JPS6113031Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] This invention relates to a pachinko ball detection device, and particularly to a pachinko ball detection device that is installed in connection with a path through which metallic pachinko balls used in the game are continuously fed in a pachinko game machine, and that The present invention relates to a pachinko ball detection device that generates pulses in response to fed pachinko balls.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a system for centrally managing the flow of pachinko balls in a pachinko game machine, which is the background for implementing this invention. A plurality of pachinko game machines P are usually installed side by side in a pachinko game hall. One pachinko ball main hopper MH common to a plurality of pachinko game machines P is provided, and the pachinko balls stored there are connected to the hopper MH.
From there, the individual hoppers IH of each vehicle P are supplied as supply balls via the distribution path PT. Normal PT
A pachinko ball sensor SIP is installed on the supply path from the hopper IH to the hotspa IH. This sensor SIP is Hotsupa IH
Pulses are generated in response to individual pachinko balls supplied to the machine, so-called supply balls. Players can use each machine P
Play pachinko with . In this game, a player drives pachinko balls purchased from a ball lending machine one by one onto the board of a pachinko machine P, and when they fall along the board, the pachinko balls are inserted into holes provided on the board. Succeed in winning a prize with a probability of Due to the action of this winning ball, a plurality of predetermined pachinko balls are sent to the hotspot.
The ball is paid out to the player from the IH as a reward ball. The pachinko ball hit by the player, ie, the hit ball, eventually reaches the bottom of the table P and is ejected from the table, regardless of whether it succeeds or fails in falling into the hole. The batted balls are collected and brought to the bucket conveyor BC, where they are lifted up and returned to the main hopper MH. A pachinko ball sensor SOP is provided on the path of the hit ball discharged from each table P, and outputs a pulse in response to the hit ball discharged from the table P individually.

The supplied ball pulse detected by the sensor SIP and the hit ball pulse detected by the sensor SOP in each stand P are given to the arithmetic unit OU. The arithmetic unit OU counts the number of supplied balls and the number of batted balls individually for each unit, and further calculates the difference between the number of supplied pitches and the number of batted balls. Such data correlates with the profit status achieved at each machine P, and can be advantageously used as game hall management data and individual probability characteristic data for each machine. The data is individually stored in the memory section M for each machine P, and the data for a desired machine P is individually stored in the memory section R by an appropriate addressing device provided on the display panel of the memory section M. will be printed out.

Incidentally, various types of sensors have been proposed for generating pulses in response to balls supplied to individual hopper IHs and balls ejected from each IH. A photoelectric detection mechanism, which is an example of a conventionally known sensor, has a light source and a photoelectric element facing each other on the feeding path of a pachinko ball, and detects when the optical path between the light source and the photoelectric element is blocked by the pachinko ball. The resulting electrical output of the photoelectric element is derived as a pulse. A fatal drawback of this method is that it is not possible to obtain a pulse output that accurately responds to the pachinko balls. More specifically, supply balls in particular are typically fed at very high speeds, in particular reaching speeds of 1000 balls per minute, which makes accurate responses difficult. That is, in such a situation, the pachinko balls tend to be fed continuously in a daisy-chain fashion. Since the optical path of the photoelectric detection mechanism is located at the center of the continuously fed spheres, when two spheres pass successively while in contact, it is detected as the passage of one sphere. Will. Therefore, for accurate response operation using a photoelectric detection mechanism, it is necessary to reduce the feed rate. However, this would be contrary to the requirement of high speed feeding. Another fatal drawback is that pachinko balls are usually prone to dirt, and therefore the photoelectric detection mechanism is also prone to dirt, which can cause malfunctions. Nevertheless, it is impossible to perform maintenance work to keep the photoelectric detection mechanism clean at all times for all of the many pachinko game machines. Further, even when dirt is mixed into a series of balls being fed, the photoelectric detection mechanism operates in response to such dirt. It is desirable to generate pulses in response to pachinko balls fed at high speed accurately and without being affected by dirt or contamination.

Therefore, the main purpose of this invention is to develop a pachinko ball detection device that can accurately detect pachinko balls that are fed continuously and at high speed in a cascading manner through a cylindrical path by pulsing them. It is to provide.

