JP4521420B2 - Ball conveyor - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a ball transport rod used in a game ball circulation device for supplying or collecting game balls to and from each pachinko gaming machine on an island base installed in a pachinko hall.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a pachinko hall, a game ball circulation device is provided to supply, collect or wash game balls to each pachinko machine on the island. In this game ball circulation device, a ball transport rod for transporting game balls is used. Then, game balls are supplied to each pachinko gaming machine, and game balls discharged from each pachinko gaming machine are collected, and the collected game balls are washed and supplied to each pachinko gaming machine again. .

  However, since the ball transport basket is made of metal, when a lot of game balls flow through the ball transport basket, the game balls come into contact with the bottom surface of the ball transport bowl or when the game balls rub against each other. A loud noise was generated, and this noise was annoying to the player who tried to play the game comfortably.

  In order to solve such a problem, for example, a soft cushion sheet is formed by embedding cloth or fiber in an elastic material, and the cushion sheet is laid on the upper surface of the bottom wall of the ball conveying basket, so There is also a technique for obtaining a silencing effect (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Similarly, there is a technique for obtaining a silencing effect by attaching a buffer sheet made of a synthetic resin material to the upper surface of the bottom wall of the ball conveying basket. (For example, refer to Patent Document 2).

JP 63-117782 A (page 3, FIG. 1) JP 10-33814 A (paragraph 0023 on page 4, FIG. 6)

  However, in the ball transporting cage of Patent Document 1 or Patent Document 2, since the buffer sheet is only laid on the upper surface of the bottom wall of the ball transporting cage, Many game balls flow in a certain direction (downstream), and the ambient temperature becomes relatively high, so that the cushioning sheet is displaced or extended to cause wrinkles on the surface, and the good game balls There was a problem of disturbing the flow.

  Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a ball transporting basket that can be suitably used without causing positional displacement and without generating wrinkles on the surface.

  In order to achieve such an object, the ball transport basket of the present invention comprises a ball transport basket main body and a buffer sheet made of synthetic resin laid on the upper surface of the bottom wall of the ball transport basket main body. A plurality of engagement holes are formed in the wall along the longitudinal direction, and a plurality of engagement members are arranged on the back surface of the buffer sheet so as to correspond to the engagement holes along the longitudinal direction. Each of the engaging members has a constricted portion on the base side and a widened portion on the distal end side, and the buffer sheet is laid on the top surface of the bottom wall and the engaging members are engaged with the engaging holes. In this state, the distance between the end surface located on the downstream side of each constricted portion and the inner peripheral surface of the engagement hole facing the narrowed portion is set so as to gradually go downstream of the ball transport rod main body. It is characterized by being.

  At this time, it is preferable that a large number of teeth that mesh with each other are arranged in a row at both end edges of the buffer sheets that are adjacent on the upstream side and the downstream side.

  Alternatively, in both buffer sheets adjacent on the upstream side and the downstream side, an inclined surface whose thickness gradually increases toward the upstream side is formed on the back surface of the downstream end portion of the upstream buffer sheet, and the downstream side It is preferable to form an inclined surface that gradually decreases in thickness toward the upstream side on the surface of the upstream end portion of the buffer sheet so that the inclined surfaces are aligned with each other.

  In the state where the engaging members are engaged with the respective engagement holes, the ball conveying rod according to the present invention is opposed to the end surface positioned on the downstream side of each constricted portion as it proceeds to the downstream side of the ball conveying rod main body. The distance between the engagement hole and the inner peripheral surface of the engaging hole is set to gradually widen, so that the buffer sheet may be displaced due to the flow of many game balls and the increase in the ambient temperature, It does not occur, and it has a beneficial effect that the game ball always flows well without causing trouble.

  At this time, in both the buffer sheets adjacent on the upstream side and the downstream side, a large number of tooth portions meshing with each other are arranged at the end edge portions to be abutted, so that the buffer sheet moves downstream. Even if it extends, it can absorb by the meshing of each tooth part, and the effect of preventing wrinkles on the surface of the buffer sheet is thereby improved.

