JP2007252522A - Medium housing box for game - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a pachinko ball housing box which achieves excellent effect for preventing the scattering of pachinko balls involved and other pachinko balls B. <P>SOLUTION: The pachinko ball housing box 1 is provided as an outfit of a pachinko game machine which offers games using pachinko balls B and has a bottom surface part 11 and a side part 13 while getting the pachinko balls B housed into it from an opening 17 opened upward. The pachinko ball housing box 1 is provided a middle bottom 15 movable vertically along the side part 13 at a location slightly separated upward from the bottom surface part 11. The middle bottom 15 has its central part made as a circular recess part 151 and keeps a spring 19 for easing impact forces as generated when the pachinko balls B drop from the opening 17 interposed between it and the bottom surface part 11. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a game medium storage box for storing pachinko balls and other game media.

  For example, when a game ball launched on a game board of a pachinko gaming machine wins, a predetermined number of prize balls are paid out from a prize ball payout device to a hitting ball supply tray on the front surface of the pachinko gaming machine.

  When the paid-out prize ball fills the hitting ball supply tray and the lower ball receiving tray provided below the player, the player places the lower ball in the game medium storage box prepared as a fixture in the pachinko game store. Open the ball outlet provided on the bottom of the saucer and drop it.

  For this reason, the game medium storage box is a hollow container that is largely opened upward so as to easily receive a pachinko ball falling from the ball outlet. Many game media storage boxes are made of plastic.

  For pachinko players, when the pachinko ball hits the bottom of the game medium storage box when the pachinko ball falls from the lower ball tray to the game medium storage box, the impulsive collision sound such as rage is a superior feeling. There are things that are attracted and close to pleasure.

  However, due to the falling energy of the pachinko ball at this time, the game medium storage box is shocked and hurt, or the pachinko ball jumps out of the game medium storage box and splashes on the floor of the gaming machine installation place (hereinafter referred to as the hall). Sometimes

  Therefore, in order to relieve the impact force of the pachinko ball and damage the game medium storage box or prevent the pachinko ball from scattering, rubber, a vinyl chloride resin sheet and / or a foam resin on the inner surface of the game medium storage box There have been proposed ones in which sheets or other cushioning materials are fused and those in which the material for forming the game medium storage box itself is formed of a special material (see Patent Documents 1 and 2).

However, if the pachinko ball hits the game medium storage box strongly, it is difficult to eliminate the fear that the pachinko ball will bounce off and scatter.
The scattering of pachinko balls forces the pachinko balls to be collected on the hall side. For this reason, the proposal of the game media storage box excellent in the scattering prevention effect of the pachinko ball was desired.
JP-A-9-187564 Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 7-12185

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and a problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a game medium storage box excellent in the effect of preventing scattering of pachinko balls and other game media. .

The present invention is provided as equipment for a gaming machine that uses a game medium to play a game, and has a bottom surface portion and a side surface portion, and stores the game medium from an opening that opens upward. It is. And in the part separated from the bottom part upwards, an insole that can move in the vertical direction along the side part is provided, and the insole has a concave part at the center, Between the bottom surface portion, an elastic member is interposed for relaxing the impact force received by the intermediate plate when the game medium falls from the opening.

Examples of the game medium include metal pachinko balls and coins.
The game storage box is easy to manufacture if it is made of plastic.
The bottom portion and the midsole have substantially the same size (area).

Examples of the elastic member include a spring, elastic rubber, and sponge.
Since the center part of the insole is a recess, when the game media are stored in the game medium storage box, the game media gather in the recess in the insole.

  Further, since the insole is movable in the vertical direction, if the game medium accumulates in the concave portion so that the weight of the game medium resists the elasticity of the elastic member, the insole is lowered, and the game medium is If it decreases as it is used, it rises due to the elasticity of the elastic member.

  Even if game media are stored in the recesses, the game media that fall naturally only accumulate irregularly, so that a large number of spaces are formed between the game media. Among the stacked game media, the game media located in the upper part (especially the uppermost part) are moved by other game media because the freedom of movement is located in the lower part of the recess. Higher than the game media that are being suppressed.

