JPH05237250A - Discharging device for ball and control method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To continuously detect and smoothly discharge balls one by one and change the discharge mode of balls at the time of winning by installing a rotor having a spiral projection on the surface so that the projection is protruded into ball discharge passages, separating the balls with the projection via the rotation of the rotor, and discharging the balls one by one. CONSTITUTION:A worm 251 is installed so that screw threads are protruded into flow passages 259a, 259b, the worm 251 is rotated by a step motor 253, and balls are separated one by one and discharged in sequence by the screw threads. The rotating speed of the step motor 251 is controlled based on the signal from a control device according to the response to a game. The screw thread protruded into the left ball passage 259a and the screw thread protruded into the right ball passage 259b are out of phase by 180 deg., and the ball located at the lowest position of the passage is discharged one by one from either the right or left ball passage each time the worm 251 is rotated by 180 deg.. Two balls, one each from one ball passage, are discharged each time the worm 251 is rotated by 360 deg..

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a ball discharging device and a discharging control method applied to a gaming machine such as a pachinko gaming machine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a ball discharge control system applied to a pachinko game machine or the like, a member for preventing the flow of the discharged balls is provided in the discharge passage filled with the discharged balls, and the blocking member is provided. The balls are pulled up from the discharge passage to discharge the balls, the number of discharged balls (discharge balls) is detected based on the detection signal from the count sensor, and the blocking member is reached when the number of discharged balls reaches a predetermined value. Was again projected into the discharge passage to discharge a predetermined number of balls.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional discharge control system, since the discharged balls continuously flow down, it is necessary to stop the discharge after actually confirming a predetermined number of flow down. However, control such as timing adjustment was complicated. In addition, since a predetermined number of balls are discharged at once and intermittently, a predetermined number of balls to be discharged next are temporarily supplied to the empty ball discharging device after the current discharge, At the time of the replenishment operation, there is a possibility that the flow-down prevention member in the apparatus may collide with the apparatus and the apparatus may be damaged. Further, in recent gaming machines such as pachinko gaming machines, there has been an increasing demand for changing the pattern of prize ball discharge with the diversification of game modes. The speed of the ball could not be adjusted because the ball dropped naturally. The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and a first object thereof is to provide a ball discharging device capable of continuously detecting and discharging one ball.
A second object is to provide a ball discharge control device capable of variously changing the discharge mode when discharging balls such as prize balls.

[0004]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a sphere discharging device according to claim 1 of the present invention has one or more sphere discharging passages and a spiral convex portion on the surface thereof. A rotating body that is formed and installed such that the convex portion projects inside the sphere discharge passage, and a rotating unit that rotates the rotating body, and a sphere is formed by the convex portion as the rotating body rotates. It separates and discharges to one. The ball discharging device according to claim 2 has one or more ball discharging passages, a gear mountain and a groove portion, and the sprocket is installed inside the ball discharging passage so that the gear mountain protrudes. A worm gear formed on the rotation shaft of the sprocket, a worm that transmits a turning force to the worm gear, and a rotating unit that rotates the worm. It is designed so that one piece is discharged. Further, in the ball discharging device according to the third aspect, the rotating means comprises a step motor whose rotation angle and rotation speed can be controlled.

[0005]

According to the invention as set forth in claim 1 or 2, when ejecting the balls, one ejected ball is accommodated in a spiral convex portion or a groove portion of a sprocket formed on the rotating body. ,
The stored sphere is discharged one by one as the rotator or sprocket rotates, so that the sphere in the discharge passage is smoothly discharged by controlling the rotation mode of the rotating means. . Further, according to the third aspect of the invention, since the rotational speed of the rotating body / sprocket by the rotating means can be variably controlled, it is possible to variously change the discharge mode of the balls.

[0006]

【Example】

(First Embodiment) FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a card type game system 1 according to the present invention. In this embodiment, a pachinko gaming machine 10 exemplified as a gaming machine that discharges prize balls and a ball lending machine 20 are configured to form a pair, and the ball lending machine 20 has a card reader (not shown) built therein. There is. On the front panel 21 of the ball lending machine 20, a card slot 22 corresponding to the above card reader, an insertion balance indicator 23 for displaying the balance of the inserted card, and a display indicating that the ball lending machine 20 is in operation An effective display lamp 24 is provided.

On the other hand, the front panel 1 of the pachinko gaming machine 10
The operation portion 13 is provided on the upper surface of the supply tray 12 attached to
Are formed. On this operation unit 13, a balance indicator 13a for displaying the balance of the card inserted into the card insertion / ejection slot 22, a conversion button 13b for giving a command for conversion into a loan ball, and ejection (return) of the card. A return button 13c for instructing and a ball lending indicator lamp 13d for displaying that the conversion button 13b is valid are provided.

On the right end side of the front surface of the panel 11, an overflow lamp 14 for notifying that a prize ball discharged by a prize ball discharging device described later is in an overflow state.
And a ballless lamp 15 for notifying that the prize balls to be discharged have been exhausted. Further, the front panel 11 is formed with an insertion hole (both not shown) into which an operation rod for ball removal is inserted when staff at a game shop perform ball removal processing, and the insertion hole is inserted into the insertion hole. The operating rod is detected by a ball removing sensor (not shown) provided inside the operating rod.

A metal frame detection switch 104 for detecting the open / closed state of the metal frame 103 is provided inside the metal frame 103 which is openable and closable with the left end as an axis with respect to the front panel 11. Is installed.

At the upper end of the front surface of the front panel 11, a prize ball discharge display lamp 16a which is lit when discharging a prize ball, a loan ball discharge display lamp 16c which is lit when discharging a loan ball and a lamp is lit when a stop condition occurs. The completion lamp 16b is installed.

In FIG. 1, 17 is a tray for storing prize balls that have overflowed inside when the supply tray 12 is full, and 18 is a transparent glass window for each ball supplied from the supply tray 12. It is an operation dial of a hitting ball launching device for launching in a game area 19 inside. The structure of the game area is the same as the conventional one, and can take any structure.

The card-type pachinko game system 1 according to this embodiment is constructed as described above, and during the game,
When a ball wins the winning part (not shown) of the game area 19,
Prize balls (balls) are discharged by a ball discharging device (described later). Further, when a certain game condition is established, a special game state (big hit game state) that can give the player many chances of winning prize balls is generated.

On the other hand, when the conversion button 13b is pressed after the card is inserted into the card insertion / ejection slot 22 of the ball lending machine 20, a preset amount of money (for example, 300) is held within the amount of money of the card. A command for converting a circle portion into a loan ball is sent to a ball discharge control device (described later), and the ball discharge device (described later) discharges the loan ball to the supply tray 12. Then, the remaining amount of money of the converted card is, for example, a frequency with 100 yen as one unit, and the balance indicator 13a.
Is displayed.

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of a back mechanism including a ball discharging portion of the pachinko gaming machine 10. In FIG. 2, 2
00 is a ball discharging device for discharging prize balls and rental balls, 600
Is a ball ejection control device. This ball discharge control device 600
Controls the ball ejecting device 200 based on a signal indicating a winning from the accessory control device 700 described later to eject a predetermined number of prize balls or lending balls. Further, 811 is a storage tank for storing the preliminary balls before being discharged, and 812 is an alignment of balls flowing down from the inside of the storage tank 811, and guides them to the second guide trough 840 directly above the ball discharging device 200. This is the first guide gutter. Although not particularly limited, the first guide gutter 812 has two discharge passages for discharging a large number of balls in a short time so that the balls can be discharged. Then, a ball collapsing device (described later) is installed on the upstream side, and a ball clogging sensor (described later) is installed on the downstream side.

Below the ball discharge device 200, a discharge gutter 813 having an internal passage for guiding the discharged balls to the outlet 12a of the supply tray 12 on the front of the game machine, and the supply tray 12
An overflow gutter 814 is continuously provided to guide a ball overflowing from the tray to the lower tray 17. An overflow switch 818 is installed upstream of the overflow gutter 814. Further, a ball draining gutter 815 having an internal passage branched from the middle of the ball draining gutter 813 is arranged in parallel with the overflow gutter 814, and a passage switching is provided at a branch portion between the ball draining gutter 815 and the discharge gutter 813. As a device, a ball-eliminating solenoid 820
A flow path switching valve 821 operated by the above is installed. 825 is a collecting gutter that collects the winning balls that have won the winning portion (not shown) provided in the game area 19 on the front of the pachinko gaming machine 10 and has reached the back side of the pachinko gaming machine 10 in one place, and 830 is the collecting gutter. A winning ball separating device that separates the winning balls collected by the collecting path 828 below the winning balls 825 one by one and detects them by a detector (safe sensor) 831.
Reference numeral 700 denotes an accessory control device to which a detection signal or the like from a prize detector (not shown) for detecting a prize ball that has won in the prize area of the game area 19 is input, and the accessory control device 700 inputs these. Based on the signal, the accessory or various display lamps are operated.

The accessory control device 700 and the ball discharge control device 600 are connected to each other by a cord composed of three signal lines. Although not particularly limited, in this embodiment, one ends of the cords 711 and 611 pulled out from the accessory control device 700 and the ball discharge control device 600 have the relay substrate 68.
0, and the accessory control device 7 through the relay board 680.
00 and the ball ejection control device 600 are communicatively coupled to each other.

The back mechanism is constructed as described above, and discharge of balls such as prize balls and rental balls is instructed by the ball discharge controller 600 by the ball discharge device 200 by the supply tray 12 or the tray 1.
It will be held for 7.

3 to 9 show an embodiment of the ball discharging device 200. Of these, FIG. 3 is an overall perspective view of the ball discharging device 200, FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view thereof, and FIG. 5 is a partially cutaway sectional view of the ball discharging device 200 seen from the side. As shown in FIG. 4, the ball discharging device 200 includes a main body frame 210, an upper lid case 220, a lower lid case 230, and a flow path forming floor plate 240.
And a discharge control unit 250 that controls the flow of the ball. Then, the main body frame 210 and the upper lid case 22
0, the lower lid case 230 has the discharge controller 25 inside.
No. 0, the flow path forming floor plate 240 is housed and fixed to each other with screws (FIG. 3).

Of these, the discharge control unit 250, as will be described in detail later, is a worm used in this embodiment as a rotating body having a spiral convex portion formed on its surface (the worm has a ball in its groove 251A). 5 for each (FIG. 5) discharges one sphere with its rotation) 251 and a step motor (rotating means) 253 for rotating the worm 251.
And a mounting board 255 on which the motor is installed, and a ball collapsing solenoid (vibrating means) mounted on the mounting board 255.
And 280 (FIG. 4).

Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the main body frame 210 has a central recess 210A for accommodating the mounting substrate 255 on which the control unit 250 is installed, and a pair of left and right spherical flow path forming recesses 210B, 210C. Has been formed. Then, the flow path forming portions 240B and 240C of the flow path forming floor plate 240 mounted so as to close the main body frame 210 from below.
And the flow path forming recesses 210B and 210C
A pair of spherical channels 259a and 259b are formed (see FIG. 7).

The body frame 210 is provided with a worm mounting opening 216 and a solenoid mounting opening 217 in the central recess thereof, while the worm mounting opening is provided at a position corresponding to the center of the flow path forming floor plate 240. 246 and a solenoid mounting opening 247 are provided. Then, at the time of assembling the ball discharging device 200, the respective mounting openings 216, 24
6 are overlapped with each other, the mounting openings 217, 247 are overlapped with each other, and bridge portions 215, 245 formed in the center thereof.
And the mounting substrate 255 on which the step motor and the like are installed
The main body mounting convex portion 255C is fixed by screws or the like.

