JP4888968B2 - Game machine ball launcher - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a ball launcher for a gaming machine that launches a game ball held at a launch position upward with a hitting ball.

  In gaming machines such as pachinko machines, for the purpose of expanding the gaming area, for example, as described in Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-38736), a ball launcher is provided on the lower left side of the gaming machine. There is one that adopts a vertical launch system that places and launches a game ball almost vertically upward from this ball launcher. In this ball launcher of Patent Document 1, a hitting ball for launching a game ball is rotationally driven by a rotary solenoid, and a game ball held at a launch position is played by a hitting ball provided at the tip of the hit ball. The game ball is hit from below and the game ball is launched upward.

  The hitting ball of such a vertical launching type ball launcher has a hitting ball portion facing upward with respect to an arm portion extending downward from the rotating shaft in order to hit the game ball from below with a hitting ball portion provided at the tip thereof. Since the bent concave portion that is concave upward is formed between the arm portion and the hitting ball portion, the ball launcher panel or the like is opened for the purpose of maintenance of the ball launcher or the like. When the ball is exposed to the front side, the game ball is likely to be unexpectedly placed in the bent recess. If the game ball is rotated in the firing direction with the game ball placed in the bent recess of the hit ball and the game ball placed in the bent recess collides with the launch pad, the hit ball cage reaches the maximum rotation position in the launch direction. There is a possibility that the hitting force may vary due to the inability to rotate, or the launch pad or the hitting basket may be damaged.

As a countermeasure against this, the ball hitting basket is configured so that a larger empty space than the game ball remains between the bent recess of the hitting basket and the launch pad when the hit ball hits the maximum rotation position in the firing direction. There is a game ball that avoids a game ball placed in a bent concave portion from colliding with a launch pad.
JP 2003-38736 A (page 3 etc.)

  In recent years, for gaming machines such as pachinko machines, it has become an important technical issue to reduce the size of the ball launcher as the gaming area expands and the gaming functions become more complex (such as the installation of a production switch). It is coming.

  However, in the above-described vertical launching type ball launching device, when the size of each part (the size of each part or between each part) is simply reduced and the size reduction is promoted, the hitting ball is rotated to the maximum rotation position in the firing direction. When it moves, it becomes impossible to leave a larger empty space than the game ball between the bent recess of the hitting basket and the launch pad, and the game ball placed in the bent recess of the hit ball hits the launch pad. To do.

  In addition, in order to avoid the game ball placed in the bending recess of the hitting ball from colliding with the launch pad, when the hitting ball is rotated to the maximum rotation position in the firing direction, If a space that is larger than the game ball remains in between, the size and shape of each part are limited, and the ball launcher cannot be sufficiently miniaturized. In addition, in this configuration, it is possible to prevent the game ball placed in the bending recess of the hitting ball from colliding with the launch pad, but it is not possible to prevent the game ball from being placed in the bending recess of the hitting ball. There is also a drawback in that when a game ball is placed, the load applied to the hitting ball increases and the hitting force varies.

  The present invention has been made in consideration of these circumstances. Therefore, the object of the present invention is to solve the problem caused by the game ball being placed on the hitting ball while satisfying the demand for downsizing. The object is to provide a ball launcher for a gaming machine.

  In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 includes a launch seat for holding a game ball in a launch position, a hit ball that launches the game ball held in the launch position upward, and rotating the hit ball In a ball launcher of a gaming machine in which a driving source to be driven and a stopper member that regulates a standby position of the hitting ball are assembled to a common mounting base portion, the hitting ball has a hit ball provided at the tip thereof A bending recess that is concave upward is formed so as to hit the game ball held in the launch position at the bottom from below, and the mounting base portion has a game in the bending recess when the hitting ball is at or near the standby position. A ball guide for guiding the bent ball or the game ball in the vicinity thereof away from the mounting base so as not to be placed on the ball is provided, and the center of the hit ball from the ball guide in the direction parallel to the rotation axis of the hit ball The distance to the game ball Set smaller than the diameter, which is constituted as assembled to the mounting base portion in a state of integrating the firing seating portion and the stopper member and the ball guide portion.

