JPH02232088A - Automatic pin adjusting machine for play board for pin ball playing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To adjust pins without depending on a skilled expert by operating a control means based on a measured value when pin data not coincident with the value measured by a picture processing sensor, moving a pin bending means to an objective pin position, applying load to part of the pin and bending the pin until it is coincident with the pin position of the pin data. CONSTITUTION:The positions of pins 15, 15... are measured by a picture processing sensor 16 and the measured value is compared with the read pin data for one day. Then, it is judged by a comparing means 29 whether there is the noncoincident pin 15 or not. Next, it is judged whether the dissidence is within a reference value or not. When the deviation of the pin 15 is within the reference value, the pin holder 18a is moved to the position of the objective pin 15. By advancing the pin holder 18a, a head part 15a of the pin 15 is fitted into a recessed part 23. In this state, a pin bending means 18 is operated. The pin holder 18a is forcibly moved so that the pin 15 can be bent in the position of xy coordinates in the pin data. Then, plastic deformation is made occur in the pin 15.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention provides an automatic nail adjustment machine that automatically adjusts a large number of nails driven into a game board of a pinball game machine such as a pachinko machine (hereinafter referred to as a pachinko machine). Regarding. [Prior Art] Traditionally, the adjustment of the numerous nails on the game board of a pachinko machine was done manually by a skilled expert called a ``nail artist.'' [Problem to be solved by the invention] However, the above-mentioned nail adjustment requires considerable experience, and as a result, the current situation is that there is an absolute shortage of nailers. In addition, there was a problem in that the profits of the amusement arcade were unstable because they were dependent on the skill of the nailer and lacked objectivity. Furthermore, with the increase in the number of pachinko machines produced in recent years,
The work of driving nails into game boards has become almost automated with the widespread use of automatic nailers, but although these automatic nailers are able to drive nails into accurate positions, they are not as accurate as the nails themselves and the size of the game board. There are variations in the direction of nails driven depending on the condition, so
After driving the nails with an automatic nail gun, it is necessary to correct the nails so that they are perpendicular to the game board. This work is done manually for each machine and requires skill, so there is a shortage of manpower, and even if the nailing process is automated, it may not lead to an increase in the number of machines produced.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to solve the problems of the prior art, the present invention uses an image processing sensor that images the game board with a camera and analyzes this image to actually measure the position of the nail on the game board surface; A comparison means that compares nail data specifying a position, the nail data and an actual value measured by an image processing sensor, a nail bending means that bends the nail by applying a load to a part of the nail, and a nail bending means that can be set arbitrarily on the game board surface. A comparison means compares the nail data and the actual value measured by the image processing sensor, and if the two do not match, the control means is operated based on the actual measurement value to move the nail to the target nail position. To provide an automatic nail adjustment machine for a game board for a pachinko machine, which moves a bending means and applies a load to a part of the nail by the nail bending means to bend the nail until it matches the nail position of nail data. be. [Operation] The position of the nail on the game board surface is read and stored as xy coordinates by the image processing sensor. On the other hand, the storage device stores nail data specifying the position where the nail should be located as 17 coordinates, and the nail data and the actual measured value are compared by a comparing means. If it is determined that the two do not match, the control means is first activated to change the actual measured value xyll.
Move the nail bending means to the position of mark l. Next, after the nail bending means is brought into contact with a part of the nail, the nail bending means is forcibly moved in the direction of the X7 coordinate of the nail data by the control means to bend the nail. This nail bending means bends the nail until it matches the xy coordinate position of the nail data, and then moves to the next target nail.

