JPH0999149A - Game ball delivery device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To lengthen the service life of a constitutive part, and preclude the possibility of clogging of a ball. SOLUTION: On the downstream end of an arranging gutter 18 slightly inclining in the horizontal direction, respectively single sprockets 36 and 38 are arranged in arranging passages 26 and 28. A tooth 44 of the sprocket 36 and a tooth 46 of the sprocket 38 are dislocated by a 1/2 pitch from each other. A displacement member 50 held by a holding frame 52 is energized to the projection 56 side by a helical spring 60. When an electric current is carried to an electromagnet 62, the displacement member 50 can be attracted against energizing force of the helical spring 60, and the sprockets 36 and 38 can feeely rotate. The sprockets 36 and 38 rotate by a load of a game ball, and alternately pass game balls of the arranging passages 26 and 28. Since the sprockets 36 and 38 passively rotate, there is no possibility that the game balls are bitten by them.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a game ball payout device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a game ball payout device in a ball game machine such as a pachinko machine, a system in which game balls are stored in a prize ball case containing a fixed number of game balls and then discharged is the mainstream. . However, in this method, there is a problem that the number of game balls released each time cannot be changed, and the payout speed is slow because the game balls are stored and released each time.

Therefore, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 61-76181
As disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 63-164977 and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 63-164977, a game ball payout device of a type in which game balls are continuously discharged one by one has been proposed. However, in these game ball payout devices, parts such as rotors and worms may be overloaded, and there is a problem in terms of parts life.

The applicant proposed a game ball payout device disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-42248 as a solution to such a problem.

[0005]

However, in the game ball payout device described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-42248, since the spiral gear is rotationally driven by the motor, it is extremely rare. Occasionally, a spiral gear could cause a ball clogging that would catch a game ball.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a game ball payout device in which the life of the components is long and there is no risk of ball clogging.

[0007]

As means for solving the above-mentioned problems, the game ball payout device according to claim 1 is an alignment passage for aligning the game balls inclined in a horizontal direction and flowing down in a line, A sprocket having a plurality of teeth and arranged at a downstream end of the alignment passage, the sprocket allowing passage of the game ball when the game ball flowing down the alignment passage is rotated by a load exerted on the teeth. A displacement member that displaces between a stop position that prevents rotation of the sprocket and a rotation position that allows rotation of the sprocket, and a drive mechanism that drives the displacement member.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a gaming ball payout device according to the first aspect, wherein two alignment passages are arranged side by side, and the tooth pitches of the two alignment paths are shifted from each other by ½ pitch and are coaxial and common. It is characterized in that a pair of rotating sprockets are disposed in contact with the respective alignment passages.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a gaming ball payout device according to the first or second aspect, wherein the game ball payout device advances into the rotation surface of the sprocket at the stop position to prevent the sprocket from rotating, In the rotational position, the displacement member that retreats out of the rotation surface of the sprocket is provided, and as the drive mechanism, a biasing member that biases the displacement member toward the stop position and a biasing force of the biasing member are provided. And an electromagnet for displacing the displacement member to the rotational position side.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a game ball payout device according to any one of the first to third aspects, wherein a passage sensor for detecting a game ball allowed to pass by the sprocket is provided. Characterize.

[0011]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION In the gaming ball payout device according to the first aspect of the present invention, the alignment passage is inclined along the horizontal direction, and the gaming balls flowing down here are aligned in a line. The sprocket has a plurality of teeth and is arranged at the downstream end of the alignment passage, and allows the game ball to pass when the game ball flowing down the alignment passage is rotated by the load exerted on the teeth. The displacement member is driven by the drive mechanism to be displaced between a stop position that prevents rotation of the sprocket and a rotation position that allows rotation of the sprocket.

When the displacement member is in the rotating position, the game ball flowing down the alignment passage rotates the sprocket and passes therethrough, and when the displacement member is in the stop position, the sprocket does not rotate, so the passage of the game ball is blocked. The desired number of game balls can be paid out by displacing the displacement member to the stop position after passing the desired number of game balls with the displacement member as the rotation position.

Since the alignment passage is inclined along the horizontal direction, the load of the game ball on the sprocket is extremely small, and there is no fear of impairing the life of parts such as the sprocket and its rotating shaft. In addition, since the sprocket has a structure that passively rotates under the load of the game ball, the sprocket does not cause ball clogging due to the game ball catching.

