JP2852833B2 - Pachinko ball dispenser - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a pachinko ball dispensing machine for counting and discharging a predetermined number of balls in a pachinko machine or a ball lending machine for automatic replenishment, automatic prize payout, automatic payout, and the like. About the vessel.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, in a pachinko machine or a ball lending machine, a pachinko ball dispenser (so-called ball machine) for counting and discharging a predetermined number of balls in order to perform automatic refilling, automatic prize and automatic payout of pachinko balls. As the counter), one described in Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 61-82678 is known. This is because, in the ball passage, a toothed wheel having a concave portion into which a pachinko ball is fitted one by one is rotatably arranged as desired in the ball passage, and is supplied from the upper part into the ball passage and tries to drop by its own weight. The ball is configured to be engaged with the concave portion and fall with the rotation of the tooth wheel without fail, while detecting and counting the pachinko balls paid out by an optical sensor disposed downstream of the ball passage. A predetermined number of balls are discharged from the lower part of the ball passage by controlling the amount of rotation of the tooth wheel. The rotation of the tooth wheel is controlled by one stopper. (Tooth stopper).

That is, by releasing the engagement of the tooth wheel stopper, the tooth wheel is continuously rotated freely according to the weight of the pachinko balls, and the pachinko balls are discharged one after another. When counted by the optical sensor, the tooth wheel stopper is engaged with the tooth wheel to stop the rotation of the tooth wheel. For this purpose, the toothed stopper is engaged at the same time after counting or before several counting, but accurate ejection of the number of balls is caused by variation in the speed of the balls and operation delay of the stopper solenoid (due to dust or time change). was difficult.

[0004]

However, in such a case, one tooth (one recess) is formed between the time when the predetermined number of payouts is detected and the time when the tooth wheel stopper engages with the tooth wheel.
In some cases, the pachinko balls were rotated and extra pachinko balls were paid out.

As ball counters other than the above, for example, ball counters for discharging, such as 100, 400 and 25, are prepared, and it is possible to discharge any number of balls freely. Did not. In this case, if a stopper is provided for every five cuts for 10 cut (10 teeth) tooth rings, 25 stops when the gear stops twice and a half, 100 stops when the gear stops at 10 rotations, 4
If stopped at 0 rotations, control can be performed in units of five, such as 400, but it is not possible to pay out fractions such as eleven, thirteen, etc. like a prize ball of a pachinko machine.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of such problems of the prior art, and a pachinko ball dispenser capable of accurately and rapidly dispensing a designated number of pachinko balls at high speed. It is intended to provide.

[0007]

It is a gist of the present invention for achieving the SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The above object is, recess pachinko balls one outer periphery is fitted one by one (10a)
The gear (10) formed with is formed in the ball passage (71) so as to be rotatable as desired, and the ball which is supplied from above in the ball passage and which is to be dropped by its own weight engages with the concave portion. In a pachinko ball dispenser configured to drop with the rotation of the gear and discharge a predetermined number of balls from the lower portion in the ball passage by controlling the rotation of the gear, A ratchet wheel (20) that is connected and rotates in conjunction therewith; a ratchet wheel provided on a side portion of the ratchet wheel so as to swing freely in one direction, one end of which engages the teeth of the ratchet wheel and A main stopper (30) for preventing the rotation of the main stopper, a main driving means (50, 32) for oscillating the main stopper, and oscillating in conjunction with the main stopper unless an external force exceeding a predetermined value is applied,
When the main stopper swings in the other direction and is disengaged from the ratchet wheel, one end of the main stopper engages with the teeth of the ratchet wheel to rotate the gear by a rotation amount corresponding to half of the recess. A sub-stopper (40) to prevent the sub-stopper from being engaged with the ratchet wheel regardless of the swinging state of the main stopper. Sub-driving means (60, 61) for moving, and payout means for detecting pachinko balls discharged from a lower portion in the ball passage;
Until the number of payouts based on the payout detection means approaches the command value, by controlling the operation of the main drive means and the sub-drive means, the engagement of the main stopper and the sub-stopper with the gear is maintained in a released state. When the number of payouts approaches the command value, the main drive means alone is intermittently operated until the number of payouts matches the command value to engage the main stopper or the sub-stopper with the gear alternately. A pachinko ball dispenser characterized by comprising control means.

