JP2013078466A - Dispenser for game machine and game machine with the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a dispenser achieving stable feeding of a game ball by a rotation body and to provide a game machine with the same.SOLUTION: The dispenser 10 for a game machine includes a first ball passage 21 for guiding a game ball downward from above, a second ball passage 22 receiving a game ball flowing down through the first ball passage 21 at a ball receiving portion 23 and guiding the game ball in a direction different from the guiding direction of the first ball passage 21, and a third ball passage 27 for discharging the guided game ball downward. Further, the rotation body 30 is provided to be rotationally driven which stores the game ball received at the ball receiving portion 23, in a ball receiving recessed portion 31 and sends the game ball toward the third ball passage 27 by the rotation thereof. The ball receiving portion 23 is formed with a ball receiving bottom wall 23a for receiving the game ball flowing down the first ball passage 21 on the lower side, and a supporting wall 23b for restricting the game ball received by the ball receiving bottom wall 23a from moving to the opposite side, and the ball receiving bottom wall 23a is provided to be inclined higher toward the downstream side.

Description

  The present invention relates to a gaming machine payout device and a gaming machine including the same.

  Conventionally, on the back side of a gaming machine such as a pachinko machine, it is arranged so as to face a supply passage that guides the game ball from the ball storage tank arranged at the upper part, and it is predetermined to a ball tray provided on the front side of the game machine. A payout device for paying out a number of prize balls and rental balls is provided. Generally, as such a payout device, as in Patent Document 1, a supply path (29) for receiving game balls flowing down from a ball storage tank into the device, and a predetermined number of game balls according to the amount of rotation. Are provided with a driving source such as a rotating body (36) for delivering the game to the downstream side, a motor (38) for driving the rotating body (36), and discharge ports (42a, 42b) for discharging game balls. . Such a payout device is required to pay the set number of balls to the ball tray accurately and stably.

  The payout device (prize ball discharge device) described in Patent Document 1 is configured to send out a premium ball (game ball) by a rotating body (36) that rotates in the horizontal direction, and a plurality of vertical through holes (37) are provided. Rotating bodies (36) arranged concentrically at regular intervals, a supply path (29) for supplying a prize ball inside the apparatus, and a vertical through hole (37) corresponding to the supply path (29) Rotation of a ball extraction port (41a, 41b) that is provided in the open / closed valve plate (43a, 43b) and a vertical through hole (37) that is provided below the rotating body and excludes the ball extraction port Corresponding on the trajectory, it is provided with discharge ports (42a, 42b) for discharging prize spheres accommodated in the vertical through holes (37). Further, the ball outlets (41a, 41b) are configured to be opened and closed by the valve plates (43a, 43b). If the valve plates (43a, 43b) are in a free state, they are perpendicular to the supply path (29). The prize sphere supplied to the through hole (37) can be dropped from the ball outlet (41a, 41b) by pushing down the valve plate (43a, 43b) by its own weight. It is said.

  In addition, the payout device described in Patent Document 2 has a configuration in which a game ball is sent out by a rotating body (31) that rotates in the vertical direction, and rotates into the ball path (20) to enter the ball path (20). A rotating body (31) having a ball receiving surface (32a) for receiving a game ball flowing down and having a rotating shaft (30) in the horizontal direction is provided. In this configuration, the ball receiving wall (24) of the direction changing passage (23) has a length of at least one game ball and extends linearly in the lateral direction when viewed from the axial direction of the rotation axis (O1). Therefore, when the ball receiving recess 31 stops at a fixed position facing the direction change passage (23), the game ball is received by the ball receiving wall (24), and the game ball spills downstream. It prevents that.

Japanese Patent Publication No. 5-80918 JP 2009-254516 A

  By the way, each of the payout devices of Patent Documents 1 and 2 includes a supply passage (first ball passage) for supplying game balls from the upper side to the lower side, and drops one ball at a time through this supply passage. A game ball is received once in a predetermined receiving area. The receiving area communicates with a transfer path (second ball path) in which the rotating body is movable, and the game balls received in the receiving area are transferred laterally in the transfer path by the rotating body. It is like that. Since it is configured in this way, it is possible to quickly supply the game balls one by one from the supply passage (first ball passage) toward the receiving area, and one game ball set in the predetermined area. It becomes possible to transfer quickly one by one.

  However, in the payout device configured as described above, the game balls supplied from the supply passage (first ball passage) to the transfer passage (second ball passage) are in the receiving area (transfer starting area by the rotating body). There is a concern that it will not be stable.

