JPH039754Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] The present invention relates to a pinball game machine, and is capable of limiting the number of balls launched in one pinball game to a predetermined number with a simple configuration.

For example, a ball is formed by arranging multiple ball receivers on the board surface, using a ball hitting handle to launch a predetermined number of balls from the ball receivers and letting them fall from the top of the board to the ball receivers, and combining the ball receivers on which the balls have fallen. In a pinball game where prize balls are paid out to the ball payout port depending on the winning hand,
a ball detecting member that sends out the balls in the ball waiting path one by one to the ball hitting section in conjunction with the operation of the ball hitting handle, and a detecting member that detects that a certain amount of balls have accumulated in the ball dispensing port; A movement prevention rod is provided which moves to a rocking prevention position to prevent the ball detection member from swinging when the detection member detects the ball, thereby making it impossible to launch the ball when a certain amount of balls have accumulated in the ball dispensing port. This prevents more balls than the allowable amount from being paid out to the ball paying out port. However, with this type of conventional pinball game machine,
It is necessary to limit the number of balls launched in one pinball game to within a predetermined number, but this mechanism is constructed completely separate from the ball sending member and the swing prevention rod, so that the number of balls launched is limited. Two different types of stopping mechanisms are required, which makes the overall structure very complex and increases manufacturing costs.

The present invention solves the above problems, and its feature is that the balls in the ball waiting path are reciprocated so as to be delivered to the ball hitting section one by one in conjunction with the operation of the ball hitting handle. A ball delivery member is provided, a detection member detects that a certain amount of balls have accumulated in the ball delivery port, and a swing prevention rod that moves to a swing prevention position to prevent the ball delivery member from swinging when the detection member detects the ball delivery member. In the pinball game machine, a solenoid is provided that operates when the number of balls sent to the ball hitting section is a predetermined number, and when the solenoid is activated, the swing preventing rod is moved to the swing preventing position and the swing preventing rod is moved to the swing preventing position. The operating rod of the solenoid is operatively connected to the swing prevention rod so as to allow the movement of the swing prevention rod when the solenoid is stopped.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained according to the illustrated embodiment. In FIGS. 1 to 4, 1 is a rectangular machine frame, 2 is a nailing board surface provided at the rear of the machine frame 1; A large number of obstacle nails are installed to prevent the ball 3 from falling uncontrollably. 4 is a glass that closes the front surface of the nailing board surface 2, and is attached to the machine frame 1 via a mounting frame 5 so as to be openable and closable. Reference numeral 6 denotes a mounting panel that closes the front lower part of the board surface 2, and is attached to the machine frame 1 so as to be openable and closable.The mounting panel 6 has a ball retaining section 7 projecting forward. Reference numeral 8 denotes a ball tray, which projects forward from the lower part of the machine frame 1, and a ball dispensing port 9 communicating with the ball tray 8 is formed in the machine frame 1 in a penetrating shape. 10 is a payment button.

Reference numeral 12 denotes ball receivers arranged horizontally in parallel at the bottom of the board surface 2. There are 18 horizontally, and when a ball falls into the ball receivers 12 at both ends of these, it is considered out and the other ball receivers When a ball falls onto the part 12, it is considered safe, and a falling ball detection switch 13 is activated as shown in FIG. 5 corresponding to each ball receiving part 12 on the safe side.
are respectively provided, thereby making it possible to detect the balls 3 that have fallen into each of the ball receivers 12 on the safe side. Reference numeral 14 indicates indicator lamps, which are arranged vertically and horizontally in the center of the board surface 2, and each indicator lamp 14 corresponds to a ball receiver 12 on the safe side, so that when the ball 3 falls into the corresponding ball receiver 12, When four lit display lamps 14 are lined up vertically, horizontally or diagonally, an upward line is formed.

16 is a guide rail attached to the board surface 2; 17 is a ball hitting rail attached so as to be continuous below the guide rail 16; at the lower end of the ball hitting rail 17 is a ball hitting part 19 having a ball hitting opening 18; It is formed.
Reference numeral 20 denotes a rectangular tube-shaped ball dispensing passage for dispensing the balls 3 to the ball dispensing port 9, and is attached to the back surface of the board surface 2. A ball return rail 21 returns the missed ball 3 from the guide rail 16 to the ball payout port 9 via the ball payout passage 20.

23 is a ball hitting handle, 24 is a ball hitting arm, and these are connected to the ball hitting handle 2 via a support shaft 25.
3 is located on the front side of the machine frame 1, and the ball hitting arm 24 is located on the back side of the machine frame 1. It is rotatably held around the axis via etc. The rotation range of the ball hitting arm 24 is restricted between the first stopper 26 and the second stopper 27, and is biased toward the first stopper 26 by the tension spring 28, so that the ball hitting arm 24 moves toward the first stopper 27. 26, the ball hitting arm 24
A ball-striking spring 29 attached to the tip of the ball-striking spring 29 protrudes from the ball-striking opening 18 toward the ball-striking rail 17 side, and the ball 3 of the ball-striking portion 19
is starting to be launched.