Other objects and features of the invention will become more apparent from the detailed description provided below.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram pictorially showing the main parts of a pachinko ball detection device according to an embodiment of this invention. Pachinko ball detection device PG that generates pulses in response to passing of pachinko balls according to this invention
includes a sensor S provided in relation to a cylindrical path G through which pachinko balls B are fed, and an electric circuit following the sensor S. The portion of the path G near the sensor S is composed of a tube made of a dielectric material, and the inner diameter of the tube is selected to be slightly larger than the diameter of the pachinko ball, so that the ball B is freely fed within the tube. The sensor S includes a path G and a ring-shaped electrode E1 formed in close contact with the outer periphery of the path G.
1, and a ring-shaped electrode E11 formed in close contact with the outer periphery of the path G with an interval GP of a certain length in the length direction of the path G from the electrode E11.
Each of the electrodes E11 and E22 is connected to the oscillation circuit OSC, and the sensor S, that is, the electrodes E11 and E22 are connected so as to constitute a part of the oscillation circuit element of the oscillation circuit OSC, the details of which will be described later. The output of the oscillation circuit OSC is sequentially connected to a tuning circuit TC, a detector D, and an inverter IV.

In terms of operation, when the ball B is not fed into the path G, a certain capacitance exists between the electrodes E11 and E22, and the oscillation circuit OSC including this capacitance as an oscillation circuit element generates a certain frequency, e.g. Several 100K
Oscillates at Hz to several MHz. This oscillation frequency and the tuning frequency of the tuning circuit TC are selected to be the same.
Therefore, the maximum amplitude AC output can be obtained from the tuned circuit TC. This AC output is detected by the detector D to obtain a high output, and then the inverter IV
is inverted to obtain a lower output. Ball B is on path G
When it reaches the gap GP between the electrodes E11 and E22, the capacitance between the electrodes E11 and E22 increases as will be described in detail later. Accordingly, the oscillation frequency of the oscillation circle OSC decreases, and the alternating current amplitude of the output of the tuned circuit TC decreases due to this frequency change. A tuned circuit responsive to sphere B, as described above.
Changes in the AC amplitude of the output of the TC are detected by the detector D, and the level is discriminated as appropriate, and the change is detected by the detector D.
It is inverted at , becomes high, and is derived as a pulse output.

Referring to FIG. 3, a more detailed circuit diagram of the circuit of FIG. 2 is shown. The oscillation circuit OSC basically consists of a transistor TR1, a tank circuit consisting of a capacitor C1 and a primary coil L1 connected to its collector, and a secondary coil L connected to its base.
2, constituting a well-known collector-tuned oscillator circuit. A sensor S is inserted in parallel to a tank circuit consisting of a capacitor C1 and a coil L1. The output of the oscillation circuit OSC is given to the tuning circuit TC via the transistor TR2. The detection circuit D consists of a diode DD, a smoothing circuit F, and a transistor TR3. The output selected or filtered by the tuning circuit TC is detected by a diode DD, smoothed by a smoothing circuit F, and applied to a transistor TR3 for level discrimination as appropriate. Smoothing circuit F and transistor
TR3 constitutes a level discrimination circuit and performs level discrimination operation as described above. Inverter IV is constituted by transistor TR4. Each of the above circuits is connected between the power line UCC and the ground GND,
Pulse output is derived from terminal OP.

Describing the operation in Figure 3, when there is no ball at the location where sensor S is installed, the capacitance of sensor S is the minimum, and at this time the oscillation frequency of the oscillation circuit OSC and the frequency of the tuning circuit TC match. Therefore, the detection output of detector D is high, and therefore the output OP of inverter IV is low. When the ball arrives at the location where the sensor S is installed, the sensor S
The capacitance of the oscillation circuit OSC increases, and the oscillation frequency of the oscillation circuit OSC decreases. Due to the decrease in the oscillation frequency, that is, the deviation, the output AC signal amplitude of the tuned circuit TC becomes smaller, the detection output of the detector D decreases, the level discrimination output is eliminated by the transistor TR3, and its inverted output by the inverter IV becomes higher. . In this way, one pulse is generated in response to the delivery of one ball.

Referring to FIG. 4, a counting circuit for pulse output from the pachinko ball detection device PG is shown. The illustrated example shows an example in which an electromagnetic counter EC is driven by pulse output. The use of electromagnetic counters for the purpose of displaying pulse counts is extremely advantageous in terms of cost. However, as mentioned above, the pulse output has a frequency corresponding to the maximum feeding speed of pachinko balls, which reaches 1000 balls per minute, but the electromagnetic counter EC has an extremely slow response speed, Unable to respond to pulse output. Therefore, in the illustrated example, a decimal counter DC, for example, is inserted between the pachinko ball detection device PG and the electromagnetic counter EC. One step of the electromagnetic counter corresponds to 10 pachinko balls, and accurate count display is achieved. Considering the purpose of counting pachinko balls, it is easily understood that counting to the nearest 10 is sufficient.

