JP7112094B2 - Distribution control mechanism - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a distribution control mechanism.

Conventionally, a passage through which game media circulate is provided with a circulation control mechanism, and the circulation of game media is controlled by opening or closing the passage with the circulation control mechanism (for example, Patent document 1).

JP 2012-130593 A

However, in the conventional circulation control mechanism, since the member that blocks the circulation of the game media is plate-shaped, when the member is to enter the passage, the load of pushing the game media is likely to increase.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a flow control mechanism that can reduce the load when closing a passage.

A circulation control mechanism for solving the above problems is a circulation control mechanism for controlling circulation of game media in a passage, comprising a motor, a circulation control member displaced by the motor, and at least a portion of the bottom surface of the passage. a bottom plate portion, wherein the flow control member includes a rectangular box-shaped base portion that is displaced by the operation of the motor; a plurality of rod-shaped portions ; the bottom plate portion is formed with insertion holes through which the plurality of rod-shaped portions are individually inserted; and the flow control member is positioned between a first position and a second position. In the first position, all of the rod-shaped portion or a portion of the rod-shaped portion on the tip end side protrudes into the passage from the insertion hole, thereby regulating the circulation of the game medium in the passage. The second position is a position in which the rod-shaped portions do not protrude from the insertion holes into the passage, and the game medium is allowed to flow in the passage, and the plurality of rod-shaped portions has first rod-shaped portions located at both ends in the width direction of the passage, and second rod-shaped portions located between the first rod-shaped portions, and when the upper surface of the base portion is used as a reference, the The tip of the first rod-shaped portion is positioned higher than the tip of the second rod-shaped portion, and the first rod-shaped portion has a larger diameter than the second rod-shaped portion .

In the flow control mechanism described above, the distal end portions of the plurality of rod-shaped portions may be thinner than the proximal end portions.
The flow control mechanism further includes a guide portion for guiding displacement of the flow control member, the guide portion having a guide surface extending along a direction intersecting the bottom surface, The side end is at least partially open so that at least a portion of the plurality of rod-shaped portions can pass therethrough. A protective portion capable of covering the end portion of the guide portion on the passage side is provided between the bottom plate portion and the end portion of the guide portion on the passage side, and the protective portion includes: A second insertion hole is formed through which each of the plurality of rod-shaped portions is inserted, and the second insertion hole is preferably smaller than the first insertion hole.

According to the present invention, it is possible to reduce the load when closing the passage.

Front view of the island facility. The front view of a lifting device. The top view of a lifting device. The right side view of a lifting device. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VV shown in FIG. 2; 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VI-VI shown in FIG. 5; FIG. A cross-sectional view taken along line VII-VII shown in FIG. The top view of a lifting device. The top view of the bottom member for game balls (upstream side bottom member). The top view of the bottom member for game medals (upstream side bottom member). The front view of a shutter mechanism. A cross-sectional view taken along line XII-XII shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is a plan view of the shutter mechanism showing a partially broken bottom plate;

An embodiment of an island facility for installing game machines will be described below.
As shown in FIG. 1, the gaming system 10 includes a plurality of island facilities 11. The island facilities 11 are arranged in parallel with each other. The island facilities 11 are facilities for installing the game machines 12 (so-called game islands). In this embodiment, the gaming machine 12 installed in the island facility 11 is either a pachinko gaming machine or a slot machine. A plurality of game machines 12 are fixed to the island facility 11 so as to be horizontally aligned. Hereinafter, the direction in which the game machines 12 are arranged will be referred to as the width direction D1 of the island facility 11, the vertical direction will be referred to as the height direction D2 of the island facility 11, and the direction perpendicular to the width direction D1 and the height direction D2 (on the page of FIG. 1). ) is shown as the depth direction D3 of the island facility 11. As shown in FIG. FIG. 1 shows a state in which a pachinko game machine is installed as an example of the island facility 11 .

A pachinko game machine will be explained. A game ball Bp is used as the game medium B in the pachinko game machine. A pachinko game machine includes a game board with a defined game area, a shooting handle, a display device capable of displaying a variable game with varying patterns, and detection of entry of a game ball Bp into a prize winning opening opening in the game area. and a game control device that performs various controls based on the detection results of the sensors. The pachinko game machine conducts a jackpot lottery when a game ball Bp shot in accordance with the operation of a shooting handle enters a starting winning hole, and when the jackpot lottery wins the jackpot, after deriving a jackpot pattern in a variable game. It is configured to provide a jackpot game. In the jackpot game, a jackpot is opened. The pachinko game machine has a storage section for storing game balls Bp supplied from the island facility 11, and a discharge section for discharging the game balls Bp entering the winning opening or the out opening.

Describe the slot machine. Game medals Bm are used as game media B in the slot machine. A slot machine has a start lever, a plurality of reels, stop buttons respectively corresponding to the plurality of reels, and a game control device for performing various controls. When the start lever is operated with game medals Bm bet, the slot machine draws a winning combination and starts a variable game by starting rotation of a plurality of reels. The slot machine stops a plurality of reels based on the result of the winning combination lottery and the operation of the stop button. A corresponding prize is awarded to the player. The award includes the payout of game medals Bm. The slot machine has a storage section for storing the game medals Bm supplied from the island facility 11 and a discharge section for discharging the game medals Bm overflowing from the storage section.

The game balls Bp and the game medals Bm will be explained.
The game ball Bp is a sphere made of metal (such as steel) and made of a uniform material. As an example, the game ball Bp has a diameter of 11 mm and a mass of 5.4 g or more and 5.7 g or less. The game medal Bm is disk-shaped and made of metal (stainless steel, brass, etc.). As an example, the game medal Bm has a diameter of 25 mm and a thickness of 1.6 mm, or a diameter of 30 mm and a thickness of 1.7 mm. The diameter of the game medal Bm is larger than the thickness.

