the apparatus according to Means 1, wherein a corresponding area of the rail while the pachinko ball is held by the slider is provided with a friction member having a higher friction coefficient than the material of the rail, It is characterized in that a rotational force can be applied to a pachinko ball passing therethrough.
[0013]
According to the configuration of the present means, the pachinko ball is prevented from sliding without rotating on the rail, so that sufficient rotation can be given to the pachinko ball.
[0014]
<Means 3>
The means 3 is the one described in the means 1 or 2, wherein the sphere holding portion is formed of a resin material containing a fluorocarbon polymer.
[0015]
According to the configuration of this means, the pachinko ball is held by the fluorocarbon polymer sphere holding portion having a low coefficient of friction, so that the pachinko ball rotates smoothly.
[0016]
<Means 4>
The means 4 is the device according to any one of means 1 to 3, wherein the slider is provided with a holding portion for holding the pachinko ball in the width direction.
[0017]
According to the configuration of the present means, when the pachinko ball rolls on the rail, the pachinko ball is prevented from blurring in the width direction of the rail.
[0018]
<Means 5>
The means 5 is the device according to any one of means 1 to 4, wherein the slider is provided with a jump-up preventing piece at a position equal to or slightly larger than the diameter of the pachinko ball from the rail surface. It is characterized by having.
[0019]
According to the configuration of the present means, when the pachinko ball rolls on the rail, it is avoided that the pachinko ball jumps up and becomes out of contact with the rail. Therefore, the pachinko ball can be reliably rotated.
[0020]
<Means 6>
The means 6 is the device according to any one of means 1 to 5, characterized in that the ball holding portion is provided with a rotatable rotating member on the back side in the moving direction of the pachinko ball.
[0021]
According to the configuration of the present means, the frictional resistance between the pachinko ball and the ball holding portion is reduced, so that the rotation of the pachinko ball is performed smoothly.
[0022]
<Means 7>
Means 7 is the rotating member for preventing the slider from jumping from the rail surface to a position equal to or slightly larger than the diameter of the pachinko ball in the slider according to any one of means 1 to 6, Is provided so as to be freely rotatable.
[0023]
According to the configuration of the present means, when the pachinko ball rolls on the rail, it is avoided that the pachinko ball jumps up and becomes out of contact with the rail. Therefore, the pachinko ball can be reliably rotated.
Further, in preventing the pachinko ball from jumping up, the rotating member that idles on the pachinko ball comes into contact. Therefore, at this time, the possibility that the rotation of the pachinko ball is impaired by frictional resistance is reduced.
[0024]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
<First embodiment>
Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, an arc-shaped guide rail 6 is provided at the left corner of the game area 4 of the pachinko machine 2, and is provided below the game area 4 via the guide rail 6 in the game area 4. An upper plate 8 is provided as a prize ball tray for storing pachinko balls to be fired to the player and discharging a prize ball according to a prize.
[0025]
A lower plate 10 is provided below the upper plate 8 as a second prize ball receiving plate. When a ball passage (not shown) formed in the upper plate 8 is opened by a player or the like, the upper plate 8 is raised. The pachinko balls stored in the plate 8 are configured to drop from the ball discharge port 10A to the lower plate 10. Further, a so-called foul ball flowing down the guide rail 6 without reaching the inside of the game area 4 from the guide rail 6 is received by a collection passage 12 (a portion indicated by a chain line in FIG. 1) communicating with the ball discharge port 10A. Then, it is configured to drop from the ball discharge port 10A to the lower plate 10.
[0026]
On the other hand, in the pachinko machine 2, near the lower right of the upper plate 8, there is provided a firing device 14 for firing pachinko balls supplied one by one from the upper plate 8 toward the guide rail 6 as described later. Is provided. In addition, on the panel 16 near the right side of the lower plate 10 on the front of the pachinko machine 2, the above-described firing device 14 is operated, and the pachinko balls (hereinafter also referred to as firing balls) fired from the firing device 14 are fired. A firing dial 18 for adjusting the speed and a stop button (hereinafter referred to as a stop switch) 20 for forcibly stopping the operation of the firing device 14 are provided.
[0027]
Next, the configuration of the launching device 14 will be described with reference to FIGS. First, a ball supply mechanism for supplying pachinko balls to be fired one by one from the upper plate 8 to the firing device 14 will be described. As shown in FIG. 2, the ball feeding mechanism includes a ball feeder provided near the lower end of a supply cylinder 8A that extends downward from the upper plate 8 and drops pachinko balls T (T1, T2,...) One by one in a row. The member 23 is configured as a main member.