  In addition, in both the buffer sheets adjacent on the upstream side and the downstream side, an inclined surface whose thickness gradually increases toward the upstream side is formed on the back surface of the downstream end portion of the upstream buffer sheet, and the downstream side The surface of the upstream end of the cushioning sheet is formed with an inclined surface that gradually decreases in thickness toward the upstream side, and these inclined surfaces are joined to each other. improves.

  DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of a ball transport rod according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 to FIG. 5 show a ball transport basket (hereinafter simply referred to as “first ball transport basket”) according to the first embodiment, and FIGS. 6 to 7 show a ball transport basket according to the second embodiment. Hereinafter, it is simply referred to as a “second ball transport rod”, and FIGS. 8 to 10 illustrate a ball transport rod according to the third embodiment (hereinafter simply referred to as “third ball transport rod”). First, the first ball conveyance rod A1 will be described. The first ball conveyance rod A1 includes a ball conveyance rod main body 1 and a buffer sheet 11 made of synthetic resin laid on the ball conveyance rod main body 1.

  The ball transport rod body 1 is made of metal and has a vertically long bottom wall 2 as shown in FIG. 1, and side walls 3 and 3 that are bent upward are provided on both side edges of the bottom wall 2 in the short direction. . One end side in the longitudinal direction of the ball transport body 1 is set as an upstream side u, and the other end side is set as a downstream side d. A plurality of engagement holes 4 (four in FIG. 1) are formed in the center along the longitudinal direction of the bottom wall 2. Each engagement hole 4 is formed in a long rectangular shape along the longitudinal direction, and an auxiliary engagement hole 5 having substantially the same width and a narrow width in the longitudinal direction is opened near the downstream side d of each engagement hole 4.

  The buffer sheet 11 is made of synthetic resin, has flexibility, and has a vertically long rectangular shape that is substantially the same size as the bottom wall 2. As the synthetic resin, polyethylene is used because it can be obtained at low cost. For example, there are other synthetic resins such as ABS resin and polycarbonate. On the back surface of the buffer sheet 11, a plurality of engaging members 12 are arranged in a row corresponding to the respective engaging holes 4 along the center in the longitudinal direction. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, each engaging member 12 has a constricted portion 13 on the base side and a widened portion 14 on the tip side, that is, on the lower side thereof. The widened portion 14 protrudes from the lower end portion of the constricted portion 13 to the downstream side substantially in parallel with the bottom wall 2, and has a flange portion 15 facing upward at the tip thereof. Each widened portion 14 is formed to be approximately the same size as each engaging hole 4, and each widened portion 14 is inserted into each engaging hole 4 from above and is slid to the downstream side as it is, so that the flange 15 is an auxiliary member. It engages with the joint hole 5 from below.

  In a state where each engagement member 12 is engaged with each engagement hole 4, it is between the end surface 13 a located on the downstream side of each constricted portion 13 and the inner peripheral surface 4 a of each engagement hole 4 facing this. An interval S is provided. This interval S is hardly present in the engagement member 12 on the most upstream side, but in each engagement member 12 located on the downstream side of the engagement member 12, each gap S is formed on the ball transport rod main body 1. It is set to gradually expand as it goes downstream. The dimension of the interval S is set by calculation based on predetermined necessary numerical values such as the material of the buffer sheet 11 and the linear expansion coefficient.

  The first ball transport rod A1 has the above configuration. A predetermined number of ball transport rod main bodies 1 are prepared and connected to each other. Therefore, when connecting each ball transport basket main body 1, a buffer sheet 11 is laid on the upper surface of the bottom wall 2. That is, as shown in FIG. 3 (A), the engagement members 12 are arranged above the bottom wall 2 so that the engagement members 12 correspond to the engagement holes 4, and the buffer sheet 11 is shown in FIG. 3 (B) as it is. Thus, the engaging members 12 are put into the engaging holes 4 so as to overlap the upper surface of the bottom wall 2. In this state, the buffer sheet 11 is slightly slid downstream as shown by the arrow in FIG. As a result, the end surface 13a of the constricted portion 13 of the engagement member 12 on the most upstream side contacts the inner peripheral surface 4a of the engagement hole 4 facing this, and there is almost no gap S between them. In each of the engaging members 12 located at the distances S2 to S4, the intervals S2 to S4 gradually increase so that the condition of S1 <S2 <S3 <S4 is satisfied.