In the game ball payout device according to claim 2, 2
Book alignment passages are arranged side by side, and their tooth pitch is 1 /
One pair of co-axial and co-rotating sprockets, which are offset by two pitches, are arranged in each alignment passage. Since the game balls are processed in two rows, the processing capacity is increased. Moreover, since the tooth pitch of both sprockets is offset by 1/2 pitch, 2
The game balls supplied in rows alternately pass through the sprockets and are discharged in one row. Therefore, it is possible to simplify the subsequent processing and the mechanism related to the processing, for example, only one sensor for counting the discharged game balls is required.

In the gaming ball payout device according to the third aspect, the displacement member advances into the rotation surface of the sprocket at the stop position to prevent rotation of the sprocket, and retracts outside the rotation surface of the sprocket at the rotation position. The biasing member biases the displacement member toward the stop position. The electromagnet displaces the displacement member to the rotational position side against the biasing force of the biasing member.

With this configuration, it is possible to control the rotation of the sprocket, that is, the passage of the game ball, in accordance with the interruption of the electric power to the electromagnet. Therefore, quick and accurate payout is possible.
In the game ball payout device according to the fourth aspect, the passage sensor detects the game ball allowed to pass by the sprocket.

The number of payouts can be detected from the output of the passage sensor. Further, by controlling the drive mechanism based on the number of payouts detected by the output of the passage sensor, it is possible to execute a very accurate payout.

[0018]

SPECIFIC EXAMPLE Next, a specific example of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, a control device 11 for controlling the operation of each part of the ball game machine 10 is installed near the center on the back side of the ball game machine 10, and at the upper part, for a prize ball. The prize ball tank 12 for storing the game balls is arranged. The prize ball tank 12 is configured to be supplied with game balls from a game ball supply facility (not shown). An outlet 14 is provided at the bottom of the prize ball tank 12, and an alignment gutter 18 of a game ball payout device 16 is connected to the outlet 14.

Although the detailed structure will be described later, the game ball payout device 16 is a device for paying out the game balls flowing out from the prize ball tank 12 as prize balls. Gaming ball payout device 16
The game ball discharged from is guided to the discharge port 22 by the prize ball passage 20, and is discharged from the discharge port 22 to the tray 24 installed on the front surface side of the ball game machine 10.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the alignment gutter 18 comprises a pair of alignment passages 26 and 28 which are parallel to each other. The width of the alignment passages 26, 28 is slightly larger than the diameter of the game balls so that the game balls can pass in a line. Further, guide grooves 30 and 32 for guiding the game balls are provided at the lower portions of the alignment passages 26 and 28. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the alignment gutter 18 is slightly inclined along the horizontal direction, and a game ball flows down by this inclination.

As shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, at the downstream end of the alignment trough 18, a pair of sprockets 36 are coaxially mounted on a shaft 34 transverse to the alignment passages 26, 28. , 38 are installed. As shown in FIG. 4, the shaft 34 is rotatably supported by the side wall of the alignment gutter 18, and one end thereof is held by a stopper cover 40 for preventing the shaft 34 from slipping off. Also, FIG.
Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the sprockets 36, 38 are connected to each other by a connecting member 42, and have a structure in which they rotate together around the shaft 34.

As shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, the sprockets 36 and 38 have six teeth 44 and 46, respectively. The teeth 44 of the sprocket 36 and the teeth 46 of the sprocket 38 are 1/2 pitch from each other (30 at center angle)
°) Deviated. As shown in FIG. 3, the sprocket 3
The teeth 44, 46 of 6, 38 are set so as to hit the game balls flowing down the alignment passages 26, 28 on the lower side of the shaft 34, and when the sprockets 36, 38 are stopped, the game balls are stopped. Is blocked from passing downstream. If the sprockets 36 and 38 are rotatable, the alignment passage 2
The game balls flowing down 6, 28 rotate the sprockets 36, 38 under the load, and the sprockets 36, 38
You can pass below. The sprocket 36,
Since the teeth 44, 46 of 38 have a deviation of 1/2 pitch, the game balls in the alignment passages 26, 28 are shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.
It is different as shown in.

As shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, the alignment gutter 18 is connected to a discharge gutter 48 extending in a substantially vertical direction, and the sprockets 36 and 38 are rotated and passed therethrough as described above. The game ball that has passed passes through this discharge gutter 48,
It will fall into the prize ball passage 20 shown in FIG.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a displacement member 50 made of a steel plate is arranged above the discharge gutter 48. FIG.
As shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 5, the displacing member 50 is engaged with the holding frame 52 having a U-shaped side surface, and the engaging portion 5 thereof is provided.
It is possible to swing around 4 as a fulcrum. As shown in FIG. 2, the holding frame 52 is provided with a protrusion 56 projecting upward, and a string spring 60 in a tensioned state is stretched between the protrusion 56 and the head 58 of the displacement member 50. ing. Therefore, the head portion 54 side of the displacement member 50 is biased toward the protrusion 56 side with the engaging portion 54 as a fulcrum. However, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, since the lower end portion 61 of the displacement member 50 is in contact with the sprockets 36 and 38, the lower end portion 61 is not flipped up.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, the holding frame 52
Holds an electromagnet 62. When energized, the electromagnet 62 can pull the lower end portion 61 of the displacement member 50 against the urging force of the coiled spring 60, and in that case, the lower end portion 61 of the displacement member 50 moves toward the sprocket 36,
38 moves to the outside of the plane of rotation. Therefore, the displacement member 5
Zero no longer interferes with the rotation of the sprockets 36, 38 and the sprockets 36, 38 are free to rotate.

As shown in FIG. 2, the sprockets 36, 3 are
Below 8, the drain gutter 48 from the end of the alignment gutter 18
The sensor substrate 70 is attached to the sensor substrate 70, and the drive circuit substrate 72 is attached to the opposite side. FIG.
As shown in FIG.
4, 76 are attached, and holes 78, 80, 8 are provided in the alignment gutter 18 corresponding to the axes of the light emitting elements 74, 76.
2, 84 are drilled. Further, light receiving elements 86 and 88 are attached to the holes 82 and 84. The light receiving elements 86 and 88 are held by the drive circuit substrate 72 (not shown in FIG. 4). With such a structure, the light receiving element 86 can receive the light emitted from the light emitting element 74, and the light receiving element 88 can receive the light emitted from the light emitting element 76.

As shown in FIG. 6, an electromagnet drive circuit 90 is incorporated in the drive circuit board 72.
It is possible to supply driving power to No. 2. The output signals of the light receiving elements 86 and 88 are input to the CPU 94 via the input interface (input I / F) 92 of the control device 11, and the CPU 94 outputs via the output interface (output I / F) 96. Thus, it is possible to output a power supply signal instructing the electromagnet drive circuit 90 to supply drive power. Then, the electromagnet drive circuit 90 is configured to supply one pulse of drive power to the electromagnet 62 each time the power supply signal is received.

Therefore, when the CPU 94 outputs the power supply signal once, the electromagnet 62 is excited for a very short time to draw the displacement member 50, and the sprockets 36, 38 can rotate. Subsequently, when the electromagnet 62 returns to the non-excited state, the displacing member 50 is pulled back by the urging force of the coil spring 60, and the rotation of the sprockets 36 and 38 is blocked.

Next, the operation of the game ball payout device 16 having the above structure will be described. If a prize is generated while a game using the ball game machine 10 is being executed, the CPU
94 determines the number of prize balls according to the type of winning. Then C
The PU 94 outputs the power supply signal as many times as the number of prize balls.

However, the CPU 94 monitors the signal from the light receiving element 86 and does not output the power supply signal when there is a light receiving signal. This is because, as is clear from FIG. 4, there is a light reception signal from the light receiving element 86,
There is no object between the light emitting element 74 and the light receiving element 86 that blocks the passage of light, that is, a game ball. That is, there is no game ball in the alignment passages 26 and 28, and even if the game ball payout device 16 is operated, the game ball is not actually paid out. In such a case, the light receiving element 86 receives light. Stop the power supply signal output until the signal stops.