  For example, when a game ball is transferred using a rotating body that rotates in the horizontal direction (horizontal rotation method) as an example, in this configuration, the game ball supplied from the supply passage (first ball passage) is received in the receiving area. The ball is once received by the inner wall of the ball and then moved laterally by the rotating body, but the distance between the game ball introduced into the receiving area and the next ball to be introduced next. When this occurs, the rebound of the game ball that has collided with the ball bottom wall increases, so it takes time for the game ball to be transferred to fit in the desired initial state (ie, in close contact with or close to the ball bottom wall). It becomes easy to take. In addition, if no particular measures are taken, the rebound direction from the ball receiving wall when falling from the supply passage (first ball passage) to the receiving area will vary without being determined in a specific direction. There is also a possibility that it will bounce off in a direction that is difficult to fit (for example, more upstream side). In such a case, it takes time until the game ball to be transferred fits in close contact with or close to the ball receiving wall. Then, when the transfer by the rotating body is started in such a state that the ball has rebounded (that is, the game ball floats off the ball receiving bottom wall and is not securely contained in the rotating body), the transferred game ball becomes the rotating body. And the outer wall of the transfer path may cause a ball bite, which may hinder stable game ball payout.

  Further, in the configuration in which the game ball supplied from the supply passage (first ball passage) is transferred by the rotating body as described above, the game ball before transfer waiting on the supply passage (first ball passage) side (that is, rotation) It is easy for a load (ball pressure) to be applied to the rotating body from a game ball that continues continuously upstream of the body, and to apply a rotational force to the rotating body in the direction of rotation (direction of rotation during transfer). When a ball pressure is applied to the rotating body, a situation may occur in which the rotating body rotates excessively from a position where the rotating body should originally be stopped. Such unexpected rotation becomes a problem particularly when the game ball is likely to flow downstream on the ball receiving passage. When such unexpected rotation occurs, the game ball is more than the original number of prize balls. Will be paid out excessively, and accurate payout will be hindered.

  The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-described problems, and is a payout that can suppress the occurrence of ball biting during the payout of a game ball and can realize a stable transfer of the game ball by a rotating body. An object is to provide a device and a gaming machine including the same.

The payout device for gaming machines of the present invention,
A first ball path for guiding the game ball from the upper side to the lower side;
A second ball path including a ball receiving portion for receiving the game ball flowing down the first ball path and guiding the game ball flowing down the first ball path in a direction different from the guiding direction of the first ball path;
A third ball path for discharging the game ball guided in the second ball path downward;
A ball receiving recess that at least partially accommodates the game ball received by the ball receiving portion is provided, and is configured to be rotatable about a predetermined central axis. A rotating body that sends out the game ball accommodated in the ball receiving recess to the third ball passage;
A rotating body driving unit that continuously or intermittently drives the rotating body;
With
In the ball receiving portion, a ball receiving bottom wall that receives a game ball flowing down the first ball passage on the lower side, a position adjacent to the ball receiving bottom wall, and the game ball is moved by the ball receiving recess A support wall that is erected on the side opposite to the side to be played and restricts the game ball received by the ball receiving wall from moving to the opposite side,
When the game ball accommodated in the ball receiving recess is sent out to the ball receiving recess of the rotating body, it contacts the game ball on the upstream side in the rotation direction of the game ball accommodated in the ball receiving recess and the downstream side And a push-out portion that contacts the game ball and pushes it along the ball-receiving bottom wall on the rear side in the rotation direction of the game ball housed in the ball-receiving recess. ,
The ball receiving bottom wall of the ball receiving portion is provided so as to be positioned higher toward the downstream side.

  The gaming machine of the present invention is characterized in that the above gaming machine payout device is provided.

The gaming machine payout device and the gaming machine having the same according to the present invention are configured to drop the gaming ball from the first ball passage side to the second ball passage side, so that quick supply can be achieved with a simple configuration. The game balls supplied to the second ball passage side can be quickly sent out by the rotating ball receiving recesses. Further, the ball receiving bottom wall of the ball receiving portion is provided so as to become higher as it becomes downstream, and a support wall is erected on the side opposite to the side where the game ball is moved by the ball receiving recess. Therefore, when the game ball dropped from the first ball passage toward the second ball passage is received by the ball receiving wall, the game ball is likely to rebound to the support wall side, and the base end position of the ball receiving wall (the ball receiving wall) And a position that can contact or approach any of the support walls). Therefore, when the second ball passage is transferred while the game ball is being received by the ball receiving recess, it is difficult to be transferred in an unstable transfer state or a storage state greatly deviating from the specified storage state. It is possible to suppress the occurrence of ball biting caused by being sandwiched between the wall portion and the wall portion of the ball passage.
Further, in the above configuration, a force is generated to return the game ball on the ball receiving wall to the support wall side (upstream side), and this force has a resistance to rotation in the positive direction (rotation direction during transfer). Therefore, for example, when the rotating body is to be stopped, the following game ball (that is, the game ball before transfer standing by on the supply passage (first ball passage) side) from the game ball on the ball receiving base wall Even if a load (ball pressure) is applied, the load (ball pressure) to be rotated in the positive direction with respect to the rotating body from the game ball on the ball bottom wall is reliably suppressed. Excessive rotation due to pressure can be suppressed. Accordingly, it is possible to effectively prevent an excessive payout due to excessive rotation, and thus to realize a highly accurate payout device capable of accurately paying out a set number of game balls.