  In this configuration, for the purpose of maintenance of the ball launcher or the like, when the ball tray panel or the like is opened and the ball launcher is exposed to the front side, the game ball is placed in the bent recess of the hitting basket by the ball guide unit. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the game ball from being placed in the bent recess of the hitting basket and colliding with the launch seating portion. This eliminates the need for a design that leaves a larger free space than the game ball between the bent recess of the hitting ball and the launch seat when the hitting ball is rotated to the maximum rotation position in the firing direction. This increases the degree of freedom in designing the dimensions and shape of the ball launching device, and the ball launching device can be sufficiently miniaturized.

  Further, by preventing the game ball from being placed in the bent recess of the hitting ball by the ball guide portion, the load applied to the hitting ball can be made almost constant, and the game ball can be placed in the bent recess of the hit ball and fired. By avoiding the collision with the seating part, the hitting ball can be reliably rotated to the maximum rotation position in the firing direction, so that variation in hitting force can be reduced and the firing accuracy can be improved. Can do. Furthermore, it is possible to prevent the launching seat portion, the hitting ball cage, and the like from being damaged by avoiding that the game ball is placed in the bent concave portion of the hitting ball cage and collides with the launching seat portion.

  Furthermore, since the launching seat part, the stopper member, and the ball guide part can be assembled (unitized) on the mounting base part, an arrangement error (dimensional error) between the launching seat part and the stopper member with respect to the hitting ball is reduced. Compared to the configuration in which the launch seating part, stopper member, and ball guide part are assembled separately on the mounting base part, the layout of the parts can be compactly integrated. The ball launcher can be further downsized.

  Further, in order to prevent the game ball from being placed in the bent concave portion of the ball striking ball, if a structure is provided with a protective cover that covers the main parts of the ball shooting device (for example, the ball striking ball and its peripheral portion), When performing maintenance (cleaning, inspection, repair, etc.), it is necessary to open and close (or remove) the protective cover, and the workability during maintenance deteriorates. Since it is possible to prevent the game ball from being placed in the bent concave portion of the hitting ball by the guide portion, the protective cover can be omitted, and there is an advantage that workability during maintenance can be improved.

Hereinafter, an embodiment embodying the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described.
First, based on FIG.1 and FIG.2, the schematic structure of the front side lower part of a pachinko machine is demonstrated. As shown in FIG. 1, an upper ball receiving tray 12 and a lower ball receiving tray 13 for receiving pachinko balls (game balls) are arranged side by side in the lower part on the front side of the main body frame 11 of the pachinko machine (game machine). Pachinko balls (prize balls) paid out from a payout device (not shown) flow down the ball payout passage (not shown) and flow into the upper ball tray 12 and exceed the amount stored in the upper ball tray 12. The surplus pachinko balls flow down the overflow passage (not shown) and flow into the lower ball tray 13.

  In addition, a small ball launcher 14 that launches a pachinko ball supplied from the upper ball tray 12 is disposed at the lower left part of the main body frame 11 (to the left of the ball trays 12 and 13). A pachinko ball is launched almost vertically upward (or diagonally upward) from the lower left part of the pachinko machine. A left front door 15 covering the front side of the ball launcher 14 is provided in front of the ball launcher 14 so as to be opened and closed separately from the ball trays 12 and 13. On the other hand, a launch operation handle 16 of the ball launcher 14 is provided at the lower right side of the main body frame 11 (to the right of the ball trays 12 and 13).

  As shown in FIG. 2, the left front door 15 is attached to the main body frame 11 via a hinge mechanism or the like (not shown) so that it can be opened and closed. The front side of 14 can be exposed and maintenance (cleaning, inspection, repair, etc.) of the ball launcher 14 can be performed. Furthermore, when the left front door 15 is opened forward, the ball launcher 14 is attached to the main body frame 11 from the front side so that the ball launcher 14 can be detached from the front with respect to the pachinko machine.

  Further, a rectifier 17 is provided on the back surface of the left front door 15 to send out the pachinko balls one by one to the ball launcher 14, and the pachinko balls in the upper ball tray 12 are connected to the connection channel provided in the left front door 15. 18 flows into the rectifier 17 and is supplied from the rectifier 17 to the ball launcher 14. Further, the left front door 15 is provided with an upstream portion of a ball discharge channel 19 through which a pachinko ball flowing down from the upper ball tray 12 flows down to the lower ball tray 13 when a ball release lever (not shown) is operated. It has been.

