JPH10127919A - Branching beam - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent ball clogging caused by increase in ball pressure near the inflow port of a branching gutter. SOLUTION: Concerning this branching gutter, a play chamber 32 is installed while communicating with the upstream end of a passage 30 communicating with an outflow port 18 and between the passage 30 and the play chamber 32, game balls can freely move in and move out. Concerning such a branching gutter, when increasing ball pressure near the inflow port 18, since ball pressure near the inflow port 18 is relaxed by partially saving the game balls into the play chamber 32, the game balls are mutually engaged or the like because of that ball pressure so that the game balls can be prevented from being disabled in movement. Thus, ball clogging in the branching gutter can be prevented.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a replenishing facility for replenishing game balls to a ball game machine, which is connected to a supply gutter provided above the plurality of ball game machines, The present invention relates to a diversion gutter for diverting and supplying game balls from a supply gutter to a ball game machine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, in a game arcade, it is necessary to replenish each ball game machine with a game ball, and a replenishing facility for that is provided. In this replenishment facility, the distribution gutter 100 having the structure illustrated in FIG. 6 is arranged one above each ball game machine so that the supply gutter 10 running above the ball game machine is provided.
2, and a structure for supplying game balls from the supply gutter 102 to each ball game machine has been widely adopted.

[0003] The diversion gutter 100 is provided with an inflow opening 10 through which a game ball flows from a cutout diversion opening 104 of a supply gutter 102.
6. Incoming ramp 108 that guides the flowing game balls, aligned ramp 110 in parallel with this, commutating pendulum 112 arranged upstream of aligned ramp 110, holding plate arranged above aligned ramp 110 114, an outlet 116 that opens at the downstream end of the alignment ramp 110, and the like. The outlet 116 is connected to a prize ball tank of a ball game machine through a flexible hose 118 called a bellows.

[0004] In the diversion gutter 100, the game balls flowing in a random manner are separated from the entrance slope 108 to the aligned slope 1.
During the passage of 10, the rectifying pendulum 112 and the holding plate 114 particularly rectify the sewage into one strip and discharge it. In addition,
The reason why the flow is rectified to one line is to accurately count the game balls by the counter attached to the front end side of the flexible hose 118 or the like.

[0005]

By the way, in such a diversion gutter, the passages (the entrance slope 108, the aligned slope 11
The width of 0) is usually set to a width that allows one game ball to pass through. On the other hand, since the width of the inlet 106 is wide, the inlet 10
The game balls flowing in from 6 temporarily stay near the inflow port 106 and then gradually move through the passage. For this reason, the ball pressure increases near the inflow port 106, and the movement of the game ball toward the passage is hindered, and sometimes the ball is clogged.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to prevent ball clogging due to an increase in ball pressure near an inlet of a flow dividing gutter.

[0007]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a game ball rectifying device comprising: an inlet for inflow of game balls; an outlet for discharging game balls; A passage for causing the game balls to flow down to the outlet, and a rectifying mechanism for rectifying the flowing game balls to a predetermined number of rows,
In a diversion gutter for rectifying the game balls flowing from the inlet into a predetermined number of lines and discharging the balls from the outlet, the game balls communicate with the passage at the upstream end of the passage, and the game balls automatically enter and exit the passage. There is an existing playroom.

In this diversion gutter, when game balls are flowing in the passage, almost all of the game balls flowing from the inflow port are quickly guided to the passage, but when the flow in the passage becomes slow or stagnant. In other words, (that is, when the discharge is not performed), the game ball flowing from the inflowing school is retained near the inflow port. Then, the ball pressure near the inflow port increases due to the inflow pressure from the supply gutter side.

However, when the ball pressure is increased as described above, when the ball pressure is increased, some of the game balls are retracted into the game room to relieve the ball pressure. Therefore, for example, the game balls are engaged with each other by the ball pressure. It does not become impossible to move due to the state. Then, when the movement of the game balls in the passage is resumed by the discharge of the game balls from the outlet, and the ball pressure decreases, the game balls in the game room also move to the passage side.

As described above, the increase and decrease of the ball pressure particularly near the inflow port can be prevented by entering and exiting the game ball into and from the play room, thereby preventing the ball from being clogged by the ball pressure. In order to make the function of the play room effective, the play room is positioned relatively downstream with respect to the inflow port and relatively upstream with respect to the passage, that is, upstream of the passage. It is good to communicate with the side end.

