JP2814377B2 - Pachinko ball payout device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a dispensing device for dispensing pachinko balls by rotating a rotating member. Examples of the pachinko ball payout device include a prize ball payout device in a ball game machine that plays a game by hitting a pachinko ball, or a ball lending device that lends a game ball used in a ball game machine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a pachinko ball payout device such as a prize ball payout device or a lending ball payout device, a rotating member such as a sprocket faces a vertical passage through which pachinko balls are continuously supplied, and a sprocket. Is driven out by a motor or the like to pay out a desired number of pachinko balls.

[0003]

The above-described dispensing device has a structure in which pachinko balls are engaged between the claw portions of the sprocket to convey the vertical path to the downstream side. Is released at the position where the concave portion between the claw portion of the sprocket and the claw portion faces downward, so that the pachinko ball is not smoothly separated from the sprocket and the pachinko ball cannot be dispensed smoothly. There was a disadvantage. The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to smoothly perform a payout operation of a pachinko ball by separating a pachinko ball from a rotating member smoothly. It is an object of the present invention to provide a pachinko ball payout device.

[0004]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a payout device for paying out pachinko balls by rotation of a rotating member. A supply passage to be supplied, a transport passage through which the pachinko balls supplied from the supply passage are transported by the rotating member, and a discharge passage through which the pachinko balls transported by the transport passage are discharged, A ball separation facilitating portion is formed at a connecting portion between the conveyance passage and the discharge passage to promote separation of the pachinko balls conveyed by the rotating member from the rotating member.

[0005] With the above configuration, the pachinko balls sent through the transport path by the rotating member are promoted by the ball separation promoting portion to be separated from the rotating member and are discharged to the discharge passage. A smooth payout operation can be ensured.

[0006]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. First, a pachinko gaming machine to which the pachinko ball payout apparatus according to the embodiment is applied will be described with reference to FIG. The pachinko ball payout device in this case is used as a prize ball payout device.

In the figure, a game board 2 of a pachinko game machine 1 is shown.
A guide rail 3 for guiding a hit ball is planted, and a range surrounded by the guide rail 3 constitutes a game area 4. A variable display device 5 having a rotating drum is provided substantially at the center of the game area 4, and a variable winning ball device 6 having an opening / closing door 7 is provided below the variable display device 5. In addition, on the left and right sides of the variable display device 5 and on the upper portion of the variable winning ball device 6, starting winning ports 8a to 8c are provided. Further, on the right and left sides and the lower part of the variable winning ball device 6, normal winning ports 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b for hitting a ball normally.
Is arranged. Then, the shot is the starting winning opening 8a ~
8c, the rotation of the rotary drum of the variable display device 5 starts to rotate, and after a predetermined time has elapsed, or when the player operates a stop switch, the rotation is stopped, and the display mode at the time of the stop is predetermined. When the combination is a combination, the opening and closing door 7 of the variable winning ball device 6 is operated for a certain time (for example,
The open state is continued until 30 seconds) or a predetermined number (for example, 10) is won, and when the player wins the V winning opening provided in the opening and closing door 7, the above open state is repeated again.

[0008] The number of prize balls to be paid out by each of the above-described winning ports and the winning balls that have won the winning ball device may be the same (for example, 13) or may be a specific winning port. May be set differently.
For example, the number of prize balls to be paid out by the prize balls winning the starting winning prize openings 8a to 8c is set to 7 and the number of prize balls to be paid out by prize balls to the other winning opening is set to 13 to start the winning. By adjusting the nails so that a large number of winning balls win the mouths 8a to 8c, it is possible to increase the number of operations of the variable display device 5 and excite the interest of the game.

On the back surface of the game board 2, a winning ball set cover 11 as shown in FIG. The prize-ball collecting cover body 11 has a guide passage for guiding the prize-winning balls that have won the prize-winning port and the prize-ball apparatus to guide them downward. In particular, start winning prize ball detectors 13a to 13c are provided in a guide path for guiding a winning prize ball winning in the start winning prize openings 8a to 8c, and when the start winning prize ball detectors 13a to 13c are turned on. The variable display device 5 rotates. In addition, as described above, when the number of prize balls due to winning balls in the starting winning ports 8a to 8c is set to be small, the starting winning ball detectors 13a to 13c are used.
The signal from 13c is sent to a payout control circuit (not shown) that controls the payout operation of the prize ball payout device 29 described later. Further, a solenoid 12 for controlling the opening and closing of the opening and closing door 7 is also attached to the winning ball collecting cover body 11.

