JPH0523432A - Ball circulating system of pinball game store - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide an island circulating system in which holding balls of an island are maintained within a prescribed range, and also, a player can throw in freely balls by always operating a premium ball counter, in the island circulating system having the premium ball counter. CONSTITUTION:By a circulating/carrying means 22 having a driving source 25, each island 1 is connected, balls are discharged to the circulating/carrying means 22 from an outflow window of the upper tank 9 in which holding balls are increased, and the discharged balls are replenished from an inflow window o the upper tank 9 of the island 1 in which the holding balls are decreased.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention maintains the number of balls held by each island in a pachinko game shop within a predetermined range, prevents uneven distribution of balls among the islands, and stops the prize ball counter. The present invention relates to a ball circulation system configured to be able to count at all times.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a pachinko game shop, there is a block composed of a large number of pachinko machines commonly called "islands" and pedestrian ball rental machines, and the game shop performs various management controls on this island. The unit is used. And, in order to average the number of balls distributed on each island, Japanese Patent Publication No.
Japanese Patent Publication proposes a pachinko ball possession level averaging device for Pachinko Island. This pachinko ball possession amount averaging device is provided with a prize ball counter on each pachinko island equipped with a ball lending machine, the discharge pipe of the prize ball counter is connected to an appropriate place on the pachinko island, and the prize balls counted are counted. In the device for returning to pachinko islands, a detection means for detecting the ball holding amount of each island is provided, and if the ball holding amount of the island exceeds a predetermined value by the detection signal of this detecting means, a prize ball counter is displayed. Stopping, that is, stopping the player's exchange of prize balls, allowing the player to exchange the prize balls with a prize ball counter provided on another island, so that the player can transfer the balls to another island. In order to prevent the increase in the number of balls on the island, on the other hand, when the amount of balls held on the island decreases below a predetermined value, the prize ball counter is allowed to operate and the prize balls of the player are taken in By increasing the number of balls on the island, the number of balls held by each island in the game store is flattened. It is intended to reduction.

[0003]

However, the above-mentioned conventional pachinko ball holding amount averaging device for an island causes the player to carry balls, which increases the burden on the player and is unfriendly. That is, when the amount of balls held on an island becomes full, the prize ball counter on that island is stopped to stop the throwing in of the prize balls. When the counter is stopped, I have to go to the prize ball counter on another island, but I do not know which island to move to. Moreover, the prize ball counter at the destination may also be stopped, and a player who wants to exchange balls may move around the store with a heavy ball box. In particular, it will be a pain for the weak female customers and the elderly who have been increasing in recent years. Also, even the amusement store side wants to bring the prize balls to the island where the number of held balls has decreased, and unless the balls are supplemented with the prize balls, the island cannot be fully managed and the business is temporarily suspended. There is a risk of falling.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a game at any time without stopping the prize ball counter provided on the island even when the island has enough balls. It is an object of the present invention to provide a ball circulation system that allows a person to freely throw in a prize ball and prevents uneven distribution of the balls by the circulation and conveyance means.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a plurality of pachinko machines arranged in a row, an inter-lens ball lending machine arranged between the pachinko machines, each pachinko machine and each inter-machine space. Supply gutters that supply balls to ball lending machines, collection gutters that collect the balls that have been driven into each pachinko machine, island reduction machines that send the balls of the collection gutters to the supply gutters after polishing, and prize balls that the player earned A plurality of pachinko islands consisting of a prize ball counter that counts, a ball number detection means for individually detecting the number of balls held by each pachinko island, and a bridge between the pachinko islands, and by driving a drive source. Circulating and conveying means for exchanging balls between each of the pachinko islands, and inflow / outflow control means for controlling inflow / outflow of balls between the circulating and conveying means and each of the pachinko islands are provided, and the number of balls is detected. The number of balls held by each pachinko island is monitored by means and the number of balls held For the pachinko islands that do not reach the predetermined value, balls are replenished from the circulation transfer means via the inflow / outflow control means, and from the pachinko island where the number of circulating balls exceeds the predetermined value to the circulation transfer means via the inflow / outflow control means. It is designed to eject balls.