Further, the CPU 94 monitors the signal from the light receiving element 88, and pays out the game ball from the number of times the light receiving signal from the light receiving element 88 is stopped (the number of times the light from the light emitting element 76 is blocked by the game ball). The number of game balls passing through the device 16 is counted. Now, when receiving the power supply signal from the CPU 94, the electromagnet drive circuit 90 supplies one pulse of drive power to the electromagnet 62. As a result, the electromagnet 62 is excited for a very short time to draw the displacement member 50,
The sprockets 36 and 38 can rotate. The sprockets 36 and 38 rotate by the load of the game balls in the alignment passages 26 and 28, and allow the game balls to pass.

Since the alignment passages 26 and 28 are inclined along the horizontal direction, the load of the game ball on the sprockets 36 and 38 is extremely small, and the sprockets 36 and 38 are small.
There is no risk of impairing the life of parts such as the shaft and the shaft. Also,
Since the sprockets 36 and 38 are passively rotated by the load of the game ball, the sprockets 36 and 38 do not cause the ball clogging due to the biting of the game ball.

At this time, the teeth 4 of the sprockets 36 and 38 are
Since the pitches of 4 and 46 are shifted by 1/2 pitch, as shown in FIGS. 7A-1 and 7A-2, when the game ball on the sprocket 36 side passes, the sprocket 38 side The game ball is blocked from passing. Similarly, FIG.
As shown in (b-1) and (b-2), when the game ball on the sprocket 38 side passes, the sprocket 3
The 6-sided game ball is blocked from passing.

Further, since the excitation time of the electromagnet 62 is extremely short, the displacement member 50 is retracted from the rotation surfaces of the sprockets 36 and 38 for a very short time, and immediately comes into the rotation surfaces of the sprockets 36 and 38. Come back. Therefore, for example, when the displacement member 50 that has been in contact with the teeth 44 of the sprocket 36 once withdraws and returns, this time it comes into contact with the teeth 46 of the sprocket 38 and the sprocket 36, 3
Since it blocks the rotation of 8, the sprockets 36, 38 are
It will rotate by 1/2 pitch and stop.

In other words, one excitation of the electromagnet 62 causes one game ball to pass under the sprockets 36 and 38 and drop into the discharge gutter 48. The game sphere that has passed through this device blocks the light from the light emitting element 76 and falls,
The light receiving signal of the light receiving element 88 is temporarily stopped, and the CPU 94 can know that one game ball has passed, that is, one payout has been made.

Next, when the CPU 94 outputs a power supply signal, one game ball is paid out from the game ball payout device 16 as described above. However, this time, the game balls on the side of the sprockets 36 and 38, which were blocked from passing the previous time, are paid out. That is, the game balls in the alignment passages 26 and 28 are paid out alternately. Therefore, when the CPU 94 continuously outputs the power supply signal, two rows (alignment passage 2
6, 28), the game balls supplied in
It becomes a line and falls toward the prize ball passage 20 side.

Since the game balls from the prize ball tank 12 are introduced and discharged in two rows, the processing capacity is high. Moreover, since the pitches of the teeth 44, 46 of both sprockets 36, 38 are shifted by 1/2 pitch, the game balls supplied in two rows alternately pass under the sprockets 36, 38 to form one row. Is discharged. Therefore, it is possible to simplify the subsequent processing and the mechanism related to the processing, for example, only one sensor for counting the discharged game balls is required.

The displacement member 50 is composed of a coil spring 60 and an electromagnet 62.
Since it is driven and displaced by and, the rotation of the sprockets 36, 38, that is, the passage of the game ball can be favorably controlled according to the interruption of the electric power to the electromagnet 62, and the quick and accurate payout can be performed. Furthermore, since the CPU 94 can detect the number of payouts based on the output of the light receiving element 88 that receives the light of the light emitting element 76, extremely accurate payout can be executed.

As is apparent from the above description, in this specific example, the coil spring 60, the electromagnet 62, and the electromagnet drive circuit 90 constitute a drive mechanism, and the light emitting element 76.
The light receiving element 88 and the light receiving element 88 form a passage sensor. As described above, the embodiments of the present invention have been described according to the specific examples. However, it is needless to say that the present invention is not limited to the specific examples, and can be variously implemented without departing from the gist of the present invention.

For example, in the specific example, the number of alignment passages is two, but it may be one. Of course, three or more are possible. Further, although an optical sensor including a light emitting element and a light receiving element is used for detecting the game ball, a sensor of another system may be used.