On the other hand, the worm 251 mounted integrally with the step motor 253 on the mounting substrate 255 has its rotating shaft 251a rotatably supported by the bearing portion 214 of the main body frame and is provided on the upper lid case 220. The retaining projection 221 prevents the bearing portion 214 from coming off (FIG. 8).

When the mounting board 255 is screwed to the main body frame 210 and the flow path forming floor plate 240, the screw thread 251B of the worm 251 is attached to the mounting opening 2 of the main body frame.
The positioning is performed so as to project into the sixteen opening convex portions 216a, 216a (only one appears in FIG. 4) (FIG. 6). Then, as shown in FIG. 6, this worm 2
Space between the screw threads 251B of 51 (groove portion 251A) and the outer wall surfaces 213B, 2 of the flow path forming recesses 210B, 210C.
With 13C, a sphere storage portion is formed in which one sphere is stored.

On the other hand, the ball collapsing solenoid 28 housed in the mounting openings 217 and 247 that are superposed when assembled.
As shown in FIG. 6, 0 is the operating rods 281a, 2
81b is a flow path forming concave portion 210B, 21 of the main body frame 210.
The inner wall surfaces 214B and 214C forming 0C are positioned so as to vibrate (FIG. 6). That is, the solenoid 280 normally operates (when it is demagnetized) by the action of the return spring 282.
a) is in contact with one wall surface (214C), and when the solenoid 280 is excited (ON) in this state, the other actuating rod (281b) is moved to the other wall surface (21C).
4B) is displaced until it is hit. When the solenoid 280 is demagnetized again from this state, the return spring 2
The action of 82 causes the operating rod (281a) on the opposite side to collide with the other wall surface (214C). Therefore, when the wall surface is vibrated the number of times of ON / OFF by repeating the ON / OFF of the solenoid and the ball is clogged in the two ball channels 259a and 259b of the ball discharging device 200, The ball clogging will be eliminated.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 4, spheres are provided at predetermined positions of the flow passage forming portions (forming the floor portions of the sphere flow passages 259a and 259b) 240B and 240C at the left and right ends of the flow passage forming floor plate 240. The sensor-equipped sensor mounting openings 241a and 241b and the count sensor mounting openings 242a and 242b are formed.
The flow passage forming floor plate 240 and the body frame 210 are screwed through the flow passage forming floor plate 240 so that the a and 262b project from the openings 241a and 241b, respectively. On the other hand, the count sensor mounting board 244 on which the count sensors 263A and 263B are installed is screwed to the flow path forming floor plate 240 so that the sensor portions 263a and 263b thereof protrude from the openings 242a and 242b, respectively.

The lower lid case 230 is attached to the main body frame 210 from below, and the flow path forming floor plate 24 is provided between the lower lid case 230 and the main body frame 210.
0 is stored. Ball stopper release projections 231 and 232 are formed at the upper end and the lower end of the lower lid case 230 for releasing the ball stopper by the opening / closing member (FIGS. 10 and 11), which will be described later. ing.

The discharge control unit 250 housed in the main body frame 210 is, as shown in FIGS.
Worm 2 projecting into the spherical flow paths 259a and 259b (only the spherical flow path 259a is shown in FIG. 5) formed inside
The screw thread 251B of 51 has the ball passages 259a and 259b.
Pull the sphere that has flowed into it to separate it into the groove 2 of the worm.
It is designed to be stored in 51A. Then, every time the worm 251 rotates 360 degrees, a total of two balls are discharged from one of the flow paths. In this case,
The phase of the screw thread projecting to the left side spherical flow path 259a and the screw thread projecting to the right side spherical flow path 259b are 180 degrees out of phase.
Thus, every time the ball rotates 180 degrees, one sphere located at the most downstream point (tip portion 200D) of the sphere is discharged from one of the left and right sphere flow paths (Fig. 6). , Shows a state where a sphere is present at the tip portion 200D of the sphere flow path 259a on the left side in the figure).

Further, the count sensor 263A or 26
3B shows that the lowest end 252 (FIGS. 5 and 6) of the thread of the worm 251 in the sphere flow path is the lowest end of the spheres housed in the sphere ejector 200 (the tip 200D of the sphere ejector). It is installed at a position where it can detect the sphere (B1) and output a high level signal while blocking the flow of the object (shown as B1 in FIGS. 5 and 6) located at There is.
When the bottommost ball is ejected, the count sensor temporarily outputs a low level signal indicating that there is no ball. When the ball (B1) located at the lowest end until then is ejected along with the rotation of the worm 251, a ball (B3) that replaces the ball is stored in the area (storage section) newly partitioned by the worm 251. Three balls are always stored in one storage section.

FIG. 8 is a side view of the entire discharge control section 250 showing the side shape of the mounting board on which the heat dissipation mechanism is formed, and FIG. 9 is a front view showing the front shape of the mounting board. This mounting board 255 is a thin plate having an uneven shape in which a motor mounting recess 255A, a solenoid mounting recess 255B, and a main body mounting projection 255C are formed. At the center thereof, the bearing notch 255d of the rotary shaft of the step motor is formed.
It is a square flat plate having. This base 255D
The heat radiating plate (heat radiating portion) 2 folded back perpendicularly to the base
56A and 256B are integrally formed (FIGS. 6 to 9).

The heat dissipation plates 256A and 256B are shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 7, spheres that are formed so as to face the inner wall surfaces 214B and 214C of the spherical flow paths 259a and 259b through the above-described opening convex portions 216a and flow down in the spherical flow paths 259a and 259b (see FIG. 6). B3, B4) of the above. The heat dissipation plates 256A, 25 thus formed
6B, when the ball discharging operation is actually started and heat is generated from the motor due to the rotation operation of the step motor 253, the heat is transmitted from the mounting base portion 255D of the mounting substrate 255 to the heat radiating plates 256A and 256B. , Heat will be transferred to the sphere that comes into contact with it. As described above, the ball collapsing solenoid 280 is also installed on the mounting board 255, and the heat generated from the solenoid during the ball collapsing operation is transferred to the ball through the heat radiating plates 256A and 256B of the mounting board 255. (B3, B4 in Fig. 6).

At the lower end of the guide gutter 840 directly above the ball discharge part of the pachinko gaming machine 10 in which the ball discharge device 200 is installed, as shown in FIG. The opening / closing member 842 that opens and closes the lower end openings of the ball downward passages 841 and 841 slides in the left-right direction in the figure while being biased by the return spring 843 in the direction of closing the downward passages 841 and 841. It is installed freely.
A fitting recess 844 is formed in the center of the guide trough 840 on the downstream left side to receive the ball stop release projection 231 at the upper end of the ball discharging device 200 from the left side in the drawing.

On the other hand, although not shown, the upper end portion of the ball discharge trough 813 immediately below the portion where the same ball discharge device 200 is installed is similar to that shown in FIG. The opening and closing member and the return spring of are installed,
A fitting recess similar to that shown in FIG. 10 is formed to receive the ball stopper release protrusion 232 at the lower end of the ball discharging device 200.

The ball discharging device 200, the lower end of the guide gutter 840 and the upper end of the ball discharging gutter 813 are configured as described above, and the ball discharging device 200 has a ball discharging part between the guide gutter 840 and the discharging gutter 813. Upper and lower mounts 211k, 211
By being installed by being screwed through k (FIG. 3), it operates roughly as follows. That is, from the portion of the ball discharge part between the guide gutter 840 and the discharge gutter 813, the ball discharge device 20
When 0 is removed, the opening / closing member 842 at the lower end portion of the guide gutter 840 is returned by the return spring 843 to the ball downflow passage 84.
The state in which 1, 841 are closed (the state shown in FIG. 10) has been restored, and the ball is prevented from spilling from the guide gutter 840. At this time, the opening / closing member (not shown) at the upper end of the ball discharge gutter 813 is in a state in which the ball downward passage (not shown) therein is closed by the return spring (not shown). Staff members are unable to pour the ball into it.

Then, the guide gutter 840 and the discharge gutter 81
When the ball ejecting device 200 is set from the left in the part of the ball ejecting portion between the ball ejecting part 200 and the ball ejecting part 3, the upper and lower ball stopper releasing projections 231 and 232 of the ball ejecting device 200 are respectively guided by the guide trough 84.
0 is fitted into a fitting recess 844 at the lower end and a fitting recess (not shown) at the upper end of the ball discharge gutter 813, and the opening / closing member 842 and the like in the same portion are moved to the right against the force of the return spring 843 and the like. Then, the ball down passage 84 of the guide gutter 840, 813
1, 841 and the like are opened (FIG. 11).

In this state, the balls in the storage tank 811 pass through the guide gutter 812 and the guide gutter 840 and the ball discharging device 20.
When it flows into the two ball passages 259a and 259b in 0, the ball is stopped by the worm 251 screw thread. In this stopped state, the step motor 253 is turned on (O
When the worm 251 rotates in the forward direction (in the direction shown by the arrow in FIG. 7), the lowermost end 252 of the screw thread shown in FIG. 5 moves upward from the ball locking position. , And the ball held at the end 200D is ejected.

That is, when a ball discharge command is issued from the ball discharge control device 600, the step motor 253 is turned on (O
N), and in that one rotation operation (180 degree rotation),
The worm rotates 180 degrees. At this time, the lowermost end 252 of the worm discharges the sphere located at the front end portion 200D of the sphere discharging device (locked by either of the sphere flow paths 259a and 259b) from the sphere flow path.

As described above, the count sensor I (263
A) and II (263B) are the left and right spherical flow paths 259a and 259.
9b tip (tip 200D of the ball passage of the ball ejection device)
In addition, it is installed at a position where the sphere can be detected when it is stored by the most distal end portion 252 of the worm. Therefore, when the sphere is stored at the tip of one of the sphere flow paths, the count sensors 263A and 263B are
One of the detection signals becomes high level and the other becomes low level. The tip portion 20 is rotated by the rotation of the worm 251.
When the 0D ball is discharged, the count sensors 263A, 26
Among 3B, the detection signal of the sensor that has been outputting the high level signal until then turns to the low level. At this time, in the other flow path, the worm rotates at this time (180 degree rotation)
As a result, the ball reaches the tip portion 200D, and the output signal of the other count sensor, which has output the low level signal until then, changes to the high level.

In such a ball discharging device 200,
The rotation angle of the step motor is constantly monitored by the ball discharge control device 600, and it is determined that the discharge of the desired number of balls is completed at the time when the rotation is performed by an angle obtained by multiplying the number of balls to be discharged by 180 degrees. Then, the rotation of the step motor is stopped.

Further, the ball clogging generated in the ball discharging device 200 will be described later in detail with the ball sensors 262A and 262A.
2B and the detection signals from the count sensors 263A and 263B. When the determination is made, the ball breaking solenoid 28 is instructed by a command from the ball discharging control device 600.
0 is turned on and off, and the worm 251 is further controlled for reverse rotation / forward rotation and the like, so that the ball clogging is eliminated.

FIG. 12 is a vertical sectional rear view of the storage tank 811 and the guide gutter 812. As shown in the figure, the no-sphere detector 410 is provided at the downstream end wall portion of the storage tank 811.
Is installed. This sphereless detector 410 is provided with a pin 41 in the opening of the downstream end wall of the storage tank 811, for example.
The detection piece 412 is swingably supported by the sensor 1 and the sensor 413 that detects the detection portion 412a of the detection piece 412. The detection piece 412 is urged by a return spring (not shown) in a direction in which the detection portion 412a at the lower end of the detection piece 412 is removed from the sensor 413.