[Examples] Examples of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The figure shows a type of automatic nail adjustment machine that adjusts the nails of pachinko machines P, P, etc. installed in game parlors. The frame 1 that supports each functional part (nail holder 18a, camera 17, etc. to be described later) consists of two parallel vertical bars 1a, la, a horizontal connecting pipe 1b connecting the vertical bars 1a, la, and a vertical bar 1a. It consists of transverse feed screw shafts lc, lc which are rotated in forward and reverse directions by transverse feed motors 2, 2 mounted on the. Vertical rod 1a
, la have their upper ends bent into an inverted U shape, and the bent portions of the vertical rods 1a, la are hooked onto the moving rail 3 built above the island S as shown in Figures 2 and 3 to play pachinko. It is installed opposite to the front of machine P. Further, vacuum suction devices 4, 4 are provided at the lower ends of the vertical rods 1a, la. The vacuum suction device lt4
．． 4, the lower parts of the left and right vertical bars 1a, la are made into a pipe shape, and suction cups 5, 5 are provided at the tips thereof, and the pipe portions of both vertical bars 1a, la are communicated with each other by the connecting pipe 1b, and further connected. Attach the hose 7 of the suction device 6 to one end of the pipe 1b.
It is made by connecting. The suction cups 5, 5 of this vacuum suction device 14.4 are suctioned to the curtain plate 8 under the pachinko machine P to firmly fix the frame 1. Movable supports 9, 10 are screwed onto the horizontal feed screw shafts 1c, lc, respectively, and the upper and lower movable supports 9, 10 are connected by a vertical feed screw shaft 11 and a vertical guide rod 12. The vertical feed screw shaft l1 is rotated in forward and reverse directions by a vertical feed remoter l3 provided on the upper movable support 9. The vertical feed screw shaft 11 and the vertical guide rod l2 are equipped with a camera l that forms part of an image processing sensor l6 that actually measures the positions of the nails 15, 15, . . . on the game board l4.
7, and a nail holder 18a, which forms part of a nail bending means 18 that applies a lateral load to the nail l5 and bends the nail l5 while being engaged with the head 15a of the nail l5. This camera l7
and the nail holder 18a are housed in one casing 19, and when this casing l9 moves up and down with the rotation of the vertical feed screw shaft l1, the camera 17 and the nail holder 18a
also moves up and down. In addition, the vertical feed screw shaft 11
The vertical guide rod l2 moves horizontally in unison with the horizontal movement of the movable supports 9 and 10 by the rotation of the horizontal feed screw shafts 1c and lc. Therefore, the camera 17 and the nail holder 1 are moved horizontally by the movable supports 9 and 10 and by the vertical movement of the casing 19.
8a can face any part of the game board 14.

The image processing sensor l6 includes a camera l7 and the camera 1.
A CRT 20 that displays images 7 and a nail 1 on the CRT 20
5. It consists of an analysis program that detects the x and y coordinates of 15... For this image processing sensor 16, it is sufficient to use existing technology as is.

The actual measured values of the x and y coordinates of the nail 15 measured by the image processing sensor l6 are calculated by the computer 2 installed on the mobile cart 21.
The data is stored in the second storage device 22a.

The nail bending means 18 includes a transverse feed screw shaft 1c. It is constituted by a combination of the lc, its horizontal feed motors 2, 2, the vertical feed screw shaft 1l, the vertical feed remoter 13, and the nail holder 18a provided in the casing 19.

Among these, the nail holder 18a has a recess 23 at its tip that can loosely fit into the head 15a of the nail 15, as shown in FIGS.
A motor 24 provided in the casing 19 is driven to move the tip forward and engage the head 15a of the nail 15. In this case, there is a nail sensor 25 in the recess 23.
The operating rod 25a is facing, and the nail holder 18a is facing the nail l.
5, the motor 24 is stopped and the nail holder 18a is stopped. In this way, the head 1 of the nail l5 is held by the nail holder 18a.
5a is engaged, the vertical feed motor l3 and the horizontal feed motors 2, 2 are driven, and the nail holder 18a is moved in an arbitrary direction to forcibly bend the nail 15. As described above, the vertical feed motor 13, the horizontal feed motors 2, 2, and the motor 24 for moving the nail holder 18a back and forth are all controlled by the control means 27 of the computer 22. Further, the computer 22 is provided with a comparing means 29 for comparing the nail data specifying the position of the xytf mark of the nail l5 with the actual measurement value actually measured by the image processing sensor 16.
