JP3165333B2 - Ball leveling member and ball leveling device using the same - 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 uniforming device for correcting irregularities of balls in a ball straightening path of a game machine such as a pachinko machine, a smart ball, a pitching machine, etc., that is, for aligning irregular balls. And a ball leveling device using the same.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, in a pachinko machine, a predetermined number of balls are ejected and provided to a player as a reward for a prize generated during a game. As a mechanism for this, a storage tank that is located at the uppermost position on the back side of the pachinko machine and stores a considerable number of balls, a rectifying gutter that aligns and sends a plurality of balls received from the storage tank, A delivery gutter is provided for sending the ball delivered from the gutter to a downstream ball ejection device. Downstream of this ball discharge device,
A discharge path is formed to be connected to each of the upper and lower ball dishes installed on the front of the pachinko machine.

[0003] The discharge mechanism having such a configuration is required to constantly and smoothly transmit the ball while avoiding clogging of the ball and poor circulation of the ball. In other words, the ball outlet of the storage tank is set to have an opening size commensurate with its capacity so that the ball can be circulated without difficulty. In contrast,
In the straightening gutter, a ball receiving part with a size matching the ball outlet of the storage tank is formed on the upstream side so that the plurality of balls naturally flowing out of the storage tank (by gravity) are received as much as possible and then naturally flow down. Have been. Also, in order to prevent excessive ball pressure from acting on the downstream side, a plurality of ball rectification paths are formed in parallel downstream from the ball receiving part, and further a gentle slope is provided from the upstream side to the downstream side, so that The ball is sent smoothly in the double row state.

[0004] In many cases, the ball straightening paths formed in the straightening gutters described above are arranged in two rows. In each ball rectifying path, irregularly irregular balls sent from the ball outlet of the storage tank overlap in a bale stack. The irregular spheres are laterally regulated by the inner wall of the straightening gutter and are aligned in two rows, but are not aligned in the height direction and cannot be regularly rectified. If the ball is sent out as it is, there is a possibility that the ball may be clogged near the outlet of the straightening gutter or near the inlet of the sending gutter.

Therefore, conventionally, as means for correcting the irregularity of the balls in the straightening gutter, two pendulum-shaped ball leveling members which are swingably supported by a common shaft above a plurality of ball straightening paths. (Japanese Patent Publication No. 52-15899), or a type in which a weight is inserted into the pendulum-shaped ball leveling member to change the angle of the hanging state, and the ball leveling action can be changed ( 53-35027). However, in such a mechanism, when the ball pressure from the winning ball tank is large, the ball leveling action may not function effectively. Furthermore, when there are two or more rows of ball rectification paths, it is necessary to provide a ball leveling member for each row, and the whole mechanism becomes large.

A ball leveling device is provided with an eccentric disk for guiding balls to respective ball flow channels above a ball alignment path comprising a plurality of ball flow channels, and an eccentric roller for preventing the balls from overlapping in the height direction. (Japanese Utility Model 5-10847) are also known.
However, this mechanism requires a drive source such as a motor and a solenoid, and a control mechanism therefor. If this mechanism is employed, the cost of the entire pachinko machine increases, the backside structure becomes complicated, and the number of causes of failure increases. There is a problem.

[0007] Further, a rectifying strip (disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 52-78) is disposed above the straightening gutter so that the tip is curved upward and the height from the straightening gutter gradually decreases toward the downstream. 50865) and guide members (actually open flat 6-467)
78) is known. However, even with these means, it is necessary to provide a plurality of rectifying strips and guide members for a plurality of ball rectifying passages, and it is necessary to use a rectifying gutter having two or more rows of ball rectifying passages as described above. Is cumbersome and cumbersome to install.

In game machines other than pachinko machines, there is a similar problem in a structure for aligning and supplying balls.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to achieve a good ball leveling action even when the ball pressure from the ball supply section is large, as compared with a conventional ball leveling member or mechanism. Another object of the present invention is to provide a ball leveling member which can be manufactured at a low cost with a simple structure and a ball leveling device using the same.