[0028]
The ball feeding member 23 has a water wheel shape having four blades 23A, 23B, 23C, and 23D, and can hold one pachinko ball by two adjacent blades.
[0029]
Then, the ball feeding member 23 is driven counterclockwise by the stepping motor 25. Specifically, the stepping motor 25 for driving the ball feed member 23 is connected to an output interface 48 of a control device (CPU) 41 via a stepping motor driver 50 as shown in FIG. A driving pulse is applied from the stepping motor driver 50 to the stepping motor 25 on the basis of the driving signal transmitted by the step (2), and the ball feeding member 23 rotates by 90 °. Thereby, the pachinko balls T fall one by one.
[0030]
Next, the firing device 14 will be described in detail. The launching device 14 is fixed to an elongated rectangular parallelepiped launching rail 26 obliquely fixed along a linear direction toward the guide rail 6 (a direction indicated by an arrow Y1 in FIG. 1), The shaft portion 29 includes a linear motor 28 provided so as to be able to reciprocate in the longitudinal direction of the firing rail 26. The firing rail 26 is fixed by screwing fixing pieces 30 extending from both right and left ends thereof to a predetermined fixing plate or the like in the pachinko machine 2. Further, a slider 33 that slides while holding the pachinko ball T is provided at the tip of the shaft portion 29, and holds the pachinko ball T sent from the above-described ball supply mechanism.
[0031]
As shown in FIG. 5, the linear motor 28 includes a shaft portion 29 and a coil portion 31 into which the shaft portion 29 is slidably inserted. The shaft portion 29 is formed of a permanent magnet as a fixed magnet arranged so that S poles and N poles are alternately arranged in the moving direction.
[0032]
On the other hand, in the coil section 31, a plurality of three-phase coil windings 31B connected to the motor driver 49 are arranged in a row in the housing 31A along the moving direction of the shaft section 29.
[0033]
The slider 33 has a roughly half-cup-shaped ball holding portion 35 with the split side facing the firing rail 26 and the opening side facing the firing direction of the pachinko ball T (to the left in FIG. 2). It is provided in. The inside of the sphere holding portion 35 is a spherical surface larger than the curvature of the spherical surface of the pachinko ball T. Further, the upper end 35A (corresponding to the jump-up prevention piece of the present invention) of the ball holding portion 35 on the firing direction side is located at a position slightly larger than the diameter of the pachinko ball T from the surface of the firing rail 26, The pachinko ball T is prevented from jumping up from the firing rail 26 surface. The pachinko ball T is held by the ball holding portion 35 so that the bottom thereof comes into contact with the firing rail 26.
The material of the ball holding portion 35 of the slider 33 is not particularly limited, but is preferably formed so as not to impair the rotation of the pachinko ball T, and is preferably formed of, for example, a fluorocarbon polymer, particularly PTFE. .
[0034]
Then, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a pair of holding portions 39, 39 extends from the opening end of the ball holding portion 35 along the firing rail 26 while facing the firing direction of the pachinko ball T. Is extended. The interval between the sandwiching portions 39, 39 is set slightly wider than the diameter of the pachinko ball T. Then, the pachinko balls T are sandwiched by the holding portions 39, 39 so as not to shake in the width direction of the firing rail 26 when rolling on the firing rail 26.
The pachinko ball T is released from the position held by the ball holding portion 35 while passing between the holding portions 39.
[0035]
Next, a control device (CPU) 41 for controlling the linear motor 28 and the stepping motor 25 will be described with reference to FIG. The control device 41 is provided at a predetermined position inside the pachinko machine 2. The touch sensor 43, the start position sensor 44, and the end position sensor 45 are connected to the control device 41 via an input interface 42. As the touch sensor 43, a sensor or the like using an electric potential or capacitance is used, and is attached to the above-described firing handle 18, and detects that the operator has touched the firing handle 18. The start end position sensor 44 detects whether or not the slider 33 is at a position for receiving the pachinko ball T supplied from the ball supply mechanism, and sends a detection signal to the control device 41 (see FIG. 2). On the other hand, the end position sensor 45 detects whether the slider 33 has reached the end of the firing rail 26, and sends a detection signal to the control device 41 (see FIG. 9). In addition, as the start end position sensor 44 and the end position sensor 45, for example, an infrared sensor or an ultrasonic sensor is used.
