JP4512704B2 - Game ball launching mechanism of a ball game machine - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a game ball launching mechanism that launches a game ball of a ball game machine onto a board surface of a game board.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, a ball game machine such as a pachinko machine or an arrange ball machine has a game ball supplied from a storage upper plate fed into the game machine one by one by a ball feeding device, and the game ball is received by a launch rail to a predetermined launch position. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1). The game ball on the launch rail is launched with the launcher of the launcher and sent to the board of the game board.
[0003]
FIG. 9 and FIG. 10 are schematic cross-sectional views in the horizontal and vertical directions showing the structure near the game ball launching mechanism in the lower part of a conventional typical ball game machine, respectively. A double frame structure comprising a front frame 1 covering the front frame 1 and an inner frame 2 covering the back surface of the front frame 1 is employed. A storage upper plate 3 is attached to the front frame 1 so as to protrude forward in a shelf shape via a base plate 30 installed so as to cover a part of the front surface. Each of the base plate 30 and the front frame 1 is formed with openings 35 and 15 for moving the game ball from the storage upper plate 3 to the back side of the front frame 1, and between the base plate 30 and the front frame 1. Is provided with a ball feeder 4A. The ball feeding device 4A temporarily dams the game balls supplied from the opening 35, and feeds the game balls one by one through the opening 15 to the back side of the front frame 1.
[0004]
Between the front frame 1 and the inner frame 2, a launch rail 5 that receives a game ball dropped from the opening 15 is provided at a position lower than the opening 15. The launch rail 5 is a shallow V-shaped metal rail, and is installed in an inclined shape along the width direction of the ball game machine and with the tip raised toward the game board 7 in the upper half of the ball game machine. . Further, the inner frame 2 is provided with a launching device 6, and the tip of the launcher 60 extends to a position facing the base end of the launch rail 5. The firing rail 5 receives the game ball supplied from the opening 15 and holds it at the base end firing position. Then, the launcher 60 of the launcher 6 hits the game ball at the launch position and launches it toward the game board 7. Thereafter, the ball feeder 4A newly sends out a game ball onto the launch rail 5 and repeats this continuously. In FIG. 10, reference numeral 37 denotes a storage lower pan.
[0005]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-2002-331080 [0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In the conventional structure, as shown in FIG. 9, the storage upper plate 3, the ball feeding device 4 </ b> A and the firing rail 5 are juxtaposed in the front-rear position when viewed in plan. However, the ball feeder 4A is smaller in the width direction of the ball game machine than the storage upper plate 3 and the launch rail 5 which are long in the width direction of the ball game machine. In the meantime, there is a problem that a useless space Z extending along the width direction of the ball game machine is formed beside the ball feeding device 4A. Since the launch rail 5 is installed at a low position behind the ball feeder 4A (FIG. 10), when the game ball is supplied from the ball feeder 4A toward the launch rail 5, the ball feeder 4A sends out the game ball. The played game ball hits the front surface of the inner frame 2 above the launch rail 5, bounces back to this, hits the back surface of the front frame 1, and bounces in a complicated manner. As a result, it takes time for the game ball to rest at the launch position at the base end of the launch rail 5, and the launching device 6 is launched before the game ball rests at the launch position, thereby stably launching the game ball. As a result, it was difficult to launch a game ball at the position aimed by the player. Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a game ball launching mechanism for a ball game machine that does not have a useless space in the ball game machine and can stably launch game balls. .
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
According to the present invention, a game ball is supplied from a storage upper plate for storing a game ball of a ball game machine to a launch rail by a ball feeding device, and the game ball on the launch rail is ejected to a board surface of a game board by the launch device. A gaming machine,
A lower half portion of a front frame provided on the front surface of the ball game machine is formed on a plate surface covering the lower half portion of the ball game machine, and the ball game machine is provided on a front surface side of the lower half portion of the front frame. In the game ball launching mechanism of a ball game machine provided with a base plate that supports the above-described storage upper plate that extends in a shelf shape to cover the front lower part of
The base plate is provided so as to overlap the front surface of the lower half of the front frame,
In the lower half of the base plate and the front frame, an opening is formed through which the game balls are taken from the storage upper plate.