[0008]

( 2 ) The main drive means or the sub drive means is constituted by a solenoid (50, 60), and the control means is a drive circuit for applying an excitation voltage to the solenoid to operate the main stopper or the sub stopper. A drive circuit (90) for applying an excitation voltage larger than the holding voltage of the solenoid during a predetermined time immediately after the start of driving, and applying the holding voltage of the solenoid as the excitation voltage after the predetermined time has elapsed;
The pachinko ball dispenser according to claim 1, further comprising:

[0010]

The pachinko ball dispenser of the present invention is capable of discharging pachinko balls.
The dispensing is detected by the dispensing detecting means (83).
The main drive until the number of payouts based on
Means and sub-drive means are controlled by the control means, and
The main stopper (30) and the sub-stopper (4
0) engagement with the ratchet wheel (20) is maintained in the released state
Is done. For this reason, until the number of dispensed approaches the command value,
The car rotates continuously at high speed due to the weight of the pachinko balls, one after another
And pachinko balls are discharged at high speed.

[0011]

Thereafter, when the number of payouts approaches the command value,
By the control means, until the number of payouts matches the command value,
Only the main drive means operates intermittently, and the main stopper or the sub-stopper alternately engages with the gear. Then, each time the sub-stopper is disengaged from the gear of the main stopper, the sub-stopper allows the rotation of the gear corresponding to half of the concave portion to engage with the gear, and from the same relationship, the engagement of the sub-stopper with the gear is performed. When disengaged, the main stopper engages with the gear by allowing rotation of the gear corresponding to half of the concave portion. Therefore, each time the intermittent operation is performed for one cycle, the gear rotates as much as one concave portion, and one pachinko ball is discharged each time the intermittent operation is performed for one cycle.

When the number of payouts coincides with the command value, the intermittent operation is stopped by the control of the control means (that is, the main stopper or the sub-stopper is stopped in the state of being engaged with the gear), and the rotation of the gear ( Pachinko ball discharge) is stopped. Therefore, by the pachinko ball dispensing apparatus of the present invention lever, it is possible to fast and accurate automatic dispensing of pachinko balls.

[0014]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Each drawing is a diagram for explaining a dispenser according to one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the dispenser 1 includes a gear 19 provided in the main body 2, a ratchet wheel 20, a main stopper 30, a sub-stopper 40, a main solenoid 50 and a sub-solenoid 60, and one side of the main body frame 2. Ball guide 70 attached so as to penetrate the portion up and down
And detection means 81, 82, 83 provided in the body frame 2 or the ball guide 70, and control means (not shown) provided in the body frame 2 or separately from the body frame 2. It is what makes.

The gear 10 is a sprocket having, in this case, ten concave portions 10a into which pachinko balls P are fitted one by one on the outer periphery, and is rotatably supported by a gear shaft 11 mounted horizontally on the main body frame 2. The outer periphery is arranged as desired in a ball passage 71 formed in the ball guide 70. Here, the ball passage 71 has a cross-sectional shape through which one ball passes with a slight gap, and is arranged so that the outer periphery of the gear 10 is located at a position substantially along the inner surface of the ball passage 71, thereby providing a ball passage. The ball which is supplied from above into the inside 71 and is about to fall by its own weight is engaged with the concave portion 10a and always falls with the rotation of the gear 10. The ball passage 71 moves the gear 1 so that the pachinko ball approaching the position where the pachinko ball fits into the recess 10a moves toward the center of the gear 10 and fits into the recess 10a.
An inclined portion 71a is provided in the vicinity of 0 to have an inclined shape.

As shown in FIG. 3, the ratchet wheel 20 has the same number of teeth 20a as the concave portion 10a of the gear 10 on the outer periphery, and the communication tube 2 inserted through the outer periphery of the gear 10 shaft.
1 so that the gear 10 does not interfere with the ball guide 70.
, And supported by a gear shaft 11 to rotate integrally with the gear 10. This ratchet car 20 has
A plurality of small holes 20b are formed in the outer peripheral portion corresponding to the teeth, and the detection light of the detecting means 81 passes through the small holes 20b. Note that the phase relationship between the ratchet wheel 20 and the gear 10 is such that when the main stopper 30 is engaged with the ratchet wheel 20, as shown in FIG. 1, the peak portion of the gear 10 (between the concave portions 10 a and the concave portions 10 a). Are set to be located on both left and right sides.

