JPH0346152B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a ball detection device for a pinball game machine in which a single detection switch detects balls entering a ball receiving portion, and the present invention relates to a ball detecting device for a pinball game machine in which balls entering the ball receiving portion are detected by a single detection switch. This system is designed to ensure that each ball can be detected one by one even in the case of

For example, in a so-called mahjong ball machine that allows players to play mahjong with balls launched by a ball-striking handle, a large number of ball receivers are arranged horizontally at the bottom of the nailed board surface, and each ball receiver is placed in the ball receiver. The ball is detected by a detection switch, but in the past, for example, the detection switch directly detected the ball that entered the ball receiver, so if balls entered one ball receiver continuously, , the multiple balls are 1
In some cases, the ball was detected as an individual ball, and the incorrect detection caused problems with the game.

The present invention has solved the above-mentioned problems, and its feature is that a large number of ball receivers are arranged horizontally in a line at the bottom of the board surface where the obstacle nails are installed, and the ball that enters the ball receivers is In a ball detection device for a pinball game machine, a printed circuit board is removably provided on the board side so as to span the entire length of the ball receiver, and a first passage is provided for allowing the ball that has entered the ball receiver to pass through. A large number of first units each incorporating a swinging member that has a passageway and that restricts the number of balls passing through the first passageway to one during each reciprocating swinging are arranged horizontally in a line corresponding to each ball receiving part. In this case, each of the printed circuit boards is removably provided, has a second passageway through which the ball passes through the first passageway, and incorporates a detection switch for detecting the ball passing through the second passageway. A large number of second units are connected to each first unit.
The units are removably installed on the printed circuit board so as to be arranged horizontally in a line corresponding to the units, and the corresponding first and second units are arranged such that the first passageway and the second passageway are vertically arranged. They are located at points that are positioned continuously.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained according to the illustrated embodiment. In FIGS. 1 to 3, 1 is a nailing board surface whose front surface is covered with glass 2, which is used to make the balls 3 fall irregularly. A large number of obstacle nails 4 are installed, and a tile display board 5 is provided at the bottom. The tile display board 5 has a large number of patterns 6 of mahjong tiles arranged in the horizontal direction. 7 is a ball receiving part which is arranged horizontally in a large number (26 pieces) at the bottom of the nailing board surface 1, and the tile display board 5
The balls are placed inside corresponding to each pattern 6, and a certain number (14
When a ball 3) is launched, the ball 3 passes through the ball receiver 7 from the top of the board 1.