Reference numeral 31 denotes a holding member provided between the lower part of the board surface 2 and the mounting panel 6, and the holding member 31 has a ball waiting path 32 communicating with the ball retaining section 7 that rolls toward the delivery window 33 and is arranged in a line. They are starting to line up. Reference numeral 34 denotes a ball sending member, which is rotatably supported on the front side of the holding member 31 around a pivot 35, and has a long hole 36 at one end thereof.
The ball sending member 31 has a stopper part 3 protruding from the holding member 31, and has a weight 38 at the other end.
The weight 38 can freely swing from the position where it contacts the ball 9 to the position where it is separated upwardly, and each time the weight 38 swings back and forth, the delivery section 37 moves up and down with respect to the delivery window 33 and the ball waiting path 3
2 balls 3 are sent out one by one to the ball hitting section 19. That is, the weight 38 is the stopper part 3.
When the sending part 37 is located below the sending window 33 and is spaced upward from the ball waiting path 32, one ball 3 in the ball waiting path 32 is placed on the sending part 37, and then the sending part 37 is placed under the sending window 3.
When moved upward to the position corresponding to 3, the delivery section 37
The ball 3 rolls from the delivery window 33 to the ball hitting section 19.
40 is a swinging member, and a pivot shaft 4 is attached to the front surface of the lower end of the board surface 2.
The swinging member 40 has a protruding shaft 42 slidably and rotatably inserted into the elongated hole 36 of the ball sending member 34 on one end side, and a protruding shaft 42 on the other end side. has a swinging arm 43 that is bent rearward so as to pass below the board surface 2 and protrudes downwardly, and the swinging member 40 moves in the direction of arrow (a) about a pivot shaft 41. Each time it reciprocates, the swinging motion is transmitted to the ball sending member 34, and the ball sending portion 34 is configured to swing back and forth as described above. Reference numeral 44 denotes a pressing rod protruding from the ball-striking arm 24, which moves the swinging member 40 as indicated by the arrow (a) in conjunction with the ball-striking action of the ball-striking handle 23.
The swing arm 43 is pressed toward the second stopper 27 in order to swing in the direction. Thus, the ball sending mechanism uses the ball sending member 34, the swinging member 40, and the pressing rod 44 to send out the balls 3 in the ball waiting path 32 one by one to the ball hitting section 19 in conjunction with the operation of the ball hitting handle 23. It consists of

Reference numeral 46 denotes a non-contact sending ball detection switch, which is attached to the holding member 31 via a mounting plate 45, and has a light emitting part 47 and a light receiving part 48 as shown in FIG. The sending member 34 emits light toward the ball 3 sent from the ball waiting path 32 to the ball hitting section 19, and this reflected light is received by the light receiving section 48, thereby detecting the ball 3 sent out to the ball hitting section 19. is configured to do so. Reference numeral 49 denotes an irregular ball detection switch, which is attached to the lower front surface of the board 2 via a spacer 50, and as shown in FIG.
and is configured to detect the ball 3 of the ball hitting section 19. A return ball detection switch 53 is installed near the ball return rail 21 and is configured to detect a ball 3 that is returned to the ball payout port 9 through the ball return rail 21 due to a mishit.

Reference numeral 55 denotes a detection member for detecting that a certain amount of balls 3 has accumulated in the ball dispensing port 9. The detection member 55 is rotatably supported in the ball dispensing passage 20 around the front and rear axis 54, and the detection member 55 has a detection member at the lower end thereof. Weight portion 5 protruding from opening window 56
7, from the ball dispensing passage 20 to the ball dispensing port 9.
When the ball tray 8 is full of balls 3 to be delivered, and the lower part of the ball delivery passage 20 is jammed, the ball 3 is pressed by the balls 3 and swings to the right against the weight part 57. It's summery. Reference numeral 58 denotes a swing prevention rod, which is arranged in the left-right direction, one end of which is close to or in contact with the swing arm 43, the other end connected to the detection member 55, and the middle part on the swing member 40 side is a guide tube. 59 so as to be slidable in the left and right direction, and the detection member 5
When the detection member 55 is detected, the swing arm 43 is pushed to the right to prevent the swing arm 43 from swinging. The swing arm 43 is released from the pressure and moves to a swing permissible position A where the ball delivery member 34 is allowed to swing.

