JPH0450033B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a back mechanism panel of a pachinko game machine, and for example, a ball payout command signal that is output based on a winning ball generated in the game section of a pachinko game machine. This invention relates to a technique suitable for use in the configuration of a ball dispensing device that dispenses a predetermined number of prize balls.

[Prior Art] As is well known, in a pachinko game machine, when a player drives balls into the game area one by one using a firing device installed at the bottom of the game board, the balls collide with obstacle nails and randomly change direction. A predetermined number of prize balls are awarded to the player by entering the winning area with a certain probability while falling. Conventionally, such prize balls are generally put out by a mechanical payout device or solenoid that is attached to the back of the game board and operates by transmitting the physical force generated by the winning balls to the queue for prize balls. This was done using a ball dispensing device that oscillated a ball sheath or cylinder facing the lower end of the gutter to eject a predetermined number of balls at once. (JP-A-52-13185, JP-A-56-60585).

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] Therefore, in conventional pachinko gaming machines that use mechanical ball dispensing devices, the structure of the back setting board attached to the back of the game board is complicated, making assembly difficult and taking up too much space. The space becomes large and it is not possible to have a sufficient empty space behind the game board. In other words, the space on the back of the game board that can be effectively used becomes narrower, and maintenance and inspection of the back setting board becomes difficult. Moreover, since the dispensing is performed by transmitting physical force, the dispensing speed is slow.

In addition, the swinging type ball dispensing device using a solenoid has a slow speed because the return is performed by a spring, and if you try to increase the speed because it discharges multiple balls at once, the ball sheath or cylinder body will not be able to reach the ball sufficiently. There was a problem in that the ball was swung before it entered the ball, making it difficult to pay it out accurately.

Furthermore, in recent years, with the diversification of game contents in pachinko gaming machines, there has been a demand for a ball discharging device that can pay out multiple numbers of prize balls so that the number of prize balls can be varied depending on the prize opening provided in the gaming section. It's starting to feel like this.

[Summary of the Invention] This invention was made against the background as described above, and has a guideway for guiding balls supplied from above, and the ball is guided by the flow prevention member facing the guideway. A ball dispensing device capable of dispensing balls one by one in a guideway, a ball presence detection means for detecting the presence or absence of a ball blocked by the falling-down prevention member, and a falling-down blocking member of the ball dispensing device. a put-out ball detection means for detecting balls put out one by one by activation of the ball put-out control; a ball put-out control enabling means for activating ball pay-out control based on a ball put-out command signal; A ball put-out drive control device that operates the ball put-out device by confirming a detection signal from the ball presence detection means on the condition that the enabling means has transitioned to the enabled state, and a detection signal from the put-out ball detection means. and a ball put-out terminating means for shifting the ball put-out control enabling means to an invalid state and terminating the ball put-out control based on the fact that the ball put-out control is counted and matches a preset number of put-outs. The spare balls on the road can be separated and ejected one by one using a falling prevention member, making it possible to dispense any number of balls, while also checking the existence of balls and their dispensing for each ball before dispensing. The purpose is to enable accurate and reliable payout by controlling the payout.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a back mechanism board equipped with a ball discharging device that can pay out prize balls at high speed and is suitable for a so-called Lucky Seven type pachinko game machine that generates a large amount of winning balls in a short period of time. It is in.

The above and other objects and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the description of this specification and the accompanying drawings.

[Example] An example of the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings.

Figure 1 shows an example of the configuration of a pachinko game board.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the back mechanism panel of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a rear view thereof.