[0006]

[Operation] Excess balls flow out from the upper tank of the island with a lot of balls to the circulation transportation means that is laid between the tops of the islands, and the balls are circulated between the islands by the circulation transportation means. When there is an island with a small number of balls, the circulation carrier means flows into the upper tank of the island with a small number of balls, and the balls held on each island are maintained within a predetermined range. In addition, balls that cannot be accommodated by the circulation transport means overflow and are stored in the storage tank.

[0007]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below with reference to the illustrated embodiments. FIG. 1 is a schematic front view showing the entire island 1.
This island 1 has, for example, two pachinko machines 2 arranged in a row and two pachinko machines 2 arranged back to back, for a total of 40 pachinko machines 2, a ball amount adjuster 3 arranged at one end of the island 1, and each pachinko machine 2 for example. And the inter-mountain ball lending machine 4 arranged between them. In addition, in the upper part of the island 1, a supply gutter 5 that can incline from a high place toward both ends of the island 1 to supply the balls to each pachinko machine 2 and the inter-mountain ball lending machine 4 is provided, and in the lower part. The collecting gutter 7 is arranged in a slanting manner so that the out balls hit in each pachinko machine 2 gather toward the center of the island reducing machine 6 described later.

Balls can be replenished from the replenishment gutter 5 to the upper plates (not shown) of the respective pachinko machines 2 and the inter-lens ball lending machine 4 via the bellows gutters 8 and the balls are driven into the respective pachinko machines 2 and The balls flowing out from the pachinko machine 2 are collected in the collection gutter 7 and the balls collected in the collection gutter 7 are polished with, for example, pellets by the island reduction machine 6, while the island reduction top tank 9 (hereinafter , Abbreviated as upper tank 9). The pellets are separated from the balls by the slats 10a and 10b provided in the upper tank 9 and collected from a pellet collecting pipe (not shown).

A storage tank 11 is provided on the downstream side of any of the supply gutters 5. In this embodiment, the storage tank 1 is provided.
1 is built in above the ball amount adjuster 3. Also,
The storage tank 11 is also communicated with the collection gutter 7.

Storage tank 1 built in the ball amount adjuster 3
A ball 1 is supplied from the supply gutter 5, and a first control means is provided between the storage tank 11 and the supply gutter 5 to control the balls flowing into the storage tank 11. This first
The control means includes, for example, an upper shutter 12 that can be electrically and remotely controlled. Further, a second control means is provided between the storage tank 11 and the collection gutter 7. The second control means is composed of, for example, a lower shutter 13 configured to be able to discharge a small amount of balls to the collection gutter 7, and the lower shutter 13 extends from the storage tank 11 toward the collection gutter 7 and is collected. You may provide in the middle of the discharge gutter 14 opened on the gutter 7. Further, this ball amount adjuster 3 is provided with a prize ball counter 15 for receiving a prize ball brought by a player, and the prize ball thrown into the prize ball counter 15 is used as a count detecting means of a counter configuration. After the action, it is made to flow out to the collection gutter 7 directly or through the temporary storage section 16.

FIG. 11 shows a front view of the ball amount adjuster 3. In addition to the prize ball counter 15 inserted by the player, the ball amount adjuster 3 shown in this embodiment is provided with a money changer 17 for exchanging banknotes into coins or high-value banknotes into low-value banknotes. is there.

On the other hand, the island reducing machine 6 is provided with an upper tank 9, and the balls polished from the upper tank 9 are supplied to the supply trough 5. At this time, it is guided to the left and right supply troughs 5 and guided by the above-mentioned sludge plates 10a and 10b, and falls to about the center of the upper tank 9. Further, the upper tank 9 is provided with a ball number detecting means 18 for detecting the number of balls existing inside. This ball number detection means 18
Is composed of, for example, an upper limit switch 19, a middle limit switch 20, and a lower limit switch 21 which operate according to the amount of balls.