By the way, in order to rectify a game ball with a rectifying pendulum and a holding plate as in the conventional example shown in FIG.
In any case, it is necessary to allow the game ball to pass through a relatively long path, and even if the entrance-side inclined passage 108 and the rectifying passage 110 are U-turned, it is difficult to further reduce the size. Further, even if a ball breaking member driven by a motor is provided as in a diversion gutter described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-327833, the path itself is not too short, and the path itself is enlarged by the complexity of the configuration. I have.

According to the second to fourth aspects of the present invention, in addition to the effect (prevention of ball clogging) of the first aspect, the size of the diversion gutter can be further reduced. The diversion gutter according to claim 2 is the straightening gutter according to claim 1, wherein the passage is a passage having a side wall having a width through which one game ball passes and a bottom surface provided between the side walls. Is a gear-shaped rotator having a plurality of teeth provided at intervals at which a part of the game ball can enter, and an external force is applied to the teeth from a second game ball counted from the bottom side, so that the second game ball is formed. A rotating body that rotates with the movement of the moving member is provided as the rectifying mechanism.

In this diversion gutter, the width between the side walls of the passage is set to a width that allows one game ball to pass through. Therefore, the number of game balls moving in the passage in contact with the bottom surface is one, and the second game ball moves in the passage so as to overlap the first game ball. The rotating body used in the diversion gutter may be a gear having a plurality of teeth, but the space between the teeth, that is, the valley portion is a part of the game ball, preferably 1/4 to 1/4 of the diameter of the game ball. About one-third is allowed to enter. Examples of the shape of the rotating body include a shape similar to a sprocket or a shape similar to a sprocket. The slope connecting the bottom of the valley and the apexes of the teeth on both sides of the valley may be set to a gentle slope on the rotation destination side (the destination side of the game ball) and a steep slope on the rear side. In this case, the receiving of the game ball into the valley portion and the detachment of the game ball from the valley portion are performed more smoothly.

In order to rotate the rotator with the movement of the second game ball, the rotation direction may be set to be in accordance with the traveling direction of the game ball in the passage. It is preferable that the rotating body does not contact the first ball. This rotating body is subjected to an external force on the teeth from the second ball,
It rotates with the movement of the game ball. At this time, the progress of the second ball is slightly delayed with respect to the first ball due to the resistance of the rotating body, and the space between the second ball is surely secured. Since the force acts on the first ball side, that is, the direction of merging the game balls of the second ball,
It is considered that the merging of the first and second articles is smooth and quick.

In this diversion gutter, the game ball is rectified from two to one by almost only the function of the rotating body, so that the rectifying passage is extremely short. Further, since it is not necessary to drive the rotating body, a driving source such as a motor is not required. Therefore, the diversion gutter becomes extremely small.

A known rectifying pendulum may be provided upstream of the rotating body. If this rectifying pendulum is provided, for example, a game ball flowing in about three lines can be formed into two lines by the function of the rectifying pendulum. The diversion gutter according to claim 3 is:
3. The diversion gutter according to claim 2, wherein an interval between the bottom surface and the end on the downstream side is an interval through which only one game ball can pass, and an interval between the bottom surface and the downstream surface is larger on the upstream side than on the downstream side, and the rotation is performed. A holding plate is provided downstream of the body so as to face the bottom surface.

Since this pressing plate has a function of ensuring the rectification by the rotating body, it is possible to rectify the game ball more favorably. According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a diversion gutter.
In the diversion gutter of the description, the upstream end of the holding plate,
The rotator is extended between the rotator and the side wall so as to avoid a rotation range of the rotator, and a part of the extended portion is closer to the bottom surface than the axis of the rotator.

As a structure in which the upstream end of the holding plate extends between the sprocket and the side wall while avoiding the rotation range of the sprocket, a notch is provided at the upstream end of the holding plate, and the notch is provided. Inside the sprocket rotation range,
An example is a structure in which two pressing plates are used and a gap between the two pressing plates is used as a rotation range of the sprocket.

With this configuration, the pressing plate assists the joining movement of the game balls by supporting the movement of the joining by the rotating body and preventing the game balls once joined from returning to the second line. More surely.