The pachinko game machine 1 is mounted on a machine frame 2 (see Fig. 2), which has open front and rear sides, in a substantially vertical position, and is rotatably mounted by hinges 3, 3 as shown in Fig. 1. a frame-shaped front frame 4, a glass storage frame 5 attached to the front frame 4 so as to be openable and closable, an opening/closing panel 6 similarly attached to the lower part of the glass storage frame 5 so as to be openable and closable, and the front frame 4. A game board 8 is fixed at a constant distance from the glass plate held in the glass storage frame 5 behind the glass storage frame 5.
It is composed of:

On the front side of the opening/closing panel 6, there is a saucer 9 for temporarily storing a large number of game balls (so-called panel balls).
Further, on the lower back side of the front frame 4, there is provided a batted ball firing device 10 that bounces off the game balls supplied one by one from the saucer 9, and on the lower front side of the front frame 4 there is an operation dial for the ball launcher 10. 11 and an auxiliary saucer 12 are provided. The above batted ball launcher 1
0 has the same configuration as a known ball launcher, so a detailed explanation will be omitted.

On the front side of the game board 8, the ball launcher 1 is installed.
A guide rail 13 that guides the ball hit by the player 0 to the upper part of the game board 8, and a large number of obstacle nails 14 that randomly change the direction of the ball falling from above are fixedly installed. A winning chaser 15, a winning opening 16, a rotary winning device 17, and a variable winning device 18 are provided as a winning region, and are surrounded by a guide rail 13 in a space between the glass plate held on the front frame 4. A gaming section is formed. In addition, at the bottom of this gaming section, there are prize holes 15 to 15 accidentally filled in while falling from above.
An out hole 19 is provided to collect the batted balls that do not win in the game board 8 to the rear of the game board 8.

On the back side of the game board 8, a back setting board 21 is attached to the entire surface so that the winning balls can flow down from the winning areas 15 to 18. Various mechanisms constituting the back mechanism panel 20 are set in a superposed manner.

Below the back setting board 21, there is a collection shelf 21a.
is provided, and a winning ball ejection path 22 is provided approximately in the center thereof.
is connected.

The collecting shelf section 21a is formed so as to slope downward toward the center, and is configured to rectify the generated winning balls one by one in a row, guide them to the winning ball discharge path 22, and discharge them out of the machine. ing. Winning balls are detected one by one by a winning ball detector 55 installed in the middle of the winning ball discharge path 22, and sequentially stored in a storage circuit in the control device 50 set above the back setting board 21. .

Further, an out ball discharge gutter 23 is provided corresponding to the out hole 19 to discharge out balls to the outside of the machine.

Above the surface of the back setting board 21 is a preliminary storage section 2 for storing spare balls supplied from the outside.
4 is installed.

Furthermore, a downstream abnormality detector 57 consisting of a detection plate 57a and a micro switch 57b facing into the flow path is installed for each row in the middle of the substantially vertically descending portion of the guideway 25. Abnormalities in the flow of spare balls due to balls stuck inside or dirt mixed in are monitored, and a stop command signal is output to the control device 50.

Electric ball dispensing device 4 connected to the guideway 25
0 is constructed of a sprocket 42 and a pulse motor 41 as a driving source, which is miniaturized, and is disposed on the back side and one side of the back setting board 21, as will be described in detail later.

The ball payout device 40 is a device used to pay out a predetermined number of prize balls to the player when a ball hits the entered prize area, and is connected to the entered prize ball ejection path 2.
The sprocket 42 is rotated one by one according to a ball payout command signal generated based on a signal from the winning ball detector 55 in the ball detector 2 until a predetermined number is reached.

When an abnormality in the flow of the spare balls as described above is detected in the guideway 25, the control device 50 either stops the payout of prize balls at that point or until the payout operation is completed, that is, the control device 50 stops the payout of prize balls at that point, or until the payout operation is completed, that is, a predetermined number of prizes. After waiting for the ball to be put out, the next payout is stopped, and the control device 50 lights up an alarm lamp 58 (see Fig. 7) consisting of an LED element, etc., so that the cause of the malfunction can be immediately identified. In addition, it is possible to reliably prevent a shortage of prize balls due to a quick ejecting operation and balls being caught in the sprocket 42 due to a shift in ejection timing.

Below the ball payout device 40, a prize ball lead-out path 36 is provided.
are installed in succession. This prize ball lead-out path 36 is approximately S
It is formed in a letter shape so that the prize ball can be rectified and flowed down, and it is also structured so that the falling ball can collide with a bell 37 provided below to generate an exhilarating sound.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view showing a configuration example of the electric ball dispensing device 40. As shown in FIG.