In the present invention, it is preferable that the ball receiving bottom wall of the second sphere passage is configured to be inclined upward from a position below the first sphere passage to an inlet of the third sphere passage. .
If the upward inclination of the ball receiving wall continues to the inlet of the third ball passage in this way, the effect of stabilizing the behavior of the game ball and the effect of suppressing excessive rotation are produced in the entire range of the second ball passage. Can be made.

Further, in the present invention, the second spherical passage includes an inner peripheral wall and an outer peripheral wall that are curved along a circumferential direction around the rotation axis between the ball receiving portion and the third spherical passage. It may be configured in a groove shape. Preferably, each of the restricting portion and the push-out portion is configured such that a protruding amount protruding from the inner peripheral wall of the second ball passage into the second ball passage is smaller than a radius of the game ball. .
Thus, if it is configured to be rotatable about the rotation axis along the vertical direction, it is advantageous in achieving downsizing in the vertical direction. On the other hand, in the configuration in which the rotating body is rotated horizontally, the game ball falling from the supply passage (first ball passage) collides with the protrusions of the rotating body (parts of the restricting portion and the pushing portion) or on the protrusions. There is a concern that the behavior of the game ball may become unstable due to riding on it, and it may take time until it is set at a predetermined position in the ball receiving recess. If the amount of protrusion of each part from the inner peripheral wall is less than the radius of the game ball, the probability that the game ball falling from the first ball passage will collide with the rotating body can be reduced. It becomes difficult to occur. In addition, since the deterioration of the rotating body and the rotating body drive unit caused by the collision of the game ball with the rotating body can be suppressed, the life of the apparatus can be reliably extended.

In the present invention, the rotating body is configured to be rotatable about a rotation axis along the vertical direction, and in the ball receiving recess, the restricting portion and the pushing portion protrude from the rotation shaft in the radial direction. In any position when the push-out portion moves above the ball bottom wall in accordance with the rotation of the rotating body, when it is configured to move along a horizontal plane perpendicular to the rotation axis. However, it is desirable that the contact surface of the push-out portion on the side in contact with the game ball includes a position having a height corresponding to the radius of the game ball from the ball receiving wall.
According to such a configuration, the game ball can be transferred without any problem through the entire transfer path of the ball bottom wall that becomes higher in the downstream side. For example, at any position of the ball receiving wall, the pushing portion does not push down the game ball significantly, so that it is difficult to cause adverse effects such as lifting the game ball to the top of the rotating body, The transfer can be performed more reliably.

FIG. 1 is a rear view illustrating a gaming machine provided with a gaming machine payout device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a front view of the gaming machine shown in FIG. FIG. 3 (A) is a plan view of the gaming machine payout device according to the embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 (B) is a front view thereof. FIG. 4 (A) is a left side view of the gaming machine payout device according to the embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 (B) is a bottom view thereof. FIG. 5A is a perspective view of the gaming machine payout device of FIG. 3 as viewed obliquely from above, and FIG. 5B is a state of the gaming machine payout device of FIG. 3 as viewed from diagonally below. FIG. FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the gaming machine payout device of FIG. 3 as viewed obliquely from above. FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the gaming machine payout device of FIG. 3 as viewed obliquely from below. 8A is a partially broken perspective view showing a state in which the gaming machine payout device of FIG. 3 is viewed obliquely from above, and FIG. 8B is a broken state different from FIG. 8A. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing the AA cross section of FIG. 3A, and FIG. 9B is a cross-sectional view showing the A'-A 'cross section. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a BB cross section of FIG. 4A, and FIG. 10B is a cross-sectional view showing a CC cross section of FIG. 4A. FIG. 11 is an explanatory view showing an operation state when paying out a game ball in the gaming machine payout device of FIG. 3, and FIG. 11 (A) is a partially broken perspective view when viewed obliquely from above. FIG. 11 (B) is a partially broken perspective view when viewed from a side (side and obliquely upward) different from FIG. 11 (A), and FIG. 11 (C) is viewed from the side. FIG. 12 is a diagram for explaining an operation state following FIG. 11. FIG. 12 (A) is a partially broken perspective view when viewed from obliquely above, and FIG. 12 (B) is a diagram in FIG. FIG. 12A is a partially broken perspective view when viewed from a side different from A) (side and obliquely upward side), and FIG. 12C is a partially broken perspective view when viewed from the side. FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining the operating state following FIG. 12, FIG. 13A is a partially broken perspective view when viewed from obliquely above, and FIG. FIG. 13A is a partially broken perspective view when viewed from a side different from A) (side and obliquely upward side), and FIG. 13C is a partially broken perspective view when viewed from the side. FIG. 14 is a diagram for explaining an operation state following FIG. 13. FIG. 14 (A) is a partially broken perspective view when viewed from the obliquely upper side, and FIG. 14 (B) is FIG. FIG. 14A is a partially broken perspective view when viewed from a side different from A) (side and obliquely upward side), and FIG. 14C is a partially broken perspective view when viewed from the side.