  For this reason, when a game medium that further falls into the game medium storage box collides with the game medium having a high degree of freedom, the fall energy of the game medium that falls falls in the recess due to the impact. Is converted into kinetic energy of game media, friction energy between game media, and the like. In other words, when the pachinko ball is stored in the recess in the insole, the fall energy is converted into the kinetic energy of the game medium and the friction energy between the game media in the insole recess as described above. It can be said to be an energy conversion field.

  In addition, an elastic member that relaxes the impact force when the game medium drops from the opening is interposed between the insole and the bottom surface portion, so that the impact on the insole due to the falling energy is reduced. The

It is also possible to form at least the central part of the insole with a cloth or other flexible material.
The elasticity of the elastic member is preferably set so that the insole gradually descends against the elasticity of the elastic member in proportion to its weight when the game ball enters the recess.

  Moreover, it is preferable to have a lock member that locks the insole when the insole descends to reach the bottom surface portion. This is because, when the game ball enters the game medium storage box, the insole descends against the elastic force of the elastic member due to its weight, but the game ball stored in the game medium storage box If the amount of media provided to the game is larger than the amount newly stored, the amount of game media stored in the game media storage box will decrease, and the pushing force of the intermediate plate by the elastic member will be greater There is a risk that the game medium may jump out of the game medium storage box by overcoming the critical point beyond the pressing force of the intermediate plate by the total weight of the game medium stored in the game medium storage box. Because there is.

  However, if the insole is locked by the lock member, the insole of the game medium will not move from the locked position unless it is unlocked regardless of the amount of storage of the game medium. It is possible to prevent the game medium from jumping out of the game medium storage box no matter how much the resilient force acts on the insole.

Further, the lock member has a sliding surface portion on which the edge of the insole slides, and an engaging portion that engages with the edge of the insole at the end portion of the sliding surface portion. Depending on the weight of the game medium contained in the game medium storage box, the insole descends according to the storage amount of the game medium while its edge slides on the sliding surface part, and eventually engages. Engage with the part.

  While the edge portion of the midsole slides on the sliding surface portion, friction occurs between the two, and a brake is applied to the lowering of the intermediate plate. For this reason, even if a large amount of gaming media enters the gaming media storage box, the intermediate plate gradually descends. In addition, since the insole is supported by an elastic member provided between the bottom and the bottom, the impact force associated with the descent is further mitigated, and damage caused to the game medium storage box due to the impact force can be reduced. . Moreover, since it descend | falls gradually, since the engagement with the edge part of an insole and an engaging part will be performed slowly, the engagement will become reliable.

  The lock member is provided in a cantilever shape that is fixed at one end to the other end and is freely cantilevered so that the lock member can rotate when an external force is applied to the lock member, and a game medium storage box is provided at one end of the lock member. One end side of the locking member that forms a boundary portion between the locking member and the side surface portion when a protruding portion that protrudes outward from the side surface portion is formed and an inward rotational force that is an external force is applied to the protruding portion The free end side of the lock member rotates outward while causing elastic strain, thereby releasing the engagement. When the external force is removed, the elastic strain disappears, and the lock member returns to the state before the external force is applied after the external force is removed.

  The insole may have an inverted truncated cone shape that inclines downward as it approaches the recess except for the recess. This makes it easier for game media to gather in the recess, so that it is possible to secure the conversion field for the fall energy generated by the gathering of game media in the recess compared to when the insole is flat. it can.

  In the game medium storage box of the present invention, the fall energy of the game medium is converted into the kinetic energy of the game medium and the friction energy between the game media in the recess of the insole, and is consumed during the conversion. Therefore, when a game medium is dropped, the collision sound generated when the dropped game medium collides with another game medium or the insole, and the rebound of the game medium due to the collision is effective. Can be prevented. In addition, the attachment of the insole for producing such an effect is a simple structure in which an elastic member is interposed between the insole and the bottom surface portion, so that inspection work and maintenance work are not required. .