The gear 10 and the ratchet wheel 20
Means that the rotation is suppressed by the governor 22. That is, the governor 22 has engagement pieces 22b and 22c which are rotatably attached to the governor shaft 23 at the base end 22a and extend from the base end 22a to the left and right to engage with the outer periphery of the gear 10, respectively. A disk weight 24 having a large inertia is attached to the upper surface of the end 22a.
The b and 22c alternately engage with the outer periphery of the gear 10, and have the effect of preventing idling so that the gear 10 always rotates by one recess 10a for one ball passing.

The main stopper 30 is provided on the shaft 1 of the gear 10.
Attached to a stopper shaft 31 parallel to 1 so as to be swingable,
The tip 30a is engaged with the ratchet wheel 20 from below, and is engaged with the ratchet wheel 20 by the spring 32 wound around the stopper shaft 31 (counterclockwise direction).
Has been energized.

The sub-stopper 40 has a distal end 40a engaged with the outer periphery of the ratchet wheel 20. The base end of the sub-stopper 40 is swingably connected to the main stopper 30 by a stopper shaft 31, but is wound around the stopper shaft 31. The spring 41 is pressed against the bottom of the main stopper 30 by the biasing force of the turned spring 41 and swings in conjunction with the main stopper 30 unless an external force greater than the biasing force is applied.
As long as the tip 40a of the sub-stopper 40 is interlocked with the main stopper 30, when the main stopper 30 swings clockwise and disengages from the ratchet wheel 20, Is engaged with the ratchet wheel 20 after the main stopper 30 is disengaged from the ratchet wheel 20 after the main stopper 30 is disengaged from the ratchet wheel 20.
The gear 10 and the ratchet wheel 20 are in a position that allows the rotation of the gear 10 and the ratchet wheel 20 by an angle corresponding to half of the concave portion 10a before the engagement with the gear 0.

The main solenoid 50 has an output shaft 50
a is attached to the base end of the main stopper 30. When excited, the output shaft 50a operates in a direction to sink, and swings the main stopper 30 clockwise. If the main solenoid 50 is not driven, the main stopper 30 swings counterclockwise by the urging force of the spring 32 and returns to the engagement position.
The main solenoid 50 and the spring 32 constitute main driving means in the present invention.

The sub-solenoid 60 swings the sub-stopper 40 counterclockwise regardless of the swinging state of the main stopper 30 by applying an external force greater than the urging force of the spring 41 to the sub-stopper 40 via the lever 61. Then, the engagement with the ratchet wheel 20 is released. That is,
A long hole 4 as shown in FIG.
0b is formed, and a lever 61 which is pulled by an output shaft 60a of the sub solenoid 60 and swings around a lever shaft 62 is formed.
Is engaged with the elongated hole 40b,
When the sub solenoid 60 is driven and the lever 61 swings clockwise, the sub stopper 40 is pushed by the pawl 61a and swings counterclockwise. The lever 61 is urged counterclockwise by a spring 63. When the drive of the sub solenoid 60 is released, the lever 61 returns to a position where the sub stopper 40 does not swing by the urging force. I have. Note that the sub solenoid 60 and the lever 61 constitute a sub drive unit of the present invention.

The detecting means 81 is a photoelectric switch which emits a detection light to a position where the small hole 20b of the ratchet wheel 20 passes, and detects the rotation of one concave portion 10a of the gear 10. The detecting means 82 is a photoelectric switch that emits a detection light to a position immediately after the pachinko ball in the ball passage 71 is fitted into the concave portion 10a of the gear 10, and detects a supply state of the pachinko ball. . The detecting means 83 is a photoelectric switch that emits detection light to a position immediately after the pachinko ball comes off the concave portion 10a of the gear 10 in the ball passage 71, and is for detecting the payout of the pachinko ball. Constitutes a payout detecting means. It should be noted that the detection of the payout is surely performed by the detecting means 83, but the number of payouts can be indirectly detected by the detecting means 81.

The control means is constituted by, for example, a microcomputer. The control means receives a payout command from the outside or a detection result of the detection means 83 and the like and, based on a flowchart shown in FIG. Alternatively, the operation of the sub-solenoid 60 is controlled.
A drive circuit 90 for applying an excitation voltage to each of them has a configuration shown in FIG.

