JP5816430B2 - Clogging prevention device and game ball introduction device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a device for preventing clogging of game balls. Particularly, it is suitable for preventing clogging of game balls in the game ball introducing device.

  A typical example of a gaming machine is a pachinko machine. A pachinko machine is a game that uses a pachinko ball as a game medium. In a pachinko machine, when a predetermined condition such as a pachinko ball winning a prize opening is established during a game, a predetermined number of pachinko balls are paid out to the player from the pachinko machine. Recently, when a player puts money into a lending machine adjacent to a desired pachinko machine, a pachinko ball is directly supplied to the pachinko machine via the lending machine and lent to the player.

  By the way, in the pachinko hall (game hall), a plurality of pachinko machines (game machines) are arranged in a line to form a game island, and pachinko balls (game balls) circulate in the same game island. Specifically, for example, in a game island where a pachinko machine is provided, a ball feeding device that can lift a pachinko ball to the upper side of the pachinko machine and a pachinko ball that is fed by the ball lifting device are the same. There are provided an inclined channel that flows to the gaming machines on the island and a supply chute that branches from the inclined channel and supplies pachinko balls to each pachinko machine. That is, the pachinko balls are used in the pachinko machine, then sent to the ball lifting device, and conveyed upward by the ball lifting device, through the slant channel and the replenishment chute provided at the top of each pachinko machine. Then, it circulates again through the route supplied to each pachinko machine. (For example, Patent Document 1)

JP 2007-181523 A

  By the way, it is known that pachinko balls are likely to be clogged when they are diverted from an inclined flow path to a replenishment chute or when supplied from a replenishment chute to a ball receiving tank of a pachinko machine. This is because the passage in the replenishment chute and the ball receiving tank has a cross-sectional shape that gradually decreases in a taper shape on the downstream side in the flow direction of the pachinko balls, and finally has a cross-sectional shape through which only one pachinko ball can pass. Therefore, when a large amount of pachinko balls flow through the passage at a time, the pachinko balls are stacked in a dumpling shape, a cross-linked structure, a so-called bridge structure is formed between the pachinko balls, and the passage is closed by the pachinko balls. .

  As a result, pachinko balls are paid to the player when throwing money into the lending machine and renting pachinko balls, or when pachinko balls are awarded to the winning slot and pachinko balls are paid out during pachinko machine games. There was a problem of not being issued. Therefore, in the past, it has been common for a player to call an employee of a game arcade and have the pachinko ball clogged removed manually by the employee. However, since one employee manages a plurality of game islands at the game hall, the employee may not be able to respond quickly, and the player may feel dissatisfied. That is, if such pachinko balls are frequently jammed, there is a risk that the player's willingness to play will be reduced, leading to a decrease in sales.

  Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a clogging prevention device for preventing clogging of a game ball supplied from a game island to a gaming machine in a supply flow path.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present inventor has considered a conventional clogging phenomenon of a replenishment chute. As shown in FIG. 19, the conventional replenishment chute 200 includes a supply flow path 201 through which the pachinko ball 2 passes and a ball leveling member 202 that can swing above the supply flow path 201 of the replenishment chute 200. ing. The ball leveling member 202 is fixed so as to be swingable only in the flow direction of the pachinko ball 2 by a fixed shaft 203 arranged in the width direction of the supply flow path 201. That is, the conventional replenishment chute 200 is flattened by the ball leveling member 202 so that the upper portions of the plurality of pachinko balls 2 that have been agglomerated are leveled, and the pachinko balls 2 do not stack so much to prevent agglomeration. I have to. However, when a large amount of the pachinko ball 2 is introduced into the replenishment chute 200 for a long time, the balance between the restoring force of the ball smoothing member 202 and the external force received from the pachinko ball 2 becomes constant, and the ball smoothing member 202 functions well. Instead, the flow of the pachinko ball 2 may stop in the middle of the supply channel 201.
Therefore, the present inventor considered that the cause is that the ball leveling member regularly swings around the fixed shaft. The invention according to claim 1, wherein trial and error are repeatedly guided in this way, is in a game hall where a plurality of gaming machines using a game ball are installed, and the game ball passes by being suspended from a fixed portion. The clogging prevention device arranged on the flow path has a main body part that hangs down in the vicinity of the flow path, and a shaft that hangs down the main body part to the fixed part. The center of gravity of at least two weights with respect to the posture in which the main body is suspended in a loaded state is at a position sandwiching the vertical line passing through the shaft, and the shaft is attached to at least one of the main body or the fixed portion. have holes for inserting, the hole is larger than the shaft, the shaft and the hole is Ri relatively movable der, based on the posture that is hanging the main body in the unloaded condition, the thickness direction of the main body portion, It faces the longitudinal direction of the shaft, and the body part is the length of the shaft A clog prevention and wherein a movable der Rukoto direction.
That is, the invention according to claim 1 is in a game hall in which a plurality of gaming machines that use game balls are installed, and is arranged on a flow path that passes from the fixed portion and through which the game balls pass. In the clogging prevention device, the main body portion has a main body portion that hangs down in the vicinity of the flow path, and a shaft that hangs the main body portion to the fixed portion. The center of gravity of at least two weight parts on the basis of the suspended posture is at a position sandwiching the vertical line passing through the shaft, and at least one of the main body part or the fixed part has a hole through which the shaft is inserted, The hole is larger than the shaft, and the shaft and the hole are relatively movable.