Reference numeral 10 denotes a printed circuit board, which is arranged behind the ball receivers 7 so as to span the entire length of each ball receiver 7, and is removably fixed to the nailing board surface 1 side with bolts 11 via spacers 12. Reference numeral 13 designates a first unit provided correspondingly to each ball receiving portion 7, and as shown in FIG. Each unit 13 is removably fixed to the front surface of the printed circuit board 10 by a screw 16 screwed into a nut 15 installed at the rear upper end of the unit 13, and each unit 13 has a hole through which the ball 3 entering the ball receiving portion 7 passes. 1 passageway 17 is formed. Reference numeral 18 designates a second unit provided to correspond to each first unit 13, and as shown in FIG. are removably fixed to the front surface of the printed circuit board 10 by screws 22 screwed into nuts 21 installed in the center of a mounting plate 20 fitted to the rear end of the second unit 18. A second passageway 23 in the vertical direction is formed in which the ball 3 that has passed through the first passageway 17 passes. Then, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the first unit 1
At the lower end of 3, an engaging piece 24 is provided at the front end thereof to protrude downward, and a pair of left and right fitting protrusions 25 are provided at the rear end.
Further, at the upper end of the second unit 18, a locking piece 26 is provided at the front end thereof to protrude upward so as to be located in front of the engaging piece 24, and a fitting protrusion 25 is provided at the rear end. A corresponding pair of left and right fitting/recessing portions 27 are recessed, the engaging piece 24 is fitted to the front end of the upper end of the second passageway 23 so as not to be movable in the left/right direction, and the locking piece 26 allows the engaging piece 24 to move backwardly. The fitting protrusion 25 is fitted into the fitting recessed part 27 so as to be immovable in the front, rear, left and right directions.
The unit 13 and the second unit 18 are connected to the passageway 1.
7 and 23 are positioned so that they do not shift from each other, and can be firmly fixed to the printed circuit board 10 using the two screws 16 and 22.
Reference numeral 28 denotes a swinging member built into each first unit 13 so as to be able to swing freely around the horizontal axis 29, including a delivery portion 30 large enough to accommodate one ball 3 and a swinging restriction protruding from the delivery portion 30. part 31, weight 32, and blocking part 33
and is configured to restrict one ball 3 from passing through the first passageway 17 for each reciprocating swing. That is, when there is no ball 3 in the delivery section 30, the swinging section 28
Due to the weight of the weight 32, the swing regulating part 31 swings so as to come into contact with the front wall of the first passageway 17 from behind, and at this time, the delivery part 30 prevents the ball 3 that has entered the first passageway 17 from moving. It is designed to block the middle of the first passageway 17 so as to roll into the delivery section 30,
Further, when there is a ball 3 in the delivery section 30, the weight of the ball 3 causes the swinging member 28 to move to the second position.
It swings so as to come into contact with the upper end of the rear wall of the passageway 23 from the front, and at this time, the delivery section 30 places the ball 3 in the second passageway 23 and causes it to fall, and the blocking section 33 is placed on the upper side of the delivery section 30. Ball 3 midway through the first passage 17
It is now being blocked to make it impossible to pass through. 34
is a switch operating member assembled in the second unit 18, and its upper end is connected to the horizontal axis 35 so that the switch operating member 34 moves rearward with respect to the second passageway 23.
The switch actuating member 34 is pivoted so as to be swingable around the periphery, and is biased forward by a coil spring 36 wound around a horizontal shaft 35 so as to protrude into the second passage 23 . When the ball 3 passes, it is pressed by the ball 3 and swings backward. 37 is a magnet fitted and fixed to the rear of the switch operating member 34; 38 is a reed switch fixed to the front of the mounting plate 20 and installed behind the magnet 37 of the second unit 18; When the magnet 37 moves close to the magnet 37, it turns on, thereby detecting the ball 3 passing through the second passageway 23. 39 is reed switch 38
The connecting pins protrude from both ends of the connecting pins, which are inserted through the mounting plate 20 and the printed circuit board 10 and project rearward from the printed circuit board 10.

An upper ball passage 40 collects the balls 3 that have passed through the second passage 23, and is provided below each second unit 18, and its bottom wall 41 is inclined downward to the right. 42 is the lower ball passage,
It is inclined at a small angle in the downward left direction, and its front and rear width is formed to be large enough to store the balls 3 side by side in a line in the left and right direction.The upper right end communicates with the lower right end of the upper ball passage 40, and the lower left end A ball dispensing opening 43 large enough to dispel balls 3 one by one is formed, and the rear portions of the upper ball passage 40 and the lower ball passage 42 are closed by a transparent plate 44 as shown in FIG. , the transparent plate 44 is fixed to the board surface 1 side with bolts 45 and spacers 46 . Reference numeral 47 denotes a first dispensing member provided below the lower ball passage 42 so as to close the ball dispensing port 43. This member has a ball hole 48 that is inserted into the ball dispensing port 43 and can accommodate one ball 3 at the top and bottom. It is provided in a penetrating shape. 49 is the first dispensing member 4
A second ball hole 48 is provided below the ball hole 48.
This is a dispensing member, in which a through hole 50 is provided in a vertically penetrating manner at a position away from the ball hole 48 to the left.
As shown in FIG. 6, the second dispensing member 49
The first dispensing member 47 is placed on a support base 51 fixed to the side so as to be slidable in the left-right direction, and the first dispensing member 47
9 so as to be slidable in the left and right direction. The support base 51 has a first delivery path 52 corresponding to the through hole 50.
and a second delivery path 53 corresponding to the ball dispensing port 43 and the ball hole 48 are formed in a vertically penetrating shape, respectively.
Reference numeral 54 denotes a first solenoid disposed to the left of the first dispensing member 47, which has an operating rod 55 pivotally connected to the first dispensing member 47, and when activated, the operating rod 55 retreats to the left to close the first solenoid. The dispensing member 47 is configured to be slid leftward to a position where its ball hole 48 communicates with the through hole 50. 56 is the first solenoid 54
The first solenoid is located below and is activated after the game ends, and its operating rod 57 retreats when activated.
A connecting rod 58 and a swinging rod 5 interlocked with the operating rod 57
9, the second ball discharging member 49 is slid rightward to a position where its through hole 50 communicates with the ball hole 48 and the second discharging path 53. That is, both ends of the connecting rod 58 are pivotally connected to the rear end of the operating rod 57 and the lower end of the swinging rod 59, respectively.
The middle part of the second dispensing member 9 is rotatably supported around the front-rear axis 60, and the upper end thereof is inserted into a recess 61 formed in the second dispensing member 49 so as to come into contact with the left end surface thereof. 62 is the first dispensing member 47 and the second dispensing member 47;
A tension spring connected between the dispensing member 49 and the first
The dispensing member 47 is pulled rightward relative to the second dispensing member 49. Reference numeral 64 denotes a delivery passage, which delivers the balls 3 that have fallen from the first delivery passage 52 to the counter 66 via the introduction passage 56. The counter 66 counts the balls 3 that have been sent out, displays the number of times the ball 3 has been hit again, and sends out the counted balls 3 to the payout passage 67. The dispensing passage 67 is inclined downward to the right so that the right end thereof can be inserted into the waiting passage 9 and delivering the ball 3 to the waiting passage 9. Reference numeral 68 denotes a blocking member provided at an insertion portion between the dispensing passage 67 and the standby passage 9, and is configured to block off the dispensing passage 67 and the waiting passage 9 in a freely openable and closable manner. 69 is a display device, which has a large number of display sections 70 in the horizontal direction, and each display section 70
It is composed of a fluorescent display tube, and its luminous body is
The pattern of mahjong tiles is variably displayed by a group of dots.
The display section 70 has 14 balls 3, that is, the number of balls 3, so that the display section 70 displays the pattern of the mahjong tiles corresponding to each ball receiving section 7 containing the balls 3. Reference numeral 71 designates a reset switch provided corresponding to each display section 70, which is turned on when pressed to operate the first solenoid 54 for a certain period of time. 72 is a coin slot, 73 is a payment switch,
74 is a coin tray, and 75 is a return button.

