JPH10127920A - Game ball receiver - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To smooth the flow of game balls near the inflow port of a game ball receiver. SOLUTION: Since a branching gutter 10 is provided with a triangular projection 13 on the upper surface of a slope 12, the game balls flowing from a replenishing gutter and hitting the projection 13 on the slope 12 irregularly change their advancing directions and flow from various directions into an inflow port 18. Namely, the game balls are scattered by the projection 13 and flow in average over all the area of the inflow port 18. Therefore, the game balls are not concentrated at one position of the inflow port 18 or inside/outside it, the game balls smoothly flow from the replenishing gutter into the branching gutter 10. Thus, the inflow of game balls from the inflow port 18 is made speedy and in order to prevent ball clogging near this port, it is not necessary to enlarge the branching gutter 10 by widening the width of the inflow port 18 or the like.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

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

[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, a diversion gutter 100 having a structure illustrated in FIG. 6 is mounted on a replenishment gutter 102 so as to be disposed one above each ball-and-ball game machine.
A structure for replenishing game balls from various game machines 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 configuration, the moving direction of the game ball flowing through the supply gutter 102 and the inflow direction to the inflow port 106 are substantially orthogonal, and the game ball is in the inflow port. A lot of inflows came from the downstream side of 106, and there was a strong tendency for game balls to concentrate in the vicinity. When game balls are concentrated in such a place, the inflow port 106
The frontage was narrowed, the inflow speed was reduced, and sometimes the ball was clogged.

For example, if the frontage of the inflow port 106 is widened,
Even if it is effective in preventing a decrease in the inflow speed, the concentration itself of the game balls cannot be prevented, and the risk of clogging of the balls still remains. Further, widening the frontage of the inflow port 106 is not preferable because the size of the distribution gutter 100 becomes large.

The present invention relates to a game ball receiving device having an inflow port that opens toward the pass area of a game ball, such as the diversion gutter, without increasing the size of the inflow port, for example, without increasing the size of the inflow port. The purpose is to facilitate the flow of gaming balls in the vicinity.

[0008]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for receiving a game ball, comprising: an introduction plate projecting into a pass area of a game ball for introducing the game ball from the pass area; A game ball receiving device having an inflow port through which a game ball passing above is introduced, wherein a projection for disturbing the course of the game ball passing through the upper surface of the introduction plate is provided on the upper surface.

[0009] Some of the game balls which have entered the introduction plate from the pass area come into contact with the projections and are thereby disturbed in the course. Since the course of the game ball is not always uniform,
The state of contact with the projections is also not uniform. Therefore, the advancing direction of the game ball after coming into contact with the projection is also random.
As a result, the course of the game ball from the introduction plate toward the inflow port is diversified, and the concentration of the game ball in one portion of the inflow port is avoided. Therefore, the frontage of the inflow port is narrowed by such concentration of the game balls, so that the inflow speed does not decrease and the balls are not clogged.

The passing area means an area in which the game ball is expected to pass therethrough, for example, a passage such as a supply gutter shown in the conventional example or a game board surface, and the game ball always passes therethrough. You don't need to. Also, the upper surface of the introduction plate
In light of its role, it is desirable that it be inclined towards the inlet.

The projection of the present invention may be any as long as it disturbs the course of a game ball. For example, when a game ball receiving device is installed on a game board as a prize device and the game ball is guided to a prize by an introduction plate, In some cases, it is not preferable that the game ball rebounds toward the passage area due to the collision with the projection.

Therefore, in the game ball receiving device according to a second aspect, the height of the projection is set to a height at which the game ball rolling on the introduction plate can get over. If you do this,
Inconvenience caused by the game ball being bounced off by collision with the projection can be prevented. It should be noted that a prize winning device called an attacker is provided with an opening / closing plate that falls from the game board surface to the player side and guides the game ball to a prize, and there is a device in which the opening / closing plate is provided with a projection or a dent. The dent is for guiding a game ball to a specific area commonly called V or V zone, and has a different purpose and role from the projection of the present invention.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided the game ball receiving device according to the first or second aspect, wherein the moving direction of the game ball in the pass area is a direction along the upper surface of the introduction plate, and The axis of the entrance is substantially orthogonal to the moving direction of the game ball in the pass area.

The structure of claim 3 is suitable when the game ball receiving device is used as a diversion gutter. And in that case, as described in claim 4, a rectifying mechanism for rectifying the game balls flowing from the inflow port to a predetermined number of rows is provided,
The game ball can be rectified into, for example, a single stream and discharged toward the next device or gutter.