The sphere-free detector 410 is constructed as described above, and when the storage tank 811 is filled with spheres, the detection pressure 412 causes the detection piece 412, and the detection portion 412a at the lower end thereof is in the sensor 413. When the sensor 413 is pushed in the inward direction and the sensor 413 is turned off (OFF), the presence of the ball is detected. On the other hand, when there are no balls in the storage tank 811, or when there are no more balls, the detection piece 412
Is turned back by the force of the return spring in the direction in which it is removed from the sensor 413, and the sensor 413 is turned on (ON), whereby the no-ball state is detected. When the ball-free state is detected, the detection signal is sent to a management device (not shown) installed in a pachinko gaming shop or the like, and the storage tank 811 is supplied with balls by a command from the management device.

Further, a ball clogging detector 420 is installed at the bottom of the guide gutter 812 on the downstream side, and a ball collapsing device 430 is installed at the end of the upstream side thereof. More specifically, the ball clogging detector 420 may include, for example, the guide gutter 8
It is composed of a detection piece 422 rotatably installed by a pin 421 in an opening at the downstream side bottom of 12 and a sensor 423 for detecting the detection piece 422. The detection piece 422 is provided with a turning return force in a direction in which its free end side rises by an urging spring (not shown).

On the other hand, the ball collapsing device 430 has a guide gutter 81.
Worm 431 arranged in a state in which a part of the worm 431 is projected.
And a ball breaking motor 432 for rotating the worm 431
It consists of and.

Ball clogging detector 420 and ball collapsing device 43
0 is configured as described above, and when the guide gutter 812 is filled with a sphere and there is a sphere on the detection piece 422, the weight of the sphere causes the detection piece 422 to move toward the free end side detection unit 422.
When a is pressed in the direction of entering the sensor 423 and the sensor 423 is turned off (OFF), the state with a ball is detected. On the other hand, when there is no sphere on the detection piece 422 due to a ball clogging in the upstream portion of the guide gutter 812, the detection piece 422 is detected.
Is rotated and returned in the direction in which its free end side rises by the urging force of the urging spring (not shown), and the detection portion 422a on the free end side is removed from the sensor 423 and the sensor 423 is released.
When is turned on, the ball-free state is detected. Then, this detection signal is the ball discharge control device 60.
0, the motor 432 is operated by the command from the ball ejection control device 600, and the worm 431 rotates. By the rotation of the worm 431, the ball on the upstream side of the guide trough 812 is broken and the ball clogging is released.
When 3 is turned off, the state with the ball is detected again. This detection signal is sent to the ball ejection control device 600, and the command from the ball ejection control device 600 returns the motor 432 to the stopped state.

FIG. 13 shows a first modification of the ball collapsing device described with reference to FIG. The ball collapsing device 440 of the first modified example is composed of a rotating bottom plate 441 installed in the bottom side opening of the guide gutter 812, and a drive device 442 that applies rotational force to the rotating bottom plate 441. There is. More specifically, the rotating bottom plate 441 is installed so as to be rotatable about the horizontal shaft 441a in the direction in which the free end side moves up and down.

On the other hand, the drive unit 442 is a motor 442.
a and a cam 442c attached to the drive shaft 442b of the motor 442a. The cam 442c is arranged in contact with the lower side surface of the rotating bottom plate 441.

Then, the ball clogging detector 420 (see FIG.
When the ball-free state is detected by 2), the motor 442a is operated by a command from the ball discharge control device 600, and the cam 442c rotates in the clockwise direction in FIG. Is rotated so that a ball collapse on the upstream side of the guide gutter 812 is performed.

FIG. 14 shows a second modification of the ball collapsing device. The ball collapsing device of the second modified example is constituted by a solenoid 450 installed at an upstream end of a guide gutter 812, and one end side of an operating rod 451 of the solenoid 450 faces the guide path 812. Then, when the ball clogging detector 420 (FIG. 12) detects the ball-free state, the solenoid 450 is turned on / off by a command from the ball ejection control device 600, and its operating rod 451. By the reciprocating movement of the above, the ball collapse on the upstream side of the guide gutter 812 is performed.

FIG. 15 shows a third modification of the ball collapsing device. The ball collapsing device 460 of the third modified example has a guide gutter 81.
2 is constituted by a spiral body 462 which is rotationally driven by a motor 461 installed on the upstream side lower side portion. Then, when the ball clogging detector 420 (FIG. 12) detects a ball-free state, the spiral body 462 is rotated in the reverse screw direction, so that the ball collapses on the upstream side of the guide gutter 812.

FIG. 16 shows a fourth modification of the ball collapsing device. The ball collapsing device of the fourth modified example is a belt conveyor device 48 installed so as to face the upstream bottom of the guide gutter 812.
It is composed of 0s. This belt conveyor device 4
Reference numeral 80 is composed of a motor 481 and a traveling belt 482 that is driven by the driving force of the motor 481. The traveling belt 482 is connected to the motor 48.
Drive pulley 483 attached to the first drive shaft, driven pulley 484 installed at a predetermined distance from the pulley 483, and guide pulley 48 arranged between them.
No. 5,486,487.

The belt conveyor device 480 is constructed as described above, and the ball clogging detector 420 (see FIG. 1).
When the ball-free state is detected by 2), the traveling belt 482 is caused to travel in the direction of arrow D by the motor 481 in response to a command from the ball ejection control device 600 so that the ball collapses on the upstream side of the guide gutter 812. It has become.

FIG. 17 is a block diagram showing the internal structure of the ball ejection control device 600. This ball discharge control device 600
Comprises a microcomputer 1000, which is adapted to operate on the basis of a reference time produced by an oscillator 1010. On the input side of the microcomputer 1000, a count sensor I (263A), a count sensor II (263B) as a second detecting means, and an input filter 1020 are provided.
Sphere sensor I (262A) as the first detection means,
In addition to the ball presence sensor II (262B), a ball removal sensor (not shown) that detects an external ball removal operation, an overflow switch 818, and a safe sensor 831, a role object data signal from the role object control device 700 ( For example, a signal indicating a prescribed discharge number (described later), a purchase payout signal from the ball lending machine 20, and the like are input from each output unit.

On the other hand, this microcomputer 1000
On the output side of the, through the driver 1030, the step motor 253, the ball removal solenoid 820, the safe solenoid 833 as the drive source of the winning ball separation device 830, the ball breaking solenoid 280, the prize ball discharge display lamp 16a, and the overflow lamp 14. In addition to being connected, other control units (gaming equipment control device, ball lending control device, management device, etc.) discharge number signal processing unit, ball clogging signal processing unit, initial setting signal processing unit, and illegal signal processing Parts are connected to these processing parts,
A discharge number signal, a ball clogging signal, an initial setting signal and an incorrect signal are output respectively. Then, the discharge number signal processing unit, the ball clogging signal processing unit, the initial setting signal processing unit, and the incorrect signal processing unit turn on various lamps or generate a sound effect from a speaker (not shown) while receiving these signals. It is designed to let you. A driving voltage is supplied from the power supply unit 1040 to the microcomputer 1000, the input filter 1020 and the driver 1030.

The microcomputer 1000 is based on a winning ball signal from the accessory control device 700, a signal indicating a prize mode (winning data), or a ball lending signal from the ball lending machine 20 according to a control program described later. The number of balls to be discharged is calculated, and the step motor 253 is rotated by an angle corresponding to the calculated value. Further, the microcomputer is a count sensor I, II (263A, 263B)
And the storage state of the balls in the ball discharging device 200 based on the detection signals from the ball presence sensors I, II (262A, 262B) (whether or not the ball is clogged in the ball discharging device, supply of the balls). Is detected), and based on the result, it is determined whether or not to start discharging the ball, and then the ball is discharged.

When the step motor 253 is rotationally controlled to eject balls based on the purchase payout signal and the data signal representing the winning from the accessory control device 700, the number of balls ejected is as follows. It is detected by monitoring the rotation angle of the step motor 253, and whether or not the desired number of balls according to the detected rotation angle of the step motor is actually discharged is counted by the count sensors I, II (263).
The microcomputer 1000 determines based on the detection signal of A, 263B).

Further, the sensors I and II (262A, 26
If both the count sensors I and II detect the ball-free state when the ball-containing state is detected by 2B), it is determined that a ball clogging has occurred in the ball discharging device 200, and the ball collapsing solenoid 280 is detected. Is turned on and off, and the ball passages 259a and 259b of the ball discharging device 200 are operated.
The inside is destroyed. Further, at this time, the reverse rotation / normal rotation operation of the step motor is repeatedly performed. And
After that, when one of the count sensors I, II (263A, 263B) detects the presence of a ball, the ball breaking control is completed.

When there is an overflow signal from the overflow switch 818, the overflow lamp 14 is turned on, and when there is a ball clogging signal from the ball clogging sensor 423, the ball collapsing motor 432 is operated until the clogging state is resolved. As a result, the ball is collapsed in the guide gutter 812.

FIG. 18 shows the microcomputer 1 described above.
000 shows the procedure of the main control process of the ball discharge performed by 000. When this main control processing is started, first, in step S2, it is determined whether or not the current loop is a loop immediately after power-on, and the first loop immediately after power-on (at this time, the determination result of step S2 is Only in the case of “Yes”, initial setting (for example, processing for setting task 1) is performed in step S4 to end the present loop, and proceed to the next loop.
On the other hand, in other cases, the process proceeds to step S6, and a task control process for determining which process of tasks 1 to 7 is to be executed in the current loop is performed. That is, in this task control processing, depending on which of "task 1 to task 7" set by each control program described later is set, the communication processing of step S10 (task 1
Is set), the prize ball discharge processing of step S12 (when task 2 is set), step S
14 safe ball processing (when task 3 is set), ball blocking processing of step S16 (when task 4 is set), ball removal processing of step S18 (when task 5 is set), Step motor positioning processing of step S20 (when task 6 is set) and purchase payout processing of step S22 (task 7)
(When is set), which process to perform is determined. Based on this processing result, after step S6, any task processing of steps S10 to S22 is actually performed, and when those processings are completed, the process goes to the next loop and the processing is performed again from step S2. It has become.

FIG. 19 shows the microcomputer 1 described above.
000 shows a control processing procedure of interrupt processing performed by 000. This interrupt processing is performed based on the interrupt signal during the main processing (FIG. 18), and when this processing is started, steps S30, S32, S34 and S3 are performed.
In the order of 6, that is, the input processing to the input filter 1020 (FIG. 17), the output processing from the driver 1030, the timer processing, and the monitoring processing are performed, and after these interrupt processings are completed, the processing returns to the main processing again. In the input processing, the microcomputer 1 is operated when the input signal from the ball-removing sensor that is input during execution of the ball-removing operation becomes high level.
000 sets the task 5 in the above-mentioned task control processing (step S6 of FIG. 18) based on the high level signal from the ball removal sensor.