The comparison means 29 and the control means 27 are connected to the computer 2.
It forms part of the central processing unit 130 of No. 2. Next, the flow of nail adjustment for the pachinko machine Px with machine number X will be explained based on the flowcharts in FIGS. In step (1), first, the storage device 1i2 of the computer 22 is
Load the previous day's nail data of pachinko machine Px into 2a. Then, in steps (2), (3), and (4), the pachinko machine Px
Select today's nail data corresponding to
Load into. Here, the "launch rate" in step (2) is based on the average batting rate for each pachinko machine P, P.
It is assigned to... Also, step (3)
``Selection of nail data corresponding to the ball launch rate'' refers to the selection of nail data corresponding to the ball launch rate determined in step (2), based on the ball launch rate determined in step (2), based on the ball launch rate, and the actual value measured in advance by test hitting or business. The purpose is to select the desired pattern of nail data. In other words, since patterns of nail data corresponding to the respective percentages of the ball exit rate of 80%, 9, and 100% have already been found, it is necessary to select the nail data corresponding to the ball exit rate determined in step (2). It's okay. When the previous day's nail data and today's nail data have been read into the storage device 22a in this manner, a message to that effect is displayed in step (5). Next, in step (6), the automatic nail adjustment machine
Waiting to be installed in front of x. To install the pachinko machine Px, open the glass frame 32 of the pachinko machine Px, hook the upper bent portions of the vertical bars 1a, la onto the moving rail 3 of the island S, and attach the suction cups 5 at the lower ends of the vertical bars 1a, la. , 5 are attached to the curtain plate 8 under the pachinko machine Px. When the installation of the automatic nail adjustment machine is completed, the input of whether or not to change the nail data is waited for in step (7), but this is not the case for the next pachinko machine P. This corresponds to the case where the nail data is changed by moving to +. When the start button is pressed in step (8), first, in step (9), the casing 19 moves to the lower side of the game board 14 and the reference point stud 31. Search for 31 (step (10)). This reference point stud 31. From now on, each nail 15,
15. Measure the position of... or bend it. In step (11), camera l7 is moved to the block of game ffil4. A ``block'' is a section of the game board 14 divided into appropriate sizes, and refers to the area photographed by the camera 17 at every turn. The narrower this range, the better the measurement accuracy. In step (l2), the image processing sensor l6 detects the nails 15 and l.
5. Measure the position of... and find the xy coordinates. and,
Comparing means 2 compares this actual measurement value with today's nail data read in step (4) to see if there is any nail l5 that does not match.
Judging by 9. If the x and y coordinates of the two do not match, that nail 15 is displayed in a different color on the CRT 20 as the nail 15 to be adjusted (step (l4)). Next, in step (l5), it is determined whether the mismatch is within the reference value. here[
The "standard value" is the maximum value of rAa that can be achieved by the nail bending means 18, and even if the nail 15 has fallen off, it is treated as being outside the standard value. This process is step (l6)
The method is to display on the CRT 20 that nail l5 is abnormal, and then skip this and proceed to the next nail or the next block. Nail l5 outside the standard value will be dealt with later by the worker based on the CRT display. If the deviation of the nail l5 is within the reference value in step (l5), the nail holder 18a is moved to the position of the target nail l5 in step (l7). This is based on the actual measurement value of the nail l5 (the rotation speed and direction of the horizontal feed motors 2, 2, and the vertical feed remoter l so that the nail holder 18a reaches the xy coordinate position).
3 is controlled by the control means 27, and when it is confirmed in step (l8) that the nail holder 18a has reached the position of the corresponding nail l5, the nail holder 18a is moved in step (l9). Stop. Next, in step (20), the motor 24 is moved to move the nail holder 18a forward. Since the nail holder 18a is located directly in front of the target nail l5 as a result of moving based on the actual measurement value, the nail holder la
The head 15a of the nail l5 fits into the recess 23 as the nail l5 moves forward. Then, the operating rod 25a protruding into the recess 23 is pushed, the nail sensor 25 senses it, and the motor 24 is stopped (steps (21), (22)). In this state, the nail bending means 18 is activated in step (23). That is, the nail holder 18a is forcibly moved to bend the nail l5 to the xy coordinate position of the nail data, and the nail 15 is bent.
