JP4729012B2 - Pachinko machine ball tray - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a ball tray of a pachinko machine that stores paid-out game balls and supplies the game balls to a game ball launching device.

  Conventionally, the front door of a pachinko machine is provided with a ball tray (so-called “upper plate”) for storing a large number of game balls. Loan balls and prize balls that are paid out from a game ball payout apparatus installed in the pachinko machine by a ball rental operation of the ball rental apparatus or winning a game ball are temporarily stored in the ball tray. The game balls stored in the ball tray are successively supplied successively to the launching device driven by the operation handle installed at the lower front of the pachinko machine, and are launched toward the game area. In addition, the game balls that exceed the number of balls received by the ball tray are configured to be discharged to an excess ball tray provided below the ball tray. In the conventional ball tray, a passage for aligning the game balls in a row in order to supply the game balls one by one to the launching device is provided at the most downstream portion thereof (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  However, recently, design and function requirements for pachinko machines have also diversified, and there is an increasing demand for installing other relatively large parts such as a liquid crystal display device on the front door to which the ball tray is attached. On the other hand, at the time of lending operation, the player performs lending operation of about 130 balls at a time, and the pachinko machine itself discharges about 130 lending balls by lending operation at once. There are many. Therefore, if the ball tray cannot store more than a predetermined number of game balls, the balls will flow down to the surplus ball tray, and the player must transfer the game balls just paid out by the ball rental operation to the ball tray. There is a problem that it must be done.

  Therefore, since the convenience of the pachinko machine may be impaired due to the downsizing of the ball tray, there has been a problem that it is difficult to install a large part or the like on the front door. Accordingly, the applicant has made a number of games for the purpose of providing a ball tray and a pachinko machine that can store a predetermined number of game balls or more, which is a ball tray that does not protrude greatly to the front side of the pachinko machine. A passage that is formed with a width slightly larger than the diameter of the game ball and aligns the game balls in a row is formed in parallel to the two rows along the supply direction of the game balls, downstream from the storage portion that stores the balls. Developed a ball tray with a special passage.

Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2005-66118 (FIG. 9)

  However, in such a ball tray provided with two rows of passages, there is a possibility that ball clogging may occur in the passage portion unless the game balls are reliably aligned for each passage. In addition, it is necessary to reliably flow down and supply game balls once arranged in two rows toward a launching device that launches game balls one by one.

  The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems of the conventional ball tray, and provides a ball tray that can prevent clogging of balls at a part where game balls are divided and aligned in two rows of passages. is there.

In order to solve the above problems, means taken by the present invention will be described below. The ball tray of the pachinko machine according to the present invention has a storage part for dispersing and temporarily storing a large number of game balls in a planar shape, and is connected to the downstream side of the storage part and slightly smaller than the diameter of the game ball. a pachinko machine sphere saucer with passageways aligning are formed to a large width game balls in a row and aligned portion made form in two rows along the flow-down direction of the game ball, the alignment portion , less than twice the diameter of the game ball toward the flow-down direction of the game ball, and formed spheres smoothing section gradually decreases in height greater than the diameter, in the passage of the two rows, the sphere smoothing The two rows of passages are formed in a crank shape in a plan view, and the two rows of passages are formed so as to start from different positions on the upstream side. Along the bottom of the aisle in the row, along the direction of the game ball Provided recessed been guide groove, said guide groove, along each path of the two rows, is characterized in that it has been formed to begin from different positions on the upstream side (claim 1).

  By providing such a ball leveling portion in the alignment portion, a large number of game balls stored in the storage portion can be reliably aligned in the alignment portion. In addition to the part that is simply formed in an inclined shape, the “sphere leveling part” may be a separate part that hangs down by its own weight and is swingably attached so as to break up the overlapping game balls. It is not limited to a part formed integrally with the ball tray main body.

  By providing the ball leveling portion in this way, the game balls can be aligned at different positions in each passage. Since the path of the game ball is narrowed at the part where the ball is leveled, if the alignment can be performed at different positions, the path will be narrowed at different positions, so the same position of the two paths It is possible to avoid the narrowing of the path of the game ball at, and it is possible to reduce the clogging of the ball due to the ball leveling at the same position.

