JP3874157B2 - Pachinko machine ball dispenser - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a ball dispensing device for a pachinko machine in which a ball dispensing rotating body is rotated by a stepping motor to dispense a pachinko ball.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In recent years, many common pachinko machine ball dispensing devices are designed to deliver a pachinko ball by rotating a sprocket with a stepping motor. For example, a slit is formed at an angular pitch corresponding to a rotation angle necessary for paying out one pachinko ball on a rotational position detection disk that rotates integrally with a sprocket, as shown in FIG. Each time a stepping motor is continuously rotated at a constant rotation speed during the ball payout period to pay out one pachinko ball (for example, every 16 steps), the slit is detected by an optical sensor to check the rotational position of the sprocket. However, the number of pachinko balls to be paid out is controlled by controlling the stop position of the stepping motor.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the conventional ball dispensing device, the stepping motor is continuously rotated at a constant rotational speed during the ball dispensing period, so that it is necessary to instantaneously detect the rotating slit with an optical sensor. For this reason, the time when the slit crosses the detection position of the optical sensor, that is, the time during which the optical sensor can detect the slit is extremely short, and the slit may be detected and missed due to the influence of noise or the like. As a countermeasure, when the slit is detected and missed, a “retry process” is performed in which the stepping motor is driven in the reverse direction and then driven forward in order to reconfirm the slit (rotation position of the sprocket). However, there is a drawback that the payout of the pachinko balls is greatly delayed when the retry process is performed.
[0004]
Also, if the ball dispensing device's dispensing speed (sprocket rotation speed) is too fast, the supply of pachinko balls from the ball supply path to the recess of the sprocket will not catch up with the rotation speed of the sprocket, which may cause the sprocket to idle. There is.
[0005]
Further, as shown in FIG. 4 (b), a tapered converging passage portion 20 for converging the pachinko ball passage width from two to one in the ball discharge passage 19 through which the pachinko balls paid out from the sprocket flow down. In the configuration in which the ball discharging device has an excessively high discharging speed (rotation speed of the sprocket), the interval between the pachinko balls flowing down into the converging passage portion 20 is shortened. There is also a possibility that the pachinko balls hit each other, the flow of the balls becomes worse, and clogging of the balls may occur.
[0006]
The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances. Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a detected portion for confirming the rotational position of the ball dispensing rotating body (sprocket) every time one pachinko ball is dispensed. It is an object of the present invention to provide a ball payout device for a pachinko machine that can be reliably detected and can pay out a number of pachinko balls according to a payout command accurately and smoothly.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, a ball payout device for a pachinko machine according to claim 1 of the present invention is provided at an angular pitch corresponding to a rotation angle required for a ball payout rotating body to pay out one pachinko ball. Provided with two ball supply paths for supplying pachinko balls to the ball payout device, comprising a plurality of detected parts that rotate integrally with the ball paying rotator, and rotational position detecting means for detecting each detected part. Each of the ball dispensing rotators is arranged one by one so as to face the outlet of each sphere supply path, and the two ball dispensing rotators are rotated by the stepping motor. A converging passage portion for converging pachinko balls to be paid out in two from the payout rotating body into one is provided, and a stepping motor is connected to the detected portion from the rotation position detected by the rotation position detecting means during the ball payout period. Between detections corresponding to angular pitch Each driven by a step number, is obtained to detect the detected portion in the rotational position detection means temporarily stops the driving of the stepping motor by the motor control means.
[0008]
In this configuration, since the stopped detected part is detected by the rotational position detecting means, the time during which the rotational position detecting means can detect the detected part is temporarily stopped compared to the conventional method of detecting the detected part during rotation. Therefore, the detected part can be reliably detected. Moreover, since the driving of the stepping motor is temporarily stopped every time one pachinko ball is paid out, the paying speed (the rotational speed of the ball paying-off rotating body) is higher than when the stepping motor is continuously rotated at a constant rotational speed. Can be moderately slowed down. Thus, the supply of the two ball disbursement rotator f of the pachinko balls from the double threaded ball supply path is now catch up fully to the rotational speed of the ball disbursement rotating body can be prevented idling of ball disbursement rotating body, The pachinko ball payout interval becomes longer, and it is not necessary to deteriorate the flow of the ball in the converging passage part that converges the pachinko ball paid out in two pieces from the two ball payout rotating bodies into one piece. Clogging can be prevented.