Reference numeral 60 denotes a solenoid, which is disposed near the swing prevention rod 58, and is configured such that its operating piece 61 retreats to the right when activated. 62 is the swing prevention rod 5
A protruding shaft 63 that protrudes upward from the actuating piece 61 of the solenoid 60 is inserted into this annular part 62, so that when the solenoid 60 is actuated, the swing prevention rod 58 is bent. The solenoid 60 is moved to the rocking prevention position B, and the solenoid 60
The operating piece 61 of the solenoid 60 is interlocked and connected to the swing prevention rod 58 so that the swing prevention rod 58 is allowed to reciprocate between the swing permissible position A and the swing prevention position B when the swing prevention rod 58 is stopped. The solenoid 60, the rocking prevention rod 58, the rocking member 40, and the like constitute a sending-out prevention means that limits the launch of the balls 3 to a predetermined number.

FIG. 5 shows a block diagram of the control system, in which 65 is a power supply circuit. 66 is a microcomputer which inputs signals from the payment button 10 and inputs circuits 67, 68, 6 from the falling ball detection switch 13, the sending ball detection switch 46, the illegal ball detection switch 49, and the returning ball detection switch 53.
Detection signals are inputted through terminals 9 and 70, respectively, and the following operations are performed.

A detection signal is input from the falling ball detection switch 13, this is memorized, and the ball receiver 1 where the ball 3 has fallen is detected.
The display lamp 14 corresponding to No. 2 is turned on via an output circuit or the like.

The detection signal of the sending ball detection switch 46 is added and counted, and the detection signal of the return ball detection switch 53 is subtracted and counted, and when the counted number reaches a predetermined number of 16, the solenoid 60 is activated via the output circuit 71.

If a detection signal is not input from the illegal ball detection switch 49 when a signal is input from the payment button 10, the number of balls corresponding to the uphill position formed by the combination of the ball receivers 12 on the safe side from which the ball 3 has fallen is 3 from the ball dispensing passage 20 through the ball dispensing opening 9 through the ball dispensing mechanism etc., and each detection switch 1
The memory of the detection signal etc. from 3 is erased, the lighting of the indicator lamp 14 is erased, and the memory of the detection signal etc. from the detection switch 4 is erased.
A series of settlement processing operations such as clearing the count portion of the detection signal 6 and 53 are performed to enable the next pinball game.

Note that even if a signal is input from the payment button 10, if a detection signal is input from the irregular ball detection switch 49, the above payment processing operation will not be performed. Further, the input circuits 67, 68, 69, 7
0 is for converting the detection signals of the detection switches 13, 46, 49, 53 into detection signals for operating the computer 56.

Next, the operation will be explained. When the ball 3 in the ball tray 8 is transferred to the ball holding section 7 and the ball hitting handle 23 is pulled in the direction of arrow (b) as shown by the two-dot chain line, the ball hitting arm 24 and the pressing rod 44 are moved in the circumferential direction as shown by the two-dot chain line. The swinging member 40 is pressed by the pressing rod 44 and swings as shown by the two-dot chain line, and in conjunction with this, the ball delivery member 34 also swings as shown by the two-dot chain line. As a result, one ball 3 in the ball waiting path 32 is placed on the delivery portion 37 of the ball delivery member 34. When the ball hitting handle 23 is released, the ball hitting handle 23 and the ball hitting arm 24 return to the solid line position due to the bias of the spring 28, and the ball sending member 34 is moved by the action of the weight 38.
Then, the swinging member 40 returns to the position indicated by the solid line and rotates, and as a result, the ball 3 placed on the delivery section 37 is sent out from the delivery window 33 to the ball hitting section 19.

After that, when the same ball-hitting motion is repeated, the ball-hitting part 1
The ball 3 of No. 9 is hit by the ball hitting arm 24 every time the ball is hit, passes through the ball hitting rail 17 and the guide rail 16, is launched onto the upper part of the board surface 2, falls into one of the ball receivers 12, and is then hit by the ball hitting arm 24. Similarly, the balls 3 in the ball waiting path 32 are sequentially delivered to the ball hitting section 19 one by one. At this time, the ball sending member 34 causes the ball hitting section 1 to
A sending ball detection switch 46 sequentially detects the balls 3 sent out to the ball 9. On the other hand, if the launched ball 3 does not reach the top of the board 2 and returns from the guide rail 16 due to a miss, the returned ball 3 passes through the ball return rail 21 and the ball payout passage 20 and enters the ball payout port 9. The ball is returned, and at this time it is detected by the return ball detection switch 53.