[0020]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0021]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS As shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, a diversion gutter 10 as a game ball rectifier of the present embodiment comprises a slope 12 and a pair of mounting claws 14 for attaching the diversion gutter 10 to a supply gutter (not shown). , 16, and an inlet 18 is formed between the mounting claws 14, 16. The diversion gutter 10 is attached to the supply gutter by fitting a groove-shaped portion formed on the back side of the mounting claws 14 and 16 to the side wall of the diversion port portion of the supply gutter. Is a conventional example (Fig. 6)
See). As shown in FIG. 3, the slope 12 is slightly inclined from the supply gutter side toward the inflow port 18, and the game ball is guided from the supply gutter to the slope 12, passes through the inflow port 18, and enters the diversion gutter 10. Come in. Also, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, a triangular projection 1
3 are provided. The projection 13 is installed at a position about 1/3 upstream of the frontage of the inflow port 18, and its height is a game ball flowing along the direction of a parallel arrow shown in FIG. 1. Is easily reached (about 1 mm in this embodiment). The game ball that has flowed through the supply gutter and hit the projection 13 on the slope 12 changes its traveling direction irregularly, and the inlet 1 from various directions.
8 will flow. That is, the game ball has the protrusion 1
3 and flows in an average over almost the entire area of the inlet 18. Therefore, the game balls do not concentrate at one place at the inflow port 18 or inside and outside thereof,
The inflow of the game ball from the supply gutter to the distribution gutter 10 becomes smooth.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 4 and 5, inside the diversion gutter 10, the side plates 20, 22 and the rear end plate 2 are provided.
4. A passage 30 is formed by the rear wall 26, the bottom plate 28 and the like. The side plate 22, the rear end plate 24, the rear side wall 26, and the bottom plate 28 form a play chamber 32 communicating with the passage 30. The mounting plate 12, the mounting claws 14, 1
6, side plates 20, 22, rear end plate 24, rear side wall 26, bottom plate 2
8 and the like are integrally formed as a main body member 33.

As shown in FIG. 2, bearings 34, 36 are provided on the side plates 20, 22, respectively. As shown in FIGS. 1, 4 and 5, the bearing 34 has a pendulum shaft 38,
A rotating shaft 40 is inserted into the bearing 36, a commutating pendulum 42 is fitted on the pendulum shaft 38, and a gear 44 is fitted on the rotating shaft 40 so as to be rotatable. Furthermore, a rectifying pendulum 4
2 and the gear 44 are protected and the pendulum shaft 38 and the rotating shaft 4
A protection member 46 for preventing the 0 from falling off is attached to the side plates 20 and 22 by screws 48. The shape of the teeth of the gear 44 is as shown in the figure, and the slope connecting the root of the valley and the apexes of the teeth on both sides of the gear 44 has a gentle slope on the rotation destination side (the advance side of the game ball) and a steep slope on the rear side. . In addition, the protection member 46
Forms an outlet 50 in cooperation with the main body member 33.
As shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, fixing protrusions 49 for screwing the diversion gutter 10 to the supply gutter are provided on the upper portion of the protection member 46.
Is provided.

As shown in FIGS. 2, 4 and 5, inside the protection member 46, a U-shaped pressing plate 52 is provided. The distance between the holding plate 52 and the bottom plate 28 is set at the outlet 5
On the 0 side, the diameter is slightly larger than the diameter of the game ball.
On the fourth side, the interval is about two game balls. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a gear 44 is inserted into a cutout portion of the holding plate 52.

As shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 3, FIG. 4, and FIG.
A flexible hose (not shown) is fitted in the hose holding member 56, and the flexible hose can be connected to the branch gutter 10.

Now, in the diversion gutter 10, the bottom plate 2
8 is inclined from the inlet 18 to the outlet 50,
As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, when the game balls flow from the inflow port 18, the game balls pass through the passage 30 through the exit 50.
Move towards. Immediately after the inflow from the inflow port 18, the arrangement of the game balls is random, but is roughly divided into two by the action of the rectifying pendulum 42 and moves toward the gear 44. Then, as shown in FIG.
The game ball on the side (away from) contacts the teeth of the gear 44 and rotates the gear 44. At this time, the movement of the game ball B in contact with the gear 44 is delayed with respect to the preceding first game ball A due to the resistance of the gear 44. There is a slight gap between A. Then, the game ball B moves while rotating the gear 44, and there is also pressing by the gear 44,
As shown in FIG. 5, the ball enters between the game balls A and C. In this way, the game balls flowing in two lines are merged into one line. In addition, the pressing plate 52 assists the movement of the merging, and further ensures the merging of the game balls by preventing the game balls once merged from returning to the second row. And
The game balls that have joined into one row are discharged from the exit 50.

As described above, the diversion gutter 10 of the present embodiment is
The game balls can be merged smoothly and quickly to form a single ball. At that time, since the flow is rectified from two to one by almost only the action of the gear 44, the passage 30 for rectification is extremely short, and there is no need to make a U-turn to lengthen the path. Further, since it is not necessary to drive the rotating body, a driving source such as a motor is not required. Therefore, the game ball rectifier becomes extremely small.