FIG. 7 shows a block diagram of the control system. In the figure, reference numeral 76 denotes an input switch, which includes, in addition to 26 read switches 38 and 14 replay switches 71, one game start switch 77 and one game end switch 78. The game start switch 77 is turned on when a predetermined number of coins are inserted into the slot 72, and the game end switch 78 is turned on when the game ends. 79 is a microcomputer, which includes a character control section 80 and an upstream role reading section 8.
1 and a character section 82. The character section 82 has a plurality of (26) pattern recording sections 83 corresponding to mahjong tiles, and each pattern storage section 83 stores the pattern of each mahjong tile. Character control section 80
has a first storage section 84 and a second storage section 85. The first storage section 84 has a number of times storage section 86 corresponding to each reed switch 38, and each number of times storage section 86 has a number of times storage section 86 corresponding to each reed switch 38.
The number of ball detections of the corresponding reed switch 38 is stored, and the number of ball detections is subtracted from the number storage section 86 corresponding to the re-hitting switch 71 that is turned on. The second storage unit 85 has a display storage unit 87 corresponding to each display unit 70, and each display storage unit 87
Then, the contents stored in the pattern storage section 83 are sorted in a specific order from the left end by the number of times stored in the number storage section 86 (one string, white, ichi, medium, 10,000, 20,000...90,000, 1
2 tubes, 9 tubes, east, south, west, north). The upstream role reading unit 81 is the character control unit 8
The mahjong winning hand is read by the signal from 0. Further, the computer 79 turns on the first solenoid 54 by turning on one of the resetting switches 71.
is activated for a certain period of time (several seconds), and when the game start switch 77 is turned on, the shutoff member 68 is opened, and when the game end switch 78 is turned on, the shutoff member 68 is shut off, and the second solenoid 5 is turned on.
6 for a certain period of time (several seconds). Reference numeral 88 denotes a display driving section that causes the corresponding display section 70 to display the contents stored in each display storage section 87, that is, the pattern of the mahjong tiles.

According to the configuration of the above embodiment, before the game starts, the payout passage 6 is turned on by turning on the game end switch 78.
7 contains 14 balls 3. When a predetermined number of coins are inserted through the coin slot 72, the game start switch 77 is turned on, the blocking member is opened, and the balls 3 in the payout path 67 are paid out to the waiting path 9.