  The hole referred to here includes the presence or absence of a bottom, that is, a through-hole and a non-through-hole.

  According to such a configuration, the main body has weight portions at a plurality of locations, and the center of gravity of at least two weight portions in the vertical direction passing through the shaft is based on the posture in which the main body is suspended in an unloaded state. At least one of the main body part or the fixed part has a hole through which the shaft is inserted, the hole is larger than the shaft, and the shaft and the hole are relatively movable. When a passing game ball collides with the main body part, or when game balls collide with each other and the vibration is transmitted to the main body part, the main body part is subjected to centrifugal force and inertial force of the weight part in addition to the swinging in the circumferential direction of the shaft. And the axis moves relatively within the area of the hole. That is, the position of the main body portion moves irregularly due to the vibration or collision of the game ball, and the trajectory of the operation of the main body portion changes irregularly. In other words, the main body portion receives vibration or collision of the game ball, and the center of gravity of the main body portion changes irregularly. For this reason, the center of gravity of the main body does not stay constant, and the balance between the external force received from the game ball and the restoring force of the main body becomes unstable. That is, the balance between the external force received from the game ball and the restoring force of the main body portion is difficult to be constant, and the main body portion continues to move irregularly due to the vibration or collision of the game ball. Therefore, the game balls are less likely to agglomerate, and the game balls can be prevented from taking a bridge structure.

The invention according to claim 2 is the clogging prevention device according to claim 1, wherein the main body is swingable in a thickness direction of the main body.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, the weight portion is composed of a plurality of weight members, and the weight members are arranged on the same circumference with the shaft as a rotation axis on the basis of the posture in which the main body portion is suspended in an unloaded state. it is a clogging preventing device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in.

  According to such a configuration, the weight portion is composed of a plurality of weight members, and the weight members are arranged on the same circumference with the axis as the rotation axis on the basis of the posture in which the main body portion is suspended in an unloaded state. When the main body moves within the hole due to the collision or vibration of the game ball, the restoring force for returning the main body to the normal installation state, particularly the restoring force in the circumferential direction of the shaft, acts greatly on the main body. . That is, it is suitable for smoothing and smoothing the upper part of the game ball.

The invention according to claim 1, you wherein the body portion is movable in the longitudinal axis.

  According to this configuration, the main body can move in the longitudinal direction of the shaft. That is, when the game balls passing through the flow path collide with the main body part, or when the game balls collide with each other and the vibration is transmitted to the main body part, the movable area of the main body part is within the range of the opening area of the hole, and the main body part The trajectory of the main body becomes more irregular because it can move in the space between the shaft and the shaft. That is, the external force from the game ball can be distributed in more directions. For this reason, the balance between the external force from the game ball and the restoring force of the main body becomes more unstable, and the main body continues to move irregularly due to vibration or collision of the game ball, so the main body does not stay at a fixed position, and the game It is possible to prevent the sphere from taking a bridge structure.

  The invention according to claim 4 is a game ball introducing device installed in a game machine group formed by gathering one or a plurality of game machines, and has a supply channel for supplying game balls to the game machines. A game ball introduction device comprising the clogging prevention device according to any one of claims 1 to 3 on the supply flow path.

  According to such a configuration, in the game ball introduction device in which the game balls are transported and introduced into the game machine, it is possible to prevent the stagnation of the flow of the game balls in the supply flow path. You can save the trouble of calling. That is, the dissatisfaction of the player when the employee cannot respond quickly can be solved, and at the same time, the labor of the employee in the amusement hall can be saved. It also leads to cost reduction.