A configuration of a preferred embodiment of the game medium storage box according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the game medium storage box 1 is used as a box for storing a game medium, for example, a pachinko ball B, and is provided in a hall as equipment for a pachinko game machine (not shown). ing.

A gaming medium storage box (hereinafter referred to as a pachinko ball storage box) 1 has a hollow box 10 that opens upward, and a midsole 15 that is movable in the vertical direction inside the hollow box 10.
The hollow box 10 is made of plastic, and includes a rectangular bottom surface portion 11 and four side surface portions 13 extending upward from four side edges of the bottom surface portion 11.

The insole 15 has substantially the same size (area) as the bottom surface portion 11, and is composed of a substrate 15a made of plastic or metal, and a cushioning material 15b bonded thereon.
The substrate 15a has a circular hole 15a1 at the center thereof. The circular hole 15a1 has a size of about 1/3 of the insole.

As the cushioning material 15b, a rubber, a vinyl chloride resin sheet or / and a foamed resin sheet or the like made thin in a cloth shape is applied. The buffer material 15b is larger than the substrate 15a. The buffer material 15b is loosened downward from the circular hole 15a1 to the extent that the size is larger, so that a circular recess 151 is formed.
The opening of the pachinko ball storage box 1 is indicated by reference numeral 17. Reference numeral 18 denotes a handle provided on the side of the pachinko ball storage box 1.

  A plurality (two in this embodiment) of springs 19 as elastic members are interposed between the substrate 15 a and the bottom surface portion 11. The plurality of springs 19 are for alleviating the impact force when the pachinko ball B falls from the opening 17, and are arranged at equal intervals around the circular recess 151.

  When an external force is applied from above, the insole 15 moves downward along the side surface portion 13 against the elastic force of the spring 19, and when the external force is removed, it moves upward by the elastic force of the spring 19 (FIG. 5). And FIG. 6). As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the fixed position when the external force is completely removed and the insole 15 is pushed upward by the elasticity of the spring 19 is referred to as an initial position. The pachinko ball storage box 1 is ready for use when the insole 15 is in the initial position.

  The pachinko balls B that have entered the pachinko ball storage box 1 through the openings 17 naturally gather in the circular recess 151 of the insole 15 (see FIG. 1). The elastic coefficient of the spring 19 is set so that the midsole 15 is lowered against the elasticity of the spring 19 by the total weight of the pachinko balls B gathered on the midsole 15.

  When the apex 151a (see FIGS. 2 and 3) of the circular recess 151 of the insole 15 is lowered to reach the bottom surface portion 11, the lock member 21 that locks the insole 15 left and right acts (see FIG. 5). The position of the insole 15 when the insole 15 is locked by the lock member 21 is referred to as a lock position. When the midsole 15 is in the locked position, the midsole 15 receives the elastic force of the spring 19 from below and is locked, so it does not move up or down.

The lock member 21 is provided as a part of the side surface portion 13 so as to close the window portion 131 provided in the side surface portion 13 (see FIGS. 3 and 5).
The lock member 21 includes a main part 210 and a protruding part 211.

  The main portion 210 is a sliding surface portion 213 that slides the edge portion 153 of the insole 15 in the vertical direction, and an end portion of the sliding surface portion 213, and the insole 15 descends along the sliding surface portion 213. The apex 151a (see FIG. 3) of the circular recess 151 of the insole 15 has a lower end edge 213d as an engaging portion that engages with the edge 153 of the insole 15 when reaching the bottom surface portion 11 (see FIG. 6). ).

  As can be seen from FIGS. 1 and 4, the sliding surface portion 213 has a rectangular plate shape, and is attached to the side surface portion 13 of the game medium storage box 1 in a cantilever shape with one end fixed and the other end free. ing. The sliding surface portion 213 is normally in a state in which the window portion 131 is closed, and when an external force is applied, the sliding surface portion 213 turns outward so as to open the window portion 131 (see FIG. 6).