[0010]

According to the present invention, there is provided a ball leveling member provided above a ball straightening path for aligning a plurality of balls supplied from an upstream side and sending the balls to a downstream side, Flat mounted almost parallel to the ball rectifier path
A portion, an upwardly inclined portion extending from the flat portion to the upstream side of the ball rectification path and inclined upward, and a downstream side of the ball rectification path from the flat portion.
To and inclined downwardly extends consists of the lower inclined portion
Ball leveling member is provided, characterized in that that.

In the ball leveling member of the present invention, it is preferable that the flat portion has a length corresponding to two to three times the diameter of the ball in the length direction of the ball straightening path .

Also, the ball leveling member may be an intermediate portion of the elastic thin plate.
Is the flat portion, the upstream from the flat portion on the ball straightening path,
The part extending to the downstream side is the upper inclined part, the lower part
It is preferably formed as a sloping portion .

Furthermore, according to the present invention, spherical rectification path which is inclined to deliver the downstream aligning a plurality of balls supplied from the upstream side, Installing substantially parallel to the upper side of the spherical rectifier circuit The flat portion provided and the flat portion extending from the flat portion to the upstream side of the ball rectifying path.
In an upper inclined portion which beauty and inclined upwards, a lower inclined portion inclined to and downwardly extending downstream of the sphere rectifying circuit from said flat portion
Provided is a ball leveling device including a ball leveling member configured and a support means for setting the ball leveling member above a ball straightening path.

[0014] In the sphere leveling apparatus of the present invention, when the ball rectifying passage is provided a plurality of rows, the ball leveling member is to have the upper inclined part and the lower inclined portion for each column of the sphere rectifier circuit And ball
It is preferable to be formed of a plate having a flat portion common to all rows of the rectification path .

Further, in a preferred embodiment of the ball leveling device, the angle of inclination of the upper inclined portion of the ball leveling member is larger than the angle of inclination of the ball straightening path, and the angle of inclination of the lower slope portion is 30 degrees. It is configured to be equal to or less than the inclination angle obtained by adding ゜.

[0016]

[Function] The sphere supplied to the upstream side of the rectification path is almost irregular.
Reach the upper slope of the ball leveling member under irregular conditions
Is now aligned in the height direction and the flattening member
Extending downstream while maintaining its alignment by the
To the lower side of the downward slope. There is no flat
If it is short or short, it will cause clogging in this area
In some cases, however, in the present invention, the flat portion is opposed to the ball rectifying path.
So that they are almost parallel,
Sphere tilts down while aligning in the height direction along the flat part
Reach the department. Here, the balls are stacked in the height direction
Rectified into a single row, ie, a non-stacked state.
As described above, the ball leveling member has its upward inclined portion and downward inclined portion.
Since there is a flat part almost parallel to the ball rectification path between the slopes,
When a ball moves along a flat part on a ball straightening path,
The fluctuation of the ball pressure in the direction is suppressed. Therefore, without clogging the ball in the ball straightening path, from the upstream side of the ball to the downstream side
Smooth movement of Ru is achieved.

In a preferred embodiment of the above-mentioned ball leveling member, the flat portion has a length corresponding to two to three times the diameter of the ball. Fluctuations are reduced. Therefore, ball clogging hardly occurs, and the effect of ball alignment is enhanced.

Also, the ball leveling member may be an intermediate portion of the elastic thin plate.
Is the flat portion, the upstream from the flat portion on the ball straightening path,
The part extending to the downstream side is the upper inclined part, the lower part
When the ball is formed as a sloping portion, even if the incoming ball increases rapidly or the ball comes into contact with the ball leveling member with a considerable ball pressure, it is good due to the elasticity of the ball leveling member. A smooth ball leveling action is possible, and breakage of the ball leveling member can be prevented.

In the ball leveling device of the present invention, the ball leveling member is installed above the ball straightening path by the support means, so that the ball leveling member can be placed at an arbitrary position above the ball straightening path. Can be arranged.