On the front surface of the base plate, the ball feeding device provided with a lever member that rotates up and down is installed immediately before the opening,
On the back side of the lower half of the front frame, the firing rail, by positioning the position immediately after the opening is placed in contact with the back surface along the back of the lower half of the front frame,
A game ball received by the lever member rolls and moves on the firing rail through the opening by turning the lever member downward (Claim 1).
[0008]
In a plan view, there is no wasted space between the storage upper plate and the firing rail as in a conventional ball game machine. And the game ball sent out from the ball feeder can be stopped on the launch rail in a short time, and the launch stability of the game ball can be improved.
[0011]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
First, a reference example developed by the inventors in connection with the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a schematic front view of a ball game machine equipped with a game ball launching mechanism of this reference example , FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view in a lateral direction at a position along the line II-II in FIG. 1, and FIG. A longitudinal section at a position along the line III-III is shown. As shown in FIG. 1, the game ball launching mechanism is a mechanism that distributes game balls while firing the game balls from the storage upper plate 3 to the game board 7, and the storage upper plate 3 that stores the game balls, and the storage A ball feeding device 4 for feeding game balls supplied from the upper plate 3 one by one into the ball game machine, a launch rail 5 for receiving game balls sent from the ball feed device 4, and a game ball of the launch rail 5 The launching device 6 is launched toward the board 7.
[0012]
As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, a ball game machine (hereinafter simply referred to as a “game machine”) includes an outer frame 8 that surrounds the outer periphery of the game machine, and a front frame 1 that forms the front of the game machine on the front side thereof. ing. An inner frame 2 is provided on the back side of the front frame 1 (FIGS. 2 and 3). A game board 7 is attached to the inner frame 2 and the game board 7 is inserted through an opening in the upper half of the front frame 1. To face the player. In addition, the glass frame 9 provided with the double glass plate 90 is installed in the opening of the said front frame 1, and the board surface of the game board 7 is covered with the glass frame 9 (FIG. 3).
[0013]
At the lower part of the gaming machine below the gaming board 7, a shelf-like storage upper plate 3 is provided in front of the lower half of the front frame 1 that covers the gaming machine 7 and projects forward of the gaming machine. In the lower half of the front frame 1, the plate surface of the front frame 1 bulges to the back side at a position directly below the lower edge of the opening facing the game board 7, and is formed into a shallow cross-sectional substantially U-shape opening forward. An upper plate mounting portion 10 is provided.
[0014]
On the other hand, the storage upper plate 3 is overlapped with a base plate 30 having a shallow U-shaped shallow section that opens forward corresponding to the upper plate mounting portion 10 of the front frame 1 on the front surface of the upper plate mounting portion 10. The inner plate member 31 that substantially stores the game ball and the outer plate member 32 that surrounds the outer peripheral surface of the inner plate member are integrally fixed and supported on the front surface of the base plate 30. The storage upper plate 3 forms a container body with the inner plate member 31 and the upper half of the base plate 30.
[0015]
The storage upper plate 3 is provided with a dispensing port 36 that penetrates through the plate surface of the base plate 30 and the upper plate mounting portion 10 of the front frame 1 and opens into the storage upper plate 3 at one side end. The game ball is paid out from the payout port 36 to the storage upper plate 3 at the time of lending a ball or paying out a prize ball. The storage upper plate 3 is formed so as to be inclined obliquely downward toward the other side end portion and to collect the game balls toward the other side end portion. A supply path 34 for supplying game balls into the gaming machine is formed at the other side end, and the tip of the supply path 34 penetrates the plate surface of the base plate 30 and the upper plate mounting portion 10 of the front frame 1. An opening 35 for supplying the game ball to the inside of the front frame 1 (inside the game machine) is formed. Although not shown, a passage for discharging game balls from the supply passage 34 is provided between the lower half of the base plate 30 and the lower half of the outer plate member 32.