Returning to FIG. 4, the game area 4 of the game board 2
Below, are formed any one of the above-mentioned winning ports or an out port 14 for taking in a hit ball which has not won a winning ball device. A ball storage display 59 for displaying the number of winnings or the number of unpaid prize balls is provided outside the game area 4 and above the gaming board 2. Further, on the front of the pachinko gaming machine 1, a ball supply tray 15 for storing prize balls dispensed from a prize ball dispensing device 29, which will be described later, and guiding a ball to a firing position,
5 has a well-known configuration such as a surplus ball tray 16 for storing surplus prize balls that cannot be fully stored, and an operation handle 17 for adjusting the resilience of hit balls.

Next, the back structure of the pachinko gaming machine 1 will be described with reference to FIG. In the figure, a mechanism plate 18 is provided on the back of the pachinko gaming machine 1 so as to cover the entire back of the gaming board 2. As is well known, the mechanism plate 18 is provided with various mechanisms for processing winning balls one by one and paying out a predetermined number of prize balls corresponding to the winning balls. In the illustrated mechanism plate 18, a prize ball collecting gutter 19 for receiving prize balls falling from the prize ball collecting cover body 11 and collecting them on one side is formed on the front side thereof. This winning ball set gutter 19
Is arranged so that the winning prize balls flow in a line, and a prize ball detector 20 for detecting a passing prize ball is provided in the middle of the flow passage. The signal from the winning ball detector 20 is sent to a payout control circuit (not shown) to control the operation of a prize ball payout device 29 described later.

On the other hand, on the rear side of the mechanism plate 18, a prize ball tank 21 for storing prize balls supplied from a replenishment mechanism (not shown) is provided on the upper portion thereof, and the prize balls are arranged below the prize ball tank. There is provided a prize ball guiding gutter 22 for flowing down. On the upstream side of the prize ball guiding gutter 22, there is provided a prize ball shortage detection plate 23 which oscillates when the stored prize balls are reduced. Prize ball shortage detector 24 is O
N, a supply command signal is sent to a management computer (not shown) so that the prize ball is supplied to the prize ball tank 21. Downstream of the prize ball guiding gutter 22, a curve gutter 25 for changing the flow direction of the prize ball by 180 degrees and weakening the ball pressure is connected. On the curved gutter 25, a prize ball shortage detection plate 26 is arranged. The prize ball shortage detection plate 26 operates when the prize ball is paid out in a state where the prize ball is not replenished in spite of the activation of the prize ball shortage detection plate 23, and the prize arranged below the prize ball is provided. By turning off the ball deficiency detector 27, the operation of a stepping motor 41, which is a drive source of the prize ball payout device 29 described later, is stopped, thereby interrupting the game.

Downstream of the curve gutter 25, a vertical supply gutter 28 is formed. The supply gutter 28 stores a slightly larger number of prize balls than the number of prize balls dispensed by one dispensing operation. It has become so. A prize ball dispensing device 2 which is a main part of this embodiment is provided at the lower end of the supply gutter 28.
9 is connected. The supply gutter 28 forms a part of a supply passage of the prize ball dispensing device 29.

The prize ball dispensing device 29 mainly includes supply passages 34a and 34b as ball passages and discharge passages 36a and 3a.
6b and a stepping motor 41 as an electric drive source
And a sprocket 43a, 43b as an operating member. A predetermined number of prize balls are paid out by the rotation of the stepping motor 41. The configuration will be described later in detail.