  According to the present invention, the main body has weight portions at a plurality of locations, and the center of gravity of at least two weight portions in the vertical direction passing through the shaft is based on a posture in which the main body is suspended in an unloaded state. At least one of the body part or the fixed part has a hole through which the shaft is inserted, and the hole is larger than the shaft and the shaft and the hole are relatively movable. When a passing game ball collides with the main body part, or when game balls collide with each other and the vibration is transmitted to the main body part, the main body part in addition to the circumferential swing of the shaft, the centrifugal force and inertial force of the weight part And the axis moves relatively within the area of the hole. That is, the position of the main body portion moves irregularly due to the vibration or collision of the game ball, and the trajectory of the operation of the main body portion changes irregularly. In other words, the main body portion receives vibration or collision of the game ball, and the center of gravity of the main body portion changes irregularly. For this reason, the center of gravity of the main body does not stay constant, and the balance between the external force received from the game ball and the restoring force of the main body becomes unstable. That is, the balance between the external force received from the game ball and the restoring force of the main body portion is difficult to be constant, and the main body portion continues to move irregularly due to the vibration or collision of the game ball. Therefore, the game balls are less likely to agglomerate, and the game balls can be prevented from taking a bridge structure.

It is explanatory drawing which shows the game island which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view of a supply chute concerning a 1st embodiment of the present invention. It is explanatory drawing showing the flow of the ball within the replenishment chute which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing showing the flow of the ball within the replenishment chute which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view of the clogging prevention apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a disassembled perspective view of the ball leveling member which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing showing the positional relationship of the ball leveling member which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention, and a fixed shaft. It is sectional drawing of the ball leveling main body of FIG. It is the elements on larger scale of FIG. It is sectional drawing of the fixing member of FIG. It is explanatory drawing of the movement operation | movement of the left-right up-down direction of the ball leveling member which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. (A) It is explanatory drawing of the movement of the circumferential direction of a fixed shaft. (B) It is explanatory drawing of the movement in the fixed hole of a fixed shaft. It is explanatory drawing of the movement operation | movement of the width direction of the ball leveling member which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a front view of the clogging prevention apparatus which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view of the ball leveling member concerning a 2nd embodiment of the present invention. It is a perspective view of the fixing member concerning a 2nd embodiment of the present invention. It is the elements on larger scale of the clogging prevention apparatus of FIG. It is explanatory drawing of the movement operation | movement of the left-right up-down direction of the ball leveling member concerning 2nd Embodiment of this invention. (A) It is explanatory drawing of the movement of the circumferential direction of a fixed shaft. (B) It is explanatory drawing of a motion in the fixed hole of a fixed shaft. It is explanatory drawing of the movement operation | movement of the width direction of the ball leveling member which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a top view of the supply chute | shoot of the conventional ball leveling member.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail.
In the following description, unless otherwise specified, the positional relationship between the top, bottom, left and right will be described based on the normal installation position. That is, in FIG. 2, the left and right direction is represented as left and right, the up and down direction is represented as up and down, and the front and back direction with respect to the page is represented as front and back.

  The game ball introducing device 3 of the present embodiment has a configuration suitable for a so-called game island 151 in which a plurality of pachinko machines 150 (game machines) are mainly included in one group, and a plurality of game islands 151 are arranged in the game hall. Has been. Therefore, in order to facilitate understanding in the following description, description will be made with a focus on one gaming island 151 (a gaming machine group).

  In addition, the game ball introducing device 3 of the present invention can prevent the pachinko ball 2 from being clogged in the supply passage 11 of the pachinko ball 2 from the game island 151 to the pachinko machine 150 by using the clog prevention device 1. is there.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the game ball introducing device 3 of the present invention includes a ball lifting device 152 that can lift the pachinko ball 2 to the upper side of the pachinko machine 150, and a pachinko ball 2 lifted by the ball lifting device 152. Are provided to the pachinko machine 150 in the same game island 151, and a replenishment chute 10 that can branch from the inclined flow path 153 and supply the pachinko balls 2 to each pachinko machine 150 is provided.

  In general, in the supply flow path of the pachinko balls 2 from the game island 151 to the pachinko machine 150, the place where the pachinko balls 2 are clogged is the upper part of the pachinko machine 150 that flows almost parallel to the pachinko machine 150 shown in FIG. The slack flow path 153 of the pachinko machine 150 and the ball receiving tank 156 provided in the pachinko machine 150 on the downstream side of the replenishment chute 10. Therefore, in the following description, in order to facilitate understanding, a case where the clogging prevention device 1 is used for the supply chute 10 in the configuration of the game ball introduction device 3 of the present invention will be described.