Further, even if the sphere rectifying path provided a plurality of rows, spheres leveling member is common upper inclined portion and a downwardly inclined portion to all rows of the chromatic vital sphere commutation path for each column of the sphere rectifier circuit A flat part
Since it can be formed with a single plate, the manufacture and mounting of the ball leveling member are easy, and the cost of the ball leveling device can be reduced.

Further, according to a preferred embodiment of the ball leveling device, the upper inclined portion and the lower inclined portion of the ball leveling member are installed at a fixed angle with respect to the surface of the ball straightening path, so that the balls are aligned. When clogging, ball clogging is less likely to occur.

[0022]

As described above, according to the ball leveling member of the present invention,
Ball smoothing can be performed smoothly and reliably with a member having a simple structure. In particular, the balls stacked in the height direction on the ball straightening path can be leveled stepwise at the upper inclined portion, flat portion, and lower inclined portion of the ball leveling member, so that the ball leveling member and the ball straightening path can be used. No unnecessary load is applied to the forming gutters, etc.
Ball clogging at the exit of the ball straightening path can be prevented.

Further, for a game machine such as a pachinko machine, only the ball leveling member of the present invention is attached, and there is no need to install any other control-related parts. It can be easily manufactured without any effect.

Further, according to the ball leveling device of the present invention, in addition to the effect of the ball leveling member, an arbitrary position between the upstream side and the downstream side of the ball straightening path by the supporting means can be used to move the ball leveling member. Can be installed in

[0025]

FIG. 1 shows a part of the back surface of a pachinko machine using the ball leveling plate of the embodiment. Above the back surface 2, a storage tank 4 for storing a considerable number of pachinko balls (hereinafter simply referred to as "balls") supplied from a ball supply device (not shown) is arranged. A ball outlet 6 through which a plurality of balls can flow out is provided on the bottom of the storage tank 4 at the left end in the figure.

Below the storage tank 4, a flow straightening gutter 8 is disposed so as to be slightly inclined to the lower right. At the left end of the straightening gutter 8 in the drawing, a ball receiving portion 10 for receiving a supply of the ball from the ball outlet 6 of the storage tank 4 is provided, and at the right end of the straightening gutter 8 a downward sending path 12 for one ball is provided. A passage is formed, the lowest end of which is connected to the delivery gutter 14.

The flow control gutter 8 has a ball leveling plate 16 made of an elastic thin plate at substantially the center thereof, and a ball feed control member 18 (described later) disposed immediately above the delivery path 12. Among these, the ball leveling plate 16 levels the balls in the straightening gutter 8 from the irregular state to the regular state, and the ball feed control member 18 controls the delivery gutter 1.
Let 4 send out one ball at a time.

As shown in FIG. 2, the straightening gutter 8 has a horizontally elongated shape and an open upper surface, and has a gutter shape. The inside of the flow straightening gutter 8 is divided into two rows by a partition wall 22 provided at the center of the bottom surface along the direction in which the ball is fed, and two ball flow straightening paths 19 and 20 are formed. In each ball straightening path 19, 20, there is a ball receiving portion 1
Straightening grooves 62 and 64 formed by linearly notching from 0 to the delivery path 12 are provided.
The spheres are arranged side by side in rows 9 and 20 so as to be easily transmitted. Since the rectifying grooves 62 and 64 extend over substantially the entire length of the rectifying gutter 8, a plurality of reinforcing plates 60 are arranged at predetermined intervals on the outer bottom surface of the rectifying gutter 8. Has been reinforced.
The straightening gutter 8 has a gentle gradient (inclination from the horizontal direction) from the above-described ball receiving portion 10 to the delivery path 12.
The ball is rolled from the ball receiving portion 10 side to the delivery path 12 side by its own weight.

The ball leveling plate 16 is supported on the projecting portions 3 and 5 projecting outward from the upper edges of the side walls 9 of the straightening gutter 8. Below the overhangs 3 and 5, there are integrally provided mounting portions 7 and 11 each having a female screw formed therein (see FIG. 4). Therefore, the screws 44 and 45 are positioned from above the ball leveling plate 16.
Is screwed into the internal threads of the mounting portions 7, 11, whereby the ball leveling plate 16 can be fixed so as to bridge over the two ball straightening paths 19, 20. In this embodiment, the projecting portions 3 and 5 of the straightening gutter 8, the mounting portions 7 and 11, and the screws 44 and 45 as fixing devices constitute support means for the ball leveling plate 16. Not limited to this, any configuration may be used as long as the ball leveling member can be fixed above the ball straightening path.