When the game ball Bp is placed on the inclined surface inclined at the first angle with respect to the horizontal direction, it moves (hereinafter referred to as rolling) so as to roll in the inclined direction due to gravity. Further, when the game medal Bm is placed on the inclined surface inclined at the second angle with respect to the horizontal direction, the game medal Bm slides (hereinafter referred to as sliding) in the inclined direction due to gravity. Generally, the second angle is larger than the first angle because the friction between the game medal Bm and the inclined surface cannot be ignored. In the following description, the term "specific angle" means an angle at which the game ball Bp placed on the inclined surface can roll and the game medal Bm can slide. In addition, the rolling of the game ball Bp down the inclined surface and the sliding of the game medal Bm down the inclined surface are collectively indicated as “flow down”. In the following description, game balls Bp and game medals Bm are referred to as game media B when not distinguished from each other.

The island facility 11 includes a lifting device 20 for lifting the game media B. The lifting device 20 is configured to be able to lift both the game balls Bp and the game medals Bm. As an example, the lifting device 20 is arranged in the center (substantially the center) of the island facility 11 in the width direction D1. Details of the lifting device 20 will be described later. The island facility 11 includes an upper island inner gutter 21 into which the game media B lifted by the lifting device 20 flow. The upper island inner gutter 21 is inclined at an angle equal to or greater than a specific angle so as to descend outward in the left-right direction. The game medium B that has flowed into the upper island inner gutter 21 flows down toward the left and right outer sides in the width direction D1 (see arrow Y1). The game medium B flowing down the upper island inner gutter 21 is supplied to the reservoir of each game machine 12 (see arrow Y2).

The island facility 11 includes a lower island inner gutter 23 for receiving game media B discharged from a plurality of game machines 12. - 特許庁The lower island inner gutter 23 is inclined at an angle equal to or greater than a specific angle so as to descend inward in the left-right direction. The game media B ejected from the ejection portion of each gaming machine 12 flows into the lower island inner gutter 23 (see arrow Y3). The game medium B that has flowed into the lower island inner gutter 23 flows down toward the inside in the width direction D1 (see arrow Y4). Then, the game medium B flowing down the lower island inner gutter 23 is taken in by the lifting device 20 and lifted again to the upper part of the island facility 11 (see arrow Y5).

The island facility 11 includes lower island tanks 25, 25 for storing the game media B. - 特許庁Surplus game media B in the island facility 11 and game media B supplied from another island facility 11 are stored in the lower island tanks 25 , 25 . Each of the lower island inner tanks 25 and 25 is provided with a shutter (not shown). The island facility 11 includes a counting device 26 that counts the game media B and returns the counted game media B to the island facility 11.例文帳に追加The island facility 11 may be configured such that the game media B counted by the counting device 26 flow into the lower island inner gutter 23 or flow into the lower island inner tanks 25 , 25 .

The lifting device 20 will be described.
As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the lifting device 20 is a polishing and lifting device that simultaneously polishes and lifts the game media B by stirring and lifting the game media B and the abrasive K. configured as For example, the abrasive K is granular resin of polycarbonate. The width direction Dw of the lifting device 20 matches the width direction D1, the height direction Dh matches the height direction D2, and the depth direction Dd matches the depth direction D3. However, the directions Dw, Dh, and Dd of the lifting device 20 do not have to match the directions D1 to D3, respectively. When the lifting device 20 is viewed from the front, the left and right directions are directions along the width direction Dw, the upward and downward directions are directions along the height direction Dh, and the forward and rearward directions are directions. The direction is the direction along the depth direction Dd.

The lifting device 20 has a base 28 fixed to the floor of the playground, a support 29 erected on the base 28, and an upper structure 30 supported by the support 29. The lifting device 20 includes a lifting section 31 that takes in and lifts the game medium B flowing down the lower island inner gutter 23 . The lifting section 31 has a lifting passage member 32 that extends upward while gently curving. A intake port 31 a is formed in the lower end portion of the transfer passage member 32 . The up-and-down passage member 32 forms a up-and-down passage 32a that guides upward the game media B taken in from the intake port 31a. The lifting passage 32a is an example of a passage, and the lifting passage member 32 is an example of a passage portion forming the passage.

The lifting section 31 has a screw member 33 housed in the lifting passage 32 a and a motor 34 that rotates the screw member 33 . The screw member 33 has a connecting portion 33a connected to the motor 34, and a screw 35 which is a portion spirally extending from the connecting portion 33a. The screw member 33 is arranged so that the connecting portion 33a, which is the base end portion side, is located on the upper end portion side of the lifting device 20 (lifting passage member 32). The tip of the screw member 33 (screw 35) is a free end that is not fixed.

As shown in FIG. 2, the screw 35 has a helical coil shape without an axis. The clearance between the outer peripheral surface 35a of the screw 35 and the inner peripheral surface 32b of the lifting passage member 32 (the inner surface of the lifting passage 32a) is shorter than the diameter of the game ball Bp and thicker than the thickness of the game medal Bm. short. The distance between the tip surface 35c at the tip portion 35b of the screw 35 and the lower end wall surface 32c of the lifting passage 32a is shorter than the diameter of the game ball Bp and shorter than the thickness of the game medal Bm.

In the lifting device 20, the game medium B taken into the lifting passage 32a is mixed with the granular resin in the lifting passage 32a, stirred by the rotation of the screw 35, and lifted to the upper structure 30. (see arrow Y5). In this way, the lifting section 31 is configured to lift the game medium B and the abrasive K in a mixed state. The tip 35b of the screw 35 is the upstream end of the screw member 33 in the game medium B transport direction, and the connecting part 33a is the downstream end of the screw member 33 in the game medium B transport direction. The intake port 31a is formed in the up-and-down passage member 32 at a position spaced downstream from the upstream end (tip 35b) of the screw member 33 in the game medium B conveying direction.

As shown in FIG. 3, the upper structural part 30 has a rectangular box-shaped housing 39 extending along the width direction Dw. The lifting device 20 has a separation section 36 that separates the game media B and the abrasive K that have been lifted by the lifting section 31 . The separating section 36 is provided in the upper structural section 30 . The upper end of the lift passage member 32 extends into the separation portion 36 of the upper structure 30, and the lift passage 32a opens into the separation portion 36. As shown in FIG. Although details will be described later, in the separating section 36, the abrasive material K and dirt scraped off from the game medium B are separated from the game medium B (see arrow Y6a).

As shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, the lifting device 20 has upper island tanks 38, 38 for storing the game media B. As shown in FIGS. The upper island inner tanks 38, 38 are formed by partitioning the inner space of the housing 39 forming the upper structure 30 with two partition walls 39b extending along the depth direction Dd. The upper island inner tanks 38, 38 form an inlet 38a for the game medium B by opening upward at least partially (see FIG. 5). The game media B that have passed through the separation section 36 flow into the upper island tank 38 through the inlet 38a (see arrows Y6b and Y7a).

At the lower ends of the upper island inner tanks 38, 38, outflow ports 38b are formed that open toward the left and right sides in the width direction Dw (see FIG. 5). The outflow port 38b of each of the upper island tanks 38, 38 is connected to the upper island inner gutter 21, respectively. The game medium B flowing into the upper island inner tanks 38, 38 is supplied from the outlet 38b to each upper island inner gutter 21 (see arrow Y7b). Further, the upper island inner tanks 38, 38 are each formed with a supply port 38c that opens toward the front and rear sides in the depth direction Dd (see FIG. 5).

The lifting device 20 includes a gathering section 40 for gathering the game media B to be delivered to the tanks 25, 25 in the lower island. The collective portion 40 is formed between the upper island inner tanks 38 in the width direction Dw by partitioning the internal space of the housing 39 that constitutes the upper structural portion 30 . In the present embodiment, in addition to the game media B overflowing from the upper island tanks 38 and 38 (hereinafter simply referred to as overflowed game media B), the game media B supplied from other island facilities 11 are also stored in the collection unit 40 . flows in.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 7, the collecting portion 40 has a guide tube 41. As shown in FIG. The guide pipe 41 forms an overflow passage 41a that guides the overflowed game media B downward. The guide tube 41 is, for example, a hose material having predetermined flexibility. The upper end of the guide pipe 41 is open, and the overflow passage 41a opens upward. The guide tube 41 is formed with an opening 43 that penetrates a part of the guide tube 41 along the depth direction Dd. A lower end of the guide tube 41 is sealed by a sealing member 42 .

As shown in FIG. 7, the lifting device 20 moves the game media B, which has overflowed over the upper end of the partition wall 39b that partitions the upper island tanks 38, 38, into the upper end of the guide pipe 41 (overflow passage). 41a) with an overflow guide gutter 46. The overflow guide gutter 46 is inclined at a specific angle or more toward the opening of the upper end of the guide pipe 41 . The overflowed game medium B is guided to the upper end of the guide tube 41 by the overflow guide gutter 46 and flows into the overflow passage 41a (see arrows Y8a and Y8b). The game medium B that has flowed into the overflow passage 41a flows out of the overflow passage 41a through the opening 43. As shown in FIG.

The lifting device 20 includes a first receiving section 50 for receiving the game medium B delivered from another island facility 11 adjacent in the forward direction in the depth direction Dd, and another island facility adjacent in the rearward direction in the depth direction Dd. and a second receiving section 60 for receiving the game media B sent out from 11 . The lifting device 20 includes a first delivery section 69A that delivers the game medium B from a supply port 38c formed in the upper island tank 38 to another island facility 11 adjacent in the front direction, and a first delivery section 69A formed in the upper island tank 38. and a second delivery section 69B for delivering the game medium B from the supply port 38c to another island facility 11 adjacent in the rear direction. The delivery units 69A and 69B each have a shutter mechanism 80 . Details of the shutter mechanism 80 will be described later.

The first receiving section 50 is connected to the second sending section of the lifting device 20 provided in the other island facility 11 adjacent in the forward direction by the island crossing gutter 49A. The second receiving section 60 is connected to the first sending section of the lifting device 20 provided in the other island facility 11 adjacent in the rear direction by the island crossing gutter 49A. The first delivery section 69A is connected to the second receiving section of the lifting device 20 provided in another island facility 11 adjacent in the front direction by an island gutter 49B. The second delivery section 69B is connected to the first receiving section of the lifting device 20 provided in the other island facility 11 adjacent in the rear direction by the island crossing gutter 49B. Thus, the lifting device 20 is configured to be able to transfer the game media B between the adjacent island facilities 11 via the island crossing troughs 49A and 49B. The island crossing troughs 49A and 49B each incline at an angle equal to or greater than a specific angle. The island-crossing gutter 49A, 49B is an example of a passage portion forming an island-crossing passage TS, which is an example of a passage.

The first receiving section 50 will be described.
As shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, the first receiving portion 50 is formed with a first receiving space 50a. The first receiving space 50a includes a side wall 39a facing the front of the housing 39, a partition wall 39c facing the rear of the side wall 39a, a side wall 39a facing the left, and a side wall 39a facing the right of the side wall 39a. The partition wall 39b, the bottom plate 51, and the top plate 52 divide a part of the space inside the upper island tank 38 on the left side. A side wall 39a of the housing 39 facing forward is formed with a first receiving port 50b penetrating in the depth direction Dd. The first receiving port 50b communicates the first receiving space 50a with the outside. An island-shaped gutter 49A is connected to the first receiving port 50b. A through hole 54 is formed in the partition wall 39b so as to penetrate the partition wall 39b in the width direction Dw. The through-hole 54 communicates with the first receiving space 50a and the internal space of the collecting portion 40 so that the game media B can pass therethrough.

A game medium B sent out from another island facility 11 flows into the first receiving space 50a from the first receiving port 50b and falls toward the bottom plate 51 (see arrow Y9a). Then, the game media B that have fallen toward the bottom plate 51 are piled up on the bottom plate 51 and flow out to the collecting portion 40 through the through holes 54 (see arrow Y9b).

The second receiving section 60 will be described.
As shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, the second receiving portion 60 defines a second receiving space 60a by partitioning a portion of the space inside the right upper island tank 38 at the right rear corner portion of the housing 39. forming A side wall 39a of the housing 39 facing in the rear direction is formed with a second receiving port 60b penetrating in the depth direction Dd. The second receiving port 60b communicates the second receiving space 60a with the outside. The second receiving port 60b is connected with an island-shaped gutter 49A.