As shown in the figure, the terminal end of the guideway 25 is bent diagonally downward and has two exit sections 25.
c ₁ and 25c ₂ are provided. This outlet section 25
A sprocket 42 as a flow prevention member is arranged so as to face c ₁ and 25 c ₂ , and the sprocket 4
2 is fixed to a rotating shaft 41a of a pulse motor 41, and a blocking plate 43 is fixed to the motor 41 at an appropriate distance from the sprocket 42. Further, on the outer periphery of the sprocket 42, for example, six recesses 42a and six claws 42b, which can be engaged with pachinko balls, are respectively formed.
The outlet portions 25c ₁ and 25c ₂ at the ends of the guide path 25 are configured such that when one side faces the recess 42a of the sprocket 42, the other side faces the claw portion 42b.

Then, the blocking plate 43 and the outlet portions 25c ₁ , 2
It is positioned so as to have a distance of one ball from the end of _5c2 , and below it is provided a discharge gutter 44 connected to the upper end of the prize ball outlet path 36.
The prize ball B that came into contact with the claw part 42b was locked so that it would not flow out, and the prize ball B' that engaged with the recess 42a came into contact with the blocking plate 43 and was held between it and the following prize ball B''. After that, when the sprocket 42 rotates, it is separated by the pawl portion 42b and is allowed to flow down into the discharge gutter 44 below.

FIG. 6 shows the ejecting action of the ball dispensing device 40. As shown in FIG. 1, the ball _B1 first engaged with the recess _42a1 of the sprocket 42 moves the claw portion _42b1 as the sprocket rotates. is sent out and separated by ball B 1 and then the subsequent ball B ₃ of ball B ₁
When the ball B 2 comes into contact with the claw portion 42b ₁ as shown in FIG. 2, the ball B ₂ engages with the recess 42a ₃ and is sent downward by the claw portion 42b ₂ and separated. and,
When the ball _B4 following the ball _B2 comes into contact with the claw portion _42b2 ,
The ball B ₃ is engaged with the recess 42a ₂ and separated by the claw 42b ₂ . In this way, the separation action accompanying the rotation of the sprocket 42 causes the outlet portion 25 to
The prize balls aligned in c ₁ and 25 c ₂ are taken out one by one alternately and discharged into the discharge gutter 44.

Further, an L-shaped notch is formed in the blocking plate 43, and as shown in FIG. . The above sensor 45
Of a to 45b, 45a and 45d function as ball presence detection means to detect whether or not there is a ball to be ejected next in the exit portions 25c ₁ and 25c ₂ .
5c and 45d function as paid-out ball detection means, and are constituted by a sensor for confirming whether or not the ball has been ejected. These sensors can be constructed using optical sensors or proximity switches.

The ball payout device 40 includes the entered prize ball detector 55
When the winning detection signal outputted from the control device 50 is supplied as a payout command signal, the control device 50
A drive signal (pulse power) is output from. As a result, the motor 41 is driven to rotate and begins to pay out the ball. At this time, the control device 50 starts dispensing after confirming that the spare balls are present at the exit of the taxiway 25 based on the detection signal from the ejected ball detector 35, and also ejects them from the ejected ball detector 45. The payout state is detected by receiving a discharge confirmation signal output for each ball, and when it is determined that the prize balls have reached a predetermined number, a payout end signal is output to the ball payout device 40, and the rotation of the motor 41 is stopped. It's becoming like that.

FIG. 7 shows the ball dispensing device 4 controlled by the control device 50.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a control system of the 0.0 control system.