[First embodiment]
Hereinafter, an embodiment in which a gaming machine payout device 10 according to the present invention and a gaming machine 1 having the same are embodied with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a rear view illustrating a gaming machine 1 provided with a gaming machine payout device 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a front view of the gaming machine 1 shown in FIG. First, the configuration of the gaming machine 1 will be outlined with reference to FIGS.

(Composition of gaming machine)
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the pachinko machine 1 (game machine) is opened and closed on the front side by a frame-like outer frame 2 that forms the outer shape of the pachinko machine 1 and a hinge mechanism H with respect to the outer frame 2. A possible inner frame 3 and a front frame 4 that can be opened and closed on the front side by a hinge mechanism H with respect to the inner frame 3 are provided.

  A game board 5 is supported on the inner frame 3. In addition, a wide supply ball tank 6 is disposed at the upper end of the inner frame 3 on the rear side (back side) of the game board 5 and below the other end from one end side (for example, the left side in FIG. 1). A tank rail 7 for aligning game balls to the side (also the right side) is connected. The other end of the tank rail 7 is connected to the upper end of a ball 8 that extends substantially vertically and vertically, and the lower end is connected to the upper plate 9 a directly below the game board 5. Note that the bulb 8 is formed in a cylindrical shape (generally, a square cylindrical shape).

  A game ball payout device (hereinafter simply referred to as a payout device) 10 for paying out a predetermined number of prize balls or rental balls by means of a payout control board 11 or the like is interposed at the upper and lower intermediate positions of the ball cage 8 ( Details will be described later). The ball cage 8 includes an upstream rod 8 a located on the upstream side of the dispensing device 10 and a downstream rod 8 b located on the downstream side of the dispensing device 10. Further, an idle detection switch 8s is provided at an intermediate position of the upstream rod 8a. The idle cut detection switch 8s detects whether or not there is a payable number of balls (that is, game balls having a minimum number of balls (generally 25 balls) or more are in the first ball passage 21 of the payout device 10 (see FIG. 8A) and upstream. Is present in the ridge 8a). A lower plate 9b is formed below the upper plate 9a. The lower plate 9b overflows through the overflow ball passage 12 when the upper plate 9a is filled with game balls. A full tank switch 12 s is provided for detecting that the bottom plate 9 b is full from the overflow ball passage 12.

(Configuration of payout device for gaming machine)
Next, the gaming machine payout device 10 according to the present embodiment will be described.
The dispensing device 10 has an appearance as shown in FIGS. 3 to 5 and has a component configuration as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the payout device 10 includes a ball passage 20 (see FIGS. 1 and 9) for communicating the upstream rod 8 a and the downstream rod 8 b and a game ball flowing down the ball passage 20. Rotating body 30 for adjusting and paying out the number, motor 40 as a rotating body drive source for driving the rotating body 30 continuously or intermittently, and game balls paid out by the rotating body 30 are counted. The counting sensor 50 is provided. As the motor 40, for example, a stepping motor whose rotation can be controlled by a pulse signal is used. The counting sensor 50 is, for example, a proximity sensor (non-contact type sensor) or the like, and may be omitted in the dispensing device 10 when provided on the downstream rod 8b.

  Further, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the dispensing device 10 includes a pair of passage cases 20F and 20R that form the ball passage 20, a motor fixing member 41 for fixing the motor 40, and the like. However, it is assembled | attached like FIGS. 3-5 by being fixed by fastening members, such as a screw. The cases 20F and 20R and the motor fixing member 41 are made of, for example, a resin material, and function as a casing that forms the outer shell of the dispensing device 10 and also as a frame that holds other components.

Next, the ball passage 20 will be described.
As shown in FIG. 8 (A), FIG. 9 and the like, the ball passage 20 includes a first ball passage 21 that guides the game ball from the upper side to the lower side, and a ball receiver that receives the game ball flowing down the first ball passage 21. A second ball passage 22 including a portion 23 and flowing down the first ball passage 21 in a direction different from the direction in which the first ball passage 21 is guided, and the game ball guided in the second ball passage 22 on the lower side And a third ball passage 27 that discharges to the outside.

  As shown in FIG. 9 and the like, the first spherical passage 21 includes a supply port 21a that opens so as to be connected to the upstream rod 8a, and has a rectangular tube shape that continues downward from the supply port 21a in the vertical direction. Is formed. In addition, the second spherical passage 22 communicates with the lower end portion of the first spherical passage 21 so as to extend in the lateral direction (more specifically, slightly upward along the lateral direction). Further, the third ball passage 27 has an upper end communicating with the second ball passage 22, and is arranged so as to extend downward from the lateral end of the second ball passage 22. Thus, the first spherical passage 21, the second spherical passage 22, and the third spherical passage 27 are arranged in a crank shape to form the spherical passage 20, and inside the spherical passage 20, the first spherical passage 21, In both the second ball passage 22 and the third ball passage 27, game balls are passed one by one.