In the diversion gutter 10, the passage 30 for straightening the game ball is straight and short.
The movement of the game ball in the branch gutter 10 is fast. That is, compared with the conventional diversion gutter, the game ball can be rectified and discharged in a very short time. In addition, the inflow of the game ball from the supply gutter is chaotic, and the outflow from the branch flow gutter 10 to the ball game machine side is intermittent according to the amount of the game ball in the prize ball tank of the ball game machine. Therefore, the inside of the diversion gutter 10 may be filled with game balls. And in such a case, the ball pressure of the game ball in the diversion gutter 10 by the inflow pressure from the supply gutter side,
In particular, the ball pressure near the inflow port 18 increases.

In the conventional diversion gutter, the diversion gutter 10 of the present embodiment is used.
There is no equivalent to the play room 32 in, and when the ball pressure of the game ball increases, the movement of the game ball in the diversion gutter is inhibited,
Sometimes the ball was clogged. However, in the diversion gutter 10, when the ball pressure increases in this way, a part of the game balls retreat into the play room 32 (see FIG. 4), so that the ball pressure near the inflow port 18 is relieved. The game pressure does not cause the game balls to become in mesh with each other or to become immovable (ball clogging). Then, if the internal ball pressure is reduced by discharging the game balls from the outlet 50, the game balls in the play room 32 also flow out to the passage 30 side and decrease (see FIG. 5). As described above, according to the diversion gutter 10 of the present embodiment, the internal chamber pressure can be alleviated by the function of the play chamber 32 and the ball clogging in the diversion gutter 10 can be prevented.
Its reliability will be extremely high.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the embodiments, the present invention is not limited to such embodiments, and it goes without saying that the present invention can be implemented in various ways without departing from the gist of the present invention.

[0031]

As described above, according to the diversion gutter according to the first aspect of the present invention, the increase and decrease of the ball pressure particularly near the inflow port is reduced by the entry and exit of the game ball into and from the play room. Clogging can be prevented.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, two game balls can be smoothly and quickly merged into one. At this time, since the flow is rectified from two to one by almost only the function of the rotating body, the passage for rectification can be extremely short. Further, since it is not necessary to drive the rotating body, a driving source such as a motor is not required. Therefore, the game ball rectifier becomes extremely small.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, since the pressing plate functions to ensure the straightening by the rotating body, the game balls can be better straightened. Further, according to the configuration of the fourth aspect, the game ball can be more rectified.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a diversion gutter according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a distribution gutter of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a front view of a diversion gutter of the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a side perspective view for explaining the movement of a game ball inside the diversion gutter of the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a side perspective view for explaining the movement of a game ball inside the diversion gutter of the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a conventional diversion gutter.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Dividing gutter, 12 ... Mounting plate, 13 ... Projection, 14, 16 ... Mounting claw, 18 ... Inflow port, 2
0, 22 ... side plate (side wall), 24 ... rear end plate, 26
... Back wall, 28 ... Bottom plate (bottom surface), 30 ... Path, 32 ... Play room, 33 ... Main body member, 34, 36
... bearing, 38 ... pendulum shaft, 40 ... rotating shaft, 42 ... commutation pendulum, 44 ... gear (rotating body), 46 ... protective member, 48 ... screw, 49・ ・
・ Fixing projection, 50 ・ ・ ・ Outlet, 52 ・ ・ ・ Pressing plate,
54 ... end plate, 56 ... hose holding member.

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An inflow port through which a game ball flows, an outlet through which a game ball is discharged, a passage through which the game ball flows down from the inflow port to the discharge port, and a predetermined number of the game balls flowing down. A flow diverter for rectifying the game balls flowing from the inflow port into a predetermined number of rows and discharging the game balls from the discharge port, wherein the flow path communicates with the path at an upstream end of the path. A diversion gutter characterized by having a play room through which game balls can enter and exit. 2. The straightening gutter according to claim 1, wherein the passage is a passage having a side wall having a width through which one game ball passes and a bottom surface provided between the side walls, and a part of the game ball enters. A gear-shaped rotator having a plurality of teeth provided at possible intervals, wherein an external force is exerted on the teeth from the second-row game balls counted from the bottom side, and the second-row game balls move. A flow rotator provided with a rotator rotating as the rectifying mechanism. 3. The diversion gutter according to claim 2, wherein an interval between the bottom surface and the downstream end is an interval through which only one game ball can pass, and an upstream interval between the bottom surface and the downstream end is larger than that of the downstream end. And a holding plate disposed downstream of the rotating body so as to face the bottom surface. 4. The diversion gutter according to claim 3, wherein an upstream end of the holding plate extends between the rotating body and the side wall while avoiding a rotation area of the rotating body, and the extension is performed. A diversion gutter, wherein a part of the portion is located on the bottom side relative to an axis of the rotating body.