  The replenishment chute 10 includes a supply channel 11 through which the pachinko balls 2 supplied to the pachinko machine 150 pass. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the replenishment chute 10 is provided with a ball retaining member 12 and a clogging prevention device 1 which is a feature of the present invention in the vicinity of the middle flow of the supply flow path 11, and a ball aligning means 15 is provided downstream thereof. I have. The ball-clamping means 12 is a member for locking the pachinko ball 2 from flowing down to the downstream side of the supply flow path 11 when the pachinko machine 150 is replaced. The ball aligning means 15 regulates the pachinko balls 2 to flow in a row at the ball outlet 16 located downstream of the supply flow path 11. The shape of the ball outlet 16 is cylindrical, and the inner diameter of the ball outlet 16 is such that approximately one pachinko ball 2 passes through. 3 and 4, the supply flow path 11 includes a ball inlet 17 serving as a supply port from the outside of the pachinko ball 2, a folding portion 18 that changes the traveling direction of the pachinko ball 2, and the outside of the pachinko ball 2. And a ball outlet 16 serving as a discharge outlet. The supply flow path 11 is gradually inclined downward from the ball inlet 17 through the folded portion 18 toward the ball outlet 16. That is, the pachinko ball 2 supplied from the ball inlet 17 flows down toward the folded portion 18 along the inclination, and then turns back at the folded portion 18 and further flows down toward the ball outlet 16 along the inclination. It is discharged outside the supply chute 10.

  Further, in the process in which the pachinko balls 2 flow from the ball inlet 17 to the ball outlet 16, the plurality of pachinko balls 2 supplied from the upstream of the supply flow path 11 collide with the clog prevention device 1, and the upper portions of the stacked pachinko balls 2 are stacked. Is flown toward the ball aligning means 15. Thereafter, the balls are aligned in a line by the ball aligning means 15 and sent out from the ball outlet 16 to the outside of the supply chute 10.

  As described above, the replenishment chute 10 of the present invention prevents the pachinko ball 2 from clogging in the supply flow path 11 of the pachinko ball 2 used in the pachinko machine 150 by the clogging prevention device 1. Therefore, the clogging prevention device 1 which is a characteristic configuration of the present embodiment will be described below.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the clog prevention device 1 includes a ball leveling member 20 (main body) for leveling the pachinko ball 2, a fixed shaft 21 (axis) for fixing the ball leveling member 20, and a shaft fixed to the supply flow path 11. The fixing member 24 (fixing part) which fixes 21 is provided. Hereinafter, each component of the clogging prevention device 1 will be described.

First, the configuration of the ball leveling member 20 will be described.
The ball leveling member 20 (main body portion) includes a ball leveling main body 35 and a weight member 25.
The ball leveling body 35 has a substantially triangular cross section as shown in FIG. In other words, the ball leveling main body 35 has a gently rounded shape in which three corners are gently rounded with each side being continuous, and the lower side protrudes outward (downward). The length in the thickness direction of the ball leveling body 35 is shorter than the length in the width direction of the supply flow path 11 and is substantially equal to the diameter of the weight member 25. Further, the ball leveling main body 35 has two weight receiving holes 22 and 23 arranged in a line on the same circumference around the apex (upper position) of the ball leveling main body 35 as shown in FIGS. It has. The weight receiving holes 22 and 23 can be fitted with weight members 25a and 25b, respectively.
The weight receiving holes 22 and 23 are holes having a circular cross section as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 and penetrating in the thickness direction (front-rear direction) of the ball leveling body 35. The inner diameters of the weight receiving holes 22 and 23 are substantially equal to the diameter of the weight member 25, and the depth thereof is substantially equal to the diameter of the weight member 25.
Further, the center of gravity of the weight members 25a and 25b is in the vertical direction passing through the fixed shaft 21 with reference to the posture in which the clogging prevention device 1 is assembled and the fixed member 21 is suspended from the fixed shaft 21. It is in a position to sandwich the perpendicular. That is, the gravity centers of the weight members 25a and 25b of the ball leveling member 20 are eccentric in the left-right direction with respect to the vertical line passing through the fixed shaft 21. Further, the cross-sectional shape of the ball leveling member 20 has a line-symmetrical relationship with respect to a vertical line passing through the fixed shaft 21 in the vertical direction.