  In the ball passage 20, the second ball passage 22 is provided with a ball receiving portion 23 that receives a game ball flowing down the first ball passage 21 and falling. As shown in FIGS. 8A and 10B, the ball receiving portion 23 includes a ball receiving bottom wall 23a for receiving a game ball flowing down the first ball passage 21 on the lower side, and a ball receiving bottom wall 23a. And the ball receiving recess 31 is provided on the opposite side to the side where the game ball is moved, and restricts the game ball received by the ball receiving wall 23a from moving to the opposite side. A support wall 23b and a pair of wall portions (an outer peripheral wall 23c and an inner peripheral wall 23d) rising from both sides in the width direction of the ball receiving wall 23a are provided. As described above, the ball receiving portion 23 is configured such that the upper side is open and communicates with the first ball passage 21 and the side (side toward the third ball passage 27) is opened. When the game ball falls from 21, the movement of the game ball is restricted while being moved downward, rearward, and both sides.

  In the example shown in FIG. 8 and the like, a partition wall 20w extending in the vertical direction is provided on the side opposite to the side where the third ball passage 27 is arranged in the passage case 20R (the side from which the second ball passage 22 sends out game balls). The upper portion of the partition wall 20w (the portion above the sprocket portion 30a) is the inner wall portion of the first spherical passage 21, and the lower portion of the partition wall 20w is the support wall 23b. It has become. As shown in FIG. 9, the ball receiving bottom wall 23 a of the second spherical passage 22 is formed at a position below the first spherical passage 21 so as to be continuous with the supporting wall 23 b starting from the supporting wall 23 b. The first ball passage 21 is configured to be inclined upward from the position below the first ball passage 21 to the introduction port 27 b of the third ball passage 27. In addition, the end of the ball receiving wall 23a on the third ball passage 27 side is slightly forward of the wall portion on the third ball passage 27 side in the first ball passage 21 (the wall portion facing the partition wall 20w). It is formed to be a position.

  Further, as shown in FIGS. 8A and 9, the support wall 23b and the inner peripheral wall 23d adjacent to the support wall 23b (the inner peripheral wall of the second spherical passage 22: FIG. 10B) are thick. A long hole 26 is formed so as to penetrate in the vertical direction, and the sprocket portion 30 a of the rotating body 30 is arranged so as to pass through the long hole 26. In this configuration, a part of the rotating body 30 (the restricting portion 31 a and the pushing portion 31 b) having the rotation axis X <b> 1 so as to pass outside the second ball passage 22 can move inside the second ball passage 22. The space in the second spherical passage 22 is a moving path of the blades 32. The second spherical passage 22 has an outer peripheral wall 23c disposed so as to face the inner peripheral wall 23d on the outer side (radially outward with the rotation axis X1 as the center) at a predetermined distance from the moving path of the tip of the blade 32. Has been. The flow path formed by the outer peripheral wall 23c and the inner peripheral wall 23d facing each other is curved along the circumferential direction around the rotation axis X1, and the game ball is moved in the circumferential direction according to the rotation of the rotating body 30. It comes to guide along.

  Next, the rotating body 30 will be described. The rotating body 30 is configured to be rotatable around a vertical rotation axis X1 (center axis: see FIGS. 9B and 10), and the ball receiving recess 31 is moved through the second spherical passage 22 with its rotation. The game ball accommodated in the ball receiving recess 31 is sent out to the third ball passage 27 side by being moved inside.

  As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the rotating body 30 includes a plate-like sprocket portion 30a and a shaft portion 33 that protrudes from the lower surface side of the sprocket portion 30a in the direction of the rotation axis X1 of the rotating body 30. ing. As shown in FIG. 9B, the rotation axis X1 of the rotating body 30 is arranged along the vertical direction, and is arranged at a position in the horizontal direction center side of the second spherical passage 22 as shown in FIG. Yes. In this configuration, the second spherical passage 22 is disposed along the horizontal direction (a plane direction orthogonal to the rotation axis X1) so as to partially surround the rotation axis X1 at a position deviating from the rotation axis X1. .

  As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the shaft portion 33 of the rotating body 30 is connected to the output shaft 40 a of the motor 40, and is configured to rotate by receiving a driving force from the motor 40. Yes. The motor 40 provides a driving force for paying out a predetermined number of game balls to the rotating body 30 and is output by a control circuit (not shown) (for example, a known drive control circuit that controls the rotation speed and rotation angle of a stepping motor). The rotation angle and rotation speed of the shaft 40a are controlled, whereby the rotation position and rotation speed of the rotating body 30 are controlled. In addition, a shaft stop hole 34 having a half-moon-shaped (D-shaped) opening shape (see FIG. 10) is provided inside the shaft portion 33, and the shaft stop hole 34 has a half-moon shape (D The output shaft 40a having a tip shape of a letter shape is assembled so as to be fitted.