The shape of the ball leveling plate 16 is substantially H-shaped when viewed from above, and has a flat portion 24 at the center thereof , which is opposed to the ball straightening passages 19 and 20 and is mounted substantially parallel thereto. On the upstream side of the flat portion 24 (on the ball receiving portion 10 side of the straightening gutter 8),
From the flat portion 24, an upper inclined portion 26 having a bifurcated inclination angle larger than the gradient of the ball rectifying passages 19, 20 and configured to be located above each of the ball rectifying passages 19, 20 extends. I have. The downstream side of the flat portion 24 (the delivery path 12
On the side), a lower inclined portion 28 which is formed bifurcated like the upper inclined portion 26 and which is inclined downward is located.

The ball leveling plate 16 is formed of an elastic thin plate. When the upper inclined portion 26 and the lower inclined portion 28 come into contact with the balls sent out through the ball straightening paths 19 and 20, This is for preventing ball clogging by elasticity. Therefore, the shape is not limited to a thin plate as long as it has elasticity, and the material may be metal or synthetic resin. The upper inclined portion 26 and the lower inclined portion 28 are not limited to the bifurcated shape as shown in FIG. 2 and may be formed of a single continuous plate. In this case, a portion of the partition wall 22 that interferes with the upper inclined portion 26 and the lower inclined portion 28 in the height direction is cut out.

FIG. 3 is a top view showing the relationship between the ball and the ball leveling plate 16 attached to the straightening gutter 8. The spheres are regulated so as to be arranged in one row in the horizontal direction for each sphere straightening path 19, 20. However, the portion upstream of the upper inclined portion 26 of the ball leveling plate 16 (left side in the drawing) overlaps in a plurality of stages. . As shown in FIG.
In each of the ball rectifying paths 19 and 20, the balls are arranged in a single row in the height direction on the downstream side of the lower inclined portion 28. As shown in FIG. 5, the spheres are rectified in a single row in the height direction by the sphere rectification paths 19 and 20 by the sphere leveling plate 16 in the process from the upstream side to the downstream side of the sphere leveling plate 16. Is done.

The operation of the ball leveling plate 16 for bringing the balls into an aligned state from a state in which the balls are vertically stacked in a plurality of stages will be described. The ball in the storage tank 4 drops from the ball outlet 6 by its own weight and is temporarily stored in the ball receiving portion 10 in the straightening gutter 8, and from there, the ball straightening passages 19 and 20 by the gradient of the straightening gutter 8.
Enter one of At this time, the spheres are arranged in the rectification gutter 8 in two rows in the transverse direction with respect to the sphere sending direction, and are sorted and aligned in a row in each of the sphere rectification paths 19 and 20. However, in the height direction, it has an irregular state of bale stacking.

When the balls in the irregular state reach the upper inclined portion 26 of the ball leveling plate 16, the balls stacked in a plurality of stages are moved by the upper inclined portion 26 as shown in FIGS. First, they are aligned in two rows in the height direction. The spheres aligned in these two rows maintain this alignment by the flat portion 24. The balls move to the lower side of the lower inclined portion 28 extending downstream from the flat portion 24 while maintaining the two rows. If the flat portion 24 is completely absent or short, the ball may be clogged at this portion. Therefore, in practice, the length of the flat portion 24 is set to be two to three times the diameter of the sphere. desirable. The downward inclined portion 28 is for making the balls in a state of being arranged in two rows in the height direction into one row, and the balls are arranged in a row in the height direction toward the downstream as shown in FIGS. It is rectified.

The inclination angles of the upper inclined portion 26 and the lower inclined portion 28 from the horizontal state are determined in order to obtain a desired rectifying effect.
A range that is larger than the gradient (angle with respect to the horizontal direction) of the flow straightening gutter 8 itself and does not exceed 30 degrees from the horizontal direction is preferable.