  Further, above the ball launcher 14 in the main body frame 11, wiring of electrical parts such as a rectifier 17, an operation button, and a display (both not shown) provided on the left front door 15 is provided on the main body frame 11. A wiring hole 20 is formed for drawing out to the back side. As a result, the wiring on the left front door 15 side can be collectively pulled out from the wiring hole 20 to the back side of the main body frame 11, and the wiring on the left front door 15 side is prevented from protruding around the movable part of the ball launcher 14. I can do it. Further, the main body frame 11 is provided with one or a plurality of engagement lock portions 21 for holding the left front door 15 in a closed state when the left front door 15 is closed.

Next, the configuration of the ball launching device 14 will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.
As shown in FIG. 3, a sub-board 23 is fixed to the front surface of the mounting board 22 (mounting base part) of the ball launching device 14 with screws or the like, and a pachinko ball is seated on the left side of the front face of the sub-board 23. The part 24 is fixed with screws or the like. The launch seat 24 is formed with a ball introduction portion 25 for introducing a pachinko ball supplied from the rectifier 17. It is fixed with etc. The position where the lower part of the pachinko ball is fitted in the gap between the launching ball guide part 26 and the receiving part 27 formed below the ball introducing part 25 and the pachinko ball is stationary is the launch position of the pachinko ball. Become. Note that the whole or part of the firing seat portion 24 (for example, a portion other than the firing ball guide portion 26) may be integrally formed with the sub-board 23.

  Further, on the right side of the launch seat 24 on the front surface of the mounting substrate 22, a hitting ball 28 for launching a pachinko ball is rotatably provided. By hitting the pachinko ball received at the launch position of the launch seat 23 from below with the substantially cylindrical hit ball portion 29 provided at the tip of the hit ball 28, the pachinko ball is launched into the launch passage 40 (FIG. 2)), and is launched substantially vertically upward (or obliquely upward).

  The hitting ball 28 hits the pachinko ball held at the launch position by the hitting ball portion 29 provided at the tip thereof from below to hit the hitting portion against the arm portion 30 extending downward from the rotation shaft 33 described later. 29 is attached so as to face upward, and a bent concave portion 31 that is concave upward is formed between the arm portion 30 and the hitting ball portion 29.

  A rotary solenoid 32 (drive source) for rotationally driving the hitting ball 28 is attached to the back surface of the mounting board 22, and a rotary shaft 33 of the rotary solenoid 32 projects to the front side of the mounting board 22. A hitting ball 28 is fixed to the tip of the moving shaft 33 with a bolt or the like.

  Further, stopper rubbers 34 and 35 (stopper members) for restricting the rotation range of the hit ball 28 are arranged on the right side of the front surface of the sub-board 23, and a bracket 36 for supporting and fixing these stopper rubbers 34 and 35 is screwed. Etc., and is fixed to the sub-board 23. Note that the whole or part of the bracket 36 may be integrally formed with the sub-board 23.

  As shown by a solid line in FIG. 3, the position at which the arm portion 30 contacts the stopper rubber 34 as the hitting ball 28 rotates downward about the rotation shaft 33 by its own weight (or urging force of a spring or the like). This is the standby position for the hitting ball 28. When the firing operation handle 16 is fired, energization / disconnection of the rotary solenoid 32 is repeated at a voltage corresponding to the operation amount. As a result, as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 3, the striking ball 28 rotates from the standby position in the firing direction (clockwise in FIG. 3) around the rotation shaft 33, and the firing seat portion 24. After launching the pachinko ball received at the launch position with the hitting portion 29, as shown by the solid line in FIG. 3, the launch is rotated in the direction opposite to the launch direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 3) and returned to the standby position. Repeat the operation.

  The hitting ball 28 is integrally provided with a stopper piece 37 protruding in the outer diameter direction from the vicinity of the rotation shaft 33, and the hitting ball 28 is rotated in the firing direction as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. Sometimes, the stopper piece portion 37 abuts against the stopper rubber 35 so that the maximum rotation position of the hitting ball 28 in the firing direction is regulated.