The second receiving space 60a extends from the right to the left behind the upper island inner tank 38 on the right side, and bends from the left end to extend forward. Also, the bottom surface 61 of the second receiving space 60a descends leftward from a portion located below the second receiving port 60b, and further descends forward from the left end. The bottom surface 61 is inclined at an angle equal to or greater than a specific angle. A through-hole 62 penetrating in the width direction Dw is formed in the partition wall 39b that partitions the upper island inner tank 38 on the right side. The through-hole 62 communicates with the second receiving space 60a and the internal space of the collecting section 40 so that the game media B can pass therethrough. A game medium B sent out from another island facility 11 flows into the second receiving space 60a from the second receiving port 60b and falls toward the bottom surface 61 (see arrow Y10a). The game media B that have fallen to the bottom surface 61 flow down the bottom surface 61, pass through the through-holes 62, and flow out to the collecting portion 40 (see arrow Y10b).

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 to 7, the lifting device 20 has a distribution section 70 for distributing the game media B collected in the collecting section 40 to the lower island tanks 25, 25. FIG. The distribution section 70 includes two distribution hoses 71, 71 arranged along the width direction Dw. The distribution unit 70 includes two connection boxes 74, 74 arranged along the width direction Dw. The distribution section 70 is provided with two distribution troughs 79, 79 separately connected to the lower island tanks 25, 25, respectively. The left connection box 74 connects the left distribution hose 71 and the left distribution gutter 79 . The right connection box 74 connects the right distribution hose 71 and the right distribution gutter 79 .

That is, the left distribution hose 71 has its upper end fixed to the upper structure 30 and its lower end connected to the left connection box 74 . The right distribution hose 71 has its upper end fixed to the superstructure 30 while its lower end is connected to the right connection box 74 . The distribution hoses 71 , 71 respectively form distribution passages 72 that communicate the internal space of the collecting portion 40 and the internal spaces of the connection boxes 74 , 74 . The distribution passages 72 , 72 open to the bottom surface 40 b of the internal space in the collecting portion 40 respectively. The bottom surface 40b of the collective portion 40 is inclined from the peripheral portion toward the openings of the distribution passages 72,72. In addition, the inclination angle of the bottom surface 40b is an angle equal to or larger than a specific angle.

The game media B that have flowed into the gathering section 40 flow into the respective distribution passages 72, 72 (see arrow Y11). The game media B that have flowed into the distribution passages 72, 72 fall into the connection box 74 (see arrow Y12). The game media B that have flowed into the connection boxes 74, 74 flow down the distribution gutters 79, 79, respectively, and finally flow into the lower island tanks 25, 25 (see arrow Y14).

Next, the separation section 36 will be described in detail.
As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, a lifting passage 32a opens upward at the center of the separating portion 36 in the width direction Dw. The separating portion 36 includes, in plan view, two upstream bottom members 90, 90 disposed so as to sandwich the opening of the unloading passage 32a in the width direction Dw, and the upstream bottom members 90, 90 further extending in the width direction. It has two downstream side bottom members 92, 92 arranged so as to be sandwiched in the direction Dw. The downstream bottom members 92,92 are positioned below the upstream bottom members 90,90. The upstream bottom member 90 and the downstream bottom member 92 on the right side of the opening of the lifting passage 32a are inclined downward toward the right outer side in the width direction Dw. The upstream bottom member 90 and the downstream bottom member 92 on the left side of the opening of the lifting passage 32a are inclined downward toward the left outer side in the width direction Dw. The upstream side bottom members 90, 90 and the downstream side bottom members 92, 92 each incline at an angle equal to or greater than a specific angle.

The upstream bottom members 90 , 90 are configured to be arbitrarily attached to and detached from the separation section 36 . The downstream bottom members 92, 92 are fixed to the housing 39, but may be removable. The separating part 36 includes holding parts 91, 91 for holding the upstream bottom members 90, 90, respectively. The holding portions 91 , 91 are provided on the housing 39 . The upstream bottom members 90 , 90 are attached in a detachable state from the holding portion 91 using, for example, fixing members (not shown) such as screws and bolts. In this manner, the upstream bottom members 90, 90 form the bottom surface (bottom portion) of the separation section 36 when attached to the separation section 36, and the bottom surface extends in a predetermined direction (width in this embodiment). It can be said that it is an inclined surface that inclines in the direction Dw).

As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the upstream side bottom members 90, 90 that can be attached to the separating portion 36 include a game ball bottom member 90A as a first bottom member used when lifting the game ball Bp. , and a game medal bottom member 90B as a second bottom member used when lifting the game medals Bm. The game ball bottom member 90A and the game medal bottom member 90B are both made of a conductive material such as metal, and are grounded via the holding portions 91,91. In other words, in the present embodiment, the bottom surface of the conductive separating portion 36 also functions as static electricity removing means for removing static electricity.

As shown in FIG. 9, a game ball bottom member 90A is formed with a plurality of separation holes Hp through which a game ball Bp, which is an example of a first game medium, cannot pass, but through which an abrasive material K can pass. there is The plurality of separation holes Hp have a length along the width direction Dw longer than the diameter of the game ball Bp, and a depth direction Dd orthogonal to the width direction Dw and the height direction Dh (perpendicular direction). The length is shorter than the diameter of the game ball Bp. The plurality of separation holes Hp are slit-shaped. The plurality of separation holes Hp are opened at the end arranged on the side of the unloading passage 32a and extend from the end toward the end on the opposite side in the width direction Dw. That is, the plurality of separation holes Hp extend along the flowing direction of the game ball Bp.