FIGS. 6 and 7 are diagrams showing the desired inclination angles of the upper inclined portion 26 and the lower inclined portion 28. FIG. In FIG. 6, the upper inclined portion 26 and the lower inclined portion 28 are
It must be greater than the inclination of the ball array that abuts 6, 28. Here, assuming that the inclination angle of the straightening gutter 8 is A, the inclination of the ball array is also A. The inclination angle of the upper inclined portion 26 and the lower inclined portion 28 is an angle B formed by the horizontal direction of a normal EF to a line segment CD connecting the center of the sphere 50 in the upper row and the center of the sphere 52 in the lower row. Must be: Since the angle of B is (A + 30) degrees, the angles of the upper inclined portion 26 and the lower inclined portion 28 are within 30 degrees with respect to the spherical rectification paths 19 and 20.

In the illustrated example, the ball straightening path 1 in the straightening gutter 8 is
9, 20, the ball leveling plate 16 and the support means constitute a ball leveling device. In this embodiment, the balls in the irregular state are first aligned in one row in the height direction by the ball leveling plate 16 and the ball straightening passages 19 and 20, and the ball is controlled from the two horizontal rows by the ball feed control member 18. The flow is changed into a row and is sent out from the outlet of the straightening gutter 8 to the delivery path 12.

As shown in FIG. 8, the two rows of ball straightening passages 19 and 20 are defined by both side walls 9 of the straightening gutter 8 and a center partition wall 22 inside the straightening gutter 8 so as to have the same width and gradient. Is formed. The spheres of the ball rectification paths 19 and 20 are aligned and delivered to the ball feed control member 18 on the downstream side of the rectification gutter 8 in a daisy chain.

The ball feed control member 18 is connected to a ball storage section 21 formed in the straightening gutter 8 above the delivery path 12 at the right end of the straightening gutter 8, and awarded in two rows of ball straightening paths 19, 20. One ball
This is for alternately sending out a predetermined timing difference for each piece.

As shown in FIG. 9, the ball feed control member 18
Is integrally formed with a shaft 30 having both ends fixed to both side walls 9 at an angle to a perpendicular line orthogonal to the ball rectifying paths 19 and 20 on both side walls 9 and a cylindrical shaft portion 36 rotatably fitted to the shaft 30. And a pair of ratchet-shaped rectifying plates 32 and 34 formed in the same. The shaft 30 passes through a shaft hole 38 (FIG. 10) of the cylindrical shaft portion 36.

The rectifying plates 32 and 34 formed integrally by the cylindrical shaft portion 36 have the same shape as viewed from the side as shown in FIG. That is, the two rectifiers 32 and 34 do not have a difference in angular displacement in each rotation direction. These rectifiers 3
The reference numerals 2 and 34 are rotatably installed upon receiving a ball pressure from the upstream side of the straightening gutter 8. In each of the rectifiers 32 and 34, the same number of ratchet-shaped ball feed teeth 40 and ball receiving portions 4 are provided.
2 are formed at the same interval. As shown in FIG. 9, the ball feed teeth 40 each have a fixed angle α with respect to the axis 30.
It is attached with. Also, as described above, the shaft 3
0 is attached to the two ball rectifying paths 19 and 20 at a predetermined angle (the angle formed by a line segment perpendicular to the direction of the ball rectifying paths 19 and 20 and the axis 30) β. Where the angle β and
The angle between the feed dogs 40 of the rectifiers 32 and 34 and the shaft 30 is made equal. The reason is that, in order for the balls flowing through the ball straightening passages 19 and 20 to be optimally received by the ball receiving portion 42, the ball feed teeth 40 first contacting the balls are perpendicular to the ball straightening passages 19 and 20. It is necessary to become.

In each of the rectifiers 32 and 34, each ball feed dog 40 takes in and feeds one ball at a time, and in the case shown in the figure, six teeth are the same in the rotational direction at an angular interval suitable for one ball. It is arranged in the direction of. Also, the ball receiving section 42
Are open between the ball feed teeth 40 so that one ball can be held.