FIG. 20 shows the procedure of the monitoring process (subroutine process) performed in step S36 of the interrupt process (FIG. 19). This monitoring process is a process for detecting the storage state of the spheres in the sphere flow paths 259a and 259b of the sphere ejection device 200 and the ejection control unit 250, and storing that fact. In a state where the balls are stored at the lowermost end 252 (FIG. 5) of the worm of the ball discharging device 200 and are replenished to the upstream side of the control unit 250 (in a normal state), the balls are completely contained in the ball discharging device 200. In the state where there is no sphere, the sphere exists at the tip portion 200D of the sphere discharging device 200, but the sphere is not replenished on the upstream side of the control unit 250, , There is no sphere at the tip 200D of the sphere ejecting device, and there are four states. This monitoring process is performed by the ball discharging device 200.
Is a process for determining which of the above-mentioned states is present. When this process is started, first, step S
At 40, it is determined whether both of the ball presence sensors I (262A) and II (262B) detect the presence of a ball, that is, whether the ball is replenished upstream of the control unit 250 of the ball ejection device 200. To be done.

When the result of this determination is "Yes", it is further determined in step S42 whether or not one of the count sensor I and the count sensor II detects a sphere. On the other hand, when it is "No", the process proceeds to step S44. Similarly, it is determined whether or not one of the count sensors I and II detects a sphere. When the determination results of step S40 and step S42 are both "Yes", the ball discharging device 200
Is determined to be the above state (normal time), the process proceeds to step S46, the flag A is set, the other flags B and C are both cleared, and this routine is ended. When the flag A is set in this manner, a substantial prize ball discharging operation (operations after step S84 in FIG. 22) is immediately started at the time of executing a prize ball discharging process (task 2) on the main routine side described later. Like

On the other hand, the steps S40 and S
When both the determination results of 44 are "No", it is determined that the ball discharging device 200 is in the above state, and step S48 is performed.
Then, it is determined whether or not the communication processing is being performed on the main routine side immediately before the start of the interrupt processing (whether or not the task 1 is set). This determination result is “Yes”
At this time (during the processing (communication processing) of task 1 on the main routine side), the flag C is set, the other flags A and B are cleared (step S50), and this routine is ended. By setting the flag C in this manner, the initial positioning process (task 6) described later is preferentially executed on the main routine side (performed in the communication process described below). When the determination result of step S48 is negative "No", this routine is terminated without changing each flag value (flag A, flag B, flag C) set at that time.

The determination result of step S40 is "No".
If the determination result of step S44 is "Yes", it is determined that the state of storage of the balls inside the ball discharging device 200 is the above, and the process proceeds to step S52, in which all flags (flag A, flag B, The flag C) is cleared and this routine ends. That is, the state of is a case where all the balls in the ball ejecting device 200 are ejected as a result of the normal ejecting operation of the ball ejecting device. Therefore, in this state, only the replenishment is not performed, No abnormality such as clogging has occurred, and no particular flag is set. still,
Since the flag A is cleared, the ball discharging operation in the prize ball discharging device (FIG. 22) described later is temporarily performed (the supply of the prize balls to the ball discharging device is completed and the input from the ball presence sensors I and II is performed). It is stopped until the signal goes high).

On the other hand, when the result of the determination in step S40 is "Yes" and the result of the determination in step S42 is "No", that is, there is a sphere at the mounting position of the ball-equipped sensors I and II (replenishment is performed). ) However, if there is no sphere at the tip portion 200D of the sphere ejecting device 200 (the state), the flag B
Is set, other flags (flag B, flag C) are cleared (step S54), and this routine ends. When the flag B is set in this way, when the prize discharge control process (task 2) is being executed on the main routine side, the process on the main routine side temporarily loses the prize ball from the prize discharge control process ( Moving to task 4), the ball clogging condition of is solved.

Next, the communication process (task 1) performed in step S10 of the main routine (FIG. 18) will be described with reference to FIG.
It will be described according to the flow chart of No. 1. This communication processing is performed by a data signal or a prize mode (for example, "big hit game state" and "normal game state") of the prescribed number of discharges (for example, 7 discharges or 15 discharges) from the accessory control device 700 or the ball lending machine 20. Another)
Is a process of reading a data signal or the like indicating.

This communication processing is the next loop in which the initialization processing (step S4 in FIG. 18) of the main routine is executed, the step motor positioning processing (task 6), the ball removal processing (task 5), and the safe ball processing ( It is executed in the next loop after the end of task 3 (task 1 is set at this time), and specifically, the accessory data signal sent from the accessory control device 700 (indicating prize mode data). ) Etc., and further, the process of reading the purchase payout number data sent from the ball lending machine 20, the discharge indicated by the accessory data signal (winning ball signal, award mode signal) from the accessory control device. The number of balls to be converted is converted into the rotation angle of the step motor, and the data is stored. Further, when the prize balls are not discharged, the purchase discharge process (task 7) is executed in the subsequent loops on condition that the purchase payout signal is received.

When this routine is started, first in step S60, "7 pieces discharging process" from the accessory control device 700.
Alternatively, it is determined whether or not a data signal indicating "15 pieces discharge processing" (the number of balls to be discharged is determined by these signals) is sent from the accessory control device 700 side.
When the determination result of step S60 is "No", that is, when new prize ball discharge data is not sent from the accessory control device 700, the process proceeds to step S62, and the 180 degree rotation of the step motor is set to 1 unit. It is determined whether or not the number of rotations N to be performed is a value other than "0".

By the way, in the prize ball discharge control (task 2) in this embodiment, once the control is started, as will be described later, as long as no abnormality occurs, the number of balls to be discharged is discharged. It is supposed to continue. Therefore, the number of rotations N is “0” at the start of the communication process during the normal operation (normal time) of the ball discharging device 200, and the non-replenishment state as described in The ball clogging state occurs, the discharge process is temporarily interrupted, and the value becomes other than "0" only when this communication process (task 1) is executed. Therefore, the determination result of step S62 is "Yes
If s ″, the process proceeds to step S78, task 2 is set, task 1 is cleared, and this routine is ended so that the ball discharging process that was once interrupted in the next loop is restarted.

On the other hand, when the result of the determination in step S62 is "No", that is, when there is no prize ball to be discharged at this time (N = 0), the process proceeds to step S64 and the flag C is set. It is determined whether or not. When this determination result is “Yes”, that is, as a result of executing the above-described monitoring process, no sphere is stored in the sphere ejecting device 200, and at that time point, the communication process (task 1) has already been performed. If it has been started, task 6 is set in step S79 (task 1 is cleared), and this routine ends. As a result, in the next loop, the step motor initial positioning process (FIG. 26) for converting the ball discharging device 200 into a state in which the ball can be discharged (for example, the state shown in FIG. 6) is started.

The determination result of the step S64 is "N
o ", that is, when the ball discharging device 200 is in a state other than the above-described state, the process proceeds to step S66, and it is determined whether or not a purchase payout signal is input from the ball lending machine 20. This determination result is" Yes " Sometimes, in order to cause the purchase payout process (step S22 in FIG. 18) based on the purchase payout signal to be performed in the next loop, task 7 is performed in step S68.
Is set, task 1 is cleared, and this routine ends. On the other hand, if the purchase payout signal has not been input, step S68 is skipped and the present routine ends.

On the other hand, at the start of the communication processing, the prize ball data signal (the signal is “7 discharges”, from the accessory control device 700,
When “15 discharge”, “big hit game state”, and “normal game state” are input (when the determination result of step S60 is “Yes”), the microcomputer 1000 notifies the signal The indicated value is read a plurality of times (n times) as prize ball data (step S70). Next, it is determined whether or not all the data values read a plurality of times (n times) match (step S72). If the result of this determination is “No”, it is determined that the prize ball data was not read correctly. Then, again, the prize ball data is read in step S70. On the other hand, when the determination result in step S72 is "Yes", the read prize ball data is converted into the number of rotations N of the step motor and the value is stored (step S74). By the way, step motor 2
In this embodiment, 53 is 1 for every 180 degrees rotation as described above.
Since the ball is ejected, the motor is rotated 180 degrees for each prize ball data, and the number of rotations N with this unit as one unit is determined.

When the number of rotations N is calculated and stored based on the prize ball data in step S74, it is further determined in step S76 whether the flag C is set.
When this determination result is “Yes”, that is, the ball discharging device 2
When 00 is in the above-described state (state in which there is no sphere at the tip portion 200D of the sphere ejecting device and the sphere is not replenished), the step motor initial positioning process (FIG. 26) is performed at the next execution of the main routine. Therefore, the process proceeds to step S79 described above. On the other hand, when the determination result is "No" (state ,,), the process proceeds to step S78, task 2 is set (task 1 is cleared), this routine is finished, and the ball discharging process is performed in the next loop. (Figure 22)
To be done.

Next, the ball discharging process executed when the task 2 is set will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. This ball discharging process is performed when it is determined by the communication process (task 1) described above that there is prize ball data, or when a ball clogging occurs during the ball discharging process, and then the ball is collapsed a predetermined number of times (balls to be described later). This is a process started when the breaking process (see FIG. 24) is performed (at this time, task 2 is set). In this process, when a predetermined number of prize balls are discharged, the first prize ball and the last prize ball discharged in the process are discharged at a low speed. The reason why the first one is discharged at a low speed in this way is to prevent the step-out of the motor and to prevent the step motor from rotating rapidly at a high speed, and further to surely discharge the first one. The last one of the discharged prize balls is discharged at a low speed when the step motor, which has been rotating at a high speed until then, is suddenly stopped, the stop position is set to a desired position (the next position). This is because it is difficult to set the ball to a position where the ball is locked at the tip portion 200D). Further, in this ball discharging process, the discharging speed of the first one prize ball is further two stages depending on whether or not the discharging of the prize ball is the first prize ball discharging after the ball clogging process. I try to discharge it. Further, regarding the discharge of prize balls other than the first and last discharged prize balls, two stages of discharge speeds are selected depending on whether or not the "big hit game state" is established.

When this routine is started, first, at step S80, it is judged if the flag A is set or not. This determination result is “No”, that is, the ball discharging device 200.
However, in the above-mentioned states 1 to 3 (other than normal time), the process further proceeds to step S82, and it is determined whether or not the flag B is set. When this determination result is “Yes”, it is determined that the ball discharging device 200 is in the state (ball clogging state), and the process skips to step S148 to set a re-discharging flag described later and stop the step motor. ,
In the next step S150, task 4 is set to execute the ball collapsing process in the next loop, task 2 is cleared, and this routine ends.

On the other hand, when the result of the determination in step S82 is "No", it is determined that the ball discharging device 200 is in the above state or, and the process returns to step S80 again and either one of steps S80 and S82 is executed. The steps S80 and S82 are repeatedly executed until the result of the determination of No. turns to "Yes". During this time, when the ball is replenished in the ball discharging device 200, the ball presence sensors I and II detect this, and the flag B is set at the time of executing the above-described interrupt processing, and the step in the routine immediately after that is performed. The determination result of S82 turns to "Yes" and the process proceeds to step S148. As described above, when the ball discharging device 200 is in the ~ state at the start of this routine, first, the ball breaking process (FIG. 24).
Then, this process is executed.

State of the ball discharge device 200 (normal state)
Therefore, the determination result of step S80 is “Yes”.
Then, in step S84, it is determined based on a data signal from the accessory control device 700 whether or not the discharge of the ball is for discharging a prize ball in the big hit game state. When the determination result is “Yes”, the high speed data (motor speed) is set as the normal discharge speed control data of the step motor in order to increase the discharge speed (normal discharge speed) of the prize balls other than the first prize ball and the last prize ball. Data 1) is set (step S86). On the other hand, when the determination result is "No", that is, when the prize balls are discharged in a normal game state other than "big hit", low speed data (motor) is used as speed control data. Set speed data 2) (step S8)
8) and proceeds to the next step S90. In this way, by increasing the discharge speed of the prize balls in the big hit game state in which a lot of prize balls are discharged and discharging the prize balls at a low speed in the normal game state, the interest of the game is enhanced. In particular, after discharging a certain number of prize balls for one safe ball (winning ball),
In game machines of the type that discharges the safe ball from the back mechanism board, the processing speed of winning ball discharge in the big hit game state where a lot of safe balls (winning balls) occurs No more staying in the mechanism board.