Then, a circulating and conveying means 22 is bridged between the islands 1 constructed as described above. The circulation / conveyance means 22 performs ball exchange between the islands 1. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, a bent piece 24 is provided at the front end of the endless belt 23.
A plurality of ball receiving rails 24 having a are provided so as to be oblique to the traveling direction. More specifically, the drive source 2
The endless belt 23 is stretched between a drive wheel 26 and a rotatable driven wheel 27 which are connected to each other.
The case 3 is covered with a case 28 to prevent balls from being spilled during conveyance, and a cover 29 covers the case 28 and the drive source 25. In the illustrated embodiment, each upper tank 9
A forward path 30 capable of replenishing balls is arranged in the upper stage, and a return path 31 capable of discharging surplus balls from the upper tank 9 is disposed in the lower stage to form two upper and lower stages. When the ball is conveyed on the outward path 30 side, the ball is conveyed on the upright portion 24b of the ball receiving bar 24, and when the ball is conveyed on the return path 31 side, the bending piece 24a scoops the ball. Further, the ball receiving bar 24 is provided in an inclined shape so that the balls flow into the inflow window 32 of the upper tank 9 as the endless belt 23 advances.

The case 28 of the circulating and conveying means 22 is provided along the lateral side of the upper tank 9 of each island 1, and an inflow window 32 and an outflow window 33 are opened in the side wall of the upper tank 9 so that the case 28 can be accommodated in the case 28. The forward path 30 and the return path 31 communicate with each other. An inflow / outflow control means 34 for controlling the inflow / outflow of balls is provided between the circulation transport means 22 and the upper tank 9 of each island 1. The inflow / outflow control means 34 may be, for example, as shown in FIG. 9, provided with an opening / closing member 35 in the inflow window 32 and opening / closing the opening / closing member 35 electrically or mechanically. As the number of balls increases or decreases, the circulation conveyer 22 naturally flows down to the upper tank 9 through the inflow window 32, or the outflow window 3
It may be one that naturally flows from the upper tank 9 to the circulating and conveying means 22 through 3.

Inflow / outflow control means 34 shown in FIGS. 9 and 10.
In this embodiment, the opening / closing member 35 is slid vertically by the motor 36, and the opening / closing member 35 has a long hole 37.
And a cam plate 38 connected to the motor 36 in the long hole 37.
The cam pin 39 is loosely fitted and the opening / closing member 35 is slid by the rotation of the motor 36. Therefore, when the motor 36 is rotated to raise the opening / closing member 35, the inflow window 32 is opened, and the forward path 30 of the circulating / conveying means 22 is opened.
The balls can be replenished into the upper tank 9 from. At this time, the balls replenished from the circulation transport means 22 are
The guide fence 40 is extended from the lower edge of the inflow window 32 toward the center of the upper tank 9 so that it does not fall directly under 2 and flow out from the supply gutter 5 and the outflow window 33 on the right side in the figure. Then, the balls supplied from the inflow window 32 are guided to the center of the upper tank 9. In the above embodiment, the opening / closing member 3
Although 5 is slid up and down, one side of the opening / closing member 35 may be hinged to open and close.

Even after the opening of the amusement store, even if there is no supply of balls from the upper tank 9 to the circulation carrier 22, the circulation carrier 22 always returns the balls so that the islands are returned. The balls may be supplied from the machine 6 to the circulating and conveying means 22 with higher priority than the upper tank 9.

Further, an overflow gutter 41 is provided between the circulation transfer means 22 and the storage tank 11 for communication. That is, the lower half of the case 28 and the storage tank 11 of the ball amount adjuster 3 are connected to each other in an inclined shape, and balls overflowing from the return path 31 can be returned to the storage tank 11.

Next, the operation of the ball circulation system according to the present invention will be described. First, for example, prepare 5000 balls for one pachinko machine 2, and in the island 1 consisting of 40 pachinko machines 2, insert 200,000 balls and operate the island reduction machine 6, Balls are dispersed in each pachinko machine 2, a supply gutter 5, a collection gutter 7, a storage tank 11, or the like.