Next, the operation of the ball feed control member 18 will be described. The two rectifiers 32 and 34 are mounted obliquely with respect to the ball rectifiers 19 and 20, respectively.
There is no angular displacement difference in the rotation direction between the 2,34 ball feed teeth 40. In addition, the feed dog 40 of the two rectifiers 32 and 34 and the shaft 30 have a predetermined angular displacement difference. This angular displacement difference is formed such that the ball feed teeth 40 that first contact the spheres flowing through the ball flow straightening paths 19 and 20 are perpendicular to the ball flow straightening paths 19 and 20. Therefore, the ball can be smoothly received, and one of the rectifiers 32 is closer to the delivery path 12 than the other rectifier 34.
Balls in a two-row state can be rectified into a one-row state and sent to the delivery path 12 at a predetermined timing.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an upper portion of a back surface of a pachinko machine according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a ball leveling device.

FIG. 3 is a top view of a ball leveling plate attached to the straightening gutter.

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

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line VV of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a view showing an inclination angle required for an upper inclined portion.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a tilt angle required for a lower tilt portion.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a ball feed control member and a delivery path.

FIG. 9 is a top view of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken along line XX of FIG. 9;

[Explanation of symbols]

2 ... back side, 3 ... overhang, 4 ... storage tank, 5 ... overhang,
6 ball outlet, 7 mounting part, 8 flow straightening gutter, 9 side wall, 10
... ball receiving part, 11 ... mounting part, 12 ... delivery path, 14 ... delivery gutter, 16 ... ball leveling plate, 18 ... ball feed control member, 19, 2
0: ball straightening path, 21: ball storage section, 22: partition wall, 24 ...
Flat part, 26 ... upward inclined part, 28 ... downward inclined part, 30 ...
Shaft, 32, 34 ... Rectifier board, 36 ... Cylinder shaft part, 38 ... Shaft hole,
40: ball feed dog, 42: ball receiver, 44, 45: screw,
60: reinforcing plate, 62, 64: rectifying groove.

Claims (6)

(57) [Claims] 1. A ball leveling member provided above a ball straightening path for aligning a plurality of balls supplied from an upstream side and sending the ball to a downstream side, wherein the ball leveling member is substantially opposed to the ball straightening path. Mounted in parallel
A flat portion extending from the flat portion to an upstream side of the ball rectifying path.
And an upper inclined portion inclined upward, a lower inclined portion extending from the flat portion to the downstream side of the ball rectifying path and inclined downward.
Sphere leveling member, characterized in that it consists in. 2. The ball leveling member according to claim 1, wherein the flat portion has a diameter of 2 to 3 in a length direction of the ball straightening path.
A ball leveling member having a length equivalent to twice as long. 3. The ball leveling member according to claim 1, wherein
The middle portion of the thin plate is the flat portion, and the flat portion is
On the rectification path, the parts extending to the upstream and downstream
A ball leveling member formed as an upper inclined portion and the lower inclined portion . 4. A ball rectifying path inclined so that a plurality of spheres supplied from an upstream side are aligned and sent to a downstream side, and a flat portion mounted substantially parallel above the ball rectifying path.
When, of composed of the flat portion and the upper inclined portion which is inclined and upwardly extending to the upstream side of the ball rectifier path, and the lower inclined part of and inclined downwardly extending downstream of the ball rectifying passage from the flat section
Spheres leveling member, and the spherical leveling member for leveling ball configured with a support means for installing above the sphere rectifier circuit device. 5. A ball leveling apparatus of claim 4, wherein the ball rectifying passage is provided in a plurality of rows, the ball leveling member, said upper inclined portion and said lower inclined for each column of the sphere commutation path plate having a common flat part of the parts to all columns of the chromatic vital the ball rectifying path
A ball leveling device characterized by being formed of: 6. A ball leveling device according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the inclination angle of the upper inclined portion of the sphere leveling member is larger than the inclination angle of the ball rectifying passage, the inclination angle of the lower inclined portion the A ball leveling device, wherein the angle is equal to or less than an angle obtained by adding 30 ° to the inclination angle of the ball straightening path.