In the next step S90, the prize ball lamp is turned on (ON) to notify the players that the prize ball discharge process is being executed, and then in step S92, the discharge is performed again. It is determined whether or not the flag is set. This re-discharge flag is set in the above-described step S148 performed when the ball discharging device is in the state of, and when the first one prize ball is discharged after the ball clogging process is completed (described later). Step S99) is cleared. Therefore, when this determination result is “Yes”, it is determined that the current loop is the discharge of the prize balls immediately after the ball clogging process described below is finished due to the occurrence of the ball clogging or the ball shortage, and in step S94. The slow discharge speed of the step motor for discharging the first one is further reduced (motor delay speed data 1 is set) to ensure the discharge of the first prize ball. On the other hand, when the determination result is "No", "motor delay data 2" having a relatively low low speed discharge speed is set, the step motor is rotated, and the first one prize ball is discharged.

In the next step S98, the count sensor
It is determined whether or not the input signal from either I or II has fallen. As described above, the count sensors I, I
I outputs a high-level signal when a sphere is present in the detector (the tip 200D of the sphere ejecting device). Therefore, this time in the loop the count sensor I or II
When the input signal from is dropped, it is determined that one ball has been discharged from the ball discharging device 200, and if the re-discharge flag is set at this point, it is cleared (step S99), Next, in step S100, it is determined whether or not one rotation of the step motor is completed (whether or not the rotation is 180 degrees), and the determination result is "Yes".
After that, the process proceeds to step S106 and thereafter.

On the other hand, the determination result of the step S98 is "No", that is, the step S94 or the step S9.
If the ball has not yet been ejected by the rotation of the step motor in step 6, it is determined in step S102 whether or not one step rotation of the step motor (180 degree rotation) is completed. When the result is “No”, since the 180 degree rotation of the step motor has not been completed yet, at the next step S104, the step motor is set to “motor” depending on whether or not the re-discharge flag is set. It is determined based on which of the "delay speed data 1" and the "motor delay speed data 2" it is rotating. When this determination result is "No", that is, when the step motor has been rotated based on the "motor delay speed data 2" until then, the process proceeds to step S96, and the rotation continues at the "motor delay speed data 2". To continue, "Yes
If "s", the process proceeds to step S94, and the step motor is continuously rotated at "motor delay speed data 1".

Thereafter, by the time the rotation of 180 degrees is completed, during normal operation, the prize balls are discharged and the step S
Since the determination result of 98 turns to "Yes", step S
Processing after 99 is performed. On the other hand, the step S10
When the determination result of No. 2 is “Yes”, that is, when the sphere is not ejected even though the rotation of 180 degrees is completed, the sphere ejecting device 200 determines that the state is the above-mentioned state, and In step S148, the re-discharge flag is set (and the motor is stopped), and task 4 is set in step S150 (task 2 is cleared). As a result, in the next loop, control (ball clogging process) according to the state is started.

As described above, one prize ball is discharged after the routine is started by a series of processes from the start of this routine until the determination result of step S100 becomes "Yes" (this prize ball discharge is , The above two low speed discharge speeds, that is, either "motor delay speed data 1" or "motor delay speed data 2") are completed.

In the processing after step S106 which is performed when the discharge of the first one is completed, first, step S1
At 06 and step S108, whether or not the number of prize balls to be discharged (corresponding to the number of rotations N of the step motor in the current loop) stored at the start of this routine is "1" and "2" Or not. When the number of balls to be discharged at the start of the loop this time is "1" (for example, when the number of discharged prize balls is one), (step S10
The determination result of No. 6 is “Yes”) Since one discharge has already been completed at this point by executing steps S80 to S100 of the current loop, the process proceeds to step S142.
The step motor is stopped, the prize ball lamp turned on in step S90 is turned off (OFF), and step S
In step 144, task 3 is set (task 2 is cleared at this time) so that the safe sphere processing (task 3) for releasing the safe sphere corresponding to the current prize ball discharge amount is executed in the next loop, and the Exit the routine.

On the other hand, when the determination result of step S108 is "Yes" (when the number of prize balls to be discharged at the start of this routine is "2"), another one prize ball (finally, To become a prize ball to be discharged)
The processing after 132 is executed. As described above, in this routine, the discharging speed of the last prize ball discharged in the routine is set to be slower than the discharging speed of the other prize balls, so that the positioning of the step motor at the time of discharging completion is surely performed. I am trying. Therefore, when the number of prize balls to be discharged at the start of this routine (corresponding to the number of rotations N stored at the start of this routine) is "2", the second prize ball is discharged at the low speed by the following steps. The speed (motor rotation based on "motor delay speed data 2") is used.

First, in step S132, it is determined whether or not there is a sphere to be discharged at the tip portion 200D of the sphere discharging device 200, depending on whether or not the count sensor I or II detects the sphere. , When the result of this determination is “No”, that is, when there is no sphere at the tip portion 200D,
The number of rotations N is increased by "1" (step S11).
2) Thereafter, the increased step motor is idled (rotated by 180 degrees) (step S114), and the process proceeds to step S122.

The determination result of step S132 is "Yes".
When s ″ (when the ball exists at the tip 200D and is in a dischargeable state), the process proceeds to step S134,
The step motor is rotated based on the "motor delay speed data 2" described above. In the next step S136, whether or not the prize balls are discharged by this rotation (count sensor I
Or the input signal from II has fallen), and when the signal is discharged (when “Yes”), the step S1
In step 38, it is determined whether or not the step motor has rotated 180 degrees, and after waiting for this determination to change to "Yes", the steps S142 and S144 are executed and the present routine is ended. On the other hand, the determination result of step S136 is “N
If "o" (not yet discharged), it is further determined in step S140 whether or not the step motor has rotated 180 degrees. If it has not rotated 180 degrees yet, the process returns to steps S134 and S136. When the process is continued and the discharge is not performed despite the rotation of 180 degrees (when step S140 is “Yes”), it is considered that the ball clogging has occurred, and step S146 is performed.
Then, the data of the number of rotations N is updated (the number of balls to be discharged at this point is calculated based on the rotation angle of the motor which has already rotated and is stored), and is re-discharged in step S148. A flag (the flag is a flag for storing that the routine is interrupted before the discharge of the number of balls to be discharged is still completed) is set, the rotation of the step motor is stopped, and then the process proceeds to step S150. Then, the task 4 is set (task 2 is cleared), the ball collapsing process (task 4) is executed in the next loop, and this routine is ended.

When both the determination results of steps S106 and S108 are "No", that is, when the number of prize balls to be discharged (the number of rotations N) at the start of the current loop is a value larger than "2", In step S110, it is determined whether or not a ball is present at the tip portion 200D of the ball discharging device 200 and is ready to be discharged (whether or not the input signal from the count sensor I or II is at a high level). ). If the result of this determination is "No", then step S11 described above is selected.
In step 2, the number of rotations is increased by "1", and in step S114, after the step motor is idled by the increased amount (rotation by 180 degrees), the process proceeds to step S122 and subsequent steps. On the other hand, when the determination result of step S110 is "Yes", the step motor is rotated at a speed corresponding to the game state (speed set in any of the above-described steps S86 and S88) in order to discharge the prize ball. (Step S11
6).

Next, in step S118, it is determined whether or not the prize balls are actually discharged (the count sensor
If the input signal from I and II has fallen), and the result of this determination is “Yes”, the step motor is
After waiting for the rotation, the process proceeds to step S122 (after the determination result of step S120 changes to "Yes"). On the other hand, the determination result of step S118 is “No”.
In the case of, until the step motor rotates 180 degrees (until step S128 turns to “Yes”), the processes of steps S116 and S118 are repeatedly executed, and
When the ball has not been ejected despite the fact that it has rotated once (when the determination in step S118 is "No" and the determination in step S128 is "Yes"), the process proceeds to the above-mentioned steps S146 and thereafter. Executes control according to the occurrence of ball clogging.

The prize balls are discharged by executing step S116, and the determination result of step S120 is "Y".
es ”, the process proceeds to step S122,
Whether the number of rotations (corresponding to the discharge of prize balls at the normal discharge speed) by the execution of the processing in steps S100 and S116 to S1126 is smaller than the set value (rotation count N) at the start of the routine by "2". It is determined whether or not, that is, whether or not the remaining number of balls to be discharged becomes one by this routine. While the result of this determination is "No", the flow proceeds to step S124, where it is determined whether or not the overflow switch is on, and when the overflow has not yet occurred, the overflow lamp is kept off (step S126), The process returns to step S110 to perform the next discharging operation, and steps S110,
S116 to step S126 are repeatedly executed (the prize balls are discharged at this time at any of two normal discharging speeds (speeds based on "motor speed data 1" or "motor speed data 2")). .

If an overflow occurs while the discharging operation is repeated and the result of the determination in step S124 is "Yes", the overflow lamp is turned on (ON) in step S130, and step S1 is performed again.
Twenty-four discriminations are made. That is, while the overflow state continues, only steps S124 and S130 are repeated, and the overflow state is released by the player transferring the discharged prize balls from the tray 17 (FIG. 1) to the "bucket". If so, the determination result of step S124 turns to "No" again, and the discharge of prize balls is restarted.

The discharge control of the prize balls other than the first one and the last one (the discharge at the normal discharge speed) is completed,
When the remaining number of balls to be discharged is one, the determination result of the step S122 turns to "Yes", and the step S1
The processes after 32 are started. In step S132,
As described above, it is determined whether the ball discharging device 200 is in a state capable of discharging the ball (whether there is a ball at the tip portion 200D).
The determination is made based on the input signals from the count sensors I and II. When the determination result is "No", the idling control at steps S112 and S114 is executed, and the process is performed again from step S122.

On the other hand, when the result of the determination in step S132 is "Yes", the process proceeds to step S134, the step motor is rotated in accordance with the "motor delay speed data 2", and the last one is actually discharged. It is determined whether or not it has been ejected (step S136), and when it has been ejected, after waiting for the 180-degree rotation of the step motor to end (the determination result of step S138 is "Y").
es "), the steps S142, S14
Execute 4. That is, it is determined that the discharge of the number N of prize balls stored at the start of the prize ball discharging process is completed, and the task 3 is set so that the safe ball process (task 3) is started in the next loop. To do.

When the step motor has finished rotating 180 degrees before the last prize ball to be discharged is discharged ("Yes" in step S140), it is determined that ball clogging has occurred. The above-described processing from step S146 is performed to execute the ball-collapsing processing (task 4) described below in the next loop. (At this time, in step S146, "1" is stored as the rotation number data.)

When the ball clogging occurs during the prize ball discharging process, and the routine is once interrupted to perform the ball collapsing process, the rotation of the step motor at that time is performed as described above. Based on the angle, the number of prize balls (number of rotations N) to be discharged in the next prize ball discharge process (discharge process when restarted) is calculated and stored. As will be described later in detail, the ball collapse process is performed. At the end, the prize ball discharging process (task 2) is restarted based on the stored data.