  With such a guide groove, the game ball can flow down along the guide groove. Therefore, it is possible to make it difficult for positional deviation of each game ball in the passage width direction to occur, and it is possible to make it difficult for game balls to be clogged in the passage.

Moreover, it is good also as providing the ball gathering inclination part inclined down toward the alignment part in the said storage part (Claim 2 ).

  By providing such a ball-throwing inclined part in the storage part, the game balls in the storage part can flow smoothly to the alignment part.

  By configuring the ball receiving tray of the present invention as described above, it is difficult for ball clogging to occur in the aligning portion for dividing and aligning the game balls in the two rows of passages, and the game balls can flow smoothly.

  Next, an embodiment of the ball tray of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, the ball tray 30 according to the present invention is attached to the pachinko machine 1 having a large liquid crystal display device 16 in the center of the front door 7 below the game area 13.

[Configuration of the entire pachinko machine]
The pachinko machine 1 is a pachinko machine called a so-called “first-class pachinko machine”. A special symbol display device (not shown) is provided in the center of the game area 13, and when the symbols are arranged in a specific manner, the open / close door of the variable prize winning device at the lower part of the game board 6 is opened to display a large number of game balls. This is a pachinko machine that can win a special game state called “Big Bonus”.

  The machine frame 2 of the pachinko machine 1 is for fixing the main body 3 of the pachinko machine 1 to a game hall installation location (so-called “island facility”), and is composed of a vertically long rectangular wooden frame member. On the front surface of the machine frame 2, a front frame 4 is attached and fixed to the machine frame 2 so as to be opened and closed by a hinge mechanism.

  A glass door frame 5 is attached and fixed to the front side of the front frame 4 so as to be openable and closable. A game board 6 is disposed on the main body 3 on the back side of the glass door frame 5, and the game board 6 can be visually recognized through a glass plate attached to the inside of the glass door frame 5. Further, a front door 7 provided with the ball tray 30 and the liquid crystal display device 16 of the present invention is attached and fixed to the lower part on the front side of the front frame 4 so as to be freely opened and closed.

  Further, below the front door 7 described above, an excess ball receiving tray 9 for storing the excess balls of the ball receiving tray 30 and an operation handle for driving the launching device 18 to launch the game balls toward the game area. 10 is attached.

  On the front surface of the game board 6, a guide rail 12, which is disposed in a generally circular shape near the periphery of the game board 6, is attached. A section surrounded by the guide rail 12 is defined as a game area 13. Yes. Although not shown in the game area 13, a special symbol display device, a normal symbol display device, a start winning opening, a variable large winning opening device, a passing chucker, various general winning openings, an out opening, a windmill, and many nails, etc. Is attached. Also, various switches 14 for performing a ball rental operation and other operations are attached to the front door 7 on the right side of the front view.

  As described above, a relatively large liquid crystal display device 16 is attached to an upper portion near the center of the front door 7. The liquid crystal display device 16 normally displays game rules and the like peculiar to the pachinko machine 3. On the other hand, in the case of a big hit, the liquid crystal display device 16 has a production effect together with other electric decorations provided in the pachinko machine 3. Display images and videos.

[Embodiment 1 of the ball tray]
Next, the ball tray 30 attached to the front door 7 will be described. The ball tray 30 is attached to the left side of the front door 7. As shown in FIGS. 2 to 6, a ball passage (not shown) through which a game ball flows down from a game ball dispensing device (not shown) is connected in communication with the upstream side of the ball tray 30. A game ball supply device 20 for supplying game balls to the launching device 18 is disposed on the downstream side. Further, the inner bottom surface of the ball tray 30 is formed so as to be gently inclined downward toward the game ball supply device 20. The ball tray 30 includes a storage portion 32 formed on the left side of the front view and an alignment portion 36 formed on the right side.

  The storage part 32 is formed in a shape that bulges to the front side of the pachinko machine 1, and is formed in a shape that gradually recedes to the back side from the vicinity of the center to the right side. A large number of game balls are dispersed in a planar shape in the storage unit 32 so as to be stored. In some cases, the storage unit 32 stores the game balls so as to be stacked in the vertical direction. As shown in FIG. 1, the upper part of the storage part 32 is opened and exposed by an opening part 8 formed integrally with the front door 7, and a stored game ball is provided so as to be visible. The player can check how much game balls remain in the storage portion 32 when viewed from the opening 8.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 4, a ball sloping inclined portion 34 formed in a downward inclination toward the inner side of the ball receiving tray 30 is formed inside the front side of the aligning portion 36 from the storage portion 32. The game balls from the storage unit 32 to the alignment unit 36 are guided to the back side of the ball tray 30 by the ball approaching inclined unit 34.

Next, the alignment unit 36 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 , the alignment unit 36 divides the game balls in the storage unit 32 into two rows of a first alignment path 38 on the front side of the ball tray 30 and a second alignment path 39 on the back side. They are aligned and flow down to the game ball supply device 20 on the downstream side. In the first alignment path 38 and the second alignment path 39, the upstream portions 38a and 39a are formed on the front side in a plan view, and then intermediate from the downstream side of the upstream portions 38a and 39a to the rear side oblique direction. The portions 38b and 39b are formed continuously, further downstream of the intermediate portions 38b and 39b, and the downstream portions 38c and 39c are formed in parallel with the upstream portions 38a and 39a. Is bent. In this way, by forming the alignment paths 38 and 39 to be bent, the pressure from the game ball row to the game ball supply device 20 on the downstream side can be distributed to the side wall surfaces of the alignment paths 38 and 39. The malfunction and load of the supply device 20 can be reduced.

  In addition, a partition 40 is formed in the vertical direction between the first alignment path 38 and the second alignment path 39 to partition both alignment paths 38 and 39. And the 1st alignment path 38 and the 2nd alignment path 39 are each arrange | positioned and formed in parallel in each part of upstream part 38a, 39a, intermediate part 38b, 39b, and downstream part 38c, 39c. Further, both the first alignment path 38 and the second alignment path 39 are formed so that the lateral width thereof is slightly larger than the diameter of the game balls, so that the game balls are flowed in a row in the horizontal direction. It is configured.

  A guide groove that guides the game ball is fitted on the bottom surface of the first alignment path 38 and the second alignment path 39 by loosely fitting the bottom surface of the game ball to be flowed down at a substantially central position in the width direction along the flow-down direction. 42 and 43 are formed. The game balls flowing down the first alignment path 38 and the second alignment path 39 are flown down the alignment paths 38 and 39 while their lowermost portions are loosely fitted in the guide grooves 42 and 43, so that each alignment ball is aligned. The game balls flow down along substantially the center in the width direction of the paths 38, 39, and the game balls flow down with their centers aligned and straight. Therefore, in each of the alignment paths 38 and 39 formed to be larger than the diameter of the game balls in the horizontal width direction, alignment is caused by a large number of aligned game balls being shifted to the left and right in the horizontal width direction of the alignment paths 38 and 39. The risk of ball clogging in the paths 38 and 39 can be reduced.

  Further, the first alignment path 38 is formed to start slightly from the downstream side of the alignment portion 36, and the second alignment path 39 is formed to start slightly from the upstream side of the alignment portion 36. In accordance with this, the guide groove 42 is formed. In contrast to this, the guide groove 43 is formed starting slightly from the upstream side of the alignment portion 36, whereas the guide groove 43 is formed starting slightly from the upstream side of the alignment portion 36. Thus, by forming the guide grooves 42 and 43 starting from different positions in the flow direction of the game balls, the alignment of the game balls in the lateral width direction of the first alignment path 38 and the second alignment path 39 can be performed in the flow direction of the game balls. Are provided to start at different positions.

  Further, as shown in FIGS. 2, 9, and 10, a ball leveling portion 46 is formed which is arranged above both alignment paths 38 and 39 and performs the leveling of a large number of game balls. The ball leveling portion 46 is provided so that the height from the bottom surface of the alignment portion 36 gradually decreases from the upstream side to the downstream side of the alignment portion 36, and the height from the alignment portion 36 is the game at the bottom. It is provided slightly higher than the diameter of the sphere, and is provided so that a large number of game balls stacked in the vertical direction in the storage portion 32 are leveled in a line in the vertical direction. In addition, the ball leveling portion 46 has a top portion that is directed downward from the upstream side to the center of the downstream side, and is formed in a shape that curves and projects downward. It is configured to perform smoothly.

  The sphere leveling part 46 includes a first leveling part 48 for leveling the first alignment path 38 and a second leveling part 49 for leveling the second alignment path 39. The first leveling part 48 and the second leveling part 49 are integrally formed, but the first leveling part 48 is formed near the downstream of the alignment part 36, and the second leveling part 49 is It is formed upstream of the first leveling part 48. More specifically, as viewed from above, the entire spherical leveling portion 46 has an upstream end that is inclined from the upstream portion on the rear side of the alignment portion 36 to the downstream portion on the near side. It is formed as follows.

  As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the first sphere leveling portion 48 is formed so as to start from the same position as the upstream end of the partition wall 40 slightly upstream from the guide groove 42. Then, the lower part is formed so as to gradually become lower toward the downstream side, and in the vicinity of the upstream side end part of the guide groove 42, the height from the bottom surface of the first alignment path 38 is the lowest and the downstream side end part as it is. It is formed to reach. At the lowest position, the height is formed from the bottom surface of the first alignment path 38 to be larger than the diameter of the game balls and lower than the height of two game balls.

  Further, the second sphere leveling portion 49 is formed so as to start almost immediately above the guide groove 43 as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12. Then, the lower part is formed so as to gradually become lower toward the downstream side, and the height from the bottom surface of the second alignment path 39 is the lowest in the vicinity of the middle of the upstream part 39a of the guide groove 43, and the downstream side as it is. It is formed to reach the end. At the lowest position, the height is formed from the bottom surface of the second alignment path 39 to be larger than the diameter of the game balls and lower than the height of two game balls. In this way, a large number of game balls stored so as to overlap each other in the storage unit 32 are configured such that, when flowing down in the first alignment path 38 and the second alignment path 39, the respective balls are leveled. ing.

  In addition, when the ball leveling portion is provided at the same position of the first alignment path 38 and the second alignment path 39 in the flow direction of the game balls, the passage portions of the game balls are narrowed at the same position. Ball clogging of nearby game balls is likely to occur. However, the balls in the first alignment path 38 and the second alignment path 39 in the flow-down direction of the game balls by making the positions of the first ball leveling part 48 and the second ball leveling part 49 different as described above. The leveling position can be varied. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the possibility of the ball clogging caused by the game balls near the first alignment path 38 and the game balls near the second alignment path 39.

  As shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 6, a game ball supply device 20 that supplies game balls to the launching device 18 is connected to the tip of the aligning portion 36 of the ball tray 30 configured as described above. . The game ball supply device 20 is provided with passage portions 60 respectively connected to the first alignment path 38 and the second alignment path 39, and is aligned in the first alignment path 38 and the second alignment path 39, respectively. The game ball to be played is supplied to the launching device 18 side through the first passage 62 and the second passage 64. By providing passages through which the game balls flow down in two rows of the first passage 62 and the second passage 64, the ball tray 30 and the game ball supply device 20 store a predetermined number (about 130) of game balls. In addition, the game ball supply device 20 and the alignment unit 36 can be retracted to the back side of the pachinko machine 1 with respect to the storage unit 32, and a large liquid crystal display device 16 or the like is installed on the front side thereof. Is possible.

  On the downstream side of the passage portion 60, a game ball supply mechanism 66 is attached for causing the game balls flowing down in the first passage 62 and the second passage 64 to flow down alternately to the launching device 18 side. The game balls that have been flown down in two rows are again aligned in a row by the game ball supply mechanism 66, and flow down one by one on the firing rail 21 one by one in accordance with the timing of the hitting operation of the hitting 19 of the launcher 18. Then, it is fired along the guide rail 12 toward the game area 13 by the striking hammer 19.