  A buffer sheet 11 is laid on the upstream side of the bottom wall 2 of the ball transport basket main body 1 so that the side having almost no spacing S (S1) is located on the upstream side. Thereby, the buffer sheet 11 is fixed without being displaced. On the downstream side of the buffer sheet 11, the next buffer sheet 11a is laid in the same direction so as to be continuous. However, as shown in FIGS. A large number of tooth portions 16 and 16a meshing with each other are arranged in the end edge portion. However, these tooth portions 16 and 16a do not mesh deeply with each other to the back end portion, but engage with each other so that a small gap is formed.

  In addition to the combination of the tooth portions 16 and 16a, for example, as shown in FIGS. 5 (a) and 5 (b), an inclined surface whose thickness gradually increases toward the upstream side on the back surface of the downstream end portion of the upstream cushioning sheet 11. 17 is formed, and an inclined surface 17a is formed on the surface of the upstream end portion of the downstream cushioning sheet 11a. The inclined surface 17a gradually decreases in thickness toward the upstream side. .

  Thus, since the buffer sheet 11 is laid only by engaging each engagement member 12 in each engagement hole 4, the 1st ball conveyance rod A1 can be attached easily and can also be replaced easily. The In addition, the buffer sheet 11 will not be displaced. Further, the distance S between the end surface 13a located on the downstream side of each constricted portion 13 and the inner peripheral surface 4a of the engaging hole 4 facing the narrowed portion 13 is set so as to gradually increase toward the downstream side of the ball conveying rod body 1. Therefore, in the state of use, the size of the buffer sheet 11 extending downstream is absorbed by the intervals S2 to S4. Therefore, it can prevent that the surface of the buffer sheet 11 is wrinkled. At the same time, the teeth 16 and 16a that are abutted with each other in the upstream and downstream buffer sheets 11 and 11a mesh with each other so that even if the buffer sheet 11 extends to the downstream side, the extended dimension is shallow. Absorbed by the meshing dimensions, it is possible to prevent wrinkles from forming on the surfaces of the buffer sheets 11 and 11a.

  Next, the second and third ball transport rods A2 and A3 will be described. Since these configurations are substantially the same as those of the first ball transport rod A1, the same parts as the first ball transport rod A1 are denoted by the same numbers. Detailed description will be omitted.

  The second ball transport rod A2 includes a ball transport rod main body 21 and a synthetic resin buffer sheet 31 laid on the upper surface of the bottom wall 2 of the ball transport rod main body 21. The ball transport rod main body 21 is made of metal, and a plurality of engagement holes 24 (four in FIG. 1) are formed at the center along the longitudinal direction of the vertically long bottom wall 2 as shown in FIG. Each engagement hole 24 is formed in a long rectangle along the longitudinal direction. The buffer sheet 31 is made of synthetic resin, has flexibility, and has a vertically long rectangular shape that is substantially the same size as the bottom wall 2. A plurality of engagement members 32 are arranged on the back surface of the buffer sheet 31 so as to correspond to the engagement holes 24 along the center in the longitudinal direction. Each engagement member 32 includes a pair of half-engagement members 32a and 32a arranged in parallel with the longitudinal direction as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, and each half-engagement member 32a is a constricted portion 33 on the base side. And a widened portion 34 on the lower side thereof. Each widened portion 34 is provided with a flange 35 that faces the outside at the lower end thereof. The combined size of both widened portions 34, 34 is formed slightly wider than the engagement holes 24, and the widened portions 34 are inserted into and engaged with the respective engagement holes 24 from above.

  In addition, a plurality of tooth portions 16 are arranged at both ends of the buffer sheet 31 in the longitudinal direction. Further, instead of this structure, an inclined surface 17a is formed on the surface of the upstream end portion of the cushioning sheet 31 in the same manner as in FIG. You may make it form the inclined surface 17 which becomes thin gradually as it goes downstream.