As shown in FIG. 10, the game medal bottom member 90B is formed with a plurality of separation holes Hm through which the game medals Bm, which are an example of the second game medium, cannot pass but the abrasive material K can pass. there is Each of the plurality of separation holes Hm has a length along the width direction Dw and a length along a direction perpendicular to the width direction Dw and the height direction Dh (perpendicular direction) that are both larger than the diameter of the game medal Bm. short. The multiple separation holes Hm are round holes. Thus, the separation holes H include the separation holes Hp for the game balls Bp and the separation holes Hm for the game medals Bm. Incidentally, the diameter of the plurality of separation holes Hm may be larger or smaller than the diameter of the game ball Bp.

As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the separation section 36 has a spray nozzle 96, which is an example of a spray section, above the upstream edges of the upstream bottom members 90 and 90 in the direction in which the game medium B flows. Prepare. The spray nozzle 96 extends along the depth direction Dd. A plurality of blowing ports 97 are formed on the lower surface of the blowing nozzle 96 for blowing gas (air in this embodiment) toward the game medium B and the abrasive material K flowing from the lifting section 31 (lifting passage 32a). there is The multiple spray ports 97 are arranged along the depth direction Dd. That is, the blowing port 97 is provided so as to extend along the direction intersecting with the direction of inclination of the bottom surface of the separating portion 36 .

The lifting device 20 includes a gas supply device (not shown) such as an air compressor, and by operating the gas supply device, gas is blown toward the upstream bottom member 90 from a plurality of blowing ports 97 (arrow Y6c). In other words, it can be said that the separating section 36 is provided with the blowing port 97 for blowing the gas toward the game medium B and the abrasive material K that have flowed in from the lifting section 31 .

The separation unit 36 includes a vibration motor 98 that is an example of a vibration generator that generates vibrations in the upstream bottom members 90 , 90 . When the vibration motor 98 operates, at least the upstream bottom members 90, 90 of the separating section 36 vibrate. The vibration motor 98 may be attached to the upstream side bottom members 90, 90, and may be configured to transmit vibration to the upstream side bottom members 90, 90 via a vibration transmitting member (not shown). In this manner, the bottom surface of the separation section 36 is configured to be vibrated by the vibration motor 98 . In one example of this embodiment, the vibration generated by the vibration motor 98 is transmitted to the downstream end of the upstream bottom members 90, 90 in the direction in which the game medium B flows.

The game media B and the abrasive K conveyed by the rotation of the screw member 33 flow into the separation section 36 from the opening of the transfer passage 32 a of the transfer passage member 32 . Therefore, the separation part 36 of this embodiment constitutes an example of the inflow part. The game media B and the abrasive K that have flowed into the separation section 36 are separated into left and right sides in the width direction Dw, and flow down onto the upstream bottom members 90 , 90 . In the upstream side bottom members 90 , 90 , the game medium B flows down toward the left and right outer sides in the width direction Dw without dropping from the plurality of separation holes H, and reaches the downstream side bottom members 92 , 92 . Then, the game medium B flows down on the downstream side bottom members 92, 92 and flows into the upper island inner tanks 38, 38 (see arrow Y7a).

On the other hand, in the upstream bottom members 90, 90, the abrasive K drops from the separation hole H (indicated by arrow Y6a). Note that the abrasive material K dropped from the separation hole H and recovered is washed by a washing unit (not shown). The abrasive K after cleaning is transported to the upstream end of the screw member 33 and supplied to the lifting passage 32a. In other words, it is supplied again for polishing the game media B. Here, the cleaning liquid used in the cleaning section contains an antistatic agent (antistatic agent) as an additive. In other words, the static electricity suppressing agent contained in the cleaning agent used when cleaning the abrasive K is an example of static electricity removing means.

Further, from each blowing port 97 of the blowing nozzle 96, gas is blown against the game medium B and the abrasive K that have flowed into the upstream bottom members 90,90. Also, the operation of the vibration motor 98 vibrates the upstream bottom members 90 , 90 . Therefore, the abrasive material K mixed with the game media B is shaken downward and easily separated from the game media B. In addition, dirt removed from the game medium B by the rotation of the screw member 33 can be easily separated.

Next, the shutter mechanism 80 provided in the first delivery section 69A and the second delivery section 69B will be described. The shutter mechanisms 80 provided in the sending units 69A and 69B have the same configuration. The shutter mechanism 80 is an example of a circulation control mechanism that controls the circulation of game media in the passage.

As shown in FIGS. 11 to 13, the shutter mechanism 80 includes a rectangular box-shaped frame 81 extending in the vertical direction, a motor 83, a shutter 85 which is an example of a flow control member displaced by the motor 83, and a guide portion 89 that guides the displacement of the shutter 85 . The shutter mechanism 80 will be described in detail below.

The frame 81 is fixed to the island trough 49B or the housing 39 using fixing members (not shown) such as screws and bolts. A passage hole 81a is formed in the upper portion of the frame 81 so as to pass through the frame 81 along the depth direction Dd. That is, the upper portion of the frame 81 has a passage hole 81a, and constitutes a gate portion 82 through which the game media B can pass.

The gate portion 82 has a bottom plate 82a extending along the depth direction Dd and side walls 82b, 82b erected at both ends of the bottom plate 82a in the width direction Dw. The side walls 82b, 82b face each other in the width direction Dw and form side wall surfaces of the passage hole 81a. The bottom plate 82a forms the bottom surface of the passage hole 81a. That is, the bottom plate 82a forms part of the bottom surface TSa of the island passage TS, which is an example of the passage. The game medium B flowing out from the supply port 38c of the upper island inner tank 38 can pass through the gate portion 82 when flowing down the island crossing trough 49B.

The bottom plate 82a is formed with a plurality of first insertion holes 82c passing through the bottom plate 82a along the height direction Dh. The plurality of first insertion holes 82c are arranged along the width direction Dw. There are eight first insertion holes 82c in this embodiment, all of which are round holes. The diameter of the first insertion hole 82c is smaller than the diameter of the game ball Bp and smaller than the diameter of the game medal Bm. That is, the plurality of first insertion holes 82c are sized such that the game medium B cannot pass through.