  In the ball tray 30 configured as described above, the game balls stored in the storage unit 32 are smoothly aligned in two rows by the ball leveling unit 46 and flow down to the game ball supply device 20 on the downstream side. Thus, the risk of ball clogging can be reduced.

  The present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the gist of the present invention. For example, the inclination angle / formation range of the ball approaching inclined portion 34 can be appropriately selected and changed according to the mounting angle of the entire ball tray 30, the size of the storage portion 32, and the like. Further, the inclination angle of the sphere leveling portion 46 can be similarly changed. In addition, the formation range of the guide grooves 42 and 43 and the formation range of the sphere leveling portion 46 can be appropriately selected and changed according to the mounting angle of the entire ball tray 30 and the size of the storage portion 32. In addition, the ball leveling portion is not limited to the one integrally formed in the main body of the ball receiving tray 30 as described above. For example, the ball leveling portion is suspended in a pendulum shape from above and swingable by the pressing force of the game ball. It may be provided separately.

It is a perspective view of the pachinko machine provided with the ball tray of the present invention. It is a perspective view of the lower part of the pachinko machine with the ball tray attached. It is a perspective view of the lower part of the pachinko machine with the ball tray attached. It is a top view of the pachinko machine lower part of the state which attached the ball tray. It is a front view of the lower part of the pachinko machine in a state where a ball tray is attached. It is a right view of the lower part of the pachinko machine with the ball tray attached. It is a perspective view of a CC section partial section of the lower part of the pachinko machine in the state where a ball saucer was attached. It is a principal part enlarged plan view of the CC line partial cross section of the lower part of the pachinko machine in the state where the ball tray is attached. It is a perspective view of the BB line section of the lower part of the pachinko machine in the state where the ball saucer was attached. It is a front view of the BB line section of the lower part of the pachinko machine in the state where a ball saucer was attached. It is a perspective view of the AA line section of the lower part of the pachinko machine in the state where the ball saucer was attached. It is a front view of the AA line section of the lower part of the pachinko machine in the state where the ball saucer was attached.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1; Pachinko machine, 2; Machine frame, 3; Main body, 4; Front frame, 5: Glass door frame, 6: Game board, 7: Front door, 8; Opening, 9; , 12; guide rail, 13; gaming area, 14; switches, 16; liquid crystal display, 18; launching device, 19; striking, 20; gaming ball supply device, 21; firing rail, 30; Storage section 34; ball-inclined slope section 36; alignment section 38; first alignment path 39; second alignment path 38a, 39a; upstream section 38b, 39b; intermediate section 38c, 39c; , 40; partition wall, 42, 43; guide groove, 46; sphere leveling part, 48; first leveling part, 49; second leveling part, 60; passage part, 62; first path, 64; Passage, 66; game ball supply mechanism.

Claims (2)

A storage section that stores a large number of game balls dispersed in a plane and temporarily stores them, and is connected to the downstream side of the storage section and is formed to have a width slightly larger than the diameter of the game balls. passage of aligning is a pachinko machine sphere saucer and a sorting unit which is made form in two rows along the flow-down direction of the game ball, the
The alignment portion is formed with a ball leveling portion that is smaller than twice the diameter of the game ball toward the flow direction of the game ball and gradually decreases to a height greater than the diameter ,
In the two rows of passages, the ball leveling portions are provided at different positions in the flow direction of the game balls,
The two rows of passages are formed in a crank shape in plan view, and the two rows of passages are formed to start from different positions on the upstream side,
Guide grooves recessed along the flow-down direction of the game balls are provided on the bottom surfaces of the two rows of passages, and the guide grooves start from different positions on the upstream side in accordance with the two rows of passages, respectively. A pachinko machine ball tray characterized by being formed . The ball receiving tray of the pachinko machine according to claim 1, wherein a ball gathering inclined portion inclined downward toward the alignment portion is provided in the storage portion.

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