[0009]
By the way, when the pachinko ball payout command is continuously generated a plurality of times and the operation of paying out the predetermined number of balls is repeated a plurality of times, as shown in FIG. 6B, in order to prevent overheating of the stepping motor. Every time the operation of paying out a predetermined number of pachinko balls (for example, 25 balls) per payout command is completed, the stepping motor is stopped for a predetermined time to cool the stepping motor.
[0010]
If the driving of the stepping motor is stopped every time when one pachinko ball is paid out as in the present invention, the payout time for a predetermined number of balls per payout command becomes longer. Since the motor stop time can also be used as the motor cooling time, the motor cooling time after finishing paying out the predetermined number of balls can be shortened accordingly. Therefore, in the present invention, even when there is a situation that the payout time for a predetermined number of balls per one payout command becomes long, a ball payout operation with a predetermined number of balls is repeated a plurality of times in response to a plurality of payout commands. Can make the time until all the pachinko balls have been paid out almost the same as before.
[0014]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
First, the configuration of the ball dispensing device 11 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. As shown in FIG. 1, sprockets 13 (ball dispensing rotators) are arranged below the respective outlets 12 a of the two ball supply paths 12 to which pachinko balls are supplied from a ball tank (not shown). . For example, three recesses 14 (see FIG. 2) for receiving pachinko balls supplied from the ball supply path 12 are formed at equal intervals on the outer periphery of each sprocket 13. The two sprockets 13 are formed integrally with the rotating shaft 15 (or are fitted and fixed to a separate rotating shaft 15), and the positions of the recesses 14 are staggered between the two sprockets 13.
[0015]
As a motor for driving these sprockets 13, for example, a four-phase 48-pole stepping motor 16 is used. The rotation shaft 15 of the sprocket 13 is connected to the rotation shaft 17 of the stepping motor 16. A rotating disk 18 for detecting the rotational position is integrally formed on the rotating shaft 15 of the sprocket 13 (or a separate rotating disk 18 is fitted and fixed), and the rotating shaft 17 of the stepping motor 16 and the rotating disk 18 are connected. And the two sprockets 13 rotate together.
[0016]
As shown in FIG. 2, a ball discharge path 19 extending downward from the outlet 12a of the ball supply path 12 is provided on the right side of each sprocket 13, and when the stepping motor 16 is driven, both sprockets 13 are rotated in the clockwise direction ( Rotating in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 2, each time the recess 14 faces the outlet 12 a, the pachinko ball is received in the recess 14, and the pachinko ball is dropped into the ball discharge path 19. In addition, a tapered converging passage portion 20 [see FIG. 4 (a)] is formed in the downstream portion of the ball discharge path 19 to converge the pachinko balls to be paid out in two. In addition, you may form a converging channel | path part in the downstream part of the ball | bowl discharge path 19 in the ball | bowl dispensing apparatus 11. FIG.
[0017]
In this embodiment, since the 48-pole stepping motor 16 is driven by the 1-2 phase excitation method by the control circuit 25 (see FIG. 1) described later, the number of steps per rotation is 96 steps. As described above, since three recesses 14 are formed in each of the two sprockets 13, the number of pachinko balls to be paid out per one rotation (96 steps) of the stepping motor 16 is 6, and the stepping motor 16 is One pachinko ball is paid out every 16 steps of rotation (see FIG. 5). In addition, the rotating disk 18 has slits 21 (refer to FIG. 3) that are detected portions at an angular pitch corresponding to a rotation angle (16 steps of the stepping motor 16) necessary for the sprocket 13 to pay out one pachinko ball. Is formed. In this embodiment, since the number of pachinko balls to be paid out per rotation of the stepping motor 16 is 6, six slits 21 are formed in the rotating disk 18 at an angular pitch of 60 °.