[0036]
Further, a potentiometer 46 is connected to the control device 41 via an AD converter 47. The potentiometer 46 is connected to the firing handle 18, and when the player turns the firing handle 18, the resistance increases according to the amount of rotation, and generates a voltage according to the operation amount of the player.
[0037]
A motor driver 49 is connected to the control device 41 via an output interface 48, and the linear motor 28 is connected to the motor driver 49.
[0038]
With this configuration, based on a drive signal from the control device 41, an attractive force or a suction force is applied between the shaft portion 29 and the coil portion 31 in accordance with the magnitude and direction of the drive current applied from the motor driver 49 to the coil portion 31. A repulsive force is generated, and the shaft portion 29 reciprocates at a desired speed. As a result, the slider 33 is reciprocated between the start position and the end position, and shoots the pachinko ball T.
[0039]
More specifically, the control device 41 executes a firing control process shown in FIG. This firing control process is repeatedly executed at predetermined time intervals. Before the execution of this processing is started, the slider 33 is stopped at the start end position.
[0040]
When the firing control process is started, the ball supply mechanism supplies the pachinko ball T to the slider 33 (Step S100). Then, by determining whether or not the touch sensor 43 is ON, it is determined whether or not the firing dial 18 is being touched by a person. It waits until 18 is touched by a person (step S110).
[0041]
If it is determined that the touch sensor 43 is ON (step S110: YES), then it is determined whether the stop switch 20 is ON (step S120), and it is determined that the stop switch 20 is ON If it has been performed (step S120: YES), the process returns to the standby state.
[0042]
On the other hand, when it is determined that the stop switch 20 is not ON (step S120: NO), the rotation amount (rotational position) of the firing dial 18 is detected based on the detection result from the potentiometer 46 (step S130). .
[0043]
Then, a firing drive process for firing the pachinko ball T from the firing device 14 at a speed according to the rotation amount of the firing dial 18 is executed (step S140).
[0044]
Here, the firing driving process means that the slider 33 is moved from the start position in FIG. 2 through the state in FIG. 8 to the end position in FIG. 9 at a constant acceleration, and the pachinko ball T held on the slider 33 is moved. To give the initial velocity while rolling on the firing rail 26. In this process, the power supply to the coil unit 31 or the power supply timing to the coil unit 31 is controlled so that the speed immediately before the end position of the slider 33 (that is, the firing speed) is equal to the rotation of the firing dial 18 detected in S130. The acceleration of the shaft portion 29 is controlled so as to have a value corresponding to the amount.
[0045]
Then, when it is determined that the slider 33 has reached the end position based on the detection signal from the end position sensor 45 (step S150: YES), a return drive process of the slider 33 from the end position to the start position is performed (step S150). S160). This process is performed in the same manner as the firing drive process (step S140), except that the slider 33 moves at a predetermined constant speed regardless of the rotation amount of the firing dial 18. When the return driving process of the slider 33 to the start end position is started, the pachinko ball T is fired by its inertial force (see FIG. 9).
[0046]
Then, when it is determined in the return driving process that the slider 33 has reached the start end position (step S170: YES), the process returns to S100, a new pachinko ball T is supplied, and the above process is repeated.
As described above, the pachinko ball T is continuously fired at a speed corresponding to the rotation amount of the firing dial 18.
[0047]
According to the configuration of the present means, since the slider 33 is moved while the pachinko ball T is held on the slider 33, and thereby the initial speed is given to the pachinko ball T, compared with the case where the pachinko ball T is hit with a firing hammer, The uneven flying is eliminated.
[0048]
Further, the pachinko ball T rolls on the firing rail 26 as the slider 33 moves. Accordingly, since the pachinko ball T is sufficiently rotated, the movement is changed when the launched pachinko ball T comes into contact with the nail, and the pachinko ball T often plays with the nail and stays in the game area. You can earn time.
[0049]
<Second embodiment>
Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.
In the second embodiment, only the configuration different from the first embodiment will be described, and other configurations, operations, and effects that are the same as the first embodiment will be omitted.
[0050]
In the ball holding unit 35, a rotating roller 51 (corresponding to a rotating member in the present invention) whose axis is oriented in a direction intersecting with the moving direction of the slider 33 is provided on the back side in the moving direction of the pachinko ball T so as to be freely rotatable. And is brought into contact with the held pachinko ball T.