The shutter 85 includes a rectangular box-shaped base portion 86 extending along the width direction Dw, and a plurality of round bar-shaped shutter pins 87 extending upward from the upper surface of the base portion 86 . . The plurality of shutter pins 87 are arranged along the width direction Dw (the width direction of the island passage TS). In one example of the present embodiment, there are ten shutter pins 87, all of which are rod-shaped portions (rod-shaped portions). The interval between the plurality of shutter pins 87 along the width direction Dw is narrower than the diameter of the game ball Bp and narrower than the diameter of the game medal Bm. The plurality of shutter pins 87 are narrower at their distal ends than their proximal ends. The tip portions of the plurality of shutter pins 87 are all conical. That is, each of the plurality of shutter pins 87 has a sharp shape.

Among the plurality of shutter pins 87, the shutter pins 87 at both ends in the width direction Dw (hereinafter referred to as first shutter pins 87) are relatively smaller than the other shutter pins 87 (hereinafter referred to as second shutter pins 87). long. That is, when the base portion 86 is used as a reference, the tips of the shutter pins 87 at both ends are positioned higher than the tips of the other shutter pins 87 . Also, the shutter pins 87 at both ends have a larger diameter (that is, thicker) than the other shutter pins 87 . In this embodiment, the shutter pins 87 at both ends are an example of the first rod-shaped portion, and the other shutter pins 87 are an example of the second rod-shaped portion.

As shown in FIG. 11, the shutter 85 can be displaced between a first position PA and a second position PB by a motor 83. As shown in FIG. The first position PA is a position where a portion of the tip side of the second shutter pin 87 protrudes into the island passage TS from the first insertion hole 82c, and restricts the circulation of the game media B in the island passage TS. The second position PB is a position where the second shutter pin 87 does not protrude from the first insertion hole 82c into the island transfer passage TS and allows the game medium B to flow within the island transfer passage TS. When the shutter 85 is at the first position PA, one second shutter pin 87 is inserted into each of the first insertion holes 82c. In a plan view, the first shutter pins 87 are positioned on the opposite side (outside) of the island passage TS across the side wall 82b.

The diameter of the first insertion hole 82 c is sufficiently larger than the diameter of the second shutter pin 87 . Therefore, the second shutter pin 87 is prevented from coming into contact with the edge of the first insertion hole 82c as the shutter 85 is displaced. On the other hand, since the distance (clearance) between the second shutter pin 87 and the edge of the first insertion hole 82c is increased, abrasive material K, dust, dirt, and game media B are scraped off from this portion. Foreign matter such as dirt may fall.

The guide portion 89 is provided below the gate portion 82 in the frame 81 . The guide portion 89 includes a planar first side wall 89a orthogonal to the depth direction Dd, and a second side wall 89a extending from both ends of the first side wall 89a in the width direction Dw toward the side where the shutter 85 is disposed. side walls 89b, 89b. When the motor 83 operates, the shutter 85 moves along the inner surfaces of the first side wall 89a and the second side wall 89b.

That is, the shutter 85 is displaced along the guide surface 89c, which is the inner surface of the side walls 89a and 89b on the base portion 86 side. The guide surface 89c extends along a direction crossing the bottom surface TSa of the island passage TS. And the guide part 89 of this embodiment is not provided with the ceiling. That is, of the first side wall 89a and the second side wall 89b, the guide portion 89 is configured such that at least a portion of the shutter 85 can pass therethrough by opening the upper end portion 89d, which is the end portion on the side of the island passage TS. be done.

The shutter mechanism 80 of this embodiment includes a protective plate 100, which is an example of a protective section for protecting the components of the shutter mechanism 80 from foreign matter. The protection plate 100 is arranged between the bottom plate 82a and the upper end portion 89d of the guide portion 89 on the side of the island passage TS. The protective plate 100 is a rectangular plate-shaped member extending along the width direction Dw. The protective plate 100 has a planar shape perpendicular to the height direction Dh.

A plurality of second insertion holes 101 are formed in the protective plate 100 so as to pass through the protective plate 100 along the height direction Dh. The plurality of second insertion holes 101 are arranged along the width direction Dw. The plurality of second insertion holes 101 are circular holes and have diameters smaller than the diameter of any shutter pin 87 . The diameter of the plurality of second insertion holes 101 is smaller than the diameter of the game ball Bp and smaller than the diameter of the game medal Bm.

The diameter of the plurality of second insertion holes 101 is smaller than the diameter of the plurality of first insertion holes 82c. One shutter pin 87 is inserted through each of the plurality of second insertion holes 101 . Therefore, the gap between each shutter pin 87 and the edge of the second insertion hole 101 is smaller than the gap between the shutter pin 87 and the edge of the first insertion hole 82c. Therefore, even if foreign matter falls from the first insertion hole 82c, the foreign matter will fall below the protection plate 100 from the gap between the shutter pin 87 and the edge of the second insertion hole 101. is suppressed.

Here, if a foreign object that has fallen from the first insertion hole 82 c enters between the guide surface 89 c of the guide portion 89 and the base portion 86 , it will interfere with the displacement of the base portion 86 , and the shutter 85 will not move. Displacement may not be performed properly. According to the present embodiment, the protection plate 100 prevents foreign matter from entering the portion of the base portion 86 . Therefore, interference of foreign matter can be suppressed. Further, the protection plate 100 is only inserted through the second insertion hole 101 with the shutter pin 87 and is not fixed to other members. Therefore, when the shutter 85 is displaced, the contact between the shutter pin 87 and the protective plate 100 and hindrance of the displacement of the shutter 85 is suppressed. In addition, since the first shutter pins 87 at both ends are longer than the second shutter pins 87, even if the protective plate 100 swings along the height direction Dh, it can be prevented from coming off easily.

The action and effect of this embodiment will be described.
(1) According to the present embodiment, since the gas is blown from the blowing port 97, the separation of the game medium B and the abrasive K is facilitated, and the abrasive K can be easily recovered from the separation hole H. Therefore, in the lifting device 20 capable of polishing and lifting the game media B at the same time, the outflow of the abrasive material K can be suppressed.