The drive circuit 90 includes a DC power supply 91 and a main solenoid 50 connected between the DC power supply 91 and the ground 92.
Alternatively, it includes a switching circuit 93 connected in series with the coil 50b or 60b of the sub solenoid 60. The switching circuit 93 is connected to two NPN transistors 94 and 95 connected in parallel between the coil and the ground 92, and to a line connecting the input terminal 96 and the base electrodes of the transistors 94 and 95, respectively. Provided buffer 97, differentiating circuit 9
8, buffer 99, resistor 100 or buffer 10
1, a resistor 102, and a resistor 103 provided between the coil and the collector electrode of the transistor 95.

The potential of the input terminal 96 rises (turns on) when the main solenoid 50 or the sub solenoid 60 is driven. The differentiating circuit 98
Is a well-known device comprising a capacitor 98a and a resistor 98b or a clipping diode 98c. In this case, the output is turned on at a predetermined time immediately after the input terminal is turned on. Note that this predetermined time is slightly longer than the time required for these output shafts to completely move to the operation position after starting excitation of the main solenoid 50 or the sub solenoid 60 due to the time constant of the differentiating circuit 98. Is set to a value. Further, the resistor 103 is for setting a voltage applied to the coil after the predetermined time has elapsed to a holding voltage. In this case, for example,
The supply voltage of the DC power supply is 24 V, the resistance of the main solenoid 50 or the sub solenoid 60 is 48Ω, and the rated voltage is 12
V (rated current: 250 mA) and holding voltage: 6.1 V (holding current: 128 mA), the resistance of the resistor 103 is 140
What is necessary is just Ω.

Next, the operation will be described. Main solenoid 5
In the stopped state where the 0 and the sub solenoid 60 are not driven, the main stopper 30 is engaged with the ratchet wheel 20 by the urging force of the spring 32 as shown in FIG. Pachinko balls are retained and are not discharged.

Now, when the payout of the N pachinko balls is instructed, the CPU of the control device performs the processing shown in FIG. That is, first, the potential of the input terminal of the drive circuit is raised for each of the main solenoid 50 and the sub solenoid 60 (Step 201, but when the number of payouts is equal to or less than a predetermined amount, only the main solenoid 50 is raised). Then, as shown in FIG. 7, during the above-mentioned predetermined time (kick section), both the transistors 94 and 95 of the drive circuit 90 are turned on, and the supply voltage of 24 V is applied to each coil as it is, mainly through the transistor 94. A large current (500 mA under the above conditions) flows. After the lapse of this predetermined time (holding period), only the transistor 94 is turned off, and a small current (128 m under the above conditions) is applied to each coil via the transistor 95.
A) flows, and the applied voltage becomes a holding voltage of 6.1 V.

For this reason, the main solenoid 50 and the sub solenoid 60 operate reliably, and the main stopper 30
The ratchet wheel 2 as shown in FIG.
It is held out of zero. Therefore, the gear 10 continuously rotates at a high speed due to the weight of the pachinko balls, and the pachinko balls are discharged one after another at a high speed. However, the rotation of the gear 10 is suppressed by the action of the governor 22 to a maximum speed that does not cause idling.

During the high-speed discharge, the control device outputs detection means 8 which is output each time the pachinko ball is discharged.
In response to the signal of 3, the number of payouts H is counted, and the number H is subtracted from the command value N to determine whether or not the difference N-H has become a minute value (preferably about 2 to 5) (step 20).
2) When the value becomes minute, the sub solenoid 60 is turned off, a periodic pulse signal is sent only to the input terminal of the main solenoid 50, and only the main solenoid 50 is intermittently operated until the number of payouts matches the command place. (Step 203).

Then, the main stopper 30 and the sub-stopper 40 are alternately engaged with the gear 10, so that the sub-stopper 40 is depressed every time the main stopper 30 is disengaged from the gear 10. 10a
The rotation of the gear 10 corresponding to half is allowed to engage with the gear 10, and from the same relation, the gear 1 of the sub-stopper 40
When the engagement with the gear 10 is released, the main stopper 30 is engaged with the gear 10 by allowing the rotation of the gear 10 corresponding to half of the concave portion 10a. Therefore, each time the intermittent operation is performed for one cycle, the gear 10 is rotated by one concave portion 10a, and one pachinko ball is discharged every time the intermittent operation is performed for one cycle. When the number of payouts matches the command value, the control means stops the transmission to the input terminal of the drive circuit 90, and sets the transistors 94 and 95
Is turned off to return to the stop state.