[0016]
The lower part of the gaming machine has a double frame structure in which an inner frame 2 is disposed on the back side of the front frame 1 at intervals in the front-rear direction. The distance between the upper tray mounting portion 10 of the front frame 1 and the inner frame 2 is wider than the diameter of the game ball. On the back side of the upper plate mounting portion 10 of the front frame 1, a ball feeder 4 is installed in the gap between this and the inner frame 2. The ball feeding device 4 has a flow path 41 through which the game balls supplied from the opening 35 to the back side of the front frame 1 are circulated in the width direction of the gaming machine along the back side of the upper plate mounting portion 10 of the front frame 1. In addition, a ball feeding member 40 is provided to face the front end opening of the flow path 41 and to drop the game balls vertically one by one. The ball feeding member 40 is a lever member whose base end is supported by a support shaft 42 so as to be vertically rotatable, and has a substantially U-shaped ball receiving portion for receiving a game ball supplied from a distal end opening of the flow path 41 at the tip. ing. The ball feed member 40 is rotated up and down by a solenoid drive (not shown), and sends out a game ball in synchronism with the operation of a launcher 60 of the launcher 6 described later.
[0017]
A game ball delivered from the ball feeding device 4 to a position directly below the ball feeding device 4 in the gap between the upper plate mounting portion 10 of the front frame 1 and the inner frame 2 superimposed on the base plate 30 of the storage upper plate 3. A launch rail 5 is provided. The launch rail 5 is a metal rail having a shallow cross-section that is substantially V-shaped, with both side edges abutting against the rear surface of the upper tray mounting portion 10 and the front surface of the inner frame 2 respectively, and extending along the width direction of the gaming machine. It is. The firing rail 5 has a base end 50 disposed substantially immediately below the tip of the ball feed member 40 of the ball feed device 4 and a tip 51 side inclined to the end of the guide rail 71 of the game board 7. is there. A stopper 52 is provided at the base end 50 of the firing rail 5 at a position immediately above it. The stopper 2 comes into contact with and stops the game ball that falls from the ball feeder 4 to the vicinity of the base end 50 of the launch rail 5 and rolls toward the base end 50 along the inclination of the launch rail 5. Held in the firing position on the proximal end 50 of the. A discharge path 38 is provided between the tip 51 of the launch rail 5 and the terminal of the guide rail 71 to discharge the missed game ball, and the game ball is connected to the lower plate 37 provided at the lower end of the front frame 1. It is supposed to be discharged.
[0018]
A launching device 6 is provided on the inner frame 2 below the firing rail 5. The launching device 6 is attached to the front end of a motor 61 positioned on the back side of the inner frame 2 and the motor shaft 62 that passes through the inner frame 2 and protrudes toward the front side thereof, toward the base end 50 side of the firing rail 5. And a launcher 60 extending obliquely upward. A tip that refracts toward the launch rail 5 is formed at the tip of the launch rod 60, and the tip hits the game ball at the launch position from the gap between the base end 50 of the launch rail 5 and the stopper 52. It is. The launching device 6 takes back the launcher 60 in the direction of arrow F in FIG. 1 by the driving force of the motor 61, and when the launcher 60 moves to a predetermined takeback position, the launcher 60 is released from the drive force of the motor 61. The launching rod 60 is vigorously returned in the direction of the arrow F by the biasing force of the substantially return spring, and the game ball at the launch position is struck at the tip of the launcher and fired toward the game board 7.
[0019]
In addition, the installation position of the launch rail 5 and the launching device 6 viewed in plan is the same as those of the conventional structure.
[0020]
According to this reference example , the base plate 30 of the storage upper plate 3 is superposed on the front frame 1, the base plate 30 and the firing rail 5 are arranged substantially adjacent to each other, and the ball feeder 4 is placed on the firing rail. Since the storage upper plate 3, the ball feeding device 4 and the firing rail 5 are not arranged in front and rear as viewed in a plan view as in the conventional structure, it is wasted in the lateral direction of the ball feeding device 4. Space Z (FIG. 8) is not possible. Therefore, if the front-rear dimension of the gaming machine (the dimension from the front surface of the storage upper plate 3 to the rear edge of the outer frame 8) D is the same as that of the conventional gaming machine, there is no wasteful space in the storage upper plate 3. The front-rear dimension L1 can be larger than the front-rear dimension L2 in the conventional storage upper tray 3, and the amount of game balls stored in the storage upper tray 3 can be increased.
[0021]
In addition, when the game ball is sent out from the ball feeding device 4, the game ball is dropped vertically toward the launch rail 5, so that the game ball hits the plate surface of the inner frame 2 or the front frame 1 as in the conventional structure. It falls straight onto the firing rail 5 without rebounding in a complicated manner and moves smoothly to the firing position. Therefore, the launching device 6 can launch a game ball that is reliably stationary at the launch position, and can improve the stability of the launching of the game ball by the launching device 6.