[0015]

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

[0016]

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. Therefore, the game balls are dispersed by the projections 13 and flow in average over almost the entire area of the inflow port 18. Therefore, the game balls do not concentrate at one place at the inflow port 18 or inside and outside thereof, and the flow of the game balls 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, side plates 20, 22 and a 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. In addition, these slopes 12, mounting claws 14,
16, the side plates 20, 22, the rear end plate 24, the rear side wall 26, the bottom plate 28, 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.

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, in the diversion gutter 10 of this embodiment,
Since the triangular protrusion 13 is provided on the upper surface of the slope 12, the protrusion 1
The game ball hitting 3 changes its traveling direction irregularly, and flows into the inlet 18 from various directions. That is, the game balls are dispersed by the projections 13 and flow in average over almost the entire area of the inflow port 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 to 0 becomes smooth. Therefore, the inlet 18
It is not necessary to increase the size of the diversion gutter 10 by, for example, widening the opening of the inflow port 18 in order to make the inflow of the game ball from the swift and prevent the ball from being clogged in the vicinity thereof.

Since the height of the projection 13 is set to a height at which the game ball can easily get over, the game ball can be easily moved over.
There is no collision with 3 and rebound to the supply gutter side. In addition, the diversion gutter 10 is configured such that the game balls flowing from the inflow port 18 are formed into two rows by the rectifying pendulum 42, and the two game balls are smoothly and quickly merged by the action of the gear 44 into one row. Can be. 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.

In the diversion gutter 10, the passage 30 for rectifying 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 disorderly, 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, especially the inflow port 18
The neighborhood is often filled with game balls. In such a case, the ball pressure of the game ball in the branch gutter 10 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 is increased in this way, some of the game balls retreat into the play room 32 (see FIG. 4), so that the ball pressure is relieved. It will not be inhibited. If the internal ball pressure is reduced by discharging the game balls from the outlet 50, the number of the game balls in the play room 32 is also reduced (see FIG. 5). As described above, in the case of the diversion gutter 10 of the present embodiment, the action of the play chamber 32 can relieve the internal ball pressure and prevent the clogging of the ball in the diversion gutter 10, so that its reliability is extremely high. Become.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the embodiments, it is needless to say that the present invention is not limited to such embodiments and can be variously implemented without departing from the gist of the present invention. For example, in the embodiment, the game ball receiving device of the present invention is used as a diversion gutter in a replenishment facility, but the game ball receiving device of the present invention can be installed inside a ball game machine.

[0027]

As described above, the game ball receiving device according to the first aspect has the projection provided on the introduction plate.
The path of the game ball from the introduction plate to the inflow port is disturbed to make it diversified, thereby preventing the game ball from concentrating on one portion of the inflow port. Therefore, the frontage of the inflow port is narrowed by such concentration of the game balls, so that the inflow speed does not decrease and the balls are not clogged.

In the game ball receiving device according to the second aspect, the height of the projection is set so that the game ball rolling on the introduction plate can get over, so that the game ball is rebounded by collision with the projection. Can be prevented from being inconvenienced. The configuration of claim 3 is suitable for a case where the game ball receiving device is used as a diversion gutter. And in that case, as described in claim 4,
If a rectifying mechanism is provided to rectify the game balls flowing from the inflow port into a predetermined number of rows, the game balls can be rectified into, for example, a single stream and discharged toward the next-stage device or gutter.

[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]

10 ... diversion gutter (game ball rectifier), 12 ... slope, 13 ... protrusion, 14, 16 ... mounting claw, 18
... Inflow ports, 20, 22 ... Side plate (side wall), 24
..Rear end plate, 26 rear wall, 28 bottom plate (bottom surface), 30 passage, 32 play room, 33 body member, 34, 36 bearing 38 ... pendulum shaft, 40 ... rotating shaft, 42 ... commutation pendulum, 44
..Gears (rotating bodies), 46 ... protective members, 48 ...
Screw, 49: fixing projection, 50: outlet, 52
··· Holding plate, 54 ··· tip plate, 56 ··· hose holding member.

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A game ball receiving device comprising: an introduction plate projecting into a pass area of a game ball for introducing a game ball from the pass area; and an inflow port for introducing a game ball passing over the introduction plate into the game ball. A game ball receiving device, wherein a projection for disturbing a course of a game ball passing through an upper surface of a plate is provided on the upper surface. 2. The game ball receiving device according to claim 1, wherein the height of the projection is such that the game ball rolling on the introduction plate can get over the height. 3. The game ball receiving device according to claim 1, wherein a moving direction of the game ball in the pass area is a direction along an upper surface of the introduction plate, and an axis of the inflow port is a game in the pass area. A game ball receiving device, which is substantially orthogonal to a moving direction of the ball. 4. The game ball receiving device according to claim 1, further comprising a rectifying mechanism for rectifying the number of game balls flowing from the inflow port into a predetermined number. .