The output signal of the detecting means 82 is received by the CPU of the control device. When this signal is no longer output, it means that the supply of the pachinko balls to the ball passage 71 has been interrupted. A signal is output to the outside, and processing for prompting appropriate measures is performed. Further, the output signal of the detecting means 81 is also received by the CPU.
It is determined whether the pachinko balls are paid out one by one for the rotation of one concave portion 10a of 0 by associating the pachinko balls with the signal of the detecting means 83, and even if the gear 10 is idling, this is determined. It is used for processing such as detection and handling.

As described above , according to the pachinko ball dispenser , the gear 10 is continuously rotated according to the weight of the pachinko ball so as to continuously discharge the pachinko ball until the payout number approaches the command value. When the number of payouts approaches the command value, the gear 10
Is switched to intermittent rotation, and the pachinko balls are paid out one by one. Therefore, there is no possibility of delaying the stop of the rotation of the gear 10 and paying out extra pachinko balls. As it can be paid out, most of the pachinko balls are discharged by the high-speed rotation of the gear 10,
The payout speed can be increased as a whole. In addition, even if the command value increases, high-speed payout is performed until the shortage of payouts reaches the minute value under the control of the control device, and the highest-speed payout according to the command value is performed.

In addition, the operation reliability of the main solenoid 50 and the sub-solenoid 60 is ensured high by the configuration of the drive circuit described above, and idling of the gear 10 is prevented by the action of the governor 22. The processing based on the detection results of the detection means 81 and 82 enables quick response to a trouble.

[0034]

According to Rupa dick ball dispensing device written to the present invention, since it is possible to dispense any number of balls at a time in one dispensing device accurately and fast, pachinko this If used in each part of the island, it is possible to contribute to the improvement of the accuracy of the ball dispensing operation of each part and to increase the speed, and further, it is possible to reduce the cost of the pachinko island by unifying the types of dispensers.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing a main part of a pachinko ball dispenser according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line AA of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line BB of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line DD of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line CC of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a partial perspective view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an operation of the present invention, and is a diagram illustrating a change with time in driving the excitation voltage of the solenoid during driving.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a drive circuit of a pachinko ball dispenser according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the operation of the control device of the pachinko ball dispenser according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Dispenser 10 ... Gear 10a ... Recess 20 ... Ratchet wheel 30 ... Main stopper 40 ... Substopper 50 ... Solenoid 60 ... Solenoid 90 ... Drive circuit

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A gear having a concave portion into which pachinko balls are fitted one by one on the outer periphery is rotatably disposed in a ball passage as desired, and is supplied from above into the ball passage to drop by its own weight. So that a predetermined number of balls are ejected from the lower part in the ball passage by controlling the rotation of the gears. A pachinko ball dispenser, wherein the ratchet wheel is connected to the gear and rotates in conjunction with the gear; a ratchet wheel is provided on the side of the ratchet wheel so as to be swingable, and one end of the tooth of the ratchet wheel when swinging in one direction. A main stopper that engages with the main stopper to prevent the rotation of the gear, a main drive unit that swings the main stopper, and swings in conjunction with the main stopper unless an external force greater than a predetermined value is applied. When the upper swings in the other direction and is disengaged from the ratchet wheel, one end thereof engages with the teeth of the ratchet wheel to prevent rotation of the gear within the rotation amount of the concave portion. A sub-driving means for applying the external force greater than or equal to the predetermined value to the sub-stopper and oscillating the sub-stopper to a side where the sub-stopper is disengaged from the ratchet wheel regardless of the swinging state of the main stopper; A payout detecting means for detecting pachinko balls discharged from a lower portion in the ball passage; anda controlling the operation of the main drive means and the sub drive means until the number of payouts based on the payout detection means approaches a command value. When the main stopper and the sub-stopper are disengaged from the gear, and approach the payout number or the command value, until the payout number matches the command value, Serial only intermittently actuate the main drive means, the pachinko ball dispensing device, characterized in that the control means for engaging the main stopper or sub stopper to said gear alternately, the provided. 2. The driving circuit according to claim 1, wherein the main driving means or the sub driving means comprises a solenoid, and the control means applies an excitation voltage to the solenoid to operate the main stopper or the sub stopper. A drive circuit for applying an excitation voltage larger than the holding voltage of the solenoid for a predetermined time immediately after the start and applying the holding voltage of the solenoid as the excitation voltage after the predetermined time has elapsed. Item 6. A pachinko ball dispenser according to Item 1 .