[0018]
As shown in FIG. 1, a light emitting element 23 (for example, a light emitting diode) and a light receiving element 24 (for example, a phototransistor) that constitute an optical sensor 22 (rotational position detecting means) are disposed at positions sandwiching the rotating disk 18. ing. Thus, each time the stepping motor 16 rotates by the detection interval step number (16 steps in this embodiment) and the ball dispensing device 11 pays out one pachinko ball, the optical sensor 22 detects the slit 21 (light emitting element). 23 passes through the slit 21 and is received by the light receiving element 24), and outputs a rotation position detection signal (see FIG. 5). The position at which the optical sensor 22 outputs the rotational position detection signal is set to coincide with the stop position of the sprocket 13 (stop phase of the stepping motor 16).
[0019]
The rotational position detection signal from the optical sensor 22, the winning signal from the winning ball sensor (not shown), and the ball lending request signal from the card unit (not shown) are used as a control circuit 25 (motor control means) of the pachinko machine. Is input. The control circuit 25 controls the stepping motor 16 to pay out a predetermined number of pachinko balls based on a payout command according to a winning signal or a ball lending request signal, as shown in the time chart of FIG. In the present embodiment, the excitation phase is switched every 3 ms, for example, by the 1-2 phase excitation method, and the stepping motor 16 is rotated at a speed of 3 ms per step.
[0020]
During the ball payout period, the control circuit 25 drives the stepping motor 16 from the previous payout stop position of the stepping motor 16 (the rotational position where the slit 21 is detected) to detect one pachinko ball by detecting the number of detection interval steps (16 steps). Every time the operation is performed, the driving of the stepping motor 16 is stopped for a short time (for example, 4 ms). During this temporary stop period, it is confirmed that the slit 21 is detected by the optical sensor 22, and the rotational position of the sprocket 13 is confirmed. In this case, the time during which the rotational position of the sprocket 13 can be confirmed is longer than the conventional time by the pause time (4 ms).
[0021]
Note that the control circuit 25 continues the stop phase (excitation phase at the time of stoppage) of the stepping motor 16 during the temporary stop period, and continues the excitation current (for example, I) lower than the excitation current I at the time of rotational driving for a predetermined time (for example, 4 ms). By exciting at 1/3), the stepping motor 16 is held in a stopped state [see FIG. 6 (a)].
[0022]
Further, the control circuit 25 stops the driving of the stepping motor 16 for a short time (for example, 4 ms) even during the driving of the detection interval step number (for example, the eighth step). By confirming that the slit 21 is not detected by the optical sensor 22 during this mid-stop period, it is confirmed that the sprocket 13 (stepping motor 16) is rotating normally. The control circuit 25 continues to excite the stop phase of the stepping motor 16 with an excitation current (for example, I × 1/3) lower than the excitation current I at the time of rotational driving for a predetermined time (for example, 4 ms) even during the intermediate stop period. As a result, the stepping motor 16 is held in a stopped state [see FIG. 6A].
[0023]
As described above, the final stop position of the stepping motor 16 is controlled while confirming the rotational position of the stepping motor 16 based on the rotational position detection signal of the optical sensor 22 to control the number of pachinko balls paid out.
[0024]
In addition, when a pachinko ball payout command is continuously generated a plurality of times and the operation of paying out a predetermined number of balls is repeated a plurality of times, the control circuit 25 is configured to prevent overheating of the stepping motor 16 as shown in FIG. As shown in a), every time the operation of paying out a predetermined number of pachinko balls (for example, 25 balls) per payout command is completed, the stepping motor 16 is stopped for a predetermined time (for example, 200 ms) to stop the stepping motor. 16 is cooled.
[0025]
According to this embodiment described above, every time the stepping motor 16 is driven by the number of detection interval steps during the ball payout period, the driving of the stepping motor 16 is temporarily stopped and the slit 21 is detected by the optical sensor 22. Since it did in this way, compared with the conventional system which detects the slit during rotation, the time which the optical sensor 22 can detect the slit 21 becomes longer by the temporary stop time (4 ms), and the slit 21 can be detected reliably. . Thereby, the frequency | count of occurrence of a retry process can be reduced significantly and it can prevent that the payout of a pachinko ball becomes late.