Then, by using the ball hitting handle 8, the ball 3 on the waiting path 9 is
When the ball 3 is launched, the launched ball 3 falls while being obstructed by a large number of obstacle nails 4 and falls into one of the ball receivers 7. The ball that has entered the ball receiver 7 passes through this and enters the first passageway 17. At this time, weight 3
Since the swinging member 28 swings forward as shown by the chain line due to the weight of the ball 2, the ball 3 that has entered the first passageway 17 enters the delivery section 30. At this time, the same ball receiver 7
Even if the ball 3 falls continuously, the delivery section 3
Since 0 is the size that can accommodate one ball 3,
Only the first ball 3 enters the transfer section 30, and the remaining balls 3 remain above the transfer section 3. The swinging member 28 swings backward as shown by the solid line due to the weight of the ball 3, and the ball 3 in the delivery section 30
from there to the second passageway 23. At this time, the blocking part 33 blocks the middle of the first passageway 17,
Next, the ball 3 that has entered the ball receiving portion 7 is held within the first passageway 17. When the ball 3 that has fallen into the second passage 23 passes through the second passage 23, a switch operating member 34 protrudes into the second passage 23 as shown by the chain line.
Since the reed switch 38 is pressed and swung backwards, the switch actuating member 34 is swung backwards.
turns on. When the ball 3 is released from the delivery section 30, the weight 32 causes the swinging member 28 to swing forward as shown by the chain line, and the delivery section 30 becomes retractable. When the ball 3 passes through the second passage 23, the switch operating member 34 is swung forward as shown by the chain line by the bias of the coil spring 36, and the reed switch 38 is turned off. After that, the same operation is repeated for the next ball 3 that enters the ball receiving section 7. Therefore, the ball 3 is placed in the ball receiving part 7.
Even if the ball 3 enters continuously, the ball 3 passes through the second passage 23 at intervals, so the reed switch 3
8, the balls 3 can be reliably detected one by one.

All the balls 3 that have passed through the second passageway 23 fall into the upper ball passageway 40 and enter the lower ball passageway 42, and only the first ball 3 is stored in the ball hole 48 of the first payout member 47. The ball 3 following is the lower ball passage 4
Line up in a row from left to right within 2.

On the other hand, in the control system, each number storage section 86 of the first storage section 84 sequentially adds and stores the number of detections each time the corresponding reed switch 38 detects the ball 3, and each number of times storage section 86 of the second storage section 85 sequentially adds and stores the number of detections. The storage section 87 stores the contents stored in the pattern storage section 83 of the character section 82 by the number of times stored in the number of times storage section 86 in a specific order from the left end. Further, the display driving section 88 causes the contents stored in each display storage section 87 to be variably displayed on the corresponding display section 70. Then, when all 14 balls 3 on waiting path 9 are launched,
The patterns of the mahjong tiles corresponding to the ball receivers 7 through which the balls 3 have passed are displayed on the display section 70 in the specified order starting from the left end, regardless of the order of the ball receivers 7 through which the balls have entered.

Next, when the replay switch 71 is pressed, the first solenoid 54 is operated for a certain period of time, and the number of detections in the number storage section 86 corresponding to the mahjong tile displayed on the corresponding display section 70 is subtracted. Due to the operation of the first solenoid 54, the first dispensing member 47 slides to the left on the second dispensing member 49 as shown by the chain line, and the ball hole 48 communicates with the through hole 50, so that the ball 3 in the ball hole 48 It is dropped into the delivery passage 64 through the through hole 50 and the first delivery passage 52, sent out to the counter 66 via the introduction passage 65, and counted there.
Sent on 7th. At this time, since the blocking member 68 is in the open state, the ball 3 is moved from the dispensing passage 67 to the waiting passage 9.
The ball 3 can then be hit again by the ball hitting handle 8. When the first solenoid 54 stops operating, the first payout member 47 slides rightward and returns to its original position, and the ball hole 48 communicates with the ball payout opening 43 to accommodate the next ball 3. In the control system, by subtracting the number of detections in the number storage section 36, each display storage section 87 of the second storage section 85 changes the mahjong tile corresponding to the turned on replay switch 71 from the stored state before the replay switch 71 was turned on. The patterns of the mahjong tiles excluding the pattern are memorized in a specific order starting from the left end, and displayed on the display section 7.
The patterns of the mahjong tiles, excluding the pattern of the mahjong tiles corresponding to the replay switch 71 turned on to 0, are variably displayed in a specific order from the left end. When the ball 3 is hit again, the ball 3 passes through the ball receiver 7 which is configured as described above and is retained in the lower ball passage 42, and the display section 70 shows the ball receiver 7 through which the ball 3 passed. The pattern of the corresponding mahjong tile is displayed in the same way as described above.