The computer 66 to which the detection signals of the sending ball detection switch 46 and the returning ball detection switch 53 are input operates as shown in the flowchart of FIG. That is, in step 84 it is determined whether or not the sending ball detection switch 46 has detected ball 3. If it has detected ball 3, it is incremented by 1 in step 85 and then the count is returned to step 86.
If no detection has been made, the process moves directly to step 86. In step 86, the return ball detection switch 53
It is determined whether or not the ball 3 has been detected. If it has been detected, the process moves to step 87; if it has not, the process moves to step 81. In step 87, it is determined whether the count number is 0 or not. If it is 0, the process moves to step 81; if it is not 0, 1 is subtracted from the count in step 78, and the process moves to step 81. In step 81, it is determined whether the count is 16 or more. If it is 16 or more, in step 83, the solenoid 60 is stopped and the process moves to step 84. Then, when the count reaches 16, the swing prevention rod 58 is moved to the swing prevention position B by the operation of the solenoid 60.
The swinging member 40 and the ball delivery member 34 are held at the swinging position indicated by the two-dot chain line. Therefore, no more ball hitting parts 1
The delivery of the ball 3 to the ball 9 is prevented, and even if there is a missed ball 3, the number of balls 3 launched is surely limited to 16 balls.

Then, when the payment button 10 is pressed, if there is no ball 3 in the ball hitting section 19 at this time, the illegal ball detection switch 49 will not output a detection signal, so payment can be made such as sending the ball 3 according to the upstream to the ball payout port 9. Processing is performed. However, when you press the payment button 10,
If there is a ball 3 in the ball hitting section 19, the illegal ball detection switch 49 outputs a detection signal, so no payment processing operation is performed. Therefore, by leaving the balls 3 in the ball hitting section 19, it is possible to launch 16 or more balls 3 during the next pinball game, thereby reliably preventing cheating.

Furthermore, when the balls 3 discharged from the ball dispensing port 9 become full and clog the lower part of the ball dispensing passage 20, the detecting member 55 is pressed by the balls 3, as shown by the two-dot chain line. As a result, the swing prevention rod 58 moves to the swing prevention position B, and the ball delivery member 34 and the swing member 40 are held at the swing position indicated by the two-dot chain line, so that the ball 3 Delivery to the ball hitting section 19 is stopped, making it impossible to launch the ball 3.

In addition, in the embodiment described above, the sending ball detection switch 46
And the irregular ball detection switch 49 is configured with a non-contact type switch that detects the ball 3 optically, but instead of this, it can be configured with a non-contact type switch that detects the ball 3 magnetically or electrically. Alternatively, it may be configured by a contact type switch. Further, in the embodiment described above, the annular portion 62 is formed on the swing prevention rod 58, and the protruding shaft 63 is provided protrudingly on the actuating piece 61 of the solenoid 60, whereby the actuation rod 61 is interlocked and connected to the swing prevention rod 58. However, the connection between the two is not limited to this, for example, contrary to the embodiment, a long hole is provided in the actuating piece 61, and the swing prevention rod 58 is provided with a long hole.
is provided with a protruding shaft that is slidably inserted into the long hole,
This may allow for interlocking connection.

According to the present invention, a solenoid is provided that operates when the number of balls sent to the ball hitting section is a predetermined number, and when the solenoid is activated, the swing prevention rod is moved to the swing prevention position, and when the solenoid is stopped, the swing prevention rod is moved to the swing prevention position. The operating rod of the solenoid is interlocked with the swing preventing rod to allow movement of the swing preventing rod, so that when a certain amount of balls accumulates in the ball dispensing port, the ball is sent out to disable the ball from being launched. The member and the swing prevention rod can also be used as a mechanism for regulating the number of balls launched within a predetermined number, and therefore a mechanism for stopping the launch of two types of balls can be configured with a very simple configuration. This makes it possible to make the entire device extremely compact, easy to manufacture, and provide at low cost. Moreover, there is no problem with each launch stop mechanism,
Its practical effects are significant.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings show one embodiment of the present invention, in which Fig. 1 is an overall front view, Fig. 2 is a rear view of the main parts, Fig. 3 is an enlarged front view of the main parts, Fig. 4 is a side sectional view, and Fig. 5 is a front view of the main parts. The figure is a block diagram of the control system, and FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining the operation. 3...Ball, 9...Ball payout port, 19...Ball hitting section,
23...Ball hitting handle, 32...Ball waiting path, 34
... Ball sending member, 55 ... Detection member, 58 ... Swing prevention rod, 60 ... Solenoid, 61 ... Operation rod.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] A ball sending member is provided that swings back and forth so as to send the balls in the ball waiting path one by one to the ball hitting section in conjunction with the operation of the ball hitting handle, and detects when a certain amount of balls have accumulated at the ball dispensing port. In a pinball game machine provided with a detection member that detects a ball, and a swing prevention rod that moves to a swing prevention position that prevents the ball sending member from swinging when the detection member is detected, A solenoid is provided which operates when the number is a predetermined number, and when the solenoid is actuated, the swing prevention rod is moved to the swing prevention position, and when the solenoid is stopped, the swing prevention rod is allowed to move. A pinball game machine characterized in that an operating rod is interlocked and connected to a swing prevention rod.