The ball leveling main body 35 has a fixing hole 26 (hole) having a substantially semicircular cross section near the apex (upper position) as shown in FIGS.
The fixing hole 26 is a through hole penetrating in the thickness direction of the ball leveling main body 35. The upper surface 28 of the fixing hole 26 has a shape along the shape near the apex angle of the ball leveling body 35. That is, the upper surface 28 of the fixing hole 26 has a substantially arc shape protruding upward. The vicinity of the apex of the upper surface 28 of the fixing hole 26 is partially deformed, and the shape is continuously different in the depth direction of the fixing hole 26. Specifically, the curvature of the upper surface 28 of the fixing hole 26 gradually increases gradually from the edge portions at both ends in the depth direction of the fixing hole 26 to the center. That is, as shown in FIG. 8, the upper surface 28 of the fixing hole 26 has a substantially arc shape that gently protrudes downward in the depth direction of the fixing hole 26. Therefore, the clogging prevention device 1 is assembled, and the ball leveling member 20 is in the thickness direction (front-rear direction) of the ball leveling member 20 on the basis of the posture in which the ball leveling member 20 is suspended on the fixed shaft 21 in an unloaded state. Can be swung.
Further, the lower surface 29 of the fixing hole 26 is substantially linear. Specifically, the lower surface 29 of the fixing hole 26 has a linear shape or a substantially arc shape protruding slightly upward. The vicinity of the connection portion between the upper surface 28 and the lower surface 29, that is, the corner portion of the fixing hole 26 is continuously rounded. The radius of curvature of the fixed hole 26 is 4 mm to 12 mm. The curvature radius of the fixed hole 26 here is a radius calculated from the curvature of the edge portion as viewed from the front. The ratio (W / H) between the length W in the width direction and the length H in the height direction of the fixing hole 26 shown in FIG. 9 is 1.5 to 2.5.
The opening area of the fixed hole 26 is larger than the cross-sectional area of the fixed shaft 21. Specifically, the ratio (W / D) between the length W in the width direction of the fixed hole 26 and the outer diameter D of the fixed shaft 21 shown in FIG. 9 is 2 to 6, and the height direction of the fixed hole 26 is The ratio (H / D) between the length H and the outer diameter D of the fixed shaft 21 is 3-15. That is, when the fixed shaft 21 is inserted into the fixed hole 26, the fixed shaft 21 can move within the opening range of the fixed hole 26.
Moreover, the material of the ball leveling main body 35 should just have solid lubricity, for example, engineering plastics (so-called engineering plastics) etc. are used.

The weight members 25 a and 25 b (weight parts) are members that decenter the center of gravity of the ball leveling member 20. The weight members 25a and 25b are spherical bodies, and pachinko balls are used in this embodiment, but the present invention is not limited to the shapes of the weight members 25a and 25b.
The weights of the weight members 25a and 25b are equal to the weight of the pachinko ball 2 because the pachinko balls 2 are used as the weight members 25a and 25b in this embodiment, but the weights of the weight members 25a and 25b are supplied. It is preferable to adjust appropriately according to installation conditions such as the width of the flow path 11 and the type of game ball.

Next, the configuration of the fixed shaft 21 will be described.
The fixed shaft 21 (shaft) is a rod-shaped body. The length of the fixed shaft 21 is substantially equal to the distance between the side surfaces 30 and 31 of the fixed member 24 as shown in FIG. In other words, it is substantially equal to the length of the supply channel 11 in the width direction. That is, the length of the fixed shaft 21 is longer than the length of the ball leveling member 20 in the width direction. Therefore, the ball leveling member 20 can move in the width direction of the supply flow path 11 when mounted on the fixed shaft 21.
Moreover, the outer diameter of the fixed shaft 21 is 1 mm to 3 mm, and is smaller than the opening area of the fixed hole 26 of the ball leveling member 20. Specifically, as described above, the ratio (W / D) between the length W in the width direction of the fixed hole 26 and the outer diameter D of the fixed shaft 21 is 2 to 6, and the height direction of the fixed hole 26 is The ratio (H / D) between the length H and the outer diameter D of the fixed shaft 21 is 3-15. That is, when the fixed shaft 21 is inserted into the fixing hole 26 of the ball leveling member 20, it can freely move within the opening area of the fixing hole 26 of the ball leveling member 20.