Below the prize ball dispensing device 29, the device 2
A prize ball discharge gutter 52 for guiding the prize ball paid out from 9
A guide opening 53 is provided at the lower end of the prize ball discharge gutter 52 to communicate with the hit ball supply tray 15. Further, a prize ball overflows from one side of the guide opening 53, and a surplus ball discharge gutter 54 is provided to guide the surplus prize ball to the surplus ball tray 16. On one side of the surplus ball discharge gutter 54, a full tank detection plate 55 is swingably provided, and when this is pressed by the surplus balls stored in the surplus ball discharge gutter 54,
The ball feed operation of the ball feed supply device (not shown) is stopped,
The game has been interrupted. Further, a fullness detection plate 56 is provided at the overflow opening of the guide opening 53 so as to be swingable, and based on a numerical value stored in a counter of the payout control circuit even after the fullness detection plate 55 is operated. The prize ball payout device 29 continues to operate and operates when prize balls are stored. Behind the filling detection plate 56, a filling detector 57 is arranged, and by operating this, a stepping motor 41 of the prize ball dispensing device 29 is operated.
Is stopped, and the further payout of the prize ball is stopped. Further, on the back surface of the pachinko gaming machine 1, a hit ball firing drive unit 58 for hitting a hit ball is provided so as to correspond to the operation handle 17.

Next, with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3, the configuration of the premium ball payout device 29 which is a main part of this embodiment will be described in detail. As shown in FIG. 2, the prize ball dispensing device 29 includes a mounting plate 30 attached to the mechanism plate 18, and a passage partitioning plate 31 arranged at a predetermined distance from the mounting plate 30.
And a passage cover plate 32 disposed at a predetermined interval from the passage partition plate 31. That is, the mounting plate 30
Passage partition plate 3 is attached to mounting bosses 49a to 49g protruding from
1, through holes 50a to 50g are fitted and fixed, and thereafter, mounting portions 51a to 5 projecting from passage cover plate 32 are provided.
1g is integrally fixed by screwing with a screw (not shown) corresponding to 1g. Therefore, the above-mentioned mounting plate 3
The passage partition plate 31 and the passage cover plate 32 constitute a plate-like member.

The mounting plate 30 and the passage cover plate 32 include:
Supply passage constituting wall 33 constituting supply passages 34a and 34b
a to 33d protrude vertically. In addition, upside-down “J” -shaped discharge passage forming walls 35 a to 35 d are provided so as to protrude from the supply passage forming walls 33 a to 33 d, and the discharge passage 36 is formed.
a, 36b are also configured. However, the discharge passage forming wall 3 located inside of the discharge passage forming walls 35a to 35d
5b and 35d protrude only at portions corresponding to the ends of the discharge passages 36a and 36b, and the upper arc-shaped portion constitutes a transfer passage through which pachinko balls are transferred by the sprockets 43a and 43b. doing.

Of the supply passage forming walls 33a to 33d, at the lower ends of the supply passage forming walls 33a and 33c, reverse prevention portions 37a and 37b are formed inward. The reverse rotation preventing portions 37a and 37b come into contact with pachinko balls engaged with the pawl portions 44 of the sprockets 43a and 43b as described later. Further, discharge ball opening portions 38a and 38b slightly bulging outward are formed in the middle of the discharge passage forming walls 35a and 35c located outside of the discharge passage forming walls 35a to 35d. The discharge ball opening portions 38a and 38b are places where the pachinko balls transported by the sprockets 43a and 43b are released from the sprockets 43a and 43b and discharged to the discharge passages 36a and 36b, as described later. It constitutes. That is, the discharge ball opening portions 38a, 3
8b is formed as a space that can be rolled to a position where the pachinko balls engaged with the claw portions 44 of the sprockets 43a and 43b are not engaged immediately before being discharged to the discharge passages 36a and 36b. Ball sprocket 43a,
The separation of the ball from the ball 43b is promoted, and a smooth payout operation of the pachinko ball can be ensured.

Further, among the discharge passage forming walls 35a to 35d, the discharge passage forming walls 35b, 35d located inside are protruded only at the end portions of the discharge passages 36a, 36b as described above. The lower ball guide rails 39a to 39d have outer discharge passage forming walls 35a, 35c as
Along the end of the supply passages 34a and 34b. The ball guide rails 39b and 39c at the center of the ball guide rails 39a to 39d correspond to the passage partition plate 3.
1 protrudes. Further, inside the ball guide rail 39a of the mounting plate 30, a bearing portion 40 for receiving a shaft support portion 45 integrally projecting from a sprocket 43a described later.
Are drilled.