Next, the safe ball processing (task 3) performed in step S14 of the main routine (FIG. 18) will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. This safe sphere processing is when task 3 is set, that is,
This is performed when the discharge of a predetermined number (7 or 15) of prize balls corresponding to one safe ball (winning ball) is completed (when step S144 of task 2 is executed). When this routine is started, first the safe sensor 83
It is determined whether or not 1 (FIG. 2) detects a safe ball, that is, whether or not the input signal from the safe sensor is at high level (step S160). In this embodiment, since the corresponding safe balls are collected only after the discharge of the predetermined number of prize balls is completed, when there is no safe ball at the start of this routine (the determination result is " No "), it is determined that some illegality has occurred, the process proceeds to step S162, and an illegality signal is sent from the ejection device 600 to an illegality signal processing unit (not shown) on the management device side,
The occurrence of fraud is reported.

On the other hand, when the result of the determination in step S160 is "Yes", the safe solenoid 833 is excited (ON) in step S164, and then it is determined whether or not the safe sensor detects a safe ball. (Step S166). If the result of this determination is “No”, that is, if the safe ball has not yet been collected despite the safe solenoid having been excited, then in step S168 it is determined whether or not a predetermined time (for example, 200 msec) has elapsed after the solenoid has been excited. To be done. Then, until the predetermined time elapses (the determination result is “No”), step S164 to
When S168 is repeatedly executed and the safe balls are collected during that time (when the determination result of step S166 turns to "No"), the process proceeds to step S170 and the above-described communication process (FIG. 21) is performed in the next loop. ) Is performed (task 3 is cleared), and then a discharge number signal indicating that discharge of a predetermined number of prize balls for one safe ball and collection of the safe ball is completed is transmitted to the management device. Then, (step S172), this routine ends. on the other hand,
When the determination result of the step S168 is “Yes”,
That is, after the safe solenoid is excited, a predetermined time (2
If the safe ball is not collected even after (00 msec) has elapsed, it is determined that some illegality has occurred, and the procedure advances to step S162 described above to send an illegal signal to the management device to perform illegal processing. Has become.

Next, the ball clogging process (task 4) performed in step S16 of the main routine (FIG. 18) will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. This ball clogging process is performed when task 4 is set, that is, when a ball clogging occurs during execution of the prize ball discharging process (FIG. 22) (set in step S150), or a ball removing process described later. (Figure 25) When ball clogging occurs during execution (Figure 25)
(Set in step S230 of step 1) is performed in a loop immediately after that.

When this routine is started, first, in step S180, the ball breaking solenoid 280 (FIG. 6) provided in the ball discharging device 200 is excited (ON) / demagnetized at regular intervals for a predetermined time. (OFF) is repeated, and as a result, the ball flow paths 259a and 259 of the ball discharging device 200 are repeated.
b is vibrated. After the ON / OFF control described above, in the next step S182, the step motor is rotated a predetermined number of times in the reverse rotation to that at the time of discharging, and then in step S184, the step motor is normally rotated by the same number of rotations. A series of operations (ball clogging release operation) called vibration of the sphere flow path / motor reverse rotation / forward rotation is continued a predetermined number of times (n times). That is, in the next step S186, it is determined whether or not the series of operations has been performed a predetermined number of times (n times), and when the result of the determination is “No”, it indicates that the ball clogging release operation has not yet been completed. The ball clogging signal is transmitted to the ball clogging signal processing unit (not shown) of the management device (step S188), and the operation is performed a predetermined number of times (n
Steps S180 to S188 are repeatedly executed until the number of times reaches.

When a series of ball clogging release operations have been performed the predetermined number of times and the determination result of step S186 turns to "Yes", the process proceeds to step S190 and it is determined whether or not the flag D is set. This flag D indicates whether the ball clogging may have occurred during the above-described prize ball discharge processing (task 2).
This is for determining whether it occurred during the below-mentioned ball removal processing (task 5), in other words, whether the prize ball discharge processing or the ball removal processing was performed in the loop immediately before the start of this routine. is there. Therefore, this flag D is set in step S230 of the ball removal processing (task 5) described later.

Therefore, if the result of the determination in step S190 is "No", the task 2 is executed in step S192 so that the prize ball discharging process is performed again in the next loop when the series of ball clogging processes is completed. Is set (task 4 is cleared), and in step S196, the transmission of the ball clogging signal to the management device is stopped to indicate that the ball clogging process is completed, and the routine is finished. On the other hand, when the result of the determination in step S190 is "Yes", task 5 is set (task 4 is cleared) and flag D is cleared so that the ball removal processing (FIG. 25) described later is restarted in the next loop. (Step S194), the step S1
After performing 96, this routine is ended. Even if the process of steps S180 to S188 is performed a predetermined number of times (n times) and the ball clogging is not actually eliminated, the routine is once ended and the prize ball discharging process or the ball removing process is performed. However, in this case, ball clogging is detected again during these controls, and the routine returns to this routine and the ball clogging process is restarted from the beginning.

Next, the ball removing process (task 5) performed in step S18 of the main routine (FIG. 18) will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. When a ball-removing operation rod is inserted into an insertion hole (both not shown) provided on the front panel 11 of the gaming machine, and that effect is detected by a ball-removing sensor (not shown), a signal from the sensor is sent. At the start-up, that effect is detected in the input process (step S30) of the interrupt process (FIG. 19). Then, when the rising edge of this signal is detected, the task control process executes the task 5 under the condition that no other process is executed.
Is set and this routine is started. When this routine is started, first, in step S200, the step motor is rotated in accordance with the "motor delay speed data 2" described above, the ball discharging device 200 starts discharging the ball, and the ball removing solenoid 820 is excited. When the ball is turned on, the flow path of the ball is switched to the ball removing trough 815 side by the action of the flow path switching valve 821 shown in FIG.

In the next step S202, the count sensor
It is determined whether or not the input signal from I or II has fallen. When the result of this determination is "Yes", that is, when it is detected that the ball has been discharged from the tip portion 200D of the ball discharging device, the step motor is waited for 180 degrees rotation (step S204), and then the processing from step S208 onward. Do. On the other hand, the determination result of step S202 is "N
When it is “o”, that is, when the rotation of the step motor is started, the ball is not yet discharged, the step S206.
Wait for the step motor to rotate 180 degrees by executing the step S200, S202, S206.
Is repeatedly executed, and when there is discharge during that time (at this time, steps S202 and S204 become "Yes"), the processing of step S208 and thereafter is executed. On the other hand, 1
When the sphere is not ejected even if it is rotated by 80 degrees (the determination result of step S206 is "Yes"), it is determined that there is no sphere in the sphere ejecting device, and the processes of step S220 and later described below are executed. In the processing after step S220,
As will be described later in detail, when the ball removal process is once automatically stopped (steps S220 to S224) and the ball clogging is not eliminated even by the rotation of the worm in the automatic stop process (count sensors I and II After executing steps S210 to S214 described later (at this time, step S214 is “No” and step S214 is “Yes” after 180 degrees rotation).
In step S230, a flag D is set to store that a ball clogging has occurred during the ball removal processing, and in the next loop, task 4 is set so that the ball clogging processing (FIG. 24) described above is performed. Then, the process proceeds to step S232 described later,
Task 5 is cleared and this routine ends. As a result, when a ball jam occurs during the ball removing process, the ball removing process is temporarily interrupted, and the ball is broken in the ball blocking process (task 4), the solenoid is turned on / off, and the step motor reversely rotates a predetermined number of times. A series of ball collapsing operations of the same number of positive rotations are continuously performed a predetermined number of times (n times), and after the ball collapsing process is completed, the ball removing process is performed again.

On the other hand, in the processing after step S208 performed after the discharge of the ball by the ball removing operation is detected, first, the next ball to be discharged is located at the tip portion 200D of the ball discharging device 200. Whether or not (count sensor I
Alternatively, it is determined whether or not the input from II is high level (step S208). When the result of this determination is "Yes", the stepping motor is rotated in accordance with the "motor speed data 2" in order to discharge the second and subsequent balls at a high speed (step S210), and the next step S21
At 2, it is determined whether or not the ball has been discharged (whether or not the input signal from the count sensor I or II has fallen). If this determination result is “No”, step S2
In step 14, it is determined whether or not the step motor has rotated 180 degrees. If the result of this determination is "No", steps S210 to S214 are repeatedly executed. And 180
When the discharge is not performed yet after being rotated once (step S214 turns to "Yes"), it is determined that the ball clogging has occurred, the process proceeds to step S230, and the above-described ball clogging process (task 4) is performed in the next loop. The task 4 is set to be executed, the flag D is set to store the fact that the ball clogging is in the process of removing the ball, the task 5 is cleared in step S232, and this routine ends.

The ball is ejected before the step motor rotates 180 degrees (the control result of step S212 is "Ye").
s ") and when the rotation of 180 degrees is completed (when the determination result of step S216 is changed to" Yes "), whether or not the signal from the ball ejection sensor has risen again during the rotation of 180 degrees. It is determined whether or not the ball removal switch has been pressed (step S218) If the result of this determination is "No", that is, if the switch has not been pressed again after the initial ball removal switch pressing operation, In order to continue the removal process, the process returns to step S208, and thereafter steps S208 to S218 are repeatedly executed.If the ball removal switch is pressed again by the staff members during the execution of the removal process (the determination result of step S218 is " Yes "), the processing from step S228 described later is executed in order to stop the ball removal processing. As described above, the ball removal sensor is used. The determination of whether or not there has been signal rise (reenter the high-level signal), the worm 25
1 is rotated 180 degrees (step S216 is “Ye
s ") and the warm 25
Only when 1 actually rotates 180 degrees, the stop of the ball removing process is permitted, and therefore, the rotation position of the worm at the end of the ball removing process is always constant (the tip 200D).
The state where the sphere is located at the position shown in Fig. 6).

When all the balls in the ball discharging device 200 are discharged by the ball removing process in steps S208 to S218, the determination result in step S208 is "N".
Turning to "o", the processing from step S220 is performed.
That is, in step S220, the step motor is rotated a predetermined number of times (n times) -1 times, and then the step motor is rotated by the "motor delay speed data 2" described above (step S222). The motor is stopped (step S224). As a result, it is determined that the balls have been exhausted by executing the ball removal processing (step S2).
08 is “No”), the step motor is further rotated a predetermined number of times, and then the ball removing process is automatically stopped. In this way, after detecting the absence of the ball, the step motor is further rotated a predetermined number of times and then the ball removal is automatically stopped, so that the ball is not continuously stored in the groove of the worm (input from the sensor). Even if the ball is mistakenly determined to be completed, the ball removal processing is not immediately terminated. Then, when the sphere stored on the upstream side reaches the sensor position due to the rotation of the worm during the automatic stop operation, that effect is detected by the execution of step S226 (whether there is a count sensor ball), and the ball removal processing is performed again. (Step S210
Process) is executed. Further, the reason why the rotation of the step motor immediately before the automatic stop is delayed as described above is to precisely control the stop position of the step motor that has been rotating at a high speed until then.

When the step motor is automatically stopped in step S224, it is determined in step S226 whether or not a ball is present at the tip 200D of the ball ejecting device (the input signals from the count sensors I and II are high). It is determined whether or not it is a level). This determination result is “No”, that is,
When there is no ball in the tip portion 200D when the motor is stopped, it is determined that ball removal is completed, the process proceeds to step S228, and task 1 is set to restart the process from the communication process (task 1) in the next loop and The ball-exiting solenoid that has been excited up to this point is demagnetized (OFF), task 5 is cleared in step S232, and this routine ends. (As described above, when the sphere remains in the sphere ejecting device 200 after the motor is stopped, the step S2 is performed.
Returning to 10, ball removal is started again. )

Next, step motor positioning processing (task 6) performed in step S20 of the main routine (FIG. 18) will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. This routine is started when it is determined that the ball discharging device 200 is not in the initial state yet and the task 6 is set in step S79 of the communication process (task 1) described above. When this routine starts,
First, in step S240, the step motor is rotated once (rotated 180 degrees) in accordance with the "motor delay speed data 2". In the next step S242, the tip portion 2 of the ball discharging device is
Whether or not there is a ball at 00D (whether the input from the count sensor I or II is at a high level) is determined. When the determination result is “No”, the motor is temporarily stopped (step S244) and a predetermined time (for example, After waiting for 500 msec (step S246), a signal indicating that initialization is being performed is transmitted to an initialization signal processing unit (not shown) of the management device (step S248), and step S248 is performed again.
The process returns to 240 (this process is repeated until the ball is positioned at the tip 200D). On the other hand, the step S242
If the result of the determination is “Yes”, it is determined that there is a ball to be ejected at the tip portion 200D (the initial positioning of the step motor has been made), and the rotation of the step motor is stopped at that time. Stop (step S250),
In the next step S252, task 1 is set so that communication processing will be executed in the next loop (task 6 is cleared), and transmission of the signal indicating that the initialization is in progress (initialization signal) to the management device is stopped. Then, (step S254), this routine ends.

As described above in detail, according to the ball discharging device 200 of the first embodiment, the balls are discharged while detecting the discharge of each one by the rotation of the step motor. Since a predetermined number of balls are ejected accurately only by controlling the rotation of the step motor, the ejected balls vigorously collide with each member of the control unit of the ball ejector and damage them. Will disappear. Further, by arbitrarily changing the rotation speed of the step motor, it becomes possible to select various discharge patterns according to the game mode.

When the task 7 is set in the task control process (step S6 of FIG. 18), the game ball payout process 200 (task 7) is performed by the ball discharging device 200 having the above configuration. This purchase payout process is performed when the ball discharge control device 600 receives a purchase payout signal from the ball lending machine 20 side (this input is determined in the above-mentioned input process (step S30 in FIG. 19)). Based on the result, the processing is started when the task 7 is set in step S68 of the communication processing (FIG. 21) described above. That is, when there is a purchase payout signal from the ball lending machine 20 side, the number of game balls to lend to the player is calculated based on the content of the signal, and the step motor of the step motor is calculated based on the calculated value. The number of rotations N is determined, and the step motor is actually rotated by that number of times.

Since the worm of the sphere discharging device 200 of the above embodiment has one groove and has a spiral shape, the sphere passages 259 on the left and right are rotated every 360 degrees of rotation of the worm.
A total of two balls are ejected from a, 259b (one ball is ejected every 180 degrees rotation), but two or more grooves are spirally provided. Alternatively, a worm may be used instead. If a worm with two spiral grooves is used, a total of two spheres will be ejected from the left and right channels every 180 degrees rotation. Emission control may be performed. Further, in the sphere discharging device 200 of the above embodiment, two sphere flow paths are provided, but the number of sphere flow paths is not limited to this, and may be one or three or more. Even when the number of sphere flow paths is changed in this way, the rotation angle of the step motor and the number of spheres to be ejected can be made to have a constant relationship, and thus the desired sphere ejection control can be performed based on this. . Further, in the ball discharging device of the present embodiment, the rotation shaft of the step motor and the rotation shaft of the worm are coaxial with each other so that they rotate at a ratio of 1: 1. The gear ratio may be changed by adding such as.

(Second Embodiment) Next, a second embodiment of the ball discharging device of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 27 to 34. The ball discharging device 1200 of the second embodiment controls discharge of a predetermined number of balls by controlling the rotation angle of the step motor (one ball is discharged at every predetermined rotation of the step motor). In this respect, the control method is the same as that of the ball discharging device 200 of the first embodiment described above, but in the first embodiment described above, the groove portion of the worm 251 having the rotation shaft coaxial with the rotation shaft of the step motor is Although the sphere storage portion is formed as it is and the sphere is discharged by the rotation of the worm 251, the worm 125 coaxial with the step motor 1254 is used in the second embodiment.
3 is fitted with a worm gear 1252, while a pair of sprockets 1251A coaxial with the worm gear 1251,
The ball storage portion is formed by 1251B, and the sprocket is indirectly rotated by the step motor to discharge the ball, which is different from the first embodiment.

The structure and operation of the ball discharging device 1200 of the second embodiment will be described in detail below. FIG. 27 is an exploded perspective view of the ball discharging device 1200, and FIG. 28 is a partially cutaway sectional view of the ball discharging device 1200 seen from the side. As shown in FIG. 27, the ball discharging device 1200 is provided with a main body frame 12
10, an upper lid case 1220, a lower lid case 1230, a flow path forming floor plate 1240, and a discharge control unit 1250 that controls the flow of spheres.

The main body frame 1210 is formed with a central recess 1210A in which the discharge control unit 1250 is installed, and a pair of left and right ball passage forming recesses 1210B and 1210C through which the balls flow down. Then, the upper surface of the flow path forming floor plate 1240 (flow path forming portion 124) attached so as to close the main body frame 1210 from below.
0B, 1240C) and the flow path forming parts 1210B, 1
210C and a pair of left and right spherical flow paths 1259a, 12
59b is formed (see FIG. 32).

As will be described later in detail, the discharge control unit 1250 sprockets 1250A (a pair of sprockets 1251A, 1251B, and (It consists of a worm gear 1252 formed on the rotating shaft of the sprocket)
And a rotating portion 1250B (a worm 1253 and the worm 12 that transmits a rotational force to the sprocket portion 1250A).
53) and a step motor 1254 in which the rotary shaft 1253a is integrally formed), and a mounting substrate 1255 having an L-shaped cross section in which the rotating portion 1250B is installed.
And a ball collapsing solenoid 1280 attached to the attachment substrate 1255.

The bottom plate portion 1255A of the mounting substrate 1255 is fixed to the central recess 1210A of the main body frame 1210 with screws or the like. The rotating part 12
In the worm 1253 forming 50B, a rotating shaft 1253a on the side opposite to the motor is rotatably supported by a bearing portion 1214 of the main body frame, and the bearing portion 1214 is provided with a retaining protrusion 1221 provided on the upper lid case 1220. The axis does not come off from 1214. The rotating shaft 12
The other end side of 53a serves as a rotation shaft of the step motor 1254, and the step motor 1254 is the mounting substrate 1
255 is fixed to the front plate portion 1255B (see FIG. 3).
3). In addition, the two sprockets 1251A and 1251
1B and the worm gear 1252 are integrally formed, the sprocket portion 1250A (FIG. 29, FIG. 30) has a rotary shaft formed at both ends thereof rotatably supported by bearing portions 1215, 1215 formed in the main body frame 1210. And the removal stopper projection 12 provided on the upper lid case 1220.
22 and 1222 prevent the shaft from coming off from the bearing portions 1215 and 1215 (see FIGS. 27 and 3).
2).

In the state where the sprocket portion 1250A is installed on the main body frame 1210 in this manner, as shown in FIG. 32, the gear crests of the worm gear 1252 on the sprocket portion 1250A side correspond to the worm 1 on the rotating portion 1250B side.
It is fitted to the screw thread of 253, and according to the rotation of the worm, that is, in a constant relationship with the rotation angle of the worm,
Worm gear 1252, and even sprocket 1251
A and 1251B are adapted to rotate.

Further, the sprockets 1251A, 121
51B gear mountain 1251a (1251a1 to a6), 12
The 51b (1251b1 to b6) are positioned so as to project to the opening protrusions 1216a and 1216b (only 1216b is shown in FIG. 27) of the mounting opening 1216 of the main body frame 1210. The six gear ridges 1251a1 to 1251a6, 1251b1 to 125 formed on the sprocket 1251A and 1251B, respectively.
Space formed between 1b6 (grooves 1251c1 to 1251
1c6, 1251d1 to 1251d6) serve as a sphere storage section (FIGS. 29 and 30), and one sphere is stored in the storage section. In this case, the gear crest of the sprocket 1251A and the gear crest of the sprocket 1251B are in phase with each other by 3 degrees.
It is formed on its axis of rotation with a 0 degree offset so that every two degrees of rotation of the axis of rotation causes two sprockets 1
One sphere is discharged from either one of 251A and 1251B.

Two sprockets 1251A and 1251
The gear ratio of the rotary shaft on which B is installed is determined so that the worm gear 1252 formed in the center of the rotary shaft rotates 30 degrees when the worm 1253 rotates a certain angle (for example, 180 degrees). ing. Therefore, the rotation angle of the worm 1253, that is, the step motor 12
By controlling the rotation angle of 54, the rotation angles of the sprockets 1251A and 1251B can be determined and the discharge timing of the balls can be controlled. As described above, each time the worm 1253 is rotated 180 degrees, one sphere is ejected from one of the two sprockets 1251A and 1251B. Therefore, the sphere ejecting device 1200 of the second embodiment is used. Even when performing the discharge control of the above, the control program (FIGS. 18 to 26) of the ball discharge performed by the above-described ball discharge control device 600 (FIG. 17) can be applied as it is.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 31, the ball breaking solenoid 1280 installed on the mounting substrate 1255 has two
The two operating rods 1281a and 1281b are connected to the main body frame 12
Inner wall surfaces 1214B, 12 forming the flow path forming recessed portion 10
The positioning is done so as to vibrate 14C. In the normal state (when demagnetized) of the solenoid 1280, one of the operating rods (1281a) is moved to one of the inner wall surfaces (1214C) by the action of the return spring 1282.
Is in contact with the solenoid 1280 in this state.
Is excited (ON), the other operating rod (12
81b) is displaced until it collides with the other inner wall surface (1214B). Then, from this state, the solenoid 12
When 80 is demagnetized, the action of the return spring 1282 causes the operating rod (1281a) on the opposite side to collide with the other inner wall surface (1214C). Therefore, if the wall surface is vibrated that many times by repeatedly turning on / off the solenoid and the ball clogging occurs in the ball discharging device 1200, the ball clogging is eliminated.

Further, as shown in FIG. 27 and FIG. 28, spherical sensor mounting openings 1241a, 1241b and at the predetermined positions of the flow passage forming portions (floor surface forming portions) 1240B, 1240C of the flow passage forming floor plate 1240. Count sensor mounting opening 1
242a and 1242b are formed. Then, the two ball-mounted sensor mounting boards 1243a and 1243b on which the ball-mounted sensors 1262A and 1262B are installed are stopped by screws or the like on the flow path forming floor plate 1240 so that the sensor portions thereof protrude from the openings 1241a and 1241b, respectively. 2 count sensor mounting boards 1244a, 1 on which count sensors 1263A, 1263B are installed
244b has a sensor portion having the openings 1242a and 122.
42b so as to respectively project from 42b.
It is fastened with screws etc.

Of these, the count sensor mounting opening 1242
a, 1242b are the count sensors 1263A, 1
The formation position is determined so that the 263B can detect the lowermost ball (indicated by B1 'in FIG. 28) at which the sprocket 1251 is prevented from flowing down at the gear mountain. Therefore, in the actual ball discharging operation, the sprockets are out of phase with each other by 30.
Since they are deviated from each other, when one count sensor detects a sphere, the input signal from the count sensor on the opposite side becomes low level.

The lower lid case 1230 is attached to the body frame 1210 with screws or the like, and the flow path forming floor plate 1240 is housed between the lower lid case 1230 and the body frame 1210. This lower lid case 1230
Ball stopper release projections 1231 and 1232 for releasing the ball stopper by the member at the time of fitting to the opening / closing member having the shape shown in FIGS. There is.

FIG. 33 is a side view of the mounting board 1255 showing a side surface shape of the mounting board 1255 having a heat dissipation mechanism formed thereon and a drive section 1250B installed on the mounting board 1255. FIG. 34 is a front view of the mounting board 1255. It is a front view. The mounting substrate 1255 has an L-shaped cross section as described above, and the bottom plate portion 1255A is screwed to the central recess 1210A of the main body frame 1210. This bottom plate 125
The above-mentioned ball collapsing solenoid 1280 is installed at a predetermined position near the rear end portion of 5 (left side in FIG. 33). on the other hand,
The front plate portion 1255B of the mounting substrate 1255 is formed with a bearing cutout portion 1255b at the center thereof.
254 is fixed to the front plate portion 1255B in a state in which its rotation shaft is rotatably inserted in the cutout portion 1255b.

The front plate portion 1255B is integrally formed with heat radiating plates 1256A and 1256B which are folded back perpendicularly to the front plate portion 1255B (FIGS. 33 and 34). This heat sink 1256
A and 1256B are, as shown in FIG.
From 16a, the inner wall surface 12 of the spherical flow paths 1259a, 1259b
14B and 1214C are formed to face the spherical flow path 1
Spheres flowing down in 259a and 1259b (for example, in FIG.
32, B2 'to B4') can be contacted.

The heat dissipation plate 1256A thus formed,
1256B, when the ball discharging operation is actually started and heat is generated by the rotation operation of the step motor 1254,
The heat is dissipated from the mounting board 1255 main body through the radiator plate 1256A
1256B, and a ball (B
2'to B4 '). As described above, the mounting substrate 1255 has a ball collapsing solenoid 1280.
Is also installed, and heat generated during the ball collapsing operation is transmitted to the flowing ball through the heat radiating plates 1256A and 1256B of the mounting substrate 1255.

The ball discharging device 120 of the second embodiment having the above structure
Also in 0, the fact that a predetermined number of balls have been discharged is based on the signals from the count sensors I and II and the prize ball discharge control device 6
00, the step motor 125
4 is stopped and the discharge of the ball is stopped. Further, as described above, since the relationship between the rotation angle of the step motor and the rotation angle of the sprocket is constant (so that the sprocket rotates 30 degrees when the step motor rotates 180 degrees, the worm and the worm gear are rotated). The gear ratio has been determined), the rotation angle of the step motor is constantly monitored,
When the rotation angle reaches a value corresponding to the number of balls to be discharged, the rotation is stopped so that the desired number of balls can be discharged accurately. The ball discharge control by the operation of the step motor is the control flow of the above-described first embodiment (Fig. 18-
The same control is performed according to FIG.

In this control, since the rotation speed of the step motor 1254 is adjusted according to the mode of the game, the mode of discharge is variously changed and the interest is enhanced. Also in the ball ejection control by the ball ejection device of the second embodiment, the ball clogging is judged based on the detection signals from the ball presence sensors 1262A and 1262B and the count sensors I and II, and if the judgment is made, In response to a command from the ball ejection control device, the ball collapsing solenoid 1280 is turned on (ON) or off (OF).
F) Operate, and further rotate / reverse rotation of step motor
Control such as forward rotation is performed to release the ball clogging.

The ball discharging device 1200 of the second embodiment described above.
In the above, an example using a sprocket having six gear crests has been shown, but the number of sprockets is not limited to this and may be any other number. In that case, the gear ratio of the worm and the worm gear may be determined so that one ball is discharged every 180 degrees rotation of the step motor, or the rotation of the step motor required for discharging one ball. The angle may be calculated and the ball ejection control may be performed based on that value.

[0128]

As described in detail above, the first aspect of the present invention
The ball discharging device described in 1 above, one or more ball discharging passages,
The rotating body is provided with a rotating body having a spiral convex portion formed on its surface and installed so that the convex portion protrudes inside the ball discharge passage, and a rotating means for rotating the rotating body. As a result, the balls are separated by the screw threads and discharged one by one. Therefore, when performing the ball discharging process,
By controlling the rotation mode of the rotating means, it is possible to smoothly detect one ball and discharge it smoothly, and at this time, one ball flows into the ball discharging device. Therefore, a problem that occurred in the conventional ball discharging device (using a cam) that discharges a predetermined number of balls at a time and intermittently, that is, emptying after the current ball discharging is completed. When the sphere temporarily flows into the sphere discharging device, the sphere collides with the downflow prevention member in the device, and the trouble such as damage to the device is eliminated. The ball discharging device according to claim 2 further includes one or more ball discharging passages, a sprocket having a gear crest and a groove, and the sprocket is installed inside the ball discharging passage so that the gear crest protrudes. A worm gear formed on the rotating shaft of the sprocket, a worm for transmitting a turning force to the worm gear, and a rotating means for rotating the worm, and the sphere is separated by the gear mountain in accordance with the rotation of the sprocket. While ejecting the balls one by one, the balls can be ejected smoothly by controlling the rotation mode of the rotating means when the ball ejecting process is performed, as in the case of the first aspect of the invention. Therefore, one sphere will flow into the sphere discharging device, which causes a problem in the above-mentioned conventional sphere discharging device (a sphere will flow into the emptied device at the end of discharging and the sphere will not flow down). (E.g., collision with a member to damage the device) is eliminated. Further, the invention according to claim 3 is
Since the rotating means is a step motor whose rotation angle and rotation speed can be controlled, when discharging balls such as prize balls, it is possible to variously change the discharging mode according to the game state and the like. ..

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view of a card type pachinko system according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a back view showing the back mechanism of the pachinko gaming machine.

FIG. 3 is an overall perspective view of a ball discharging device.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a ball discharging device.

FIG. 5 is a side view showing the inside by cutting out a part of the ball discharging device.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a positional relationship between a ball passage and a control unit of the ball discharging device.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a state of ball ejection by a control unit of the ball ejection device.

FIG. 8 is a side view of the entire discharge control unit 250 showing a side surface shape of a mounting substrate on which a heat dissipation mechanism is formed.

FIG. 9 is a front view showing a front shape of a mounting substrate.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory view showing a closed state of an opening / closing member provided at a lower end portion of a guide gutter in which the ball discharging device is installed.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory view showing an open state of an opening / closing member provided at a lower end portion of a guide gutter in which the ball discharging device is installed.

FIG. 12 is a vertical sectional rear view showing a storage tank and a guide gutter.

FIG. 13 is a rear view of a storage tank and a guide gutter showing a first modification of the ball collapsing device.

FIG. 14 is a rear view of a storage tank and a guide gutter showing a second modification of the ball collapsing device.

FIG. 15 is a rear view of a storage tank and a guide gutter showing a third modified example of the ball collapsing device.

FIG. 16 is a rear view of a storage tank and a guide gutter showing a fourth modification of the ball collapsing device.

FIG. 17 is a control block diagram of a sphere ejection system performed by a microcomputer constituting the sphere ejection control device.

FIG. 18 is a flowchart showing a procedure of a main control process for discharging a ball, which is performed by a microcomputer.

FIG. 19 is a flowchart showing a control processing procedure of interrupt processing performed by a microcomputer.

FIG. 20 is a flowchart showing a procedure of monitoring processing executed in interrupt processing.

FIG. 21 is a flowchart showing a procedure of communication processing (task 1).

FIG. 22 is a flowchart showing a procedure of prize ball discharge processing (task 2).

FIG. 23 is a flowchart showing a procedure of safe processing (task 3).

FIG. 24 is a flowchart showing a procedure for ball clogging processing (task 4).

FIG. 25 is a flowchart showing a procedure of ball removal processing (task 5).

FIG. 26 is a flowchart showing a procedure of step motor positioning processing (task 6).

FIG. 27 is an exploded perspective view of the ball discharging device according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 28 is a side view showing the inside by cutting out a part of the ball discharging device.

FIG. 29 is a front view showing the shape of a sprocket part which constitutes a control part of the ball discharging device.

FIG. 30 is a perspective view showing a shape of a sprocket portion which constitutes a control portion of the ball discharging device.

FIG. 31 is an explanatory diagram showing a positional relationship between a ball passage and a control unit of the ball discharging device.

FIG. 32 is an explanatory view showing a fitted state of a sprocket part and a rotating part which constitute a control part of the ball discharging device.

FIG. 33 is a side view of the entire discharge control unit 250 showing a side surface shape of a mounting substrate on which a heat dissipation mechanism is formed.

FIG. 34 is a front view showing the front shape of the mounting substrate.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 Pachinko gaming machine 20 Ball lending machine 200 Ball discharging device 251 Warm (rotating body having a spiral convex portion) 251A Groove portion 251B Screw thread (spiral convex portion) 253 Step motor (rotating means) 255 Mounting board 259a, 259b Sphere flow path (sphere discharge passage) 262A, 262B Sphere presence sensor I, II (first detection means) 263A, 263B Count sensor I, II (second detection means) 280 Ball breaking solenoid (vibration means) 1000 Microcomputer 1200 ball discharge device 1251A, 1251B sprocket 1251a1 to a6, 1251b1 to b6 gear mountain 1251c1 to c6, 1251d1 to d6 groove part 1252 worm gear 1253 worm 1254 step motor (rotating means) 1255 mounting substrate 1259a, 1259A 12 ball path 1225a 62B Ball sensor I, II 1263A, 1263B Count sensor I, II 1280 Ball breaking solenoid

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. One or more sphere discharge passages, a rotary body formed with a spiral convex portion on the surface thereof and installed such that the convex portions protrude inside the sphere discharge passage, and the rotating body. A discharging device for a ball, comprising: a rotating means for rotating a body, and discharging one by one while separating the ball by the convex portion according to the rotation of the rotating body. 2. A sprocket having one or more ball discharge passages, a gear crest and a groove portion, the sprockets being installed inside the ball discharge passage so that the gear crests project, and formed on the rotary shaft of the sprocket. A worm gear, a worm for transmitting a turning force to the worm gear, and a rotating means for rotating the worm, so that as the sprocket rotates, spheres are separated by the gear mountain and discharged one by one. A ball discharge device. 3. The ball discharging device according to claim 1, wherein the rotating means comprises a step motor whose rotation angle and rotation speed are controllable. 4. The step motor is mounted on a mounting board installed in the ball discharge passage, and the mounting board is formed with a heat radiating portion facing the inside of the ball discharge passage. The ball discharging device described in 1. 5. The ball discharging device according to claim 3, wherein a vibration means for vibrating the ball discharging passage is mounted on a mounting substrate to which the step motor is mounted. 6. A first detection means is installed on the upstream side of each of the one or more ball discharge passages in which the ball discharge device according to claim 1 is installed, and the discharge device is provided in the discharge device. Second detecting means for detecting the presence or absence of a sphere located on the most downstream side is installed, and all of the first detecting means detect the presence of the sphere,
A method of controlling a ball discharging device, wherein the second detecting means permits the discharging of the ball when the presence of the ball is detected.