Next, the configuration of the fixing member 24 will be described.
The fixing member 24 (fixing portion) is a member that is detachably fixed on the supply flow path 11 and is mounted and fixed to the supply flow path 11 as shown in FIG. 2 during normal use. The fixing member 24 has an engaging portion (not shown) and is detachable by engaging with the supply flow path 11. The fixing member 24 has a substantially U-shaped cross section as shown in FIG. That is, the fixing member 24 has an upper surface 34 and a pair of side surfaces 30 and 31 standing on both sides thereof. The side surfaces 30 and 31 have through holes 32 and 33 to which the fixed shaft 21 can be fixed. The through holes 32 and 33 of the side surfaces 30 and 31 communicate with each other across a space in which the ball leveling member 20 is inserted. The diameters of the through holes 32 and 33 are approximately the same as the outer diameter of the fixed shaft 21, and the fixed shaft 21 can be fixed in a direction orthogonal to the flow direction of the pachinko ball 2 (front-rear direction).

  Next, the positional relationship between the members of the replenishing chute 10, particularly the positional relationship between the members of the clogging prevention device 1, will be described with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 2, the replenishment chute 10 has a fixing member 24 detachably disposed in the middle flow of the supply channel 11. That is, the upper surface 34 of the fixing member 24 is disposed at a position above the supply channel 11, and the side surfaces 30 and 31 of the fixing member 24 are disposed on the side surface of the supply channel 11. In the replenishment chute 10, a fixed shaft 21 is inserted across the ball leveling member 20 and the fixed member 24. That is, the fixed shaft 21 is inserted over the three holes of the fixing hole 26 of the ball leveling member 20 and the through holes 32 and 33 of the side surfaces 30 and 31 of the fixing member 24. In other words, the supply channel 11 fixes the fixed shaft 21 in the direction orthogonal to the flow direction of the pachinko ball 2 (front-rear direction) via the fixing member 24.
Further, the replenishment chute 10 is configured so that the pachinko ball 2 is in the vertical direction so that the interval between the lower surface of the ball leveling member 20 and the passage of the supply channel 11 is in a posture where the ball leveling member 20 is suspended from the main body without load. It is almost the same as the length in the vertical direction when two are arranged in a row. That is, the replenishment chute 10 can pass two pachinko balls 2 between the ball leveling member 20 and the supply flow path 11 when the pachinko balls 2 flow down.

In the clogging prevention device 1, a fixed shaft 21 is inserted into the fixed hole 26 as shown in FIG. That is, the ball leveling member 20 can swing in the circumferential direction about the fixed shaft 21 as a rotation axis. Further, since the fixing hole 26 has an opening area larger than the cross section of the fixing shaft 21, the ball leveling member 20 can move in the vertical and horizontal directions within the range of the opening of the fixing hole 26. In other words, the opening area of the fixed hole 26 is a movable area of the ball leveling member 20 with respect to the fixed shaft 21.
Further, since the clog prevention device 1 has a substantially arc shape in which the vicinity of the top of the upper surface 28 of the fixing hole 26 protrudes downward, the clogging prevention device 1 can swing in the thickness direction (front and rear) of the ball leveling member 20. Furthermore, a gap space is provided between the side surfaces 30 and 31 of the fixing member 24 and the ball leveling member 20 in the thickness direction of the ball leveling member 20. That is, a clearance space is provided between the side surfaces 30 and 31 of the fixing member 24 and both ends of the ball leveling member 20 in the thickness direction, and the space can be moved in the front-rear direction within the clearance space.

The weight members 25a and 25b are mounted in the weight receiving holes 22 and 23 of the ball leveling body 35 as shown in FIGS. The weight receiving holes 22 and 23 are accommodated. That is, the weight members 25 a and 25 b do not protrude from the weight receiving holes 22 and 23.
The center of gravity of the clogging prevention device 1 is decentered at a position below the center of gravity of the ball leveling main body 35 due to the weight of the two weight members 25a and 25b. That is, the fixing hole 26 of the ball leveling member 20 is not on the center of gravity of the ball leveling member 20. Further, the center of gravity of the ball leveling member 20 is on a vertical line passing through the fixed shaft 21.

  Hereinafter, the pachinko ball 2 is caused to flow down to the supply flow path 11 and clogged when the pachinko ball 2 collides with the ball leveling member 20 or when pachinko balls 2 collide with each other and vibration is transmitted to the ball leveling member 20. An example of the operation of the prevention device 1 will be described with reference to the drawings.