The supply passage 34 through which the ball passes as described above.
When the a and b and the discharge passages 36a and 36b are not vertical but are curved so as to weaken the ball pressure, the passages cannot be integrally formed when molded with synthetic resin. As in the embodiment, the dispensing device having the curved passage can be easily configured by dividing and molding like the mounting plate 30, the passage partition plate 31, and the passage cover plate 32 as three plate members.

On the other hand, a stepping motor 41 as a driving motor is mounted on the rear side of the passage cover plate 32 via a motor mounting plate 46. That is,
Mounting long holes 47a drilled above and below the motor mounting plate 46,
47b (47b is not shown) is screwed with screws (not shown) corresponding to motor mounting holes 48a and 48b formed in the passage cover plate 32. In this case, since the mounting slots 47a and 47b are movable,
Desirable position adjustment of the sprockets 43a, 43b with respect to the supply passages 34a, 34b and the discharge passages 36a, 36b can be easily performed. Further, two sprockets 43a and 43b are fixed to the rotating shaft 42 (see FIG. 1) of the stepping motor 41 at a predetermined interval. On the outer periphery of the sprockets 43a and 43b, a plurality of concave claw portions 44 that engage with the outer peripheral surface of the pachinko ball are formed. And the sprockets 43a, 43b
As shown in FIG. 3, the aforementioned ball guide rails 39a to 39d
The pachinko balls supplied from the supply passages 34a and 34b are disposed between the discharge passages 36 including the conveyance passages.
a and 36b. Also,
As shown in FIG. 1, the sprockets 43a and 43b are provided at one upper portion of the rotation shaft 42 on the one side thereof.
34b is located at a position where the ends of the discharge passages 36a and 36b are located on the opposite side to the rotating shaft 42.

However, the ball pressure of the pachinko balls waiting in the supply passages 34a and 34b is always applied to the sprockets 43a and 43b, and the ball pressure causes the rotation direction of the stepping motor 41 (in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 1). ) Is applied in the opposite direction. As shown in FIG. 1, the claw portions 44 of the two sprockets 43a and 43b are fixed to the rotating shaft 42 so that their phases are different. Therefore, the supply of the pachinko balls from the supply passages 34a and 34b to the claw portion 44 is not performed simultaneously, but is alternately supplied, and the discharge ball opening portion 38 is provided.
The opening of the pachinko balls at a and 38b is not performed at the same time, but alternately.

In the center of the rear sprocket 43a of the sprockets 43a and 43b, the bearing 40
A shaft support portion 45 that is loosely fitted to the protruding portion is provided to stably support the two sprockets 43a and 43b.

The operation of the prize ball payout device 29 according to the above-described embodiment will be described. The player operates the operation handle 17 to hit a ball into the game area 4, and the hit ball starts the winning opening 8a. When a prize hole other than ８8c is won, the prize ball is guided by the prize ball collecting cover body 11 and falls into the prize ball collecting gutter 19, and thereafter, the prize ball detector 20 is turned on. The detection signal of the winning ball detector 20 is sent to a payout control circuit (not shown), and a value of “+13” is added to a counter included in the control circuit. Further, when the start winning ball detectors 13a to 13c are turned on by the winning balls that have won the starting winning ports 8a to 8c, the detection signals are sent to the payout control circuit. Then, when this detection signal is present, a subtraction process of “−6” is performed from the counter value. However, the winning prize winning in the starting winning prize openings 8a to 8c is determined by the starting winning prize detector 13a to 13c.
N, after dropping into the winning ball collecting gutter 19, the winning ball detector 2
Since 0 is also turned on, a calculation of “−6 + 13” is finally made, and the value in the counter by the winning balls to the starting winning ports 8a to 8c is “+7”.

The numerical value stored in the counter is
It is displayed on the ball storage display 59 provided on the game board 2.
Further, the number displayed on the ball storage display 59 may be the number of winning balls counted by the winning ball detector 20. In this case, a format in which a uniform number of prize balls are paid out at all winning ports is more preferable. Further, the control circuit described above controls the prize ball dispensing device 2 until the value of the counter becomes “0”.
9 continuously sends a pulse signal to the stepping motor 41. The stepping motor 41 has a predetermined angle each time there is a pulse signal, in this case, an angle required to pay out one pachinko ball (in this embodiment, the sprockets 43a, 43b having different claws 44 in phase). Since there are two,
(The angle of the claw 44), and continues to rotate until there is no more pulse signal sent from the payout control circuit.