This causes plastic deformation to occur. At this time, there is a phenomenon in which the nail 15 returns slightly due to its elasticity. It is necessary to bend the nail l5 by an amount that takes this phenomenon into account (step (24)). In addition, when nail l5 is raised, nail 1
The head 15a of the nail l5 gradually becomes higher, but if the recess 23 is made deep as shown in Fig. 4, the head 15a of the nail l5 will fit deeply into the recess 23 and the nail l5 will stand up without any problem. Also, conversely, nail l5 may be knocked down; in this case, nail l5 may be knocked down.
The head 15a of the head 15a will gradually become lower and try to come out of the recess 23, but this should be taken into consideration from the beginning and the head 15a should be inserted deeply into the recess 23, or the head 15a should be inserted deeper into the recess 23, or the The nail holder 18a may be moved forward by the motor 24. After bending the nail l5 in this way, step (2)
In step 5), it is determined whether there is any unmatched nail l5 in the block, and if there is still one, the process returns to step (15) and repeats the same operation as above. Unmatched nails in the block in step (25)! If it is determined that 5 is gone, step (
In step 26), it is determined whether all blocks have been completed, and if there are any remaining blocks, camera l7 is moved to the next block in step (27), and the process jumps to step (l2) to repeat the same operation. In addition, if it is determined in step (26) that all blocks have been completed, in step (28) the camera 17, the nail holder 1
Return 8a to its original position. And step (29
) to move to the next pachinko machine, P8+, and input whether to continue the same work. If you want to continue, go back to step (6) and do the same work. If you do not want to continue, the game ends. Note that the nail data from the previous day is used to determine the pitching rate and to quickly determine which blocks require adjustment. In addition, a barcode 33 representing gauge information of the game board 14 is printed on the celluloid board affixed to the surface of the game board 14, and the barcode 33 is read by the image processing sensor 16 and the nail data is mistaken. Check if there are any. [Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the automatic nail adjustment machine of the present invention, nail adjustment can be performed without the need of skilled professionals, which can solve the problem of manpower shortage and also eliminate the need for relying on human intuition. Since nail adjustments can be made accurately based on objective data, stable operation of the amusement center is possible. Furthermore, by using an image processing sensor, it is not only accurate but also compatible with game boards of any gauge configuration, making it extremely valuable in practical terms.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is an overall perspective view, Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the state installed on the island, Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of Fig. 2, Fig. 4 is a sectional view showing the main parts of the nail holder, Fig. 5 The figure is a sectional view showing the function of Fig. 4, and Fig. 6 is a block diagram showing the outline of the automatic nail adjustment machine.
FIG. 7 is a flowchart explaining the operation. 14...Game board. 15... Nail, 16... Image processing sensor, l8... Nail bending means, 27... Control means, 29... Comparison means. Patent applicant: Taiko Electronics Industry Co., Ltd. 1 agent, patent attorney, Italy
Takeshi Fuji (p: Figure 1

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] An image processing sensor that projects a game board with a camera and analyzes this image to actually measure the position of a nail on the game board surface, nail data that specifies the position of the nail, and the nail data and actual measured values. It consists of a comparison means for comparison, a nail bending means for bending the nail by applying a load to a part of the nail, and a control means for moving the nail bending means to an arbitrary position on the game board surface, and is based on actual measurements using nail data and image processing sensors. The values are compared by a comparison means, and if the two do not match, the control means is operated based on the actual measured value to move the nail bending means to the target nail position, and the nail bending means applies a load to a portion of the nail. An automatic nail adjustment machine for a game board for a pinball game machine, characterized in that the nail is bent until it matches the nail position of the nail data.