  Even in the second ball transport rod A2, a predetermined number of ball transport rod main bodies 21 are prepared, and are connected to each other. Therefore, when connecting each ball transport basket main body 21, a buffer sheet 31 is laid on the upper surface of the bottom wall 2. That is, as shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B, the buffer sheet 31 is placed on the upper surface of the bottom wall 2 and the engagement members 32 are inserted into the engagement holes 24. As a result, the end surface 33a of the constricted portion 33 of the engagement member 32 on the most upstream side and the inner peripheral surface 24a of the engagement hole 24 facing the end surface 33a are in contact with each other, but there is almost no gap S between them. In each of the engaging members 32 located at, the distances S2 to S4 gradually increase so that the condition of S1 <S2 <S3 <S4 is satisfied.

  Although not shown, the plurality of teeth provided at the upstream end of the cushioning sheet positioned on the downstream side mesh with the plurality of teeth 16 provided at the downstream end of the cushioning sheet 31 shallowly. .

  Since the buffer sheet 31 is laid only by engaging each engagement member 32 in each engagement hole 24, the second ball transport rod A2 can be easily attached and can be easily replaced. In addition, the buffer sheet 31 will not be displaced. Further, the distance S between the end surface 33a located on the downstream side of each constricted portion 33 and the inner peripheral surface 24a of the engaging hole 24 facing the narrowed portion 33 is set so as to gradually increase as it goes downstream of the ball transport rod main body 21. Therefore, in the state where it is used, the size of the buffer sheet 31 extending to the downstream side is absorbed by the intervals S2 to S4. Therefore, it is possible to prevent wrinkles on the surface of the buffer sheet 31. At the same time, although not shown in the drawing, the tooth portions 16 that face each other in the upstream and downstream buffer sheets 31 are shallowly engaged with each other, so that even if the buffer sheet 31 extends downstream, the extended dimension is the same. Absorbed by the shallow meshing dimensions, it is possible to prevent wrinkles from forming on the surface of the buffer sheet 31.

  Finally, the third ball conveyance rod A3 will be described. As shown in FIG. 8, the third ball conveyance rod A3 also includes a ball conveyance rod main body 41 and a synthetic resin buffer sheet 51 laid on the upper surface of the bottom wall 2 of the ball conveyance rod main body 41. The ball transport rod body 41 is made of metal, and a plurality of engagement holes 44 (four in FIG. 1) are formed in the center along the longitudinal direction of the vertically long bottom wall 2 as shown in FIG. Each engagement hole 44 is composed of a wide main engagement hole 44a formed along the longitudinal direction and a narrow engagement groove 44b provided so as to communicate with the downstream side of the main engagement hole 44a. Is done.

  The buffer sheet 51 is made of synthetic resin, has flexibility, and has a vertically long rectangular shape that is substantially the same size as the bottom wall 2 of the ball transport basket main body 41. On the back surface of the buffer sheet 51, a plurality of engagement members 52 are arranged in a row along the center in the longitudinal direction so as to correspond to the respective engagement holes 44. Each of the engaging members 52 is provided along the longitudinal direction as shown in FIGS. 8 to 10, and includes a constricted portion 53 on the base portion side and a widened portion 54 provided in an inverted T-shape in the lower portion thereof. Then, each widened portion 54 is inserted into and engaged with each engagement hole 44 from above.

  In addition, a plurality of tooth portions 16 are arranged at both ends of the buffer sheet 51 in the longitudinal direction. Further, instead of this structure, the inclined surface 17a is formed on the surface of the upstream end portion of the cushioning sheet 51 in the same manner as in FIG. You may make it form the inclined surface 17 which becomes thin gradually as it goes downstream.

  Even in the third ball transport rod A3, a predetermined number of ball transport rod main bodies 41 are prepared, and are connected to each other. Therefore, when connecting each ball transport basket main body 41, a buffer sheet 51 is laid on the upper surface of the bottom wall 2. That is, as shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B, the buffer sheet 51 is overlapped on the upper surface of the bottom wall 2 and the engagement members 52 are inserted into the engagement holes 44. As a result, the end surface 53a of the constricted portion 53 of the engagement member 52 on the most upstream side and the inner peripheral surface of the engagement hole 44 opposed to the end surface 53a, that is, the inner peripheral surface 44c of the engagement groove 44b come into contact with each other. Although there is almost no (S1), in each engaging member 52 located on the downstream side, the distances S2 to S4 gradually increase so that the condition of S1 <S2 <S3 <S4 is satisfied.

