JPH1190000A - Game ball shooting device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enhance the accuracy of shooting game balls by securing stable rotation of a rotary arm and to easily secure the adhesiveness of the game balls to the acceleration of the rotary arm. SOLUTION: In a game ball shooting device having a guide passage 1 guiding game balls 3 in a circumferential direction, a feed means 4 for feeding the game balls 3 to the guide passage 1 at predetermined timing, and a rotary arm 5 which shoots, in a predetermined direction and by means of its own rotational movement, the game balls 3 fed to the guide passage 1, the surface 1a of the guide passage 1 is placed horizontally as it is tilted 90 deg. to a plane going along the vertical direction.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a game ball launching device for a game machine such as a pachinko machine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional game ball launching device of this type, an annular guide path for guiding game balls in a circumferential direction, and a feeder for feeding game balls to the guide path at a predetermined timing are provided. And a rotating arm that launches a game ball fed to the guideway in a predetermined direction through a firing path connected to the guideway by its own rotating operation. Is disposed on a plane along the vertical direction. Also,
Generally, a stepping motor is used as a rotation drive source of the rotation arm because of easy control of the speed.

[0003]

In such a conventional game ball launching device, since the road surface of the guide path is arranged on a surface along the vertical direction, the rotation arm rotates upward and downward. The load of the rotating arm applied to the stepping motor is different from that when rotating toward. For this reason, the step-out characteristic due to the change in the load of the rotating arm is deteriorated with respect to the acceleration pattern of the stepping motor, and there is a disadvantage that stable rotation cannot be obtained.

Further, after the rotating arm reaches the top, gravity acts on the game ball in a direction away from the rotating arm, so that there is an inconvenience that adhesion to the rotating arm (following property) deteriorates.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve such inconvenience, and it is possible to secure stable rotation of a rotating arm to improve the accuracy of launching a game ball, and to improve the accuracy of the game ball against acceleration of the rotation arm. It is an object of the present invention to provide a game ball launching device capable of easily ensuring the close contact of the game balls.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, a game ball launching device according to the present invention comprises a guide path for guiding a game ball in a circumferential direction, and a game ball fed to the guide path. And a rotating arm that launches in a predetermined direction by its own rotation operation, characterized in that the road surface of the guide path is arranged at a predetermined angle with respect to a surface along the vertical direction. .

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an explanatory plan view for explaining a game ball launching device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram viewed from the direction of arrow II in FIG. 1, and FIG. 4 is an overall perspective view of the launch path, FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VV of FIG. 1, and FIG. 6 is a VI- view of FIG.
VI line sectional view, FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line VII-VII of FIG. 1,
FIG. 8 is a view showing a modification of the feeding means, and FIG. 9 is a view showing a modification of the firing path forming member.

Referring to FIG. 1 to FIG. 3, this game ball launching device comprises a short cylindrical main body 2 having a guide path 1 formed therein.
A feeding means 4 for feeding the game balls 3 to the guide path 1 at a predetermined timing, a rotating arm 5 for firing the game balls 3 fed to the guide path 1 in a predetermined direction by its own rotation operation, It includes a rotation motor 6 for driving the rotary arm 5 to rotate, and a launch path forming member 16 in which a launch path 7 for sending out the shot game balls 3 is formed.

The main body 2 is disposed with its axis oriented in the vertical direction, and a groove-shaped guide path 1 for guiding the game balls 3 in the circumferential direction is concentrically arranged along the entire circumference in the peripheral edge of the upper surface. Is formed. The guideway 1 is formed in a square shape with a cross section that opens upward, one side of which is set to be longer than the diameter of the game ball 3, and the bottom surface is a road surface 1a. The road surface 1a is a horizontal surface because the axis of the main body 2 is disposed in the vertical direction, whereby the road surface 1a of the guideway 1 is formed.
Are arranged at an angle of 90 ° with respect to a plane along the vertical direction.

The feeding means 4 is provided with a feeding tub 8 whose base end is connected to the outer peripheral wall of the guide path 1, and is provided at the distal end side of the feeding tub 8. A game ball supply unit (not shown) for supplying the game balls 3 to the guide path 1 one by one at a predetermined timing; The feeding tub 8 extends obliquely upward from the outer peripheral wall of the guide path 1 so as to supply the game balls 3 to the guide path 1 from above the guide path 1. Note that the feeding means 4 is not limited to the above as long as one game ball 3 is supplied per rotation of the rotary arm 5.

The rotating motor 6 has rotating shafts 6a, 6a at both ends.
The motor main body 9 of the rotary motor 6 is fitted concentrically into a fitting hole 10a formed on the lower surface of the main body 2 using a stepping motor having a b. In the fitted state, one rotating shaft 6a of the rotary motor 6 projects through the through hole 10b formed in the center of the main body 2 and projects to the upper surface of the main body 2, and the projecting end has a rotating end. The arm 5 is fixed. The rotary arm 5 extends radially outward from the center of the main body 2 to reach the upper side of the guide path 1, and extends downward from the distal end of the arm section 11 a and is inserted into the guide path 1 to guide the rotary arm 5. A hitting unit 1 for hitting the game ball 3 fed to the road 1
1b.

An origin detecting lever 12 is attached to the other rotating shaft 6b of the rotary motor 6, and an origin detecting lever 12 is provided on the lower surface of the motor body 9 by rotation of the rotating shaft 6b. An origin detection switch 13 for outputting an origin detection signal is attached. When the origin detection switch 13 outputs an origin detection signal, a control device (not shown) stops the rotation of the rotary motor 6 and, consequently, the rotation of the rotary arm 5. In such a stopped state, the hitting portion 11 of the rotating arm 5 is located in front of the supply position of the game balls 3 to be supplied to the guide path 1 via the feed tub 8, and is in a standby state.