Then, as the game progresses in each pachinko machine 2, the number of balls in the upper tank 9 fluctuates. This fluctuation in the number of balls is limited to an upper limit switch 19 (for example, provided in the upper tank 9).
Installed so as to operate with 15,000 pieces), Medium limit switch 2
0 (for example, installed so as to operate at 13000 pieces), detected by the operation of the lower limit switch 21 (for example, installed so as to operate at 10000 pieces), and the upper shutter 12 and the lower shutter for the storage tank 11 according to this variation. The number of balls is controlled to be open / closed so that the number of balls can be maintained within a predetermined range (in this case, 13000 to 15000), and the circulation and conveyance means 22 distributes the balls between the islands 1 to distribute the balls unevenly. Prevent.

For example, the number of balls in one island 1 decreases, and the number of balls in the upper tank 9 is 130 which is the level of the intermediate limit switch 20.
When the number is reduced to 00, the inflow / outflow control means 34 is activated to open the opening / closing member 35 to allow the balls to flow from the circulation / transport means 22 into the upper tank 9 to replenish the balls.

On the other hand, when the number of balls in the upper tank 9 increases and, for example, exceeds the level of the upper limit switch 15,000, the overflowed balls flow into the circulating and conveying means 22 through the outflow window 33. Then, it is transferred to another island 1 by the circulation transfer means 22, and the balls are reduced to flow into the upper tank 9 in which the inflow window 32 is opened. When there is no upper tank 9 with the inflow window 32 opened, the circulation tank 22 circulates within the capacity of the circulation conveying means 22, and when it exceeds the capacity, it flows from the overflow gutter 41 to the storage tank 11. Further, the upper tank 9 is provided with an overflow tube 42 communicating with the recovery gutter 7, so balls exceeding the level of the overflow tube 42 fall into the recovery gutter 7.

According to the present invention as described above, not only the number of balls held by the island 1 can be maintained within a predetermined range, but also the number of balls held by the island 1 from which the number of balls held is increased by the circulation carrier 22. Balls can be transported to the reduced number of islands 1. Therefore, even if the prize ball counter 15, which is an increasing factor of the possessed balls, is always operated to allow the player to insert the prize balls, the possessed balls on the island 1 do not exceed the predetermined value. On the other hand, with respect to the island 1 in which the possessed balls have decreased, it is possible to replenish balls from other islands 1, and the possessed balls of each island 1 can always be maintained within a predetermined range.

FIG. 12 is a plan view showing another embodiment of the circulating / conveying means 22. In this embodiment, the outward path 30 and the returning path 31 of the circulating / conveying means 22 are on the same plane around the island reducing machine 6. It is provided inside. Also according to this embodiment, it is possible to replenish the upper tank 9 with balls from the forward path 30 of the circulation transfer means 22 through the inflow window and discharge the balls in the upper tank 9 to the return path 31 of the circulation transfer means 22 through the outflow window. The possessed balls of each island 1 can be maintained within a predetermined range.
In FIG. 12, the same components as those of the above-described embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted.

Although the present invention has been described above with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, but can be appropriately implemented without changing the configuration described in the claims. For example, the island reducing machine may be installed at the end of the island, or the ball amount adjuster may be installed in the middle of the island. Further, instead of connecting the islands in the game shop with one circulation carrier, an appropriate number of islands may be grouped and a circulation carrier may be provided for each group. Further, although the above description has explained a pachinko island, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to a pachinko island and can be applied to an island of a medal gaming machine (so-called pachi-slot etc.).

[0025] Then, in order to suppress the increase in the number of held balls without stopping the operation of the prize ball counter, the player is encouraged to refrain from throwing the prize balls into the prize ball counter of the island where the number of held balls has increased. A display means for visually displaying such as a red warning light and a guide display for urging the user to be displayed, and a display means for aurally displaying an announcement sound or a caution signal may be provided around the prize ball counter. In addition, if the prize ball counter itself is stored in the ball amount adjuster, or if the amount held on Pachinko Island approaches full, contact the clerk of the amusement store by a pager or other communication means to receive notification. It is also possible to make it impossible to insert the prize balls by, for example, shuttering the prize ball counter by the clerk himself.

