JPS6010611Y2 - Storage tank for particulate matter, etc. - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed explanation of the invention] The present invention is designed to replenish the granular materials to a predetermined level when the stored granular materials such as pachinko balls are discharged and the stored amount becomes less than a predetermined amount. This relates to a storage tank for granular materials that does not interfere with supply.

Using a type of replenishment device that replenishes particulate matter continuously and randomly, a certain amount of particulate matter, etc. is always stored.
In addition, storage tanks are known that prevent particulate matter from overflowing.

This kind of conventional storage tank is provided with a particulate matter level sensor at a low level position and a high level position, and when the low level sensor is activated, particulate matter is replenished into the tank, and when the high level sensor is activated, particulate matter is replenished into the tank. It is designed to stop replenishing particulate matter.

Therefore, at least two level sensors are required, and it is necessary to replenish and stop the particulate matter based on a combination of the operating states of these at least two level sensors, which makes the control circuit complicated. was there.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a storage tank for particulate matter, etc., in which replenishment and stoppage of particulate matter can be controlled using a single level sensor, and the control circuit can therefore be simplified. There is a particular thing.

The feature of this invention is that a main tank part and a sub tank part are provided in the tank, the top and bottom of both tank parts are communicated, and an inlet for granular materials etc. is provided above the main tank part. Open each outlet at the bottom,
In addition, a level sensor is installed at an appropriate height of the sub-tank, and the particulate matter in the main tank is discharged first, and then the particulate matter in the sub-tank is discharged. By replenishing the granular material and then replenishing the sub-tank, the single level sensor can serve as both a low level sensor and a high level sensor.

The present invention will be explained below with reference to illustrated embodiments.

This embodiment is depicted as a distribution system for pachinko balls in a pachinko game parlor, and the storage tank 1 shown at the upper left of the figure is the essential part of the present invention.

That is, the tank 1 is divided into a main tank part 3 and a sub-tank part 4 by a vertical partition wall 2.

However, the partition wall 2 does not extend to the entire upper and lower parts of the tank 1, and therefore, the upper and lower parts of the main tank part 3 and the sub-tank part 4 are in communication with each other.

In addition, the lower half of the bulkhead 2 is bent diagonally toward the side of the sub-tank 4 to increase the volume of the main tank 3, and the lower half of the sub-tank 4 is shaped like a funnel. ing.

A pachinko ball input port 5 is opened above the main tank section 3, and a pachinko ball discharge port 6 is opened on the side opposite to the sub-tank section 4 at the bottom of the main tank section 3.
An overflow discharge lower is opened on the side surface of the upper end of the main tank section 3 opposite to the sub-tank section 4.

A level sensor 8 for detecting the level of pachinko balls is provided at an appropriate height of the side wall forming the sub-tank portion 4.

The tank 1 is fixed above a row of pachinko machines called 1 island in a pachinko game hall, and the discharge port 6 of the tank 1 is used to discharge the compensation balls of each pachinko machine 9 that makes up the 1 island. In addition to communicating with the upper tray 10 for storage, it also communicates with the ball lending machine 11 provided for every two gaming machines in the row of gaming machines, and collects the pachinko balls discharged from the upper tray 10 and the ball lending machine 11. Pachinko balls are discharged from the discharge port 6 of the tank 1 according to the amount.

An out ball tank 13 is provided at the bottom of each game machine 9 to temporarily store pachinko balls hit into the game machine 9 by a player 12, and this tank 13 communicates with a ball collection gutter 14.

The ball collection gutter 14 communicates with a lifting machine 15 which also serves as a ball cleaner, and the upper end of the lifting machine 15 communicates with the pachinko ball input port 5 of the tank 1.

In addition, the overflow discharge lower of tank 1 is connected to ball collection gutter 14.
is connected to.

The control tank 16 drawn at the bottom left of the figure is
This is a pachinko ball storage tank with a prize ball counter installed on each island, which can discharge pachinko balls onto the ball collection gutter 14 as needed, and has three levels, upper and lower.
Pachinko ball level sensors 17 A, B, and C are provided.

Now, as the player 12 takes out a ball from the ball rental machine 11 and plays a game on the game machine 9, pachinko balls are sequentially discharged from the upper tray 10 as compensation balls, and the pachinko ball is released from the discharge port 6 of the tank 1. The balls are ejected one after another.