  The sprocket portion 30a is formed in a sprocket shape as a whole, and a plurality (six in the configuration of FIG. 6 and the like) of ball receiving recesses 31 having a shape recessed inward in the axial radial direction are arranged in the outer peripheral portion. It has a configuration. Further, in the plurality of ball receiving recesses 31, a portion between adjacent ball receiving recesses is configured as a blade 32 projecting in the radial direction (axial radial direction) of the rotation axis X <b> 1. It functions as an action part that acts on the game ball accommodated therein. In the example of FIGS. 6 and 7, six blades 32 are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the rotating body 30 (specifically, the circumferential direction of the sprocket portion 30a), and these six blades 32 have the rotation axis X1. Projecting radially from the center.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 10A and the like, the rotating body 30 is rotatable so as to be counterclockwise when viewed in plan, and each blade 32 is counterclockwise when viewed in plan. The wall portion on the front side in the rotational direction (clockwise rearward side) is the pushing portion 31b, and the wall portion on the rear side in the counterclockwise direction (clockwise front side) when viewed in plan is the restricting portion 31a. ing. In FIG. 10 and the like, some of the blades 32 indicate the restriction portions 31a and the extrusion portions 31b. However, all the blades 32 are similarly provided with the restriction portions 31a and the extrusion portions 31b. In this configuration, in the inner wall portion of each ball receiving recess 31, the end on the rotation direction leading side corresponds to the restricting portion 31a, and the end on the downstream side in the rotation direction corresponds to the pushing portion 31b. . And when the rotary body 30 rotates and the game ball accommodated in the ball receiving recess 31 is sent out, the restricting portion 31a moves along a predetermined horizontal plane (a plane orthogonal to the rotation axis X1) and the ball receiving recess. The game ball accommodated in 31 functions so as to come into contact with the game ball on the leading side in the rotation direction and restrict the flow down to the downstream side. In addition, when the rotating body 30 rotates and the game ball stored in the ball receiving recess 31 is sent out, the push-out portion 31b moves along the horizontal direction (a plane direction orthogonal to the rotation axis X1) and receives the ball receiver. It functions so as to come into contact with the game ball on the subsequent side in the rotation direction of the game ball accommodated in the recess 31 and push it out along a ball bottom wall 23a described later.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 10 (A), each of the restricting portion 31a and the pushing portion 31b is configured such that the protrusion amount L3 protruding from the inner peripheral wall 23d into the second ball passage 22 is smaller than the radius of the game ball. Has been. In the present embodiment, the second spherical passage 22 has a groove shape along the circumferential direction around the rotation axis X1 between the inner peripheral wall 23d and the outer peripheral wall 23c from the ball receiving portion 23 to the third spherical passage 27. When it is curved and at least the restricting portion 31a and the pushing portion 31b are in the ball receiving portion 23 of the second ball passage 22, the protruding amount L3 from these inner peripheral walls 23d is smaller than the radius of the game ball, As in the example of FIG. 10A, the protruding amount L3 from the inner peripheral wall 23d is less than the radius of the game ball at any position in the second ball passage 22 when the restricting portion 31a and the pushing portion 31b are located. It is desirable that it is also small.

  As shown in FIG. 10A, both the outer peripheral wall 23c and the inner peripheral wall 23d of the second spherical passage 22 are cross-sectioned along the circumferential direction centering on the rotation axis X1 (a direction orthogonal to the rotation axis X1). The cross section of the inner wall surface of the outer peripheral wall 23c and the inner wall surface of the inner peripheral wall 23d are both cylindrical surfaces centered on the rotation axis X1. Or it is set as the shape close | similar to it. And the control part 31a and the extrusion part 31b of the rotary body 30 move along the outer peripheral wall 24 of the 2nd bulb | ball path 22, and the control part 31a and the extrusion part in each position at the time of the movement The distance (L1) between each front end portion of 31b and the inner wall surface of the outer peripheral wall 24 is configured to be larger than the radius (L2) of the game ball.

  In the above configuration, the degree to which the restricting portion 31a and the pushing portion 31b protrude on the flow path of the game ball is low, and when the game ball is introduced from the first ball passage 21 to the second ball passage 22, it falls. Since the probability of the incoming game ball colliding with the rotating body 30 is kept low, the load on the rotating body 30 and the motor 40 (rotating body drive unit) can be reduced, and the life of the apparatus can be extended. By transferring the game balls stably by 30, it becomes possible to pay out a predetermined number set accurately.

  Further, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, a housing portion 25 that houses the counting sensor 50 is provided in the housing constituted by the passage cases 20 </ b> F and 20 </ b> R so as to intersect the ball passage 20. As shown in FIG. 9, the counting sensor 50 is arranged so as to detect a game ball sent out by the rotating body 30 toward the third ball passage 27 side below the rotating body 30 and the ball receiving wall 23a. Yes. The counting sensor 50 is held inside the passage cases 20F and 20R so that a part of the upper surface portion 52 faces the second spherical passage 22 and the other portion is covered by the accommodating portion 25. A game ball passage hole 51 is formed so as to communicate from the upper surface portion 52 side to the lower surface portion 53 side in the portion facing the second ball passage 22. A game ball that has entered the game ball passage hole 51 from the upper surface portion 52 side is guided rearward and downward by the game ball passage hole 51. Further, the counting sensor 50 makes the game ball pass through smoothly by arranging the game ball passing hole 51 of the counting sensor 50 so as to face the flow of the game ball.