  Further, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a ball guide rib 38 protruding forward is formed at the front center portion of the sub-board 23 (near the position facing the bending recess 31 when the hitting ball 28 is in the standby position). (Ball guide portion) is integrally molded, and when the hitting ball 28 is at or near the standby position, the bent recess 31 or the pachinko ball in the vicinity thereof is moved forward of the hitting ball 28 by the ball guide rib 38 (in a direction away from the mounting substrate 22). ) To be dropped so that the pachinko ball is not placed in the bent recess 31 of the hitting ball 28. Note that the ball guide ribs 38 formed separately from the sub-board 23 may be attached to the sub-board 23.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the height dimension of the ball guide rib 38 (the amount of protrusion to the front) is the sphere in the front-rear direction of the ball launcher 14 (the direction parallel to the rotation shaft 33 of the ball striking rod 28). The distance L from the tip of the guide rib 38 to the center of the hitting ball portion 29 is set to be smaller than the radius of the pachinko ball. As a result, the center (center of gravity) of the pachinko sphere is positioned forward of the center of the substantially cylindrical hitting ball portion 29 by the ball guide rib 38 (the pachinko ball has a circumferential portion with respect to the pachinko ball. The pachinko ball can be pushed forward to a position that works to guide forward).

  Further, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, an inclined surface portion 39 inclined downward toward the front is formed on the front side of the upper surface of the arm portion 30 of the hitting ball 28 over the bent concave portion 31 and the vicinity thereof. Yes. Thereby, the pachinko ball pushed forward by the ball guide rib 38 is surely dropped from the hitting ball 29 by the inclined surface portion 39.

  The ball launching device 14 configured as described above is integrated (unitized) by assembling or integrally molding the firing seat 24, the stopper rubbers 34 and 35, and the ball guide rib 38 on one sub-board 23. Furthermore, the main components such as the sub-board 23 (one in which the launch seat 24, the stopper rubbers 34 and 35, and the ball guide rib 38 are integrated), the ball striking rod 28, and the rotary solenoid 32 are assembled on one mounting board 22. Therefore, the placement error (dimensional error) between the components can be reduced, the launch performance can be stabilized, and the ball launcher 14 can be easily stored.

  As shown by the arrows in FIG. 2, the pachinko ball launched from the ball launcher 14 passes through the launch passage 40 and then passes through the guide passage 43 formed between the outer rail 41 and the inner rail 42. It is driven above the game area (not shown) of the board. Further, to the left of the orbit of the pachinko ball launched from the ball launcher 14 (that is, on the upper left side of the launch position of the launch seat 24), the pachinko ball launched from the ball launcher 14 reaches the game area. A foul ball collection port 44 is provided for receiving a foul ball that cannot return to the guide passage 43 and returns.

  In the present embodiment described above, for the purpose of maintenance of the ball launcher 14 and the like, when the left front door 15 and the like are opened to expose the ball launcher 14 to the front side, the ball guide rib 38 causes the hitting ball 28 to hit. It is possible to prevent the pachinko ball from being placed on the bent recess 31 of the ball, so that it is possible to prevent the pachinko ball from being placed on the bent recess 31 of the hitting ball rod 28 and colliding with the launch seat 24. Accordingly, it is necessary to design so that a larger space than the pachinko ball remains between the bent recess 31 and the firing seat portion 24 of the hitting ball rod 28 when the hitting ball rod 28 is rotated to the maximum rotation position in the firing direction. Therefore, the degree of freedom in designing the size and shape of each part is widened, and the ball launcher 14 can be sufficiently downsized.

  Further, by preventing the pachinko ball from being placed on the bent concave portion 31 of the hitting ball rod 28 by the ball guide rib 38, the load applied to the hitting ball rod 28 can be made almost constant, and the bent concave portion 31 of the hit ball rod 28 can be made constant. By avoiding the pachinko ball from being put on and colliding with the launch seat 24, the hitting ball 28 can be reliably rotated to the maximum rotation position in the firing direction, so that the variation in hitting force can be reduced. It is possible to improve the launch accuracy. Furthermore, by preventing the pachinko ball from being placed on the bent recess 31 of the hitting ball rod 28 and colliding with the launching seat portion 24, it is possible to prevent the launching seat portion 24, the hitting ball rod 28 and the like from being damaged.