[0026]

In summary, according to the present invention, not only can the number of balls held by each island be maintained within a predetermined range, but the number of balls held can be reduced from the islands where the number of balls held has been increased by the circulation carrier. The balls can be transported to the islands, and uneven distribution of the balls among the islands can be prevented. Moreover, since the prize ball counter can always be operated, the player can put the acquired prize ball into the nearest prize ball counter, and it is necessary to go back and forth in the store with a heavy prize ball. In addition, it is possible to further improve the service to the player, which is particularly useful for weak women and the elderly. Further, according to the present invention, since the storage tank is provided in the ball amount adjuster, the ball space for storing the balls as in the conventional case is unnecessary, and the space can be effectively utilized, so that more games can be played in the store. It is efficient and economical to install a machine.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic front view showing the entire island.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an island group.

FIG. 3 is a plan view around an island reducing machine.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of an island group.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a circulation transfer unit.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of a part of the circulating and conveying means.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which balls are replenished from the circulation transport means to the upper tank.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing a state where balls are discharged from the upper tank to the circulating and conveying means.

FIG. 9 is a front view of an inflow / outflow control unit.

FIG. 10 is a side view of the inflow / outflow control means.

FIG. 11 is a front view of a ball amount adjuster.

FIG. 12 is a plan view showing another embodiment of the circulating and conveying means.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Pachinko Island 2 pachinko machines 3 ball amount adjuster 5 Supply gutter 6 island reduction machine 7 Recovery gutter 9 Upper tank 15 prize ball counter 18 ball number detection means 22 Circulating transportation means 30 outbound 31 Return 32 Inflow window 33 Outflow window 34 Inflow / outflow control means

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of pachinko machines arranged in a row, an inter-mountain ball lending machine arranged between the pachinko machines, a supply gutter for supplying balls to each pachinko machine and each inter-mountain ball lending machine, and each pachinko machine A plurality of pachinko islands consisting of a collection gutter for collecting the driven balls, an island reduction machine for pumping the balls of the collection gutter to a supply gutter after polishing, and a prize ball counter for counting the prize balls earned by the player, A ball number detecting means for individually detecting the number of balls held by each pachinko island, and a circulating and conveying means for passing the balls between the pachinko islands and for exchanging balls between the pachinko islands by driving a driving source. And the inflow / outflow control means for controlling the inflow / outflow of the balls between the circulating transportation means and the respective pachinko islands, and the number of balls held by each pachinko island is monitored by the ball number detecting means, Pachinko islands with less than the number of balls are replenished by circulating transportation means and possessed balls Pachinko shop ball circulation system, characterized in that so as to discharge the ball into the circulation transport means to or more pachinko island. 2. The circulating transportation means comprises a forward path for supplying balls to an island where the number of balls does not reach a predetermined value and a return path for recovering balls discharged from an island where the number of balls exceeds a predetermined value. The ball circulation system of a pachinko game store according to claim 1, wherein the return path is arranged on the upper side and is arranged on the lower side. 3. The circulating transportation means comprises a forward path for supplying balls to an island where the number of balls does not reach a predetermined value and a return path for collecting balls discharged from an island where the number of balls exceeds a predetermined value. The ball circulation system of a pachinko game shop according to claim 1, wherein the return path and the return path are arranged in the same plane around the island reducing machine. 4. The opening / closing member of the inflow / outflow control means is opened and replenished to the pachinko islands less than or equal to the possession number, and surplus balls are discharged from the pachinko islands greater than or equal to the possession number to the circulation conveying means. The ball circulation system of the pachinko game shop described in either 2 or 3. 5. The ball circulation system of a pachinko game store according to claim 1, 2, 3, or 4, wherein the prize ball counter is configured to be constantly countable. 6. A plurality of ball receiving bars obliquely intersecting with the traveling direction are provided on the surface of the endless belt constituting the circulating and conveying means so that the balls flow toward the inflow window opened in the upper tank of the island reducing machine. A ball circulation system of a pachinko game store according to any one of claims 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. 7. When the number of balls in the upper tank exceeds a predetermined value, the balls overflow from the outflow window and are discharged into the storage tank of the ball amount adjuster.
The ball circulation system of a pachinko ball game store according to any one of 5 and 6. 8. The ball circulation system of a pachinko game shop according to claim 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, wherein the balls are preferentially supplied from the island reducing machine to the circulation carrier.