When the energized state of the stepping motor 41 is stopped in such a state, the claw portions 44 of the sprockets 43a and 43b are connected to the supply passages 34a and 34b.
The ball pressure of the waiting pachinko ball is applied, and a force acts to rotate the sprockets 43a and 43b in the direction opposite to the rotation direction of the stepping motor 41. However, at this time, as shown in FIG. 1, the pachinko ball P1, which is at the forefront of one of the supply passages 34a or 34b and is engaged with the two pawls 44a and 44b, is prevented from turning back.
7b, the pachinko ball P1 is in a ball biting state between the claw portion 44a and the reverse rotation preventing portion 37a or 37b,
The rotation of the sprocket 43a or 43b in the opposite direction is suppressed. Therefore, the subsequent pachinko balls continuously supplied by the supply passages 34a and 34b maintain the standby state as they are and are not paid out.

As described above, the prize ball dispensing device 29 according to the embodiment includes the passage forming walls 33a to 33d and 35a to 35d.
d, a mounting plate 30, a passage partition plate 31, and a passage cover plate 3 as plate-like members integrally formed with 39a to 39d.
2 in two rows only by assembling them in parallel.
Since the prize ball dispensing device 29 including the 4b, 36a, and 36b can be configured, its manufacture is extremely easy, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced. In this embodiment, the supply passages 34a and 34b are provided on one side and the discharge passages 36a and 36b are provided on the other side with respect to the rotation shaft 42 of the sprockets 43a and 43b.
If the configuration is such that the ball pressure direction of the pachinko balls supplied to the a and 34b is opposite to the rotation direction of the sprockets 43a and 43b, the supply passages 34a and 34b and the discharge passages 36a and 36b are provided in the same direction. You may.

In the above-described embodiment, the prize ball payout device is exemplified as the pachinko ball payout device.
The ball payout device of the ball lending device may be used, and two sprockets are illustrated. However, one sprocket may be used, or three or more sprockets may be used. Even if there are a plurality of sprockets, only one reverse rotation preventing portion needs to be formed as long as the sprocket rotates integrally with the rotation shaft. Further, the stepping motor is exemplified as the driving motor, but this may be a normal motor. In this case, a means for counting the number of pachinko balls to be paid out or a time keeping means is added.

[0029]

As is apparent from the above description, in the present invention, the pachinko balls sent through the transport passage by the rotating member are promoted by the ball separation accelerating portion to separate the pachinko balls from the rotating member, and the discharge passage is provided. The pachinko balls can be smoothly dispensed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a prize ball payout device according to an embodiment as viewed from the back.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the premium ball payout device.

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the premium ball payout apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a front view of a pachinko gaming machine to which the premium ball payout apparatus according to the embodiment is applied.

FIG. 5 is a rear view of the winning ball collecting cover fixed to the back of the gaming board of the pachinko gaming machine.

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

[Explanation of symbols]

 28 supply gutter 29 prize ball dispensing device 33a-33d supply passage forming wall 34a, 34b supply passage 35a-35d discharge passage forming wall 36a, 36b discharge passage 37a, 37b reverse rotation preventing portion 38a, 38b discharge ball opening portion (ball separation promoting portion ) 39a-39d Ball guide rail 41 Stepping motor 42 Rotating shaft 43a, 43b Sprocket (rotating member) 44 Claw portion 49a-49g Mounting boss 50a-50g Through hole 51a-51g Mounting portion

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A payout device for paying out pachinko balls by rotation of a rotating member, the payout device comprising: a supply passage through which pachinko balls are continuously supplied; and a pachinko ball supplied from the supply passage. A transport path that is transported by the rotating member; and a discharge path that discharges pachinko balls transported by the transport path. The transport path is transported by the rotating member to a connection between the transport path and the discharge path. A pachinko ball payout device, wherein a ball separation promoting portion for promoting separation of the pachinko ball from the rotating member is formed. 2. The rotating member is a sprocket having a plurality of pawls that engage with the outer peripheral surface of the pachinko ball, and the ball separation promoting unit does not engage with the pachinko balls that engage with the pawls. The pachinko ball payout device according to claim 1, characterized in that the space portion can be rolled to a position.