  Further, since the firing seat 24, the stopper rubbers 34 and 35, and the ball guide rib 38 can be assembled to the sub-board 23 or can be integrally molded and integrated (unitized), it can be assembled to the mounting board 22. An arrangement error (dimension error) between the launching seat portion 24 and the stopper rubbers 34 and 35 with respect to the rod 28 can be reduced, and the firing accuracy can be further improved, and the launching seat portion 24, the stopper rubbers 34 and 35, and the ball Compared to a configuration in which the guide ribs 38 are separately assembled to the mounting substrate 22, the component layout can be compactly integrated, and the ball launcher 14 can be further downsized.

  Further, in order to prevent the pachinko ball from being placed in the bent recess 31 of the hitting ball rod 28, a protective cover that covers the main parts of the ball launcher 14 (for example, the hitting ball rod 28 and its peripheral portion) is provided. When performing maintenance (cleaning, inspection, repair, etc.) of the ball launcher 14, work for opening and closing (or removing) the protective cover is required, and workability during maintenance deteriorates. In this embodiment, the protective cover is not provided. Even if it is not provided, the pachinko ball can be prevented from being placed in the bent concave portion 31 of the hitting ball rod 28 by the ball guide rib 38, so that the protective cover can be omitted and workability during maintenance can be improved. it can.

  In the above embodiment, the left front door 15 that covers the front side of the ball launcher 14 is attached separately from the ball trays 12 and 13 so as to be openable and closable. You may make it the structure which attaches the whole front panel provided with the saucers 12 and 13 so that opening and closing is possible.

  Moreover, in the said Example, although it was set as the structure which attaches the ball | bowl launcher 14 to the main body frame 11 from the front side, you may make it the structure which attaches the ball | bowl launcher 14 to the main body frame 11 from the back side.

  In the above embodiment, the present invention is applied to a two-plate pachinko machine in which an upper ball tray 12 and a lower ball tray 13 are provided at the lower front portion of the pachinko machine. However, one ball tray is provided at the lower front portion of the pachinko machine. The present invention may be applied to a single-plate pachinko machine provided with only one plate.

  Further, the scope of application of the present invention is not limited to the ball launching device of a general pachinko machine, and various gaming machines such as an arrangement ball gaming machine can be used as long as the ball launching device is a vertical launching type that launches a game ball upward. The present invention may be applied to the ball launching apparatus.

It is a figure which shows the state at the time of closing of a left front door by the front view of the front side lower part of the pachinko machine in one Example of this invention. It is a figure which shows the state at the time of open | release of the left front door by the front view of the front side lower part of a pachinko machine. It is a front view of a ball launcher. It is AA sectional drawing of FIG. It is BB sectional drawing of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 ... Main body frame, 14 ... Ball | bowl launching device, 22 ... Mounting board (mounting base part), 23 ... Sub board | substrate, 24 ... Launching seat part, 28 ... Hitting ball part, 29 ... Hitting part, 30 ... Arm part, 31 ... Bending Recessed part, 32 ... Rotary solenoid (drive source), 33 ... Rotating shaft, 34, 35 ... Stopper rubber (stopper member), 37 ... Stopper piece part, 38 ... Ball guide rib (ball guide part), 39 ... Inclined surface part

Claims (1)

A launch seat that holds the game ball in the launch position, a ball striking ball that launches the game ball held in the launch position upward, a drive source that rotationally drives the hit ball, and a standby position of the ball strut are regulated In a ball launcher of a gaming machine in which a stopper member to be assembled and integrated on a common mounting base portion,
The hitting base is formed with a bent recess that is concave upward so as to hit the game ball held at the launch position from below with a hitting part provided at the tip thereof,
In the mounting base portion, when the hitting ball is at or near the standby position, the bent concave portion or the vicinity of the game ball is moved away from the mounting base portion so that the gaming ball does not rest on the bent concave portion. A ball guide portion for guiding is provided, and the distance from the ball guide portion to the center of the hit ball portion is set to be smaller than the radius of the game ball in a direction parallel to the rotation axis of the hit ball basket. ,
A ball launcher for a gaming machine, wherein the launch seat, the stopper member, and the ball guide are integrated with the mounting base.

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