In this case, since the discharge port 6 is provided beside the main tank part 3, the pachinko balls in the main tank part 3 are discharged first, and then the pachinko balls in the sub-tank part 4 are discharged, and it is only at this point that the pachinko balls in the sub-tank part 4 are discharged. The level of Pachinko balls in Division 4 begins to decline.

In this way, when the level of the pachinko balls in the sub-tank section 4 falls to a certain extent, the sensor 8 detects this and operates the lifting machine 15.

The lifting machine 15 cleans and lifts the pachinko balls discharged from the out-ball tank 13 of the game machine 9 or sent out from the control tank 16 and collected by the ball collection gutter 14, and transfers the pachinko balls to the tank 1. Pachinko balls are sent into tank 1 from mouth 5.

Since the input port 5 is open above the main tank section 3, pachinko balls are preferentially stored in the main tank section 3.
Next, the pachinko balls overflowing from the upper end of the main tank section 3 flow into the sub tank section 4.

In this way, the level of pachinko balls in the sub-tank rises, and eventually reaches the level of sensor 8 ε This is detected by sensor 8, which returns to normal operation, stops the operation of transporter 15, and replenishes the tank 1 with pachinko balls. to stop.

If for some reason more pachinko balls than necessary are thrown into the tank 1, they will be sent from the overflow discharge lower to the ball collecting gutter 14, and then sent into the tank 1 again by the operation of the lifting machine 15. There is.

After the player 12 finishes playing the game, the player 12 receives the prize that he/she has won.
Insert prize balls into the prize ball counter provided on each island, take a receipt with the counted value printed on it, and exchange the receipt for a prize at the prize exchange booth set up in the renovated game hall.

The pachinko balls put into the prize ball counter above are tank 16.
is stored in

The level of the pachinko balls in the tank 16 increases or decreases depending on the ball launch rate of one island as a whole.

Therefore, when the level rises above a certain level, the sensor 17 detects this and prevents pachinko balls from being thrown into the prize ball counter, and also asks the other island to use the prize ball counter. Display a message like this.

In this way, since the stored pachinko balls are only sent out from the tank 16 to the tank 1 via the ball collection gutter 14 and the lifting machine 15, the level of the pachinko balls in the tank 16 gradually decreases.

When this level falls below a certain level, the sensor 17 detects this and restarts the prize ball counter.

In this way, the level of the balls in the tank 16 is controlled so that it is always within a predetermined range.

As is clear from the above description, according to the present invention, the storage tank 1 for storing granular materials is divided into the main tank part 3 and the sub-tank part 4, and the upper and bottom parts of these tank parts are communicated with each other. Since particulate matter is preferentially discharged from the main tank section 3, and the particulate matter is preferentially put into the main tank section 3, the replenishment device to the storage tank can continuously and randomly replenish the particulate matter, etc. Even if it is a model that has a level sensor installed in the only part of the sub-tank, after replenishing particulate matter to a certain level based on the detection of the level sensor installed in the only part of the sub-tank, the level sensor in the only part mentioned above will detect the amount of stored particulate matter, etc. The replenishing device can be stopped until it is detected that the amount is below a certain level.

Incidentally, if the replenishment device to the storage tank is of the type that replenishes a predetermined amount of particulate matter, etc. all at once, even one level sensor in the storage tank will be enough to keep the amount of particulate matter stored in the storage tank at a predetermined level. Although it is possible to maintain a minimum amount or more, the replenishment device in this case requires a counter or the like for replenishing a predetermined amount of granular materials all at once.

In this respect, according to the storage tank of the present invention, there is no need to provide a counter or the like as a replenishment device for replenishing particulate matter to the storage tank, and a simple type replenishment device that replenishes particles continuously and randomly may be sufficient.

Note that the storage tank of the present invention can also be used as a storage tank for powdery substances.

In short, any object can be used as long as it is preferentially discharged from the main tank.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The figure is a system diagram showing an example of a pachinko ball distribution system in a pachinko game parlor having a storage tank according to the present invention. 1...Storage tank for particulate matter, etc., 2...
・Bulkhead, 3... Main tank section, 4...
・Sub-tank part, 5... Input port for granular materials, etc.
6...Discharge port for particulate matter, etc.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] The inside of the tank is divided into a main tank part and a sub-tank part by a partition wall, and the top and bottom of the main tank part and sub-tank part are communicated with each other, and an inlet for granules, etc. to be replenished from the replenishment device is opened above the main tank part. A storage tank for granular materials, etc., which has a discharge port opened at the bottom of the main tank, and a level sensor for controlling the operation of the replenishment device at one location in the sub-tank.