(2) According to the present embodiment, since the blowing port 97 is provided so as to extend along the direction intersecting the inclination direction of the bottom surface of the separating portion 36, unevenness of gas blowing can be suppressed, and the abrasive can be Uneven promotion of K separation is suppressed.

(3) According to the present embodiment, since static electricity can be removed in the separation section 36, the separation of the abrasive material K can be further promoted.
(4) According to this embodiment, the upstream bottom members 90, 90 are made of a material having conductivity. Therefore, static electricity can be removed with a simple configuration.

(5) According to the present embodiment, since at least a portion of the separating portion 36 is vibrated, the separation of the game medium B and the abrasive K is facilitated, and the abrasive K can be easily recovered from the separation hole H. . Therefore, in the lifting device 20 capable of polishing and lifting the game media B at the same time, the outflow of the abrasive material K can be suppressed.

(6) According to the present embodiment, since the bottom surfaces (upstream side bottom members 90, 90) where the separation holes H are open vibrate, the abrasive K can be efficiently separated.
(7) According to the present embodiment, by exchanging the game ball bottom member 90A and the game medal bottom member 90B, the game balls Bp and the game medals Bm can be exchanged from each game medium B. Abrasive material K can be separated. Therefore, the lifting device 20 can be used for a plurality of types of game media B as well.

(8) According to the present embodiment, by assembling the game ball bottom member 90A, the abrasive material K can be efficiently separated without dropping the game ball Bp.
(9) According to the present embodiment, by assembling the game medal bottom member 90B, the abrasive material K can be efficiently separated without dropping the game medals Bm.

(10) According to this embodiment, the second insertion hole 101 formed in the protective plate 100 is smaller than the first insertion hole 82c formed in the bottom plate 82a. That is, since the first insertion hole 82c is relatively large, interference between the first insertion hole 82c and the shutter 85 (flow control member) is suppressed. Even if a foreign object falls from the first insertion hole 82 c , the protection plate 100 prevents the foreign object from further falling into the guide portion 89 . In particular, since the second insertion hole 101 is relatively small, the gap between the second insertion hole 101 and the shutter 85 (shutter pin 87) can also be reduced. Therefore, falling of foreign matter can be further suppressed. Therefore, interference of foreign matter can be suppressed.

(11) According to the present embodiment, since the game media B cannot pass through the first insertion hole 82c, the dropping of the game media B can be effectively suppressed.
(12) According to this embodiment, the shutter 85 is composed of a plurality of shutter pins 87 . Therefore, the shutter pin 87 forming the tip of the shutter 85 is displaced so as to push through the game media B, so that the island passage TS can be easily closed and opened.

(13) According to the present embodiment, the protective plate 100 is plate-shaped and is not fixed. Therefore, while suppressing interference of foreign matter, it is also possible to suppress impeding the displacement of the shutter 85. can.

(14) According to the present embodiment, the shutter 85 is composed of a plurality of shutter pins 87 arranged along the width direction of the island passage TS. Therefore, the shutter 85 can be projected into the island passage TS to close the island passage TS while easily pushing through the game media B in the island passage TS. Therefore, the load when closing the passage can be reduced.

(15) According to this embodiment, since the tip portion of the shutter pin 87 is thinner than the base end portion, when the shutter 85 enters the island passage TS, the game medium B in the passage can be more easily removed. can be scraped apart.

(16) According to this embodiment, the distance between the plurality of shutter pins 87 is narrower than both the diameter of the game ball Bp and the diameter of the game medal Bm. Therefore, the distribution of game media B can be regulated more reliably.

(17) According to the present embodiment, since the plurality of shutter pins 87 are sharp-pointed, when the shutter 85 enters the island passage TS, the game media B in the passage can be pushed aside more easily. be able to.

(18) According to the present embodiment, the inlet 31a for the game medium B is the upstream end of the screw member 33 in the conveying direction of the game medium B (the tip 35b of the screw 35). ) is formed at a position spaced downstream from. Therefore, depending on the shape of the game medium B, it is possible to prevent the game medium B from being caught in the upstream end of the screw member 33 . Therefore, the lifting device 20 can be used for a plurality of types of game media B as well. The entanglement depending on the shape of the game medium B occurs, for example, when the game medals Bm are disc-shaped and are arranged so as to expand in the moving direction of the tip portion 35b of the screw 35. (see Figure 2).

(19) According to the present embodiment, since the upstream end of the screw member 33 (tip 35b of the screw 35) is a free end, the game medium B is easily caught depending on the shape of the game medium B. Become. However, since the intake port 31a for the game media B is formed at a position spaced downstream from the upstream end of the screw member 33, the entanglement of the game media B can be suppressed.

(20) According to the present embodiment, the distance between the outer peripheral surface of the screw member 33 (screw 35) and the inner surface of the lifting passage 32a is narrower than the diameter of the game ball Bp and the thickness of the game medal Bm. Neither the game balls Bp nor the game medals Bm enter the gap. Therefore, the lifting device 20 can be used for both the game balls Bp and the game medals Bm.

(21) According to the present embodiment, of the screw member 33, the pitch of the screw 35 (the spirally extending portion) is longer than the diameter of the game ball Bp and the diameter of the game medal Bm. The game medium B can be transported. Therefore, the lifting device 20 can be used for both the game balls Bp and the game medals Bm.

(22) According to this embodiment, the island facility 11 can exhibit the effects as described above.
This embodiment can be implemented with the following modifications. This embodiment and the following modified examples can be implemented in combination with each other within a technically consistent range.

- The separation section 36 may be provided with a conductive member such as a metal chain hanging down toward the bottom surface of the separation section 36 as static electricity removal means. According to this modified example, it is possible to prevent the stacking of the game media B by contacting the lower end portion of the conductive member with the game media B while removing static electricity.

- The separation unit 36 may be provided with an ion generator that generates ions that neutralize static electricity as static electricity removing means. According to this modified example, since static electricity can be removed without contact, it is possible to suppress new adhesion of dirt and foreign matter while removing static electricity.