[0022]
Further, in this reference example , as shown in FIG. 4, if the front-rear dimension L2 in the storage upper plate 3 is made the same as that of the conventional structure, the front-rear dimension of the gaming machine (externally from the front of the storage upper plate 3 The dimension up to the rear edge of the frame 8) can be shorter than the longitudinal dimension D of the conventional gaming machine, and when the gaming machine is installed on the gaming machine installation island of the pachinko store, the longitudinal dimension of the gaming machine is large. Troubles such as being unable to install too much can be avoided.
[0023]
Next, another reference example of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The basic structure of another reference example will be mainly described about the same difference as that of the previous embodiment. In the drawings, the same members are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted. As shown in FIG. 5, the gaming machine of another reference example has a storage upper plate 3 such that the ball feeding member 40 of the ball feeding device 4 is positioned directly below the storage upper plate 3 when the gaming machine is viewed from the front. It is installed on the back side of the front frame 1 overlapped with the base plate 30. And the flow path 41a which distribute | circulates a game ball to the ball | bowl feeding member 40 from the opening 35 of the front-end | tip of the supply path 34 of the storage top plate 3 is formed in the step shape of the folding shape extended below, and ball | bowl feeds a game ball | bowl It is made to flow down to the member 40 step by step.
[0024]
At a position directly below the ball feed member 40 of the ball feed device 4, a firing rail 5 </ b> A is installed on the back side of the front frame 1 overlapped with the base plate 30. The launch rail 5A is arranged so as to be directly below the storage upper plate 3 when the gaming machine is viewed from the front. In addition, the inclination angle toward the terminal of the guide rail 71 of the game board is set to a steep angle because the installation position of the launch rail 5A is lower than the launch rail 5 of the previous reference example .
[0025]
The firing rail 5A receives a game ball falling vertically from the ball feed member 40 in the vicinity of the base end 50, and guides the game ball to the launch position of the base end 50 along the inclination of the launch rail 5A.
[0026]
A launching device 6A is installed next to the ball feeding device 4 and the firing rail 5A. The launcher 6A includes a launcher 60a that extends obliquely downward toward the base end 50 of the launch rail 5A at the tip of the motor shaft 62 of the motor 61. The launching device 6A takes back the launcher 60a in the direction of arrow G by the driving force of the motor 61, and returns the launcher 60a in the direction of the opposite arrow G by the biasing force of a return spring (not shown). The ball is struck and fired toward the game board 7.
[0027]
According to the other reference examples , the same effects as the previous reference example can be obtained, and in addition to these functions and effects, the inclination angle of the launch rail 5A is increased, so that the game supplied from the ball feeder 4 The ball can be stably stopped at the firing position of the base end 50 in a short time more reliably, and the stability of launching the game ball by the launching device 6A can be improved more reliably. Further, since the ball feeder 4 is installed on the lower side of the storage upper plate 3, the storage upper plate 3 can be expanded in the width direction of the gaming machine, and the game ball of the storage upper plate 3 can be enlarged. The amount of storage of can be increased.
[0028]
The embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 6-8. The basic structure of this embodiment is almost the same as that of the previous reference example , and the differences will be mainly described. In the drawings, the same members are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted. As shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, the gaming machine according to the present embodiment is installed such that the ball feeding device 4 </ b> A is positioned in front of the base plate 30 of the storage upper tray 3 </ b> A and in front of the firing rail 5. It is.
[0029]
The storage upper plate 3A has a deep side end on the side where game balls are collected , and the supply path 34 on the side end and the flow path 41 of the ball feeding device 4A extend along the width direction of the gaming machine. Are connected in a straight line. At the front end of the flow path 41, a ball feeding member 40a is installed on the front surface of the base plate 30 of the storage upper plate 3A. Corresponding to a sphere feeding member 40a, the upper tray mount portion 10 and the base plate 30 of the front frame 1, the position opening 35 is supplied to the gaming machine game balls immediately after the ball feed member 40a is Yes forms, openings The game ball sent out from the ball feed member 40 a through 35 is rolled onto the base end 50 of the firing rail 5. The ball feeding member 40a is a lever member that rotates up and down in synchronism with the operation of the launching device 6. When the ball feeding member 40a is rotated downward, the ball receiving portion at the front end and the opening 35 coincide with each other and pass through the opening 35 to the rear. A game ball is sent out.