When a plurality of pachinko balls 2 are supplied to the supply flow path 11, the clog prevention device 1 collides with the ball leveling member 20, or the pachinko balls 2 collide with each other and vibrations thereof occur. It is transmitted to the ball leveling member 20. Therefore, the ball leveling member 20 rotates in the circumferential direction along the fixed shaft 21 (FIG. 11A) and simultaneously moves within the opening region of the fixing hole 26 of the ball leveling member 20 (FIG. 11 ( b)). Therefore, the ball leveling member 20 is combined with these movements and rotates while swinging irregularly within the opening region of the fixing hole 26. Further, in the clogging prevention device 1, the ball leveling member 20 also swings in the thickness direction (front-rear direction) of the ball leveling member 20 as shown in FIG.
That is, when the clogging prevention device 1 receives an external force from the pachinko ball 2, the clogging prevention device 1 irregularly moves in all directions of left and right, up and down, and changes the center of gravity. Therefore, the clogging prevention device 1 can disperse the external force received from the pachinko ball 2 in multiple directions.

  As described above, according to the clog prevention device 1 of the present embodiment, the balance between the external force from the pachinko ball 2 and the restoring force of the ball leveling member 20 is constant even when subjected to vibration or collision from the pachinko ball 2. In other words, since the ball leveling member 20 continues to move irregularly, it is possible to prevent the pachinko balls 2 from being stacked in a dumpling shape and taking a bridge structure.

  Furthermore, as a result, when the clogging prevention device 1 is used in the game ball introducing device 3, the flow of the pachinko balls 2 in the replenishment chute 10 can be prevented, so that the time for the player to call the employee can be saved. That is, the dissatisfaction of the player when the employee cannot respond promptly can be solved, and at the same time, the labor of the employee in the amusement hall can be saved.

  Subsequently, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described below. In addition, the thing similar to 1st Embodiment attaches the same code | symbol, and abbreviate | omits description.

  As shown in FIG. 13, the clogging prevention device 60 includes a ball leveling member 61 (main body portion), a fixed shaft 21, and a fixing member 62 (fixing portion).

The ball leveling member 61 (main body portion) has substantially the same configuration as the ball leveling member 20 as shown in FIG. 14, but a through hole 64 is provided instead of the fixing hole 26.
The through hole 64 is a through hole penetrating in the thickness direction (front-rear direction) of the ball leveling member 61. The inner diameter of the through hole 64 is substantially equal to the outer diameter of the fixed shaft 21.

The fixing member 62 (fixing part) has substantially the same configuration as the fixing member 24 as shown in FIG. 15, but a fixing hole 63 is provided instead of the through holes 32 and 33.
The fixing hole 63 is a through hole that penetrates the side surfaces 65 and 66 of the fixing member 62 in the thickness direction (front-rear direction). The shape of the fixing hole 63 is substantially semicircular. Specifically, the fixing hole 63 is disposed in the vicinity of the lower end portions of the side surfaces 30 and 31, and the lower surface 68 of the fixing hole 63 has a substantially arc shape protruding downward. Further, the upper surface 67 of the fixing hole 63 is substantially linear. Specifically, the upper surface 67 of the fixing hole 63 has a linear shape or a substantially arc shape protruding slightly upward. That is, the fixing hole 63 has substantially the same shape as the shape obtained by rotating the fixing hole 26 by 180 degrees in a posture in which the ball leveling member 20 is suspended in an unloaded state. Further, the ratio (w / R) between the width w of the fixing hole 63 shown in FIG. 16 and the outer diameter D of the fixing shaft 21 is 2 to 6, and the length of the fixing hole 63 in the height direction is as follows. The ratio (h / R) between h and the outer diameter D of the fixed shaft 21 is 3-15. That is, the opening area of the fixed hole 63 is larger than the cross-sectional area of the fixed shaft 21, and the fixed shaft 21 can move within the fixed hole 63. Further, the two fixing holes 63 of the side surfaces 65 and 66 communicate with each other with a space for inserting the ball leveling member 20 interposed therebetween.

  Hereinafter, the positional relationship of each member of the clogging prevention device 60 will be described with reference to the drawings.

In the clogging prevention device 60, the fixed shaft 21 is inserted into the fixed hole 63 as shown in FIG. In other words, the ball leveling member 61 can swing in the circumferential direction about the fixed shaft 21 as a rotation axis.
Further, since the fixing hole 63 has an opening area larger than that of the cross section of the fixed shaft 21, the ball leveling member 61 can move in the vertical and horizontal directions within the range of the opening of the fixing hole 63. In other words, the opening area of the fixing hole 63 is a movable area of the ball leveling member 61 with respect to the fixed shaft 21.

Hereinafter, when the pachinko ball 2 is caused to flow down to the supply flow path 11 and the pachinko ball 2 collides with the ball leveling member 61, or when the pachinko balls 2 collide with each other and vibration is transmitted to the ball leveling member 61. An example of the operation of the clog prevention device 60 will be described with reference to the drawings.
When the pachinko ball 2 is supplied to the supply flow path 11, the clogging prevention device 60 collides with the ball leveling member 62, or the pachinko balls 2 collide with each other, and the vibration is generated by the ball. It is transmitted to the leveling member 62. Therefore, the ball leveling member 62 rotates in the circumferential direction along the fixed shaft 21 (FIG. 17A), and simultaneously moves within the opening region of the fixing hole 63 of the ball leveling member 62 (FIG. 17 ( b)). Therefore, the ball leveling member 62 is combined with these movements and rotates while swinging irregularly within the opening region of the fixing hole 63. Further, in the clogging prevention device 1, the ball leveling member 20 also swings in the thickness direction (front-back direction) of the ball leveling member 20 as shown in FIG.
That is, when the clogging prevention device 60 receives an external force from the pachinko ball 2, the clogging prevention device 60 moves irregularly in all directions of left, right, up and down, and changes the center of gravity. Therefore, the external force from the pachinko ball 2 can be dispersed in multiple directions.

  In the above-described embodiment, the fixing hole 26 and the fixing hole 63 are through holes. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the fixing hole 26 and the fixing hole 63 may not be through holes. That is, it does not have to penetrate.

  Although the ball leveling main body and the weight member are separate members, the present invention is not limited to this, and the ball leveling main body and the weight member may be integrated.

  In the embodiment described above, the number of weight members is two, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the weight members are integrated to form a weight member having two centroids such as a dumbbell shape. It may be. Further, the number of weight members may be three or more.

  In the above-described embodiment, the supply chute in the game ball introducing device has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the same applies to the passage in the ball receiving tank.

  In the embodiment described above, the shape of the fixing hole is substantially semicircular, but the present invention is not limited to this, and may be a crescent shape or a shape lacking a part of a perfect circle.

  In the embodiment described above, the shape near the apex of the upper surface of the fixing hole in the depth direction of the fixing hole is partially deformed, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the shape of the upper surface of the fixing hole in the depth direction is fixed. It is not necessary to change the shape near the apex.

1 Clogging prevention device 2 Pachinko ball (game ball)
3 game ball introducing device 11 supply flow path (flow path)
20, 61 Ball leveling member (main part)
21 Fixed shaft (shaft)
24, 62 Fixing member (fixing part)
25 Weight member (weight part)
26, 63 Fixing hole (hole)
150 Pachinko machines (game machines)
151 Amusement Island (Game Machine Group)

Claims (4)

In a gaming hall where a plurality of gaming machines that use gaming balls are installed, the clogging prevention device is arranged on a flow path that passes from the fixed portion and passes through the gaming balls.
A main body that is suspended in the vicinity of the flow path;
It has a shaft that hangs the main body part on the fixed part,
The main body has weight parts at a plurality of locations,
The center of gravity of at least two weight parts on the basis of the posture in which the main body part is suspended in an unloaded state is at a position sandwiching the vertical line passing through the axis,
At least one of the body portion or the fixing portion has a hole for inserting the shaft, the bore is larger than the shaft, the shaft and the hole is Ri relatively movable der,
Based on the posture in which the main body is suspended in an unloaded state, the thickness direction of the main body is oriented in the longitudinal direction of the shaft,
Clogging prevention and wherein a movable der Rukoto in the longitudinal direction of the body portion axis. The clogging prevention device according to claim 1, wherein the main body is swingable in a thickness direction of the main body. The weight part is composed of a plurality of weight members,
The clogging prevention device according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the weight members are arranged on the same circumference with the shaft as a rotation axis on the basis of a posture in which the main body portion is suspended in an unloaded state. A game ball introducing device installed in a gaming machine group formed by gathering one or more gaming machines,
It has a supply flow path for supplying game balls to the gaming machine,
A game ball introduction device comprising the clogging prevention device according to claim 1 on the supply flow path.

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