- The separation unit 36 may include a suction mechanism for sucking air from the separation hole H. According to this modification, since air can be sucked through the separation hole H, the separation of the abrasive material K can be further promoted.
- The gas to be blown from the blowing port 97 is not limited to air, and may be nitrogen gas or the like. Further, the lifting device 20 may include a heating mechanism for heating the gas blown from the blowing port 97 .

The vibration motor 98 may vibrate the entire separating section 36 or may vibrate the side wall of the separating section 36 .
- The separation part 36 may be provided with the upstream bottom member 90 and may be configured without the downstream bottom member 92 . Also, the separating section 36 may include one upstream bottom member 90 or three or more upstream bottom members 90 . The downstream bottom member 92 may be configured similarly to the upstream bottom member 90 with a separation hole H. As shown in FIG.

- The number of separation holes H and the shape of the separation holes H in the upstream bottom member 90 (90A, 90B) may be changed. For example, the number of separation holes H may be one. The shape of the separation hole H may be square or elliptical.

The shutter mechanism 80 is provided to control the circulation of the game media B in the island passage TS, which is an example of the passage, but is not limited to this and may be provided in other passages. For example, the shutter mechanism 80 may be provided to open and close the outflow port 38b of the upper inland tank 38 using the outflow port 38b as a passage, and may be provided to control the outflow of the game media B from the lower inland tank 25. may

- The number of shutter pins 87 may be less than nine, or may be eleven or more.
- The shape of the shutter pin 87 may be changed. The shutter pin 87 may be in the shape of a square bar or in the shape of a square plate.

- The first shutter pin 87 may be omitted. That is, all the shutter pins 87 of the shutter mechanism 80 may have the same shape, length, and thickness.
・When the shutter 85 is positioned at the first position PA, part or all of the first shutter pin 87, which is longer than the second shutter pin 87, is configured to protrude into the passage, for example, the island passage TS. You may According to this modified example, when the shutter 85 enters the island passage TS, the timing of contact with the game medium B can be varied according to the length of the shutter pin 87 . Therefore, the game media B in the passage can be pushed aside more easily.

・When the shutter 85 is positioned at the first position PA, part or all of the first shutter pin 87, which is thicker than the second shutter pin 87, is configured to protrude into the passage, for example, the island passage TS. You may According to this modification, when the shutter 85 enters the island passage TS as an example, the amount of pushing the game medium B can be varied according to the thickness of the shutter pin 87 . Therefore, the game media B in the passage can be pushed aside more easily.

- When the shutter 85 is positioned at the first position PA, the entire shutter 85 may project into the island passage TS.
The lifting device 20 has a configuration that can be used for a plurality of types of game media B, but is not limited to this, and may be configured exclusively for one type of game media B. Also, the upstream bottom members 90, 90 may be configured to be non-replaceable.

The lifting device 20 may be configured without the spray port 97 in the separating section 36 or may be configured without the vibration motor 98 .
・The configuration for moving the game medium B is not limited to inclining the bottom surface of the passage at an angle equal to or greater than a specific angle. For example, a belt conveyor may be provided on the bottom surface of the passage to move the game media B. FIG.

Technical ideas that can be grasped from the above embodiment and modifications will be described.
(1) The plurality of rod-shaped portions include a first rod-shaped portion and a second rod-shaped portion longer than the first rod-shaped portion.

(2) The plurality of rod-shaped portions include a first rod-shaped portion and a second rod-shaped portion thicker than the first rod-shaped portion.
(3) Each of the plurality of rod-shaped portions has a sharp shape.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10... Game system, 11... Island facility, 12... Game machine, 31... Lifting part, 36... Separation part, 80... Shutter mechanism, 82a... Bottom plate, 82c... First insertion hole, 83... Motor, 85... Shutter, 87... Shutter pin, 89... Guide portion, 89c... Guide surface, 90 (90A, 90B)... Upstream bottom member, 96... Spray nozzle, 97... Spray port, 98... Vibration motor, 100... Protective plate, 101... Third 2 insertion holes, B... game media, Bm... game medals, Bp... game balls, H (Hp, Hm)... separation holes, K... abrasive material, PA... first position, PB... second position, TS... Shimawatari passage , TSa... bottom surface.

Claims (3)

In a circulation control mechanism that controls the circulation of game media in the passage,
a motor;
a flow control member displaced by the motor;
a bottom plate portion that forms at least part of the bottom surface of the passage,
The flow control member includes a rectangular box-shaped base portion that is displaced by the operation of the motor, and a plurality of bar-shaped portions that extend upward from the upper surface of the base portion and are arranged along the width direction of the passage. have
The bottom plate portion is formed with insertion holes through which the plurality of rod-shaped portions are individually inserted,
The flow control member is configured to be displaceable between a first position and a second position, and the first position is such that the entire rod-shaped portion or a portion of the rod-shaped portion on the distal end side extends through the insertion hole. The second position is a position in which the rod-shaped portion does not protrude into the passage from the insertion hole, and the game medium in the passage does not protrude into the passage. A position that allows the distribution of game media ,
The plurality of rod-shaped portions have first rod-shaped portions located at both ends in the width direction of the passage and second rod-shaped portions located between the first rod-shaped portions,
When the upper surface of the base portion is used as a reference, the tip of the first rod-shaped portion is positioned higher than the tip of the second rod-shaped portion, and the first rod-shaped portion is comparatively larger than the second rod-shaped portion. and a large diameter . 2. The flow control mechanism according to claim 1, wherein distal end portions of said plurality of rod-shaped portions are thinner than proximal end portions. further comprising a guide portion that guides displacement of the flow control member;
The guide portion has a guide surface extending along a direction intersecting with the bottom surface, and an end portion of the guide portion on the side of the passage is at least partially open so that the plurality of rod-shaped portions is passable to at least a portion of
If the insertion hole formed in the bottom plate portion is a first insertion hole,
A protective portion capable of covering the end of the guide portion on the passage side is provided between the bottom plate portion and the end portion of the guide portion on the passage side. , a second insertion hole through which each of the plurality of rod-shaped portions is inserted is formed, and the second insertion hole is smaller than the first insertion hole. 2. The distribution control mechanism according to 2.

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