[0041]

As described above, according to the gaming ball payout device of the first aspect, since the alignment passage is inclined along the horizontal direction, the load of the gaming ball on the sprocket is extremely small, and the sprocket is very small. There is no danger of impairing the service life of parts such as or its rotating shaft.

Further, since the sprocket has a structure which is passively rotated by the load of the game ball, the sprocket does not cause ball clogging due to the game ball catching. According to the gaming ball payout device of the second aspect, the gaming balls are processed in two rows, so that the processing capability is increased. Moreover, 2
Since the game balls supplied in rows alternately pass through the sprockets and are discharged in one row, for example, only one sensor for counting the discharged game balls is required, and the subsequent processing and processing are involved. The mechanism can be simplified.

According to the game ball payout device of the third aspect, the rotation of the sprocket, that is, the passage of the game ball can be controlled in accordance with the interruption of the electric power to the electromagnet. Therefore, quick and accurate payout is possible. According to the game ball payout device of the fourth aspect, it is possible to detect the payout number from the output of the passage sensor. Further, by controlling the drive mechanism based on the number of payouts detected by the output of the passage sensor, it is possible to execute a very accurate payout.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a schematic configuration on the back side of a ball game machine including a game ball payout device of a specific example.

FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway side view of a specific example game ball payout device.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a passage of a game ball of a game ball payout device of a specific example.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of an alignment gutter portion of a game ball payout device of a specific example.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of an engagement state of a displacement member and a holding frame of a game ball payout device of a specific example.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a control system of a game ball payout device of a specific example.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of game ball payout in a specific example of the game ball payout device, FIG. 7A-1 is an explanatory view of a state where the game ball passes under one of the sprockets, and FIG. 7A-
2) is an explanatory view of a state in which the other sprocket is blocking passage of the game ball at that time, and FIG. 7 (b-1) is an explanatory diagram of a state in which one sprocket is blocking passage of the game ball. , FIG. 7 (b-2) is an explanatory view of a state in which the game ball passes under the other sprocket at that time.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 ... ball game machine, 11 ... control device, 12 ...
・ Prize ball tank, 14 ... Outlet port, 16 ... Game ball dispensing device, 18 ... Alignment gutter, 20 ... Prize ball passage, 2
2 ... outlet, 24 ... saucer, 26, 28 ...
Alignment passage, 30, 32 ... Guide groove, 34 ... Shaft, 3
6, 38 ... sprocket, 40 ... stop cover,
42 ... Connection member, 44, 46 ... Tooth, 48 ...
Discharge gutter, 50 ... Displacement member, 52 ... Holding frame, 54
... Engaging portion, 56 ... Protrusion, 58 ... Head portion, 60
... String spring (driving mechanism), 61 ... Lower end part, 62
... Electromagnet (driving mechanism), 70 ... Sensor substrate,
72 ... Driving circuit board, 74 ... Light emitting element, 76
... Light emitting element (passage sensor), 78, 80, 82, 8
4 ... hole, 86 ... light receiving element, 88 ... light receiving element (passage sensor), 90 ... electromagnet drive circuit (driving mechanism), 94 ... CPU.

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An alignment passage for aligning a row of game balls inclined in a horizontal direction and flowing down, and a sprocket having a plurality of teeth and arranged at a downstream end of the alignment passage, wherein the alignment passage is formed. A sprocket that allows passage of the game ball when the flowing down game ball is rotated by the load exerted on the teeth, a displacement that displaces a stop position that prevents rotation of the sprocket and a rotation position that allows rotation of the sprocket. A game ball payout device comprising a member and a drive mechanism for driving the displacement member. 2. The game ball payout device according to claim 1, wherein two alignment passages are provided side by side, and a pair of sprockets coaxially and co-rotating with their tooth pitches displaced by ½ pitch are each aligned. A game ball payout device, characterized in that one is placed in the passage. 3. The game ball payout device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein at the stop position, the sprocket is prevented from rotating by advancing into the rotation surface of the sprocket, and at the rotation position, outside the rotation surface of the sprocket. And a biasing member that biases the displacement member toward the stop position as the drive mechanism, and the displacement member that resists the biasing force of the biasing member. A game ball payout device, which is provided with an electromagnet that is displaced to the side. 4. The game ball payout device according to claim 1, further comprising: a passage sensor for detecting a game ball allowed to pass by the sprocket.