Next, the operation of the dispensing device 10 having the above configuration will be described. 11 to 14 are diagrams illustrating a series of operation states when the payout device 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention pays out a game ball.
First, when game balls are supplied to the supply ball tank 6, the plurality of game balls flow down from the supply ball tank 6 to the dispensing device 10 while being aligned via the tank rail 7 and the upstream rod 8a (see FIG. 1). ). Then, the game ball that has flowed down to the payout device 10 is introduced into the payout device 10 from the first ball passage 21 (supply port 21a) arranged so as to be continuous with the upstream basket 8a. Then, as shown in FIG. 11, the earliest gaming ball Pa is received by the ball receiving wall 23a provided in the ball passage 20 (see also FIG. 10A). In a state where the rotating body 30 is not operating, the ball receiving recess 31 of the rotating body 30 is stationary so as to be positioned above the ball receiving bottom wall 23a, so that the game ball Pa received by the ball receiving bottom wall 23a. Is accommodated in the ball receiving recess 31 and the second game ball Pb comes into contact with the earliest game ball Pa and stands by. As a result, the game balls are aligned in the order of the first ball passage 21, the upstream basket 8a, and the tank rail 7, and wait (store).

  In this configuration, as shown in FIG. 11 (C), the ball receiving bottom wall 23a provided in the ball receiving portion 23 is provided in an upward inclined shape so as to become higher as it goes downstream. When the game ball Pa falling from the one-ball passage 21 is received by the ball receiving wall 23a, the game ball Pa is easily brought into contact with both walls so as to be sandwiched between the ball receiving wall 23a and the support wall 23b. It is determined stably on the bottom wall 23a. Even if the game ball Pa rebounds due to a collision with the ball receiving wall 23a, it is difficult to rebound to the downstream side and easily rebounds to the support wall 23b. Therefore, the support wall does not take unstable behavior on the upstream side. It is regulated by 23b and the ball receiving wall 23a, so that it is easy to stably fit between these wall portions. In any case, it becomes easy to constitute a stable accommodation state of the game ball before the rotator 30 starts to rotate, and the pushing portion 31b of the rotator 30 and the wall of the second ball passage 22 in a state where the game ball bounces back. It is possible to suppress the occurrence of ball biting caused by being sandwiched between parts. In particular, in such a configuration, the behavior of the game ball after rebounding is easily stabilized, and the game ball is likely to be settled on the ball receiving wall 23a within a certain time. Therefore, the motor 40 is operated at a rotational speed in anticipation of this time. If the control is performed so as to rotate, the above-mentioned problem of ball biting can be solved more reliably.

  When the payout is started after the stationary state as shown in FIG. 11 (when a player requests to rent a ball or when a game ball win is detected in the game), the payout control board The motor 40 is driven and controlled based on the control signal 11 to rotate the rotating body 30 around the rotation axis (rotation axis) X1. Accordingly, the rotating body 30 starts to rotate counterclockwise (counterclockwise in FIG. 10) when viewed from above the dispensing device 10 as shown in FIG. At this time, the pushing portion 31b located on the rotating body 30 on the downstream side in the rotation direction of the game ball Pa is rotated into the second ball passage 22, and the game ball Pa accommodated in the ball receiving recess 31 is It is pushed out by the pushing part 31b in the rotational direction leading side and is transferred along the ball receiving wall 23a. At this time, the pushing portion 31b acting on the game ball Pa moves along the outer peripheral wall 24 of the second ball passage 22 while passing above the ball receiving wall 23a.

  When the rotating body 30 further rotates from the state of FIG. 12, the pusher 31b pushes the game ball Pa further downstream as shown in FIG. In this configuration, the ball receiving wall 23a of the second ball passage 22 is provided in an upwardly inclined shape so as to become a higher position as it goes downstream, so that in this transfer process, the game ball Pa is caused by its own weight. A force is applied so as to roll in the direction of the support wall 23b, and the rotation of the rotating body 30 that occurs when the restricting portion 31a of the rotating body 30 receives the ball pressure can be suppressed. As a result, the game balls can be stably transferred by the rotating body 30, and it is possible to pay out a predetermined number that is accurately set by avoiding unintentional payout of the game balls.

  When the rotating body 30 further rotates from the state shown in FIG. 13, the pusher 31 b sends out the game ball Pa further downstream, and finally discharges it into the third ball passage 27. The game ball Pa discharged from the second ball passage 22 to the third ball passage 27 is counted by the count sensor 50 when passing through a counting sensor 50 disposed in the middle of the third ball passage 27, and thereafter Then, the payout is made from the payout outlet 27a to the downstream raft 8b.