[0026]
In addition, every time a single pachinko ball is paid out (even at an intermediate position thereof), the stepping motor 16 is temporarily stopped, so that the payout speed (as compared with the case where the stepping motor 16 is continuously rotated at a constant rotational speed) The rotational speed of the sprocket 13) can be moderately slowed. Thereby, the supply of the pachinko balls from the ball supply path 12 to the recess 14 of the sprocket 13 can sufficiently catch up with the rotational speed of the sprocket 13, and the sprocket 13 can be prevented from spinning around. Further, since the payout speed becomes slow, the payout interval of the pachinko balls becomes long, so that it is not necessary to deteriorate the ball flow in the converging passage portion 20, and clogging of the balls in the converging passage portion 20 can be prevented. .
[0027]
Furthermore, in this embodiment, if the sprocket 13 (stepping motor 16) rotates normally, it is normal that the slit 21 is not detected by the optical sensor 22 during the drive of the detection interval step number. In the ball payout period, the driving of the stepping motor 16 is temporarily stopped during the driving of the detection interval step number, and it is confirmed that the slit 21 is not detected by the optical sensor 22. Thus, it can be confirmed that the sprocket 13 (stepping motor 16) is rotating normally (not locked), and erroneously determining that the locking of the stepping motor 16 is normal rotation can be prevented.
[0028]
By the way, when a pachinko ball payout command is continuously generated a plurality of times and the operation of paying out a predetermined number of balls is repeated a plurality of times, the stepping motor is prevented from overheating as shown in FIG. As shown in the figure, every time the operation of paying out a predetermined number of balls (for example, 25 balls) per one payout command is completed, the stepping motor is stopped for a predetermined time (for example, 400 ms) to provide a motor cooling time. I have to. For this reason, for example, when repeating the ball dispensing operation of 25 balls a plurality of times, if the stepping motor is rotated at a speed of 3 ms per step, the dispensing time of one ball is 48 ms (= 16 steps × 3 ms). The payout time of 25 balls is 1200 ms (= 48 ms × 25 balls), but since the motor cooling time of 400 ms is required before starting the payout of the next 25 balls, the previous 25 ball payout operation is performed. It takes 1600 ms (= 1200 ms + 400 ms) from the start to the start of the next 25-ball payout operation.
[0029]
On the other hand, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6A, a 4 ms temporary suspension period is provided twice per rotation angle (number of detection interval steps) for paying out one pachinko ball. As a result, the payout time for one ball is 56 ms (= 48 ms + 4 ms × 2), so the payout time for 25 balls is 1400 ms (= 56 ms × 25 balls), which is 200 ms longer than before, but during the pause period In addition, since the stepping motor 16 can be cooled, the total time of 200 ms (= 4 ms × 2 × 25 balls) can be used as the motor cooling time. For this reason, the cooling performance of the stepping motor 16 can be sufficiently ensured even if the motor cooling time after the 25-ball payout operation is shortened by the total time (200 ms) of the temporary stop period from the conventional 400 ms. Moreover, by shortening the motor cooling time after the 25-ball payout operation, the time from the start of the previous 25-ball payout operation to the start of the next 25-ball payout operation is set to 1600 ms (= 1400 ms + 200 ms), which is the same as before. be able to.
[0030]
Therefore, in the present embodiment, even when there is a situation that the payout time of the pachinko balls per one payout command becomes long, the ball payout operation with a predetermined number of balls is repeated a plurality of times in response to the multiple payout commands. Can make the time until all the pachinko balls have been paid out almost the same as before.
[0031]
Furthermore, in this embodiment, during the temporary stop period of the stepping motor 16, the stepping motor 16 is held in a stopped state with an excitation current lower than the excitation current at the time of rotational driving. While preventing the sprocket 13 from rotating due to the ball pressure, the heat generation of the stepping motor 16 can be reduced and the cooling effect of the stepping motor 16 can be obtained.
[0032]
However, in the present invention, during the temporary stop period of the stepping motor 16, the stepping motor 16 may be turned off and the stepping motor 16 may be held in a stopped state by the non-excitation holding torque. Further, during the ball payout period, the rotation of the stepping motor 16 is temporarily stopped only at the end of the driving of the detection interval step number without temporarily stopping the rotation of the stepping motor 16 during the detection interval step number driving. You may make it stop.