After the game ends, press the payment switch 73, etc.
The game end switch 78 is turned on, and the second solenoid 56 is operated for a certain period of time. Second solenoid 56
As a result of the operation, the operating rod 57 and the connecting rod 58 move to the left, the swinging rod 59 swings in the direction of arrow a, and the second dispensing member 49 is pressed by the swinging rod 59 and moves on the support base 51. Since it slides to the right and its through hole 50 communicates with the ball hole 48, all the balls 3 in the lower ball path 42 are dropped into the dispensing path 67 via the ball hole 48, the through hole 50, and the second delivery path 53. It will be done. At this time, the blocking member 68 is in a state of blocking the payout path 67 and the standby path 9 by turning on the game end switch 78, so the balls 3 are stopped in the payout path 67 without being sent to the standby path 9. When the second solenoid 56 stops operating, the operating rod 57, the connecting rod 58, and the swinging rod 59 return to their original positions, and the second dispensing member 49 is biased leftward by the tension spring 62 to the return position. slide.

In the above embodiment, the reed switch 38 is used as a detection switch for detecting the ball 3 passing through the second passageway 23, but the detection switch is not limited to this, and a limit switch or other switch may also be used. good.

According to the present invention, each ball has a first unit having a first passage through which the ball that has entered the ball receiving portion passes, and a second unit having a second passage through which the ball that has passed through the first passage passes. It is provided corresponding to the receiving part, and the swinging member restricts the number of balls that pass through the first passageway to one each time the swinging member swings back and forth, so if balls consecutively enter the same ball receiving part. However, since the balls pass through the second passage at intervals one by one, the detection switch that detects the balls passing through the second passage can reliably detect each ball that enters the ball receiver. Moreover, since the swinging member is built into the first unit and the detection switch is built into the second unit, and these units are detachably attached to the board on the panel side, it is easy to install or replace the swinging member and the detection switch. It can be done easily.

Further, a printed circuit board is removably provided on the board side so as to span the entire length of the ball receiver, and a large number of first units are arranged on the printed circuit board in a horizontal line corresponding to each ball receiver. Since a large number of second units are each removably provided on the printed circuit board so as to be arranged horizontally in a line corresponding to each first unit, a large number of second units can be installed and removed using the printed circuit board. The first unit and a number of second units can be easily and compactly installed on the panel side, and all the first units and second units can be easily removed from the panel side.
Repair or replacement of the unit and the second unit is also extremely easy. Moreover, since a large number of second units are lined up horizontally in a line with respect to the printed circuit board, the detection switches of each second unit are also lined up in a horizontal line with respect to the printed circuit board, so that a large number of detection Wiring to the power source or control device for the switch can be done simply and easily using a printed circuit board.

Furthermore, since the corresponding first and second units were positioned so that the first passage and the second passage were continuous in the vertical direction, the swing member and the detection switch were connected to the first unit as described above. Even though the ball receiver and the second unit are assembled separately, the path entering the ball receiver can be reliably dropped from the first passageway to the second passageway, and from this point of view as well, the ball receiver A ball entering the ball can be reliably detected without malfunction.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The drawings show one embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 1 is a front view, FIG. 2 is a side sectional view, FIG. 3 is a back sectional view, and FIG.
The figure is a perspective view of the first unit, FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the second unit, and FIG. 6 is a side sectional view of the dispensing member portion.
FIG. 7 is a block diagram of the control system. 1... Nailing board surface, 3... Ball, 4... Obstacle nail,
7... Ball holder, 10... Printed circuit board, 13...
1st unit, 17...first passageway, 18...second unit, 23...second passageway, 28...swinging member, 38...reed switch (detection switch).

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. Balls of a pinball game machine in which a large number of ball receivers are arranged horizontally in a line at the bottom of a board surface on which obstacle nails are installed, and balls that enter the ball receivers are detected. In the detection device, a printed circuit board is removably installed on the panel side so as to extend over the entire length of the ball receiver, and has a first passage through which the ball that has entered the ball receiver passes, and a first passage for each reciprocating swing.
A plurality of first units incorporating swinging members for restricting the number of balls passing through the passageway to one are detachably attached to the printed circuit board so that they are aligned horizontally in a row corresponding to each ball receiving portion. A plurality of second units each having a second passageway through which the ball passes through the first passageway and incorporating a detection switch for detecting the ball passing through the second passageway are installed in each first unit. The corresponding first and second units are removably provided on the printed circuit board so as to be arranged horizontally in a row corresponding to the first passage and the second passage are vertically continuous. A ball detection device for a pinball game machine, characterized in that the ball detection device is positioned so as to