  Specifically, the upper edge 213u, which is one end of the sliding surface portion 213, is formed integrally with the side surface portion 13, and is positioned on the right side and the left side of the lower edge 213d, which is the other edge, in FIGS. The right end edge 213r and the left end edge 213l are separated from the side surface portion 13. In order to form the upper edge 213u integrally with the side surface portion 13, the sliding surface portion 213 is made a part of the side surface portion 13 by integral molding.

A rotation shaft may be provided at the upper edge 213u so that the sliding surface portion 213 can rotate with respect to the side surface portion 13. However, in this case, if the spring force is applied to the rotating shaft and the lower end edge 213d of the lock member 21 is always urged so as to rotate inward, the sliding surface portion 213 and the edge portion 153 of the insole 15 are provided. And abut. In any case, it is only necessary that when the external force is applied to the sliding surface portion 213, the main portion 210 can be turned around the upper edge 213u as a rotation center.

  In addition, the upper end edge 213u of the sliding surface portion 213 is formed with the protruding portion 211 protruding outward from the side surface portion 13, and the protruding portion 211 faces inward (arrow a1 in FIG. 6) as shown in FIG. When the rotational force (see) is applied, the free end (lower end edge 213d) side of the sliding surface portion 213 turns outward (see arrow a2 in FIG. 6). In addition, the protrusion part 211 is made into the magnitude | size to which a person's finger | toe hangs.

  On the other hand, if the pachinko ball B is not contained at all in the pachinko ball storage box 1 or if it is not so large that the number of the pachinko balls B is so low that the insole 15 is lowered against the elasticity of the spring 19, The bottom 15 is positioned at almost half the height of the pachinko ball storage box 1 (see FIGS. 1 to 3).

  In the state where the window 131 is closed by the lock member 21, the sliding surface portion 213 is inclined so as to be positioned inside the pachinko ball storage box 1 toward the tip (see FIGS. 3 and 5).

Next, the effect of the pachinko ball storage box 1 having such a configuration will be described.
Since the center portion of the insole 15 is a circular recess 151, when the pachinko ball B is stored in the pachinko ball storage box 1 from the opening 17, the pachinko ball B gathers in the circular recess 151 (FIGS. 1 and FIG. 1). 5).

  Since the insole 15 is movable in the vertical direction, if the total weight of the pachinko balls B contained in the pachinko ball storage box 1 is sufficient to resist the elasticity of the spring 19, the insole 15 has its edge 153. However, it descends while sliding on the sliding surface portion 213 of the lock member 21. When the apex 151 a of the circular recess 151 of the midsole 15 is lowered so as to contact the bottom surface part 11, the edge part 153 of the midsole 15 is a lower end edge 213 d as an engaging part that is a terminal part of the sliding surface part 213. Engage with.

  When the pachinko sphere B is housed in the circular recess 151, the pachinko sphere B is a sphere, so that a large number of spaces S are formed between the pachinko spheres B (see FIG. 7A). Due to the large number of spaces S, the pachinko sphere B, particularly the upper (particularly the uppermost) pachinko sphere B where the weight of other pachinko spheres B is not applied, is high.

  Therefore, when the pachinko ball B falls and collides with the pachinko ball B in a state of high degree of freedom, the fallen pachinko ball B pushes the stored pachinko ball B and moves it (see FIG. 7B). ).

  Therefore, the falling energy of the pachinko ball B is converted into kinetic energy accompanying the movement of the pushed pachinko ball B. Further, since the pachinko sphere B in the pachinko sphere storage box 1 is in contact with the adjacent pachinko sphere B, the fall energy is generated when the pachinko sphere B generates friction between the pachinko spheres B. Is converted into friction energy.

  In other words, the circular recess 151 of the insole 15 converts the fall energy into frictional energy between the pachinko balls B and kinetic energy associated with movement of the pachinko sphere B in the circular recess 151 when the pachinko sphere is stored there. It can be said that this is an energy conversion field.

FIG. 7 shows a state in which the falling pachinko ball B1 (see FIG. 7A) pushes the stored pachinko ball B to the left and right by the fall energy (the white arrow in FIG. 7B). reference).

  In this way, the falling energy of the pachinko sphere B is consumed when converted into other energy, so even if the pachinko sphere B collides with another pachinko sphere B or the pachinko sphere storage box 1, it results from the collision. Noise and bounce of the pachinko ball B can be effectively suppressed.

  Further, between the inner bottom 15 and the bottom surface portion 11, there is a spring 19 that relaxes the impact force when the pachinko ball B falls from the opening 17 of the pachinko ball storage box 1 to the bottom surface portion 11. It is more effective in preventing noise and bounce.

  When the pachinko ball B enters the pachinko ball storage box 1, the weight is lowered until the insole 15 is locked by the lock member 21 against the elasticity of the spring 19. However, if the insole 15 is not lowered enough to be locked by the lock member 21, the insole 15 rises or falls according to the number of pachinko balls B stored in the pachinko ball storage box 1. .

  If the amount of the pachinko ball B contained in the pachinko ball storage box 1 during the game is more than the amount paid out to the pachinko ball storage box 1 by the prize ball, the pachinko ball storage box 1 is stored. The push-up force of the spring 19 exceeds the total weight of the pachinko sphere B, and the pachinko sphere B may jump out of the pachinko sphere storage box 1 at a certain critical point.

  However, if the insole 15 is locked by the lock member 21, no matter how much the spring 19 is acting on the insole 15 of the pachinko ball B, the insole 15 has a large amount of pachinko ball B stored. Regardless, it does not move up and down from the locked position. Therefore, the rebound of the pachinko ball B can be avoided.

  On the other hand, the lock member 21 has a sliding surface portion 213 on which the edge portion of the midsole 15 slides on the main portion 210 and a lower end edge engaged with the edge portion 153 of the midsole 15 at the end portion of the sliding surface portion 213. 213d, the insole 15 has an amount of stored pachinko sphere B while its edge 153 slides on the sliding surface 213 according to the weight of the pachinko sphere B in the pachinko sphere storage box 1. In response, it descends and eventually engages with the lower edge 213d.

  In addition, since the sliding surface part 213 is inclined so as to be located on the inner side of the pachinko ball storage box 1 as described above (see FIGS. 3 and 5), the edge part thereof is lowered as the insole 15 is lowered. The friction between 153 and the sliding surface portion 213 increases, and the lowering of the insole 15 is braked. For this reason, the insole 15 becomes difficult to descend.

  That is, since the insole 15 is gradually lowered, the engagement between the edge 153 of the insole 15 and the lower end edge 213d is performed slowly, so that the engagement is ensured. In addition, the insole 15 is supported by a spring 19. For this reason, even if a large amount of pachinko balls B enter, the insole 15 does not descend at a stretch.

  Therefore, the impact force accompanying the descent is alleviated, and damage caused to the pachinko ball storage box 1 can be reduced. The insole 15 is stable because it is supported at three points because the apex 151a of the circular recess 151 is supported by the bottom surface 11 and is locked by the left and right lock members 21.

On the contrary, when the lock is released and the insole 15 receives a force that rises due to the elastic force of the spring 19, the sliding surface portion 213 is inclined so that the tip is located inside the pachinko ball storage box 1, The friction between the edge portion 153 of the insole 15 and the sliding surface portion 213 decreases as the position rises in the opposite direction, and the insole 15 tends to rise.

  Therefore, the pachinko ball storage box 1 can be used immediately. Note that the lock by the lock member 21 is released when the pachinko ball B is completely emptied from the pachinko ball storage box 1. For example, when the counting by the jet counter which is a ball counter is completed, The case where the lock | rock of the insole 15 by the lock member 21 is cancelled | released is mentioned (refer FIG. 6).

  The lock member 21 is attached as a part of the side surface 13 of the pachinko ball storage box 1 in a cantilever shape that is fixed at one end and freely fixed at the other end. 6, when the external force that is an inward rotational force is applied to the protrusion 211 as indicated by an arrow a1 in FIG. 6, the free end side of the lock member 21 is the same while generating elastic strain. As shown by the arrow a2, it rotates outwardly, thereby releasing the engagement with the insole 15, and the insole 15 is returned to its original position by the spring 19 as indicated by the arrow a3. If the external force is removed, the elastic strain disappears and the lock member 21 returns to its original state.

This embodiment is merely an example of the present invention and does not limit the present invention. Various modifications and changes can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.
For example, in this embodiment, the pachinko ball storage box for storing the pachinko ball B is disclosed, but the present invention can also be applied as a storage box for storing the coins of the pachinko slot.

  Moreover, you may make it form at least the center part of the insole 15 with cloth or other flexible materials. In place of the spring 19, an elastic rubber, a sponge, or another elastic body may be used.

  Further, the above-described insole 15 is illustrated as being parallel to the bottom surface part 11, but a portion of the insole 15 excluding the circular recess 151 (peripheral part 152) is inclined downward as it approaches the circular recess 151. It is conceivable that the pachinko sphere B can be easily gathered toward the circular recess 151 in the central portion by using (inverted truncated cone shape) (see FIG. 8).

  In this way, the pachinko balls that have fallen into the pachinko ball storage box 1 do not stay on the peripheral portion 152 of the insole 15 and all gather in the circular recess 151. For this reason, as described above, the energy conversion field for converting the fall energy into the friction energy between the pachinko spheres B in the recesses and the kinetic energy associated with the movement of the pachinko spheres B is not inclined in the peripheral portion 152. Can be secured early compared to.

It is a perspective view which sees through and shows a part of pachinko ball storage box concerning the present invention. It is the II-II sectional view taken on the line of FIG. It is the III-III sectional view taken on the line of FIG. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of FIG. 1. It is a figure which shows the state which the pachinko ball entered into the pachinko ball storage box according to the present invention, the insole is lowered by its weight, and is locked. FIG. 6 is an enlarged view showing a state where the lock is released in the state of FIG. 5. It is a figure for demonstrating the state by which the fall energy of the pachinko ball B is relieved. It is a figure for showing the modification of an insole, and is a figure equivalent to FIG.

Explanation of symbols

1 Pachinko ball storage box (amusement media storage box)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Bottom part 13 Side part 15 Middle bottom 15a Board | substrate 15a1 Circular hole 15b Buffer material 17 Opening 18 Handle 19 Spring (elastic member)
21 (Lock member)
131 Window 151 Circular recess (recess, center)
151a Vertex 153 Middle bottom edge 210 Main portion 211 (protruding portion)
213 Sliding surface portion 213d Lower end edge (terminal portion, engaging portion)
213l Left edge 213r Right edge 213u Upper edge B Pachinko ball (game medium)
B1 Pachinko sphere S space

Claims (6)

Provided as equipment for gaming machines that use gaming media to play games,
A game medium storage box that has a bottom surface portion and a side surface portion and stores the game medium from an opening that opens upward,
In the place separated upward from the bottom portion, an insole that is movable in the vertical direction along the side portion is provided,
The insole has a central portion formed in a recess,
A game in which the midsole is supported between the bottom surface part by interposing an elastic member for relaxing the impact force received by the midboard when the game medium falls from the opening. Medium storage box.   The game medium storage box according to claim 1, wherein the insole includes a rubber or other cushioning material.   3. The game medium storage box according to claim 1, wherein at least the concave portion of the insole is formed of a cloth or other flexible material. When the insole descends and reaches the bottom surface part, it has a lock member that locks the insole,
The lock member includes a sliding surface portion on which an edge portion of the insole slides, and an engaging portion that engages with the edge portion of the insole at an end portion of the sliding surface portion. Item 4. A game storage box according to any one of Items 1 to 3. The locking member is provided in a cantilever shape that is fixed to the side surface at one end and the other end is free so that the locking member can be turned when an external force is applied to the locking member,
A protruding portion that protrudes outward from the side surface portion is formed on the one end side of the locking member,
5. When the inward rotational force, which is the external force, is applied to the projecting portion, the free end side of the lock member turns outward, thereby releasing the engagement. The game storage box according to any one of the above.   The game medium storage box according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the insole has an inverted truncated cone shape in which a portion excluding the recess is inclined downward as it approaches the recess.

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