Further, a high friction portion 53 is formed at the center in the width direction on the upper surface of the firing rail 26 from the start position to the end position, and the pachinko ball T held by the slider 33 is fired while contacting the high friction portion 53. It moves on the rail 26.
The high friction portion 53 is formed by coating a friction member having a higher coefficient of friction than the metal as the material of the firing rail, for example, a resin such as rubber, but is not particularly limited as long as the structure prevents slipping. .
[0051]
In the present embodiment, when the slider 33 moves on the firing rail 26, the pachinko ball T moves on the firing rail 26 so as to be pushed by the rotating roller 51. At this time, the frictional resistance between the pachinko ball T and the slider 33 is reduced by the rotating roller 51, and the pachinko ball T rotates smoothly.
[0052]
Further, when the pachinko ball T moves on the firing rail 26, it moves on the high friction portion 53, so that the pachinko ball is prevented from slipping on the firing rail 26 without rotating.
[0053]
<Third embodiment>
Next, a third embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.
In the third embodiment, only a configuration different from the first embodiment will be described, and other configurations, operations, and effects that are the same as the first embodiment will be omitted.
A rotating roller 60 (corresponding to a rotating member in the present invention) for preventing a jump, whose axis is oriented in a direction intersecting the moving direction of the slider 33, is provided on the upper surface of the upper end portion of the ball holding portion 35 on the firing direction side. The pachinko ball T is rotatably provided at a position slightly larger than the diameter of the pachinko ball T, thereby preventing the pachinko ball T from jumping from the surface of the firing rail 26.
[0054]
According to the configuration of the present means, when the pachinko ball T rolls on the firing rail 26, it is avoided that the pachinko ball T jumps up and becomes out of contact with the firing rail 26. Therefore, the pachinko ball T can be reliably rotated.
Furthermore, when preventing the pachinko ball T from jumping up, the rotating roller 60 that idles on the pachinko ball T comes into contact. Therefore, at this time, the possibility that the rotation of the pachinko ball T is impaired by the frictional resistance is reduced.
[0055]
The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described with reference to the above description and drawings. For example, the following embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention, and furthermore, besides the following, within the scope not departing from the gist. Can be implemented with various modifications.
[0056]
(1) In the above embodiment, the slider 33 is reciprocated by the linear motor 28. However, the means for reciprocating the slider 33 is not limited to the linear motor 28, and any known means can be used.
[0057]
(2) In the above embodiment, the ball supply mechanism is driven by the stepping motor 25, but the driving method is not particularly limited.
Further, for example, as described in JP-A-8-289957, a pachinko ball may be supplied in conjunction with the operation of the slider 33.
[0058]
(3) In the above-described embodiment, the pachinko ball T is held by the roughly half-cup-shaped ball holding unit 35, but the ball holding unit that holds the pachinko ball T may hold the pachinko ball. If possible, the structure and form are not particularly limited.
For example, as shown in a fourth embodiment of FIGS. 13 and 14, a front end surface 33 </ b> A of the slider 33, holding portions 39, 39, and a protruding piece that protrudes from the center in the width direction of the front end surface 33 </ b> A of the slider 33. The pachinko sphere T may be held between the pachinko balls 63.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a front view of a pachinko machine including a launching device according to a first embodiment.
FIG. 2 is a side view of the launching device.
FIG. 3 is a plan view of the launching device.
FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the launching device of FIG. 2 taken along line XX.
FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a linear motor.
FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a launching device.
FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of the launching device.
FIG. 8 is a side view of the launching device.
FIG. 9 is a side view of the launching device.
FIG. 10 is a side view of the launching device of the second embodiment.
FIG. 11 is a plan view of the launching device.
FIG. 12 is a side view of the launching device of the third embodiment.
FIG. 13 is a side view of a firing device according to a fourth embodiment.
FIG. 14 is a plan view of the launching device.
[Explanation of symbols]
23 ... Ball feed member 25 ... Stepping motor 26 ... Firing rail 28 ... Linear motor 29 ... Shaft part 33 ... Slider 35 ... Ball holding part

Claims (1)

A launching device for a pachinko machine including a slider that slides on a rail from a start position to an end position while holding a pachinko ball and releases a pachinko ball at the end position,
A ball holding unit that holds the pachinko ball in a state in which the bottom thereof contacts the rail and allows free rotation, and rolls the pachinko ball on the rail with the movement of the slider; A launching device, characterized in that a launching device is provided.

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