A winning detection signal (pulse) generated from the winning ball detector 55 corresponding to each winning ball is supplied to a memory circuit 51 as a storage means such as a counter, and counted, thereby determining the number of winning balls. be remembered. Also, microcomputer (CPU)
A detection signal from the ejected ball detector 45 in the ball dispensing device 40 is input to the control circuit 52 consisting of the above, and when the memory value of the memory circuit 51 becomes "1" or more, the ball dispensing control becomes effective. Ball dispensing device 4
The ball payout drive control means (control circuit 52) outputs a drive start signal for driving the motor 41 of zero. That is, the ball payout control enabling means (memory circuit 51, control circuit 52) validates the ball payout control based on the winning ball detection signal. Then, on the condition that the state has shifted to this effective state, the ejected bulb detectors 45a, 4
5b confirms the ball in the concave portion of the sprocket 42, the motor 41 rotates and starts dispensing the prize ball, and a detection signal (pulse) is sent from the ejected ball detectors 45c and 45d for each prize ball.
is sent to the control circuit 52.

The control circuit 52 counts this detection signal using, for example, an internal counter, and when the count value reaches a value preset in the internal setting device,
Determining that a predetermined number of prize balls have been paid out, the ball payout terminating means (control circuit 52, counter, setting device) disables the ball payout control enabling means and outputs a motor drive stop signal; Alternatively, the ball payout control of the motor drive signal is stopped to end the ball payout control.

Further, it is determined based on the detection signal from the discharged ball detector 45 that there are no balls to be paid out at the exit portions 25c ₁ and 25c ₂ at the end of the guideway 25 due to a ball clogging or the like during the delivery. and control circuit 52
The motor 41 is immediately stopped, the counter value is held as it is, and the exit section 25 is
When the ball enters c ₁ and 25c ₂ , the motor 41
to pay out the remaining prize balls. When one payout is completed, the control circuit 52 sends a signal to the storage circuit 51 to decrement (reduce) the stored contents.

As described above, even if the payout of prize balls is stopped, the number of winning balls is retained in the memory circuit 51, and if there is a new winning during that time, it is detected, counted up, and stored. Then, once the abnormality is resolved,
Payout of prize balls is started again by a control signal from the control circuit 52.

Note that the control circuit 52 is configured to input a signal from the ball shortage detector 56, so that the preliminary storage section 2
When there is no spare ball in 4, the detection signal is sent to control circuit 5.
2, the driving of the motor 41 may be stopped to stop discharging the prize balls.

In this case, even if the ejection of prize balls is stopped, the number of winning balls is retained in the memory circuit 51, and if there is a new winning during that time, it is detected, counted up, and stored. Then, when the reserve balls are replenished into the reserve storage section 24, it is preferable to start discharging the prize balls again by a control signal from the control circuit 52.

On the other hand, the control circuit 52 monitors the ball's flow abnormality based on the signal from the flow-down abnormality detector 57 installed in the middle of the guideway 25, where dust and foreign objects are likely to enter and cause ball clogging, and the abnormality signal is detected. The dispensing device 40 is stopped when the person enters the room. The downflow abnormality detector 57 is provided for each row of reserve balls flowing down the guideway 25 in two rows.

In addition, the control device 50 consisting of the control circuit 52 and the memory circuit 51 detects a power outage and backs up information on the number of winning balls in the memory circuit 51 by battery so as not to be lost. It is becoming more and more common.

In the above embodiment, by changing the setting value of the setting device in the control circuit 52, an arbitrary number of prize balls can be paid out at one time.

Moreover, a plurality of setting devices are provided in the control circuit 52 of the above embodiment to set different set values, and a winning detector is provided for each of the plurality of winning areas 15 to 18 in the gaming section to distinguish the types of winnings. It is also possible to store it in the memory circuit 51 and change the number of prize balls to be paid out depending on the type (characteristic) of winnings.

