JP2573170B2 - Ball game machine - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a ball game machine, and more particularly to a ball game machine provided with a switching mechanism for detecting that a prize ball has been paid out and the storage amount of a surplus ball tray has reached a predetermined amount. Things.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As is well known, a ball game machine such as a pachinko game machine which hits a pachinko ball by hitting the ball into a prize area provided on a game board has a predetermined number of balls. Prize balls are given to the player. When the paid-out prize ball fills the hit ball supply tray provided on the front of the ball game machine, and further fills the surplus ball tray and the surplus ball passage leading to the surplus ball, the accumulated prize ball is used in the prize ball payout device. It will interfere with normal operation. Therefore, conventionally, there has been proposed a switch provided with a switch for detecting that a predetermined amount of prize balls are stored in a surplus ball passage. For example, as disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 53-6551, a pushing piece is pivotally mounted so as to be swingable by the pressure of a ball stored in a bell tube (excess ball passage). It is known that a micro switch is operated for rocking operation, the rotation of a motor for driving a pachinko ball into a game area is stopped, and the game of hitting a ball is deactivated.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional apparatus, since the microswitch is exposed, overflowing balls falling from the prize ball tank or the like at the upper part of the bell cylinder fall. There is a drawback that the micro switch is turned on by operating the actuator described above, or the overflow ball is sandwiched between the actuator and the bell tube to continuously turn on the micro switch. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a ball game machine that can ensure the operation of a switching mechanism provided in a surplus ball passage. .

[0004]

Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a solution adopted by the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. Switching mechanisms 72 and 77 are provided on the side walls for detecting that the number of prize balls in the surplus ball tray has reached a predetermined amount, and the switching mechanisms 72 and 77 are covered with a protective wall 71 for protecting the overflow balls falling from above. It is characterized by the following. With such a configuration, the switching mechanism 7 caused by overflowing balls from a prize ball tank or the like located above.
The influence on the switching mechanisms 72 and 77 can be eliminated, and the operation of the switching mechanisms 72 and 77 can be an accurate operation with only a predetermined amount of the detection function.

[0005]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 5 to 7 show a pachinko gaming machine to which the present invention is applied. FIG. 5 is a front view of the pachinko gaming machine, FIG. 6 is a rear view thereof, and FIG. 7 is a front frame and a mechanism plate opened. It is a rear perspective view showing a state. In the figure, a front frame 2 formed in a frame shape of a pachinko gaming machine 1
A metal frame 4 is provided around the opening 3, and a glass door frame 5 for storing glass and a front plate 6 are pivotally mounted on one side of the metal frame 4 so as to be freely opened and closed.

On the back surface of the front frame 2, an intermediate frame 8 for attaching a game board 7 and a firing rail (not shown) is fixed.
The game board 7 is detachably attached to the middle frame 8 and provided with guide rails 9 for guiding pachinko balls fired on its surface to the game area, a large number of obstacle nails (not shown), various winning ball devices, and the like. Have been. To elaborate,
In the game area of the game board 7, there are usually winning ports 10a to 10g,
Starting winning ports 11a to 11c, a variable display device 12 having a plurality of rotating drums, a variable winning ball apparatus 13 having an opening / closing door 14, a specific game state display lamp 15, an out port 16, and the like are provided respectively.

[0007] When the pachinko balls hit in the winning area win the normal winning ports 10a to 10g, a predetermined number (for example, 13) of prize balls are paid out by a prize ball payout device 62 described later. I have. Similarly, when a pachinko ball wins in the start winning ports 11a to 11c, a predetermined number of prize balls are paid out from the prize ball payout device 62, and a plurality of drums of the variable display device 12 are started to rotate.

When the player presses a push button 12b provided on the front of the pachinko gaming machine 1 or when a certain time (for example, 5 seconds) elapses from the start of rotation, the drum of the variable display device 12 Each stops randomly. Then, the display pattern drawn on the drum is set in a predetermined display mode (for example, when three “7” s are arranged as shown in the figure).
, The opening and closing door 1 of the variable winning ball device 13
The pachinko balls 4 are opened, the driven pachinko balls are taken into the opening / closing door 14, and a large number of winning balls are generated in a short time. Also,
The open / closed door 14 ends its open state by winning for a fixed time (for example, 30 seconds) or a fixed number (for example, 10). However, the repetitive condition winning area ( When a pachinko ball enters (not shown), the open state is repeated for a certain time or a certain number of times again, and such repetition is repeated a maximum of several times (for example, 10 times).
Times).

When the drum of the variable display device 12 is in a predetermined display mode, the specific game state display lamp 15, the display lamps provided in the normal winning openings 10f and 10g, and the upper part of the front frame 2 are displayed. Frame lamp 1 provided
7 or the like flashes to indicate to the player or the clerk of the pachinko parlor that the player is in the specific game state, and the digital display unit 12a provided on the variable display device 12 displays the number of times the opening / closing door 14 opens and closes in a variable prize. The digital display unit 14a provided in the ball device 13 displays the number of pachinko balls that have won the open / close door 14, respectively.

The pachinko balls which have not entered the various winning ball devices described above are taken into the out port 16 provided at the bottom of the guide rail 9.

A hit ball supply tray 18 is mounted on the front plate 6. A prize ball outlet 19 from which the prize ball discharged from the prize ball payout device 62 flows out is provided on the upstream side of the hit ball supply tray 18, and a firing position of the hit ball firing rail is provided on the downstream side. (Not shown) are formed respectively. Further, a speaker 20 as a sound generator is accommodated in a space below the prize ball outlet 19 of the hit ball supply tray 18. Further, a full-state display lamp 21 as a light-emitting device is attached to the front plate 6 above the hitting ball supply tray 18 so that a player can visually recognize it.

An operation handle 23 constituting a part of a hitting ball firing mechanism 22 for hitting a pachinko ball into a game area and a surplus ball tray 2 for storing surplus prize balls are provided below the front frame 2.
7 are attached. On the back side of the surplus ball tray 27,
A surplus ball outlet 28 into which surplus balls flow is formed.

As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the surplus ball receiving tray 27 has a surplus ball storage portion 29 for storing surplus prize balls, and a partition wall 30 on one side of the surplus ball storage portion 29.
The ashtray part 31 is provided via. On the bottom surface of the surplus ball storage section 29, a ball outlet 32 is opened, and the ball outlet 32 is always closed by an opening / closing valve 33 which is opened and closed by operation of the player. The opening / closing valve 33 is a surplus ball storage unit 2
9 is housed so as to slide in the horizontal direction in a storage box 34 attached to the lower portion of the opening 9, and one end of the on-off valve 33 is urged by an urging spring 35 so as to always close the ball ejection port 32,
When the player presses the operation piece 36 attached to one side of the opening / closing valve 33 in the leftward direction in the drawing against the urging spring 35, the opening / closing valve 33 opens the ball extraction port 32. Therefore, the prize balls stored in the surplus ball storage unit 29 are transferred to the surplus ball tray 27.
When the player removes the prize ball from the ball removal port 32 by moving the operation piece 36,
For example, it can be transferred to a bowl mounted on a pachinko game hall. Reference numeral 37 denotes the storage box 3
4 is the lower lid.

Next, the back of the pachinko gaming machine 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7. Supporting brackets 38 and 39 are fixed to the upper and lower sides of the middle frame 8.
A mechanism plate 42 is provided at 8, 39 via shaft supports 40, 41 so as to be freely opened and closed. On the front side of the mechanism plate 42, a winning ball collecting space 43 having a depth width slightly longer than the diameter of the pachinko ball is formed, and below the space 43,
A collecting gutter 44 for collecting the winning balls on one side is protrudingly provided. Further, in the space below the collecting gutter 44, the prize ball outlet 1 is provided.
9 and the outlet 1
Out ball outlets 46 communicating with 6 are respectively opened. The variable display device 12 attached to the back of the game board 7 is located substantially at the center of the winning ball collecting space 43.
A window 47 is provided to allow the projecting drive section to project from the rear surface of the mechanism plate 42. Then, the mechanism plate 42 formed as described above is engaged with an engagement hole 48 appropriately drilled in the mechanism plate 42 and a fixing member 49 protruding and fixed to the middle frame 8 so that the winning prize ball is formed. The collective space 43 is closed so as to cover the back surface of the game board 7. A locking piece 48a that engages with the distal end projection of the fixing member 49 is rotatably fixed to the rear surface of the engagement hole 48 in order to surely close the closed state.

On the other hand, on the rear side of the mechanism plate 42, a prize ball tank 50 for storing prize balls discharged from a replenishment mechanism (not shown) is mounted on the uppermost portion thereof. A prize ball guiding gutter 51 which is connected and aligns the prize balls in two rows, a curve gutter 52 which is connected to the prize ball guiding gutter 51 and reduces the ball pressure of the prize ball, and one winning ball which is connected to the curve gutter 52 and connected thereto. Prize ball case 53 for accommodating a predetermined number of prize balls to be paid out, a prize ball discharge passage 54 connected to the prize ball case 53 and guiding the discharged prize ball to the hitting ball supply tray 18, a prize ball discharge passage. 54, an excess ball passage 55 through which the excess prize ball flows out when the prize ball is full in the hit ball supply tray 18.
Switching valve 54 provided at the front and switching the flow path of the prize ball
a, the prize ball tank 50 and the prize ball guiding gutter 5 which are connected to the bent portion of the curve gutter 52 and are pulled out at the end of business hours.
A ball passage 56 and the like for guiding one premium ball out of the pachinko gaming machine 1 are also provided. Further, on the rear side of the mechanism plate 42, a winning ball processing unit 57 for processing one winning ball collected by the collecting gutter 44 is disposed.

The mechanism plate 42 includes various other members, for example, a winning ball passage 58 for letting the winning ball discharged from the winning ball processor 57 flow, and a vertical passage portion of the winning ball passage 58. Automatic rod 59 that swings
Transmission link mechanisms 60a to 60d for converting the swing operation of the prize ball case 53 into the opening / closing operation of the prize ball case 53;
The swinging rod mechanisms 61a to 61e, etc., which are provided in association with 7, and which confirm the payout of a predetermined number of prize balls are also provided.
In the illustrated embodiment, the prize ball case 53, the automatic rod 59, and the transmission link mechanisms 60a to 60d constitute a prize ball payout device 62.

A driving device constituting a part of the hit ball firing mechanism 22 is fixed to the lower back surface of the front frame 2. The driving device includes a ball striking rod 25 for bouncing a ball on a set substrate 26 and a driving motor 24 for intermittently rotating the ball striking rod 25.
Are provided. Further, the set substrate 26
The surplus ball passage 5 is provided on the lower back surface of the front frame 2
5 is attached.

Next, a configuration according to the gist of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. A turning support shaft 64 protrudes near the side wall 55 a of the surplus ball passage 55 near the hitting ball firing mechanism 22, and a substantially inverted L-shaped prize ball storage detection plate 65 is turned around the turning support shaft 64. The detection plate 65 is movably pivoted, and the tip of the short side of the detection plate 65 protrudes outward from a through hole 55b formed in the side wall 55a, and a balance weight 66 is integrally formed. The lower portion of the detection plate 65 is always urged toward the center of the surplus ball passage 55. In addition, below the long side of the detection plate 65,
One end of a connecting rod 67 is pivotally mounted, and the connecting rod 67 is held in a substantially horizontal direction by a support portion 68 formed on the mechanism plate 42, and the other end is fixed to the back surface of the front plate 6. The ball feed stop operating piece 96 that engages with the ball feed piece 92 of the hit ball supply device 90 is disposed so as to be provided.

Here, the relationship between the hitting ball supply device 90 and the ball feed stop operation piece 96 will be described with reference to FIG. The pachinko ball sent from the supply port is fixed, but rolls along the ball-passing path 93 by the upward movement of the ball-feeding piece 92 pivotally supported by the shaft 91 so as to be rotatable up and down. One is sent to the firing position of the firing rail. Below the ball feeder piece 92, a ball feeder operating member 25a is provided which engages with the lower end of the hitting rod 25 and moves up and down. The feed piece 92 moves up and down, and the pachinko balls sent from the supply port are sequentially sent from the hitting hole 94 to the firing position.

A contact surface 95 is formed on the lower side surface of the ball feed piece 92 to be in contact with the ball feed stop operating piece 96. The ball feed stop operation piece 96 is substantially
One end forms a contact piece 97 that engages with the contact surface 95, and the other end forms the connecting rod 67.
And an engaging piece 98 that engages with the rotating shaft 99.
Are provided so as to be rotatable around the center. A balance weight 100 is provided so that the contact piece 97 does not always come into contact with the contact surface 95.

Therefore, when the prize ball storage detection plate 65 is pressed by the prize balls stored in the surplus ball passage 55, the connecting rod 67 slides to the left as shown in FIG.
The other end of the connecting rod 67 is engaged with the engaging piece 9 of the ball feed stop operating piece 96.
8 is rotated clockwise against the urging of the balance weight, whereby the contact piece 97 and the contact surface 95 are brought into contact with each other to move the ball feed piece 92 upward. The feed piece 92 is fixedly held. For this reason, since the operation of the ball feeding operation member 25a which continues to move up and down due to the reciprocating motion of the hitting rod 25 is not transmitted to the ball feeding piece 92, the pachinko ball is not sent to the firing position. When the prize ball is extracted from the surplus ball tray 27, the prize ball in the surplus ball passage 55 is removed, so that the prize ball storage detection plate 65 returns to the original state by the urging force of the balance weight 66, and is driven by it. As a result, the connecting rod 67 and the ball feed stop operation piece 96 also return, and the ball feed piece 92 can move up and down, and the ball feed function is restored.

On the other hand, a switching mechanism 70 constituting a main part of this embodiment is attached to a cutout 63a on one side wall of the connection gutter 63 located downstream of the surplus ball passage 55.
The switching mechanism 70 is configured to house an operating member 72 and a microswitch 76 in a box-shaped main body 71 having an internal space. Therefore, the main body 7
Reference numeral 1 denotes a protective wall that protects the operating member 72 and the microswitch 76, which are main components of the switching mechanism 70. The operating member 72 has a shaft insertion tube 73 at an upper end thereof, a magnet 74 in the middle thereof, and an operating piece 75 which engages with an actuator 77 of a micro switch 76 at a lower end thereof. And the operating member 72 is
A support pin 79 is inserted into the shaft insertion tube 73, and both ends of the support pin 79 are fitted into fitting holes 81a and 81b formed in the main body 71 and a cover plate 80 covering one side of the main body 71. This makes it swingable. The micro switch 76 is located below the operating member 72,
Engagement projection 82 projecting from main body 71 and cover plate 80
a, 82b are formed in the engagement holes 7 formed in the microswitch 76.
8 and fixed to the main body 71.

The switching mechanism 70 having the above configuration
As shown in FIG. 3, when there is no prize ball in the connection gutter 63, the operating member 72 is oriented vertically, so that the operating piece 75 is connected to the actuator 77 of the microswitch 76.
Does not engage with Therefore, the micro switch 76 does not operate. However, when prize balls accumulate in the connection gutter 63, the magnet 74 of the operating member 72 is attracted to the prize ball through the side wall of the main body 71, so that the operating member 72 rotates counterclockwise. , The operating piece 75 is the actuator 77
And the micro switch 76 is operated. When the micro switch 76 is actuated, a detection signal is sent to a control circuit (not shown), thereby turning on or flashing the full-state indicator lamp 21 provided on the surface of the front panel 6 or changing the state of the ball feeding tray 18. A warning sound or a sound is generated from the speaker 20 provided in the player to notify the player that the prize ball is full.

The switching mechanism 7 as described above
In order to ensure that only the function of the switching mechanism 70 is performed, the operating member 72 and the micro switch, which are the main components of the switching mechanism 70, are covered by the main body 71 as a protective wall. An overflow ball that overflows and falls from the prize ball guiding gutter 51 activates the operating member 72 or the actuator 7 of the micro switch 76.
7 is not actuated, and the overflow ball is further actuated.
Accidents of clogging between the connection gutter 2 and the connecting gutter 63 can be reliably prevented, and the operation of the switching mechanism 70 can be an accurate operation with only a predetermined amount of detection function.

Next, the operation of the embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. The player puts the purchased pachinko ball or the pachinko ball paid out as a prize ball into the hitting ball supply tray 18 provided on the front of the pachinko gaming machine 1,
When the operating handle 23 of the hit ball firing mechanism 22 is operated, the drive motor 24 of the hit ball firing mechanism 22 starts rotating, and the hitting rod 2
The ball feed piece 92 of the hitting ball supply device 90 that follows and reciprocates rotates up and down, supplies the pachinko ball to the firing position, and hits the game board 7 by the hitting rod 25.
When the pachinko balls hit into the game board 7 reach the lowermost part of the guide rail 9 without entering various winning ports, they are taken in the out port 16 and discharged out of the pachinko gaming machine 1.

On the other hand, when the pachinko balls win various winning ball devices, the winning balls are collected in the collecting gutter 44 of the mechanism plate 42. Then, the winning ball is processed by the winning ball processor 57 for 1
It is sent to the winning ball passage 58 one by one, and the automatic rod 59 is pushed down. When the automatic rod 59 is moved downward, the transmission link mechanisms 60a to 60
By operating 0d, a predetermined number of prize balls in the prize ball case 53 are dispensed, and the prize balls are guided to the hit ball supply tray 18 through the prize ball discharge passage 54, the discharge passage outlet 45, and the prize ball outlet 19. I will Since the swinging rod mechanisms 61a to 61e provided in the middle of the prize ball discharge passage 54 are operated by the discharged prize balls, the prize ball processing device 57 and the automatic rod 59 return to the original state.

When the pachinko balls hit into the game board 7 win the starting winning ports 11a to 11c of the various winning ball devices, a predetermined number of prize balls are discharged through the above-described process. The rotation of the drum of the variable display device 12 is started. When the drum stops and the display matches the predetermined combination, the opening / closing door 14 of the variable prize ball device 13 is set in a predetermined mode (until there is a predetermined number of prize balls, or after a lapse of a predetermined time). Until it is released. Since a large number of winning balls are generated in such a specific game state, the discharged prize balls fill the hit ball supply tray 18, and the surplus prize balls flow out into the surplus ball passage 55, and further, the surplus ball receiving trays 27 and the connecting gutter 6
3 is filled with prize balls.

When the prize ball is filled in the connection gutter 63, the operating member 72 in the switching mechanism 70 is swung by the attraction force of the magnet 74, and the micro switch 76 is operated. Then, a detection signal of the micro switch 76 is sent to the control circuit, and the player is notified through the full indicator lamp 21 or the speaker 20 that the player is full. In other words, the player can know that the ball is full perceptually, and when notified, immediately presses the operation piece 36 provided on the surplus ball tray 27 to remove the prize ball in the surplus ball storage unit 29. Ballhole 32
Can be transferred to a bowl attached to the game hall.
Therefore, even when the player enters the specific game state, the user can be absorbed in the game with peace of mind. Further, if the game is continued ignoring the operation of the notification device and the prize ball is further stored, the prize ball storage detection plate 65 is operated and the ball feed piece is moved through the ball feed stop operation piece 96. Since the game is deactivated by holding the 92 fixed, the pachinko gaming machine 1 does not develop into a failure.

In the above-described embodiment, the prize ball storage detecting plate 65 as the game inactivating means and the switching mechanism 70 as the detecting means are provided. May be omitted, and one end of the connection rod 67 may be replaced with the detection plate 65 and connected to a solenoid, and the solenoid may be operated by the switching mechanism 70. That is, the switching mechanism 70 may be used as both the detecting means and the game inactivating means. Further, the mode of inactivating the game is not limited to mechanically operating the ball-feeding stop operating piece 96 as in the illustrated embodiment.
6 may be operated, the supply port of the hit ball may be closed, or the drive motor 24 may be stopped. Furthermore,
Although the fullness indicator lamp 21 is specially provided as the informing means, the specific game status indicator lamp 15, the frame lamp 17, and the like may be used, for example.

[0030]

According to the present invention, as apparent from the above description, a switching mechanism is provided on one side wall of the surplus ball passage for detecting that the number of prize balls in the surplus ball tray has reached a predetermined amount, and the switching mechanism is provided. The mechanism is covered with a protective wall that protects against overflowing balls falling from above, so that the effect of overflowing balls from the prize ball tank etc. located above on the switching mechanism can be eliminated, and the operation of the switching mechanism can be controlled by a predetermined amount. Accurate operation of only the detection function can be achieved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a surplus ball passage portion.

FIG. 2 is a detailed view of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a rear view of a connection gutter.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a connection gutter.

FIG. 5 is a front view of the pachinko gaming machine.

FIG. 6 is a rear view of the pachinko gaming machine.

FIG. 7 is a rear perspective view of the pachinko gaming machine showing a state where a front frame and a mechanism plate are opened.

FIG. 8 is a partially broken perspective view of a surplus ball tray.

FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of a surplus ball tray.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Pachinko game machine (ball game machine) 2 Front frame 18 Hitting supply tray 20 Speaker 21 Full indicator lamp 27 Excess ball tray 55 Extra ball passage 62 Premium ball payout device 63 Connection trough (part of surplus ball passage) 70 Switching Mechanism 71 Main body (protection wall) 72 Operating member 76 Micro switch 77 Actuator

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A hit ball supply tray for storing a prize ball paid out from a prize ball payout device in front of a ball game machine, and an excess ball passage when the prize ball stored in the hit ball supply tray exceeds a predetermined amount. And a switching mechanism for detecting that the number of prize balls of the surplus ball tray has reached a predetermined amount on one side wall of the surplus ball passage. A ball game machine characterized in that the switching mechanism is covered with a protective wall that protects the ball from overflowing from above. 2. The ball game machine according to claim 1, wherein the surplus ball passage provided with the switching mechanism is constituted by a connection gutter attached to a lower back surface of a front frame.