Now, with reference to FIG. 5, a process in which the sensor S shown in FIG. 2 causes a change in capacitance in response to the proximity of the pachinko ball B will be described in detail. Figure 5a shows a longitudinal sectional view taken along a plane passing through the center of the electrodes E11 and E22 of the sensor S shown in Figure 2, with the pachinko ball B closest to the electrodes E11 and E22, and Figure 5b shows a similar cross-sectional view in a state where the contact point C of two consecutive pachinko balls B opposes the center of the electrodes E11 and E22. In FIG. 5a, the surface of the sphere B is closest to the gap GP between the electrodes E11 and E22. On the other hand, in FIG. 5b, the gap GP between the electrodes E11 and E22 is
The surface of sphere B is farthest from the part. As is well known in electromagnetism, when a common conductor is brought close to two electrodes placed apart from each other, the capacitance between the electrodes increases, and vice versa. I can do it. Since pachinko balls are usually made of iron and are therefore conductive, a capacitance change occurs in the gap between the electrodes E11 and E22. Due to this movement of the pachinko ball B, the electrodes E11 and E22
It has already been mentioned that the capacitance change that occurs in the circuit is derived as a pulse output by the electric circuit.

To explain FIG. 5 in more detail, a pair of electrodes E
11 and E22 are formed in a ring shape and are provided on the outer periphery of the path G. The shape and dimensions of the electrodes E11 and E22 and the gap GP are such that the maximum capacitance is obtained between them at the position of maximum proximity to Pachinko ball B, and the maximum capacity is obtained between them at the position of maximum proximity to Pachinko ball B, in order to detect pachinko balls that are continuously fed in contact with each other. The capacitance is selected so that the capacitance decreases sharply as it comes off. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the distance between the upper end of the electrode E11 and the lower end of the electrode E22 in the illustrated state must be selected to be about 1/2 or less, preferably about 1/3 or less, of the diameter of the pachinko ball.

As is clear from the above description, according to this invention, a ring-shaped first electrode is provided on the outer circumference of a cylindrical path for guiding and feeding pachinko balls, and a ring-shaped first electrode is provided in a cylindrical shape A ring-shaped second electrode is provided along the length of the path at an interval of 1/2 or less of the diameter of the pachinko ball, and pulses are generated by detecting the capacitance change that occurs between the two electrodes. Effects such as accurate detection even when pachinko balls are fed in a string are produced. Also,
The oscillation output is changed according to the analog change in capacitance, and the oscillation output is pulsed based on the change in the oscillation output, and the presence or absence of pachinko ball detection is derived as a binary signal, so when detecting with the analog signal itself, In comparison, it also has the effect of being able to detect extremely accurately and with high precision without erroneous detection due to voltage fluctuations, noise, etc.

By the way, when detecting based on changes in inductivity, when installing an inductor (or coil) in a cylindrical path, two inductors each having a predetermined number of turns are required to obtain the desired inductance. The inductor is 1/ of the diameter of the pachinko ball.
It becomes difficult to configure the longitudinal width of the cylindrical path in the part where the inductor is wound with an interval of 2 or less, to be less than 1/2 of the diameter of the pachinko ball, Unable to detect. On the other hand, if the detection is based on capacitance changes as in this invention, the first and second electrodes can be ring-shaped, which allows accurate detection, has excellent responsiveness, and has the advantage that it can be constructed at low cost. There is also. Furthermore, compared to conventional photoelectric detection type sensors, even if the path is contaminated with dirt or dirt, it can be detected accurately without malfunctioning, and the sensor is easier to maintain.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of a system for centrally managing the flow of pachinko balls in pachinko game machines, which is the background for implementing this invention. Fig. 2 is a block diagram pictorially showing the main parts of a pachinko ball detection device according to one embodiment of this invention. Fig. 3 is a block diagram of the system for centrally managing the flow of pachinko balls in pachinko game machines, which is the background for implementing this invention.
Fig. 4 is a block diagram of a counting circuit for the pulse output from the pachinko ball detection device. Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view illustrating in detail the process by which the sensor shown in Fig. 2 changes in capacitance in response to the approach of a pachinko ball. In the figure, S is the sensor, G is the path, B is the pachinko ball, E11 and E22 are electrodes, GP is the gap,
OSC is an oscillator circuit, TC is a tuning circuit, D is a detection circuit, and IV is an inverter.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claim for Utility Model Registration] A cylindrical path having an inner diameter slightly larger than the diameter of a pachinko ball and provided at a position where the pachinko balls can be guided and fed; a ring-shaped first electrode disposed on the circumferential outer periphery