When a trigger signal is output from a firing cycle timer (not shown) that outputs a trigger signal at predetermined time intervals, a control device (not shown) drives the rotary motor 6 to thereby control the rotation motor 6. The rotating arm 5 rotates, and the hitting portion 11b of the rotating arm 5 hits the game ball 3, guides the game ball 3 along the horizontally arranged guide path 1 and sends it out onto the launch path 7 so that the rail A firing operation toward 14 is performed. In this case, in order to make the supply timing of the game balls 3 through the feed tub 8 appropriate, the supply timing may be synchronized with a trigger signal output from the firing cycle timer.

The launch path forming member 16 converts the circumferential movement of the game ball 3 guided along the guide path 1 into a diagonally upward linear movement while receiving a centrifugal force in the horizontal direction.
The firing path forming member 16 has a base end connected to the outer peripheral wall of the guide path 1 on the side away from the supply position of the game balls 3 of the hitting portion 11 of the rotating arm 5 when stopped at the origin position. It extends diagonally upward from the base end, and the tip end
5 is connected to the rail 14. The launch path forming member 16 has a cross section U on one side surface of a square prism member having a square cross section.
A firing path 7 consisting of a U-shaped groove is formed to penetrate from the base end face to the tip end face, and further, the base end side is twisted by 90 ° with respect to the tip end with respect to the center in the longitudinal direction. (See FIG. 4).

When connecting the base end of the launch path forming member 16 to the outer peripheral wall of the guide path 1, the R-shaped bottom of the launch path 7 formed on one side surface of the base end is connected to the horizontal direction. It is arranged so as to be continuous with the outer peripheral wall of the guide path 1 that guides the game ball 3 moving while receiving the centrifugal force, so that the horizontal circumferential movement of the game ball 3 can be linearly moved obliquely upward. At the time of conversion, the game ball 3 guided along the guide path 1 while receiving the centrifugal force in the horizontal direction is smoothly guided to the R-shaped bottom of the launch path 7, so that a good launch operation can be secured.
Incidentally, the firing path 7 at the central portion in the longitudinal direction of the firing path forming member 16 is inclined by 45 ° with respect to the base end (see FIG. 6),
Further, the firing path 7 at the distal end is inclined by 90 ° with respect to the base end, and the open part faces upward (see FIG. 7).

As is apparent from the above description, in the game ball launching apparatus of this embodiment, since the road surface 1a of the guide path 1 is disposed on a surface extending along the horizontal direction, the rotation of the rotating arm 5 is performed. Sometimes, the load of the rotating arm 5 applied to the stepping motor 6 does not change, and as a result, it is possible to secure a stable rotation of the rotating arm 5 and to improve the firing accuracy of the game ball 3. it can.

Further, since gravity does not act on the game ball 3 in a direction away from the rotary arm 5, it is possible to easily secure the adhesion (followability) of the game ball 3 to the acceleration of the rotary arm 5. it can.

Further, it is possible to prevent the rotating arm 5 from being displaced in the circumferential direction due to its own weight when the rotating arm 5 is on standby (when stopped). In the above embodiment, the road surface 1a of the guideway 1 is arranged on a surface extending in the horizontal direction at an angle of 90 ° with respect to a surface extending in the vertical direction. , Road surface 1a of guideway 1
30 ° (150 °) with respect to the surface along the vertical direction, 45
° (135 °) or 60 ° (120 °). Also in this case, the amount of change in the load of the rotary arm 5 applied to the stepping motor 6 when the rotary arm 5 rotates can be reduced, so that stable rotation of the rotary arm 5 can be ensured, and the game ball can be secured. 3 can be improved, and the effect of gravity acting on the game ball 3 in a direction away from the rotating arm 5 can be reduced. Adhesion (followability) can be easily ensured.

The present invention is also applicable to a game ball launching device provided with a feeding means having a holding member for holding the game ball 3. FIG. 8 is a view schematically showing a part of a game ball launching device of this type, in which the game balls 3 held by the holding member 210 provided in the feeding tub 8 can pass through the holding member 210. In addition, the game ball 3 can be fired in a predetermined direction by the rotating operation of the rotating arm 5 having a U-shaped cross section capable of hitting the game ball 3.

Further, when the road surface 1a of the guideway 1 is installed substantially horizontally, it is more preferable to provide a depression or a magnet at a position where the standby ball 3 waits to stabilize the standby ball 3. .

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the case where the firing path forming member 16 is twisted is taken as an example. However, this is not always necessary, and the firing path forming member without twisting may be used. Further, as shown in FIG. 9, the firing path forming member may have a cylindrical shape.

[0022]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, the amount of load change of the rotary arm applied to the rotary motor during rotation of the rotary arm can be reduced, so that stable rotation of the rotary arm can be achieved. , The accuracy of the launch of the game ball can be improved, and the effect of gravity acting on the game ball in the direction away from the rotation arm can be reduced. The effect is that the adhesion of the game ball to the acceleration of the game can be easily secured.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory plan view for explaining a game ball launching device which is an example of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a view as seen from the direction of arrow II in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line III-III of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an overall perspective view of a launch path.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line VV of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line VI-VI of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line VII-VII of FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a view showing a modification of the feeding means.

FIG. 9 is a view showing a modified example of the launch path forming member.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Guideway 1a ... Road surface 3 ... Game ball 4 ... Feeding means 5 ... Rotary arm 6 ... Rotary motor 7 ... Launching path 8 ... Feeding tub 16 ... Launching path forming member

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A game ball launching device comprising: a guide path for guiding a game ball in a circumferential direction; and a rotating arm for firing the game ball fed to the guide path in a predetermined direction by its own rotation operation. A launching device for a game ball, wherein a road surface of the guide path is inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to a plane along a vertical direction.