[0033]
In the present invention, the detected portion and the rotational position detecting means for confirming the rotational position of the sprocket are not limited to the combination of the slit and the optical sensor, and may be a combination of a magnet and a magnetic detection sensor, for example.
[0034]
In addition, the present invention changes the number of magnetic poles, the number of phases, the number of steps, and the excitation method of the stepping motor 16, changes the number of payouts per rotation of the stepping motor 16 (sprocket 13), and excites per step. Needless to say, the time, temporary stop time, and motor cooling time may be changed, or the excitation current during motor stop may be changed.
[0035]
【The invention's effect】
As is apparent from the above description, according to the ball payout device for a pachinko machine according to claim 1 of the present invention, two ball supply passages for supplying pachinko balls to the ball payout device are provided, and the outlets of the ball supply passages are provided. The ball paying rotators are arranged one by one so as to face each other, and the two ball paying rotators are rotated by a stepping motor, and the two ball paying rotators are alternately arranged in two strips. A converging passage portion for converging the pachinko balls to be paid out in one line is provided, and during the ball paying out period, every time the stepping motor is driven by the number of detection interval steps, the driving of the stepping motor is temporarily stopped to detect the rotational position. Thus, the detected portion can be detected, so that the detected portion can be reliably detected, and the number of occurrences of retry processing can be reduced. Further, since the payout speed (rotation speed of the ball payout rotating body) can be moderately slowed, the effect of preventing the ball payout rotating body from spinning around and the effect of preventing the ball clogging in the converging passage can be obtained. Payment can be made smoothly.
[0036]
Moreover, since the motor stop time every time one ball is paid out can be used as the motor cooling time, the motor cooling time after finishing paying out the predetermined number of balls can be shortened accordingly. Accordingly, when the ball paying-out operation with a predetermined number of balls is repeated a plurality of times, the time required to finish paying out all the pachinko balls can be made substantially the same as the conventional time.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration of a ball paying device of a pachinko machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a longitudinal front view of the ball paying device. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a sprocket and a rotating disk. FIG. 5A is a longitudinal sectional view showing a ball flow state of a pachinko sphere in a converging passage portion according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5B is a longitudinal sectional view showing a ball flow state of a pachinko sphere in a conventional converging passage portion. FIG. 6A is a time chart for explaining an excitation method of a stepping motor according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 6B is a conventional stepping motor. Time chart for explaining motor excitation method [FIG. 7] Time chart for explaining conventional method for detecting rotational position of stepping motor [Description of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 ... Ball delivery apparatus, 13 ... Sprocket 13 (ball delivery rotary body), 16 ... Stepping motor, 18 ... Rotary disk, 21 ... Slit (detected part), 22 ... Optical sensor (rotation position detection means), 23 ... Light emission Elements 24 ... light receiving elements 25 ... control circuit (motor control means).

Claims (1)

A stepping motor, a ball paying-out rotating body that is rotated by the stepping motor and paying out a pachinko ball, and the ball paying-off rotating body is provided at an angular pitch corresponding to a rotation angle required to pay out one pachinko ball. A plurality of detected parts that rotate integrally with the ball paying rotator, a rotational position detecting means for detecting each detected part, and a rotational position of the ball paying rotator based on an output signal of the rotational position detecting means In a ball payout device for a pachinko machine provided with a motor control means for controlling the stepping motor while confirming
Two ball supply passages for supplying pachinko balls to the ball delivery device are provided, and one of the ball delivery rotators is arranged facing the exit of each of the ball supply passages, and the two ball delivery rotators are provided. And a converging passage portion for converging pachinko balls to be paid out in two from the two ball paying-off rotary bodies into one,
The motor control means drives the stepping motor by the number of detection interval steps corresponding to the angular pitch of the detected part from the rotational position detected by the rotational position detecting means during the ball payout period. In addition, a ball payout device for a pachinko machine, wherein the driving of the stepping motor is temporarily stopped and the detected portion is detected by the rotational position detecting means.

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