In addition, in the above embodiment, when there are winning balls at the same time or consecutively, this is electrically stored in the memory circuit 51, and accurate prize balls can be paid out according to the number of winning balls. However, instead of the memory circuit 51, a winning ball separator is used to physically store a plurality of winning balls and reduce the number of winning balls one by one each time a prize ball is dispensed. It is also possible to provide the winning ball detector 55 in the middle of the path 22 and in this winning ball separator.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, the present invention has a guideway for guiding balls supplied from above, and the balls in the guideway are guided one by one by the operation of the flow prevention member facing the guideway. A ball dispensing device capable of dispensing; a ball presence detection means for detecting the presence or absence of a ball blocked by the ball dispensing member; A put-out ball detection means for detecting a single ball, a ball put-out control enabling means for activating the ball put-out control based on a ball put-out command signal, and the ball put-out control enabling means have shifted to an enabled state. a ball put-out drive control device that confirms the detection signal from the ball presence detection means and operates the ball payout device; and a ball put-out drive control device that operates the ball put-out device by checking the detection signal from the ball presence detection means, and a ball put-out drive control device that counts the detection signal from the put-out ball detection means and performs a preset payout. and a ball put-out terminating means for shifting the ball putting-out control enabling means to an invalid state and terminating the ball putting-out control based on the fact that the number matches the ball putting-out command signal. Control by the ball payout drive control device is enabled by the control enabling means, and in this enabled state, balls are paid out using feedback control while checking the existence of a ball before being put out and its payout for each ball, and the put-out ball is detected. Since the ball put-out control is ended when the number matches the preset number of balls to be put out, there is no excess or deficiency in the number of balls to be put out, and there is an effect that accurate and reliable pay-out can be performed.

In addition, since the spare balls in the guideway can be separated and discharged one by one using the falling prevention member, it is possible to pay out any number of balls. This makes it possible to pay out prize balls, and by making the game contents more complex and diversified, it becomes possible to increase the interest of the pachinko game machine.

Furthermore, a sprocket is used as a flow prevention member.
Further, when the ball dispensing device is configured using a pulse motor as its driving means, it is possible to disburse prize balls at high speed without impairing the accuracy of the number of balls to be ejected.

In the above explanation, we mainly explained the case where it is applied to the prize ball dispensing device of a pachinko game machine.
The present invention is not limited thereto, and can be applied to a ball lending machine or the like that dispenses a predetermined number of balls when coins or cards are inserted. In this case, the detection signal of the inserted coin or card may be configured as the payout command signal.

Furthermore, the ball payout device may be configured to generate a payout command signal to operate the ball payout device when a predetermined game state occurs in the gaming machine.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing a configuration example of a game board of a pachinko game machine, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a back mechanism board showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3 is a rear view thereof, and FIG.
The figure is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the ball dispensing device, FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing an example of the structure of the ejected ball detector, FIG. 6 is an operation explanatory diagram showing the dispensing action in the ball dispensing device, and FIG. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a control system for a back mechanism panel to which the ball dispensing device of the present invention is applied. 8... Game board, 21... Back set board, 40...
...Ball dispensing device, 24... Reserve tank (upper tank),
25... Taxiway, 25c ₁ , 25c ₂ ... Taxiway exit section, 41... Drive means (motor), 42... Downflow prevention member (sprocket), 45... Ejected bulb detector, 45a, 45b... Ball presence detection means, 45c,
45d...Putout ball detection means, 52...Control circuit.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A ball dispensing device that has a guiding path for guiding balls supplied from above and is capable of dispensing balls in the guiding path one by one by the operation of a falling prevention member facing the guiding path. a ball presence detection means for detecting the presence or absence of a ball blocked by the falling ball blocking member; A ball put-out control enabling means that activates the ball put-out control based on a ball put-out command signal; and a ball put-out control enabling means that detects the ball put-out control on the basis of the ball put-out command signal; a ball dispensing drive control device that operates the ball dispensing device after confirming a detection signal from the ball presence detection means; A back mechanism board for a pachinko game machine, comprising: a ball payout terminating means for shifting the ball payout control enabling means to an invalid state and terminating the ball payout control. 2. The flow prevention member is composed of a claw portion that faces into the guideway and prevents the balls from flowing down before being ejected, and a sprocket having a recessed portion on the outer periphery that can engage one ball, and the driving means thereof is constituted by a motor. A back mechanism panel for a pachinko game machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: