JP2008061798A - Ball alignment passage structure, storage tank and pachinko ball dispenser - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To secure highly reliable passages capable of perfectly avoiding ball clogging by eliminating contact states in 5 parts where 3 balls adjoining with one another in the width direction of aligned passages out of passages partitioned with partition plates and aligned in the left/right cause a bridge phenomenon. <P>SOLUTION: This ball alignment passage structure is so formed as to align balls stored in an upstream side on the plurality of passages partitioned with the partition plates for every line, one by one on each passage and allows them to downward flow to a downstream side; each passage is formed into a passage width enough for passing approximate one ball, the upstream side of the partition plate is formed into an upslope gradually and gently rising from the passage bottom; and one passage out of the both-side passages of the partition plate is formed with an enlarged passage wider than the passage width of the passage in a side position of the upslope. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention provides, for example, a ball alignment passage structure that is internally configured in an alignment passage that causes a ball to flow down from a storage tank that is stored in preparation for paying out a winning ball of a pachinko gaming machine or paying out a rental ball of a rental device. More particularly, the present invention relates to a ball alignment passage structure, a storage tank, and a pachinko ball dispenser for smoothly flowing a large number of stacked balls.

  In general, pachinko gaming machines supply balls from the back side of the pachinko machine to the front side of the pachinko machine using a pachinko ball (hereinafter referred to as a ball) as a game medium. When supplying the balls, a storage tank for storing a large number of balls is installed at the upper back of the pachinko machine, and the storage tank is supplied with the balls from a supply mechanism (not shown) and stored. The spheres are paid out downward. When this ball is paid out, it is guided to the lower ball paying device through an alignment passage for aligning the balls from the storage tank, and the number of balls instructed to be paid out here is discharged, and the upper plate located at the lower front of the pachinko machine Or it is paid out to the lower plate.

  In this way, the balls supplied from the upstream storage tank are guided to the downstream ball dispensing device via the alignment passage, but the passage (樋) between these rolls smoothly downstream without clogging the balls. It has a relatively gentle slope.

  In the storage tank, a large number of spheres are stacked and stored in a tank having a box shape with an open upper surface. Then, the piled balls are aligned in the alignment passage, roll to the downstream side, and are guided to the ball flow lower entrance.

  The alignment passage is provided with a partition plate between the passages for two spheres so that the rows of spheres are arranged in parallel (two rows). These partition plates are made by chamfering the edges of the partition plates, making them R-shaped, or making the partition plates mountain-shaped, so that the balls do not ride on the upper surface of the partition plates, and the balls enter the alignment passage on either the left or right side. A device for avoiding clogging of balls is made to roll (see Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2).

  However, when the spheres flow down the alignment passage partitioned by the partition plate, the sphere contamination (for example, resin powder scattered on the alignment passage adheres to the surface of the sphere and the surface of the sphere becomes rough. In some cases, such as a sphere having a high frictional resistance, the friction between the spheres and the frictional resistance against the upper surface of the partition plate are very large when they touch the upper surface of the partition plate. Even if the upper surface of the partition plate is inclined to one passage side, there is a case where the effect of rolling the ball to the one passage side is almost lost. The sphere that has flowed back to the sphere and the sphere that has flowed down from the storage tank are balanced, and this has caused clogging of the ball.

  The cause of the occurrence of clogging of the balls in the alignment passage will be described in detail. As shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, three balls P1, P2, adjacent in the passage width direction at the start of alignment of the alignment passages. P3 is H1 (the contact point between the spheres P1 and P2), H2 (the contact point between the spheres P1 and P3), H3 (the contact point between the sphere P1 and the upper surface of the partition plate 111), H4 (P2 and the side) There are cases where the five points of the contact point with the wall surface 112) and H5 (the contact point between P3 and the side wall surface 113) are in point contact. In the case of such five contact states, the sphere P1 is in contact with the upper surface of the partition plate 111 being shifted from the center of the sphere, so that the collision force (the sphere P1 is upstream from the partition plate 111 (the storage tank The balance is lost regardless of the force of the ball P2 and the ball P3 flowing down the passages on both sides of the ball P1, and the ball P1 rolls from the partition plate 111 to the left or right channel 114a or 114b. And

  At this time, in addition to the partition plate 111, the sphere P1 flows down the passages on both sides of the sphere P1 and the spheres P2 and P3 are in contact with each other (H1 and H2). Rolling is possible if the force flowing down is greater than the frictional force, but in the case of a sphere having a high frictional resistance as described above, the balance of the sphere P1 is lost, but the frictional resistance with the spheres P2 and P3 on both sides thereof is large. Therefore, the sphere P1 on the upper surface of the partition plate 111 cannot roll in any of the left and right passages 114a and 114b, and the sphere is clogged due to a so-called bridge phenomenon. For this reason, every time ball clogging occurs in the passages 114a and 114b, a ball clogging release operation is required by a staff member, and there is a problem that the game is interrupted and the operating rate of the gaming machine is lowered.

JP 2006-43054 A JP 2002-18054 A

  Therefore, according to the present invention, three spheres adjacent in the passage width direction are locked (a bridge is generated) by expanding the width of one of the left and right passages partitioned by the partition plate among the plurality of rows of alignment passages. It is an object of the present invention to provide a ball alignment passage structure, a storage tank, and a pachinko ball dispenser that can eliminate ball clogging by eliminating contact states at five locations.

  The present invention provides a sphere alignment passage structure in which spheres stored upstream are aligned one by one into a plurality of passages partitioned by a partition by a partition plate and flowed downstream, and the passages are substantially spherical. It is formed with a passage width of one piece, the upstream side of the partition plate is formed as a climbing slope that gradually rises from the bottom surface of the passage, and one of the passages on both sides of the partition plate has a lateral position of the climbing slope. The wide passage is formed wider than the passage width of the passage.

  Here, the widening passage is formed at the side position of the uphill. The ball that rides on the uphill slopes smoothly rises due to its own weight and tries to roll backward to the lower side of the uphill and rolls along the left and right passages. Since the sphere that tries to roll downstream along the normal flow, at the height position of the upper surface of the partition plate where the sphere flowing in the opposite direction contacts, that is, in the vicinity of the uphill, This is because the movements of the spheres interfere with each other when they come into contact with each other, and the widening passage is adjacent to the side of the uphill corresponding to the interference region where the movements of these spheres are obstructed. Thereby, the trouble interference of the sphere is solved beforehand.

  As an aspect of the present invention, a storage space for storing a large number of spheres in a stacked state, a narrowing portion that gradually narrows the space from the storage space to a downstream passage toward the downstream, and storage in the storage space A groove-shaped passage for allowing the sphere to flow down through the throttle portion, and gradually rising from the bottom surface from the upstream to the downstream of the passage, and approximately one sphere in the groove of the passage. A partition plate that is divided into two rows of passages arranged in parallel with each other, and the upstream side of the partition plate is formed as a hill that gradually rises from the bottom surface of the passage, and one of the passages on both sides of the partition plate includes: A storage tank having a wide passage that is wider than a passage width of the passage at a side position of the uphill can be configured.

  As an aspect of the present invention, a storage tank can be configured in which the upper surface of the partition plate is provided with a ball distribution inclined surface that is inclined toward the widening passage side in the direction of the ridge line of the uphill.

  By constructing a pachinko ball dispenser that is built by connecting the storage tank configured in this way to a ball dispenser provided on the back side of the board of the game machine, the reliability of the ball clogging in the alignment passage is eliminated. A pachinko ball dispenser with high and stable ball alignment performance can be constructed.

  According to the present invention, by expanding the width of either the left or right of the alignment passages partitioned by the partition plate, an area of the wide passage that allows the ball to escape in the passage width direction is created, and the ball passage on the side of the uphill is The flow of the sphere can be made smooth. Therefore, it is possible to construct a sphere alignment passage structure having a highly reliable sphere alignment performance that eliminates the cause of the occurrence of clogging.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the following drawings.
FIG. 1 shows the back side of a pachinko gaming machine. A pachinko ball dispenser 12 is disposed on the upper side of the gaming table 11 of the pachinko gaming machine, and a large display device, control unit, etc. are provided at the center of the back side of the board. The board | substrate part 13 provided with is arrange | positioned. Further, a replenishment chute (not shown) is provided on the upper side of the pachinko ball dispenser 12 facing the upper surface opening, and a ball is replenished to the pachinko ball dispenser 12 from above via this replenishment chute. Further, a payout passage 14 is connected to the lower part of the pachinko ball dispenser 12, and the balls are paid out to a tray (not shown) located at the lower front of the game table 11 through the payout passage 14.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the pachinko ball dispenser 12 integrally connects a storage tank 15 installed in a horizontal shape and a ball dispenser 16 installed in a vertical shape in an inverted L shape. At the time of these connections, the downstream end of the horizontally long storage tank 15 is connected to the upstream end of the ball dispensing device 16, thereby adopting a compact unit configuration in which both are integrated.

  Further, the pachinko ball dispenser 12 has the storage tank 15 at the most upstream position, and a top plate 17, a ball breaker mechanism 18, a ball passage restricting mechanism 19, and a ball dispenser 16 are connected in this order on the downstream side. ing. Further, a vertically long connecting frame 20 is attached to the mounting surface on the game stand 11 side corresponding to the ball paying device 16, and the pachinko ball paying machine 12 is fixedly installed on the back side of the board surface of the game stand 11 through the connecting frame 20. The

  As shown in FIG. 3, the above-described storage tank 15 has a concave shape with the upper surface opened and tapered on both sides, and a large number of spheres are stored in a stacked state in the storage space 15a in the concave shape. . And a sphere is replenished with respect to the upper surface opening part of this storage space 15a, and many spheres are stored here. The ball stored in the storage tank 15 is configured to roll by its own weight and be guided to the downstream ball dispensing device 16.

  In this case, in order to allow the balls to pass smoothly from the upstream side to the downstream side, as shown in FIG. 4, an elongated alignment passage 21 is integrally projected at the front end of the storage tank 15 at the front stage of the ball dispensing device 16. I have.

  By the way, from the tank bottom surface of the upstream storage tank 15 to the bottom surface from which the ball P of the downstream ball dispensing device 16 is dispensed, the same long sloping passage L (see FIG. 1) that moves straightly while being gently inclined in the same inclination direction. Is provided.

  The same inclined passage L is connected by setting the bottom surface of each passage through which the balls P roll and pass in the order of the storage tank 15, the alignment passage 21, and the ball dispensing device 16 to a gentle inclination angle in the same inclination direction. It is a passage. For this reason, the ball P gently rolls from the upstream side to the downstream side by its own weight. Further, in this case, since the passages go straight in the same inclination direction, there is no drop or direction change when the ball flows down, and the ball flows down by a smooth straight movement suitable for the flow of the ball P.

  In this case, if the inclination angle is small, the rolling speed of the sphere P becomes slow, and the supply of the sphere P to the downstream side tends to be delayed. On the other hand, when the inclination angle is large, the load of the spheres P flowing down increases, so that it is suitable to roll at a gentle inclination angle of, for example, about 5 to 8 degrees. For this reason, the sphere P rolling here flows down stably.

  In particular, since the same inclined passage L is a passage that goes straight diagonally downward, it extends longer in the horizontal direction than in the vertical (height) direction. For this reason, it occupies less space in the height direction, and the passage has a shortened length in the height direction.

  The storage tank 15 described above is configured to roll a large number of stored spheres P by its own weight and guide them to the downstream sphere flow lower port 15b. A C-shaped narrowed portion 15c that is gradually narrowed is provided. Further, as shown in FIG. 5, a top plate 17 is provided at the upper part on the downstream side of the storage tank 15. A receiving piece 22 that corresponds to the downstream side of the storage tank 15 and that faces the upper side of the storage tank 15 and receives the upper layer part of the overlapping rolling sphere P is provided at the upstream end of the top plate 17. It is suspended.

  By providing the receiving piece 22, the flow of the upper layer portion of the sphere P in a piled state is prevented. For this reason, only the lower layer spheres P can be allowed to flow down, and thereafter, the number of stacked spheres can be sufficiently reduced and supplied to the downstream side. Thereby, the ball pressure to the downstream side can be reduced, and a smooth flow suitable for supplying the balls P from the storage tank 15 to the alignment passage 21 side can be secured. On the downstream side of the receiving piece 22, a ball breaking mechanism 18 that aligns one ball at a height is provided.

  The ball breaker mechanism 18 includes a set of three axial support blocks (see FIG. 3) 18a, 18b, and 18c arranged in a row in the passage width direction on the downstream side of the alignment passage 21, and these axial support blocks 18a. A pair of left and right spherical ball breaker levers 18e are suspended in parallel on shaft support pins 18d installed between 18c and 18c. The shaft support pins 18d are bent at the tilting fulcrum and the lever 18e is pendulum-shaped in the passage direction. Rotation is allowed. As a result, the upper surface of the upper sphere led here is brought into contact with the sphere breaking lever 18e so that the spheres in the stacked state are surely broken to one height.

  Then, the balls P broken by the ball breaker lever 18e are sent out from the inclined direction of the same inclined passage L in line with the passages 21a and 21b, and descend from the respective ball flow lower openings 15b at the ends of the passages 21a and 21b. The sphere P is supplied to a sphere dispensing device 16 connected in parallel to the lower side.

  The ball payout device 16 is vertically arranged below the ball flow lower port 15b, and the ball P supplied from the storage tank 15 is replaced with one ball P having a number of balls determined based on a payout signal from the control unit. It pays out to the saucer of the game stand 11 one by one. A ball passage restriction mechanism 19 is provided between the ball dispensing device 16 and the ball flow lower port 15b above the ball dispensing device 16. The ball passage restricting mechanism 19 is attached to a connecting frame 20 (see FIG. 3) corresponding to the space between the ball flow lower port 15b and the ball dispensing device 16, and the arm support shaft 20a is horizontally arranged from the vertical surface of the connecting frame 20. And the ball passage restriction arm 19a and the ball passage restriction spring 19b are inserted through the arm support shaft 20a. Thereby, the ball passage restriction arm 19a is configured to be switchable between a ball stop position where the ball flow lower port 15b is closed by the ball passage restriction spring 19b and an open position where the ball flow lower port 15b is opened. Normally, it is used when the ball is in the open position and the ball is allowed to flow down, and the ball is stopped by maintenance or the like.

  Next, the payout process operation of the ball P in the pachinko ball dispenser 12 will be described. In the storage tank 15 of the pachinko ball dispenser 12, a large number of balls P are stored in a state waiting for dispensing. From this standby state, a payout signal for the ball P is input to the ball payout device 16 from a main control unit (not shown) that controls the entire pachinko gaming machine, and a drive motor for the ball payout device 16 (not shown). Is driven, the flow restriction of the ball P stored in the upstream storage tank 15 is released based on this driving, and the ball P is led from the high position of the same inclined passage L to the low position on the downstream side by its own weight. .

  On the other hand, on the downstream side of the storage tank 15, the upper sphere P of the storage tank 15 is received by the receiving piece 22, and the flow of the upper sphere P is limited. Pass through. Thereafter, the sphere P flows down through the same inclined passage L and reaches the alignment passage 21. Here, the irregularly stored spheres P flow down in a state in which they are arranged in order by the passages 21a and 21b partitioned in two rows, and are further aligned to one height by the ball breaker mechanism 18 to be supplied to the ball dispensing device 16. Led to.

  In the ball dispensing device 16, the balls P are individually and continuously fed with the rotation of a sprocket (not shown), and the balls P of a predetermined number of balls are dispensed one by one under the control of the rotation and stop of the sprocket. The paid-out ball P is paid out to the upper plate or the lower plate on the front side of the game table 11 through the vertical pay-out passage 14 for lowering the ball.

Next, the shape and function of the left and right side wall surfaces 23 and 24 that construct the alignment passage 21 and the partition plate 25 that partitions them will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.
This alignment channel | path 21 comprises the channel | paths 21a and 21b which have two rows of ditch | grooves by the side wall surfaces 23 and 24 on either side, and the partition plate 25 between them. As shown in FIG. 6, an exclusion port 21c is elongated at the bottom of these passages 21a and 21b to remove foreign matter, and the foreign matter is dropped and removed from the exclusion port 21c.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the partition plate 25 is gradually and smoothly raised from the bottom surface from the upstream side to the downstream side of the alignment passage 21 corresponding to the terminal side of the throttle portion 15c. The upstream side of the upper surface of the partition plate 25 forms a climbing slope 25a having a smooth arc shape in the ridgeline direction, and the most rising end side of the climbing slope 25a is extended to the position of the ball breaking mechanism 18 in the subsequent stage, The stacked spheres are aligned and guided at the position of the ball breaking mechanism 18.

  Further, in one of the passages 21a and 21b on both sides of the partition plate 25, an enlarged passage 26 for avoiding clogging is formed at a side position of the climbing slope 25a so as to be wider than the passage width of the passage 21a. ing.

  As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the widening passage 26 has a conflict between the flow of the sphere P <b> 1 that rides on the upper surface of the partition plate 25 and tries to flow backward, and the spheres P <b> 2 and P <b> 3 that roll on the left and right thereof. The passage 21a on one side of the uphill 25a adjacent to the partition plate 25 is provided wide so as to avoid troubled interference at the uphill 25a portion that is at a height position that hinders mutual movement. For example, one side wall surface 23 of the partition plate 25 is provided about 1.4 times wider in the passage width direction, and the uphill 25a is gradually raised from the bottom surface from the upstream side to the downstream side of the alignment passage of the partition plate 25. Provide up to the top of the part.

  By providing the widening passage 26, the sphere P3 flowing through one of the passages 21a and P3 flowing down the passages 21a and 21b can escape to the region of the widening passage 26 having a wider passage width. become. Therefore, the five contact states described above with reference to FIGS. 11 and 12 do not exist. That is, since the sphere P3 flowing down the widening passage 26 side is wide, it comes into contact with the side wall surface 23 on the side of the passage 21a (specifically, the side wall surface of the widening passage 26). As a result, the contact point between the sphere P1 that has ridden on the upper surface of the partition plate 25 and the sphere P3 on the widening passage 26 side inevitably disappears, and as shown by imaginary lines in FIGS. Since the ball P1 riding on the upper surface of the ball can roll to the widening passage 26 side, it is not locked and ball clogging is naturally avoided.

  Furthermore, on the upper surface of the partition plate 25, there is provided a ball distribution inclined surface 27 that is inclined toward the widening passage 26 in the ridgeline direction (see FIG. 9). The ball distribution inclined surface 27 is an inclined surface formed so that the ball P can easily roll from the upper surface of the partition plate 25 toward the adjacent passage 21a, and the upper surface of the partition plate 25 is inclined at a steep angle in the plate thickness direction. It is provided. In particular, it is easy to break the balance by shifting the contact point H3 where the upper surface of the partition plate 25 and the ball P1 riding on the upper surface of the partition plate 25 are in contact with the center of the ball, that is, the partition which is not easily clogged. The plate 25 can be realized.

  As a result, the ball P1 riding on the upper surface of the partition plate 25 can be inclined and moved to the right side downward, and the partition plate 25 itself can be provided with a ball distribution function. The sorting function and the bridge avoiding action by the widening passage 26 described above can provide an alignment function with high ball clogging prevention performance.

Next, the alignment operation of the spheres in the alignment passage 21 configured as described above will be described.
When a large number of spheres flow down from the upstream side into the alignment passage 21, the spheres from the throttle portion 15c are concentrated at the positions of the passages 21a and 21b juxtaposed on the left and right sides and the partition plate 25 interposed therebetween. Although there is a widening passage 26 in the passage 21a on one side adjacent to the alignment start site where the spheres flow down, the spheres are dispersed by the widening passage 26, so that the crowding at the alignment start site is avoided. Therefore, the bridging phenomenon due to the five contact states as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 is eliminated, and the bridge avoidance action as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 always works, and the sphere passing there stays. The cause disappears and it flows down smoothly. Furthermore, since the ball P1 riding on the upper surface of the partition plate 25 is distributed to the widening passage 26 side by the ball distribution inclined surface 27 inclined to the widening passage 26 side, the bridge avoidance action is further exerted. Therefore, the balls passing through the alignment passage 21 are flown down after the clogging is eliminated.

  In the correspondence between the configuration of the present invention and the configuration of the above-described one embodiment, the inclined surface of the present invention corresponds to the same inclined passage L of the embodiment, but the present invention is based on the technical idea described in the claims. However, the present invention is not limited to the configuration of the above-described embodiment.

  For example, the alignment passage 21 has been described so as to flow down in two rows of balls. However, even if there are three or more rows, if the regular passage width and the widening passage 26 are provided on both sides of the alignment passage, the clogging of the balls is prevented. It is possible to construct an alignment passage that can achieve the same effect that can be avoided.

  Further, the storage tank 15 has a central type alignment passage 21 (see FIG. 4) in which the alignment direction is set in the central portion in the width direction of the storage tank 15. However, the present invention is not limited to this, as shown in FIG. Even if the offset type alignment passage 102 having the alignment direction set is formed at one side end of the storage tank 101 in the width direction, the widening passage 103 capable of avoiding the clogging of the balls can be provided to obtain the same effect. it can.

The principal part rear view which shows the board surface back side of the game machine provided with the pachinko ball dispensing machine. The external appearance perspective view which shows a pachinko ball dispenser. The exploded perspective view of a pachinko ball dispenser. The perspective view which shows the flowing-down state of the ball | bowl in a storage tank. The external appearance perspective view which shows a storage tank. The top view which shows a storage tank. The principal part enlarged side view which shows the ball | bowl flow-down state of an alignment channel | path. The principal part expansion perspective view which shows the ball | bowl flow-down state of an alignment channel | path. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 8. The perspective view which shows the other Example of a storage tank. The principal part expansion perspective view which shows the ball | bowl flow-down state of the conventional alignment channel | path. FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 11.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 12 ... Pachinko ball dispenser 15, 101 ... Storage tank 15a ... Storage space 15c ... Restriction part 21, 102 ... Alignment channel | path 23, 24 ... Side wall surface 25 ... Partition plate 25a ... Uphill slope 26, 103 ... Widening channel | path 27 ... Ball distribution inclination Surface L ... Same inclined passage

Claims (4)

A sphere-aligned passage structure in which spheres stored upstream are aligned one by one in a plurality of passages divided by a row by a partition plate and flowed downstream,
The passage is formed to have a passage width of approximately one sphere,
The upstream side of the partition plate is formed as a hill that rises gradually and smoothly from the bottom of the passage,
One of the passages on both sides of the partition plate is formed with an enlarged passage wider than the passage width of the passage at a side position of the uphill. A storage space for storing a large number of spheres in a stacked state; and
A narrowed portion gradually narrowing toward the downstream while reaching the downstream passage from the storage space,
A groove-shaped passage for allowing the sphere stored in the storage space to flow down through the throttle portion;
A partition plate that rises gradually from the bottom toward the downstream from the upstream of the passage and partitions the groove in the passage into two rows of passages arranged in parallel with a passage width of approximately one sphere;
The upstream side of the partition plate is formed as a hill that rises gradually and smoothly from the bottom of the passage,
In one of the passages on both sides of the partition plate, a widening passage that is wider than a passage width of the passage at a side position of the uphill,
A storage tank with The storage tank according to claim 2, wherein a spherically-distributed inclined surface that is inclined toward the widening passage side is provided on an upper surface of the partition plate in a ridge line direction of the uphill of the upper surface.   A pachinko ball dispenser comprising the storage tank according to claim 2.

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