[0030]
Note that the structures of the launch rail 5 and the launch device 6 and their installation positions are the same as in the first embodiment.
[0031]
According to the present embodiment, the base plate 30 of the storage upper plate 3A is superposed on the front frame 1, the base plate 30 and the firing rail 5 are arranged substantially adjacent to each other, and the ball feeder 4A is disposed on the base. Since it is disposed at the front surface position of the plate 30 , a wasteful space Z (FIG. 8) cannot be formed as in the conventional structure, and the front and rear dimensions of the gaming machine (dimensions from the front surface of the storage top 3 to the rear edge of the outer frame 8) If it is made into the same dimension as that of the conventional game machine, the front-back dimension in the storage top plate 3 can be expanded rather than the conventional storage top plate.
[0032]
Further, since the ball feeding device 4A is installed at a position immediately before the firing rail 5 and the drop between the ball feeding device 4A and the firing rail 5 is eliminated, when the game ball is sent from the ball feeding device 4A to the firing rail 5, The game ball rolls toward the base end 50 of the firing rail 5 through the opening 35 and smoothly moves to the firing position. Therefore, the launching device 6 can be launched in a state where the game ball is surely stationary at the launch position, and the stability of launching the game ball by the launching device 6 can be improved.
[0033]
In addition, the storage amount of the game ball can be further increased by the depth of the storage upper plate 3A. Further, in the present embodiment, the front and rear dimensions of the reservoir on the pan 3A and same size as that of the conventional structure, that amount before and after the size of the gaming machine (dimension from the reservoir on the dish 3 surface up to the edge after the outer frame 8) conventional It may be shorter than the longitudinal dimension of the gaming machine.
[0034]
【The invention's effect】
According to the game ball launching mechanism of the ball game machine of the present invention, there is no useless space in the ball game machine, and accordingly, the storage amount of the game ball can be increased, or the front and rear dimensions of the ball game machine can be reduced. . Further, according to the game ball launching mechanism of the present invention, the launch stability of the game ball can be improved, so that the player can accurately hit the game ball at the target position on the board surface of the game board.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic front view of a ball game machine showing a game ball launching mechanism of a reference example of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view in the horizontal direction at a position along the line II-II in FIG.
3 is a longitudinal sectional view at a position along the line III-III in FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of another bullet ball game machine of the reference example corresponding to FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a schematic front view of a ball game machine showing a game ball launching mechanism of another reference example of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a schematic front view of a ball game machine showing a game ball launching mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention.
7 is a lateral cross-sectional view at a position along the line VII-VII in FIG. 6;
FIG. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along a line VIII-VIII in FIG.
FIG. 9 is a lateral cross-sectional view of a ball game machine showing a conventional game ball launching mechanism corresponding to FIG. 2;
10 is a longitudinal sectional view at a position along line XX in FIG.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Front frame 10 Lower half of the front frame (top plate mounting part)
2 inner frame 3, 3A storage upper plate 30 base plate 35 opening 4, 4A ball feeder
40a ball feed member (lever member)
5,5A launch rail 6,6A launcher 7 game board

Claims (1)

This is a ball game machine that supplies game balls from a storage upper plate for storing game balls of a ball game machine to a launch rail by a ball feeding device, and launches game balls on the launch rail to the board surface of the game board by the launch device. And
A lower half portion of a front frame provided on the front surface of the ball game machine is formed on a plate surface covering the lower half portion of the ball game machine, and the ball game machine is provided on a front surface side of the lower half portion of the front frame. In the game ball launching mechanism of a ball game machine provided with a base plate that supports the above-described storage upper plate that extends in a shelf shape to cover the front lower part of
The base plate is provided so as to overlap the front surface of the lower half of the front frame,
In the lower half of the base plate and the front frame, an opening is formed through which the game balls are taken from the storage upper plate.
On the front surface of the base plate, the ball feeding device provided with a lever member that rotates up and down is installed immediately before the opening,
On the back side of the lower half of the front frame, the launch rail is positioned immediately after the opening and is placed along the back of the lower half of the front frame and in contact with the back,
A game ball launching mechanism of a ball game machine in which a game ball received by the lever member rolls and moves on the firing rail through the opening by turning the lever member downward .

Images