  Although not shown, the plurality of teeth provided at the upstream end of the cushioning sheet located downstream of the plurality of teeth 16 provided at the downstream end of the cushioning sheet 51 are shallowly engaged with each other. .

  Since the buffer sheet 51 is also laid only by engaging each engagement member 52 in each engagement hole 44, the third ball conveyance rod A3 can be easily attached and can be replaced easily. In addition, the buffer sheet 51 does not shift. Further, as the process advances to the downstream side of the ball transport rod main body 41, the distance S between the end surface 53a located on the downstream side of each constricted portion 53 and the inner peripheral surface 44c of the engagement groove 44b in the engagement hole 44 facing this gradually increases. Since it is set so as to expand, in the state of use, the size of the buffer sheet 51 extending downstream is absorbed by the intervals S2 to S4. Therefore, it is possible to prevent wrinkles on the surface of the buffer sheet 51. At the same time, although not shown in the figure, the tooth portions 16 that face each other in the upstream and downstream buffer sheets 51 are shallowly engaged with each other. Absorbed by the shallow meshing dimensions, it is possible to prevent wrinkles from forming on the surface of the buffer sheet 51.

The exploded perspective view of the 1st ball conveyance rod. The expanded longitudinal cross-sectional view of the principal part of the state which laid the buffer sheet. (A), (B), and (C) are longitudinal sectional views showing the order in which the buffer sheets are laid. (A) is a top view which shows the connection state of the buffer sheet in a 1st ball conveyance rod, (b) is the side view. (A) is a top view which shows the other connection state of the buffer sheet in a 1st conveyance rod, (b) is the same side view. The disassembled perspective view of the 2nd ball conveyance rod. (A) is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the state where the buffer sheet is laid, and (B) is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the same. The disassembled perspective view of a 3rd ball conveyance rod. The expansion exploded perspective view of the principal part. (A) is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the state where the buffer sheet is laid, and (B) is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the same.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Sphere conveyance rod main body 2 Bottom wall 4 Engagement hole 11 Buffer sheet 11a Buffer sheet 12 Engagement member 13 Constriction part 14 Widening part 16 Tooth part 16a Tooth part 17 Inclined surface 17a Inclined surface 21 Sphere conveyance saddle body 24 Engagement hole 31 Buffer sheet 32 Engagement member 33 Constricted part 34 Widened part 41 Ball transport rod main body 44 Engagement hole 51 Buffer sheet 52 Engagement member 53 Constricted part 54 Widened part S (S1 to S4) Interval A1 First ball transported rod A2 Second Ball transport bowl A3 Third ball transport bowl

Claims (3)

  It consists of a ball transport rod main body and a synthetic resin buffer sheet laid on the upper surface of the bottom wall of the ball transport rod main body, and a plurality of engagement holes are opened along the longitudinal direction of the bottom wall of the ball transport rod main body. A plurality of engaging members are arranged on the back surface of the cushioning sheet along the longitudinal direction so as to correspond to the respective engaging holes, and each engaging member has a constricted portion on the base portion side and a distal end side. And in the state where the buffer sheet is laid on the upper surface of the bottom wall and the engagement members are engaged with the engagement holes, the process proceeds toward the downstream side of the ball transport rod main body. A spherical conveying rod characterized in that an interval between an end surface positioned on the downstream side of each constricted portion and an inner peripheral surface of the engaging hole facing the end surface is set to gradually increase. The ball transporting cage according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of tooth portions that mesh with each other are arranged in a row at each end edge portion of the buffer sheets that are adjacent on the upstream side and the downstream side.   In both the buffer sheets adjacent on the upstream side and the downstream side, an inclined surface whose thickness gradually increases toward the upstream side is formed on the back surface of the downstream end portion of the upstream buffer sheet, and the downstream buffer sheet is formed. 2. The ball transporting cage according to claim 1, wherein an inclined surface that gradually decreases in thickness toward the upstream side is formed on the surface of the upstream end portion of the sheet, and the inclined surfaces are combined with each other.

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