  In this configuration, as shown in FIGS. 12 to 14, the game ball in the push-out portion 31 b at any position when the push-out portion 31 b moves above the ball receiving wall 23 a in accordance with the rotation of the rotating body 30. The contact surface on the side in contact with the ball is configured to be arranged at a height of the game ball radius L2 from the ball receiving wall 23a. Since it is configured in this manner, as shown in FIGS. 12 to 14, when the push-out portion 31 b moves on the ball receiving bottom wall 23 a and pushes out the game ball Pa, the position just beside the center of the game ball Pa is set. It will be pushed out sideways. As a result, when the push-out portion 31b of the rotating body 30 pushes out the game ball, the game ball can be accurately pushed out, for example, the game ball is lifted to the upper part of the rotating body 30 by pushing down the game ball significantly. It can avoid being impossible. Therefore, the game ball can be reliably transferred by the rotating body 30.

  Although the pachinko machine has been described as an example of the gaming machine in the present invention, it can be applied to a gaming machine provided with a payout device such as an arrange ball gaming machine or a sparrow ball gaming machine.

1 ... Pachinko machine (game machine)
10 ... payout device (payout device for gaming machine)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 20 ... Sphere passage 20w ... Partition wall 21 ... 1st sphere passage 21a ... Supply port 22 ... 2nd sphere passage 23 ... Sphere receiving part 23a ... Sphere receiving bottom wall 23b ... Support wall 23c ... Outer peripheral wall 23d ... Inner peripheral wall 24 ... Outer periphery Wall 25 ... Accommodating portion 26 ... Elongated hole 27 ... Third ball passage 27a ... Discharge outlet 27b ... Inlet 30 ... Rotating body 31 ... Ball receiving recess 31a ... Regulator 31b ... Pushing portion 32 ... Blade 33 ... Rotating shaft 34 ... Axis Perforated hole 40 ... motor (rotary body drive part)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 40a ... Motor output shaft 41 ... Motor fixing member 50 ... Count sensor 51 ... Pass-through hole 52 ... Upper surface part 53 ... Lower surface part X1 ... Rotation axis Pa, Pb ... Game ball

Claims (5)

A first ball path for guiding the game ball from the upper side to the lower side;
A second ball path including a ball receiving portion for receiving the game ball flowing down the first ball path and guiding the game ball flowing down the first ball path in a direction different from the guiding direction of the first ball path;
A third ball path for discharging the game ball guided in the second ball path downward;
A ball receiving recess that at least partially accommodates the game ball received by the ball receiving portion is provided, and is configured to be rotatable about a predetermined central axis. A rotating body that sends out the game ball accommodated in the ball receiving recess to the third ball passage;
A rotating body driving unit that continuously or intermittently drives the rotating body;
With
In the ball receiving portion, a ball receiving bottom wall that receives a game ball flowing down the first ball passage on the lower side, a position adjacent to the ball receiving bottom wall, and the game ball is moved by the ball receiving recess A support wall that is erected on the side opposite to the side to be played and restricts the game ball received by the ball receiving wall from moving to the opposite side,
When the game ball accommodated in the ball receiving recess is sent out to the ball receiving recess of the rotating body, it contacts the game ball on the upstream side in the rotation direction of the game ball accommodated in the ball receiving recess and the downstream side And a push-out portion that contacts the game ball and pushes it along the ball-receiving bottom wall on the rear side in the rotation direction of the game ball housed in the ball-receiving recess. ,
The gaming machine payout device, wherein the ball receiving bottom wall of the ball receiving portion is provided so as to be positioned higher toward the downstream side.   The ball receiving bottom wall of the second sphere passage is configured to be inclined upward from a position below the first sphere passage to an inlet of the third sphere passage. The gaming machine payout device described. The rotating body is configured to be rotatable around a rotation axis along the vertical direction,
The ball receiving recess has a convex shape in which the restricting portion and the push-out portion protrude in the radial direction of the rotating shaft, and is movable along a horizontal plane perpendicular to the rotating shaft,
The second spherical passage is configured in a groove shape including an inner peripheral wall and an outer peripheral wall that are curved along a circumferential direction around the rotation axis between the ball receiving portion and the third spherical passage. And
Each of the restricting portion and the push-out portion is configured so that a protruding amount that protrudes from the inner peripheral wall of the second ball passage into the second ball passage is smaller than a radius of the game ball. The gaming machine payout device according to claim 1 or 2. The rotating body is configured to be rotatable around a rotation axis along the vertical direction,
The ball receiving recess has a convex shape in which the restricting portion and the push-out portion protrude in the radial direction of the rotating shaft, and is movable along a horizontal plane perpendicular to the rotating shaft,
In any position when the push-out portion moves above the ball bottom wall according to the rotation of the rotating body, the contact surface on the side in contact with the game ball in the push-out portion is the ball bottom wall. 4. The game machine payout device according to claim 1, wherein the game machine payout device is arranged so as to include a position having a height corresponding to a radius of the game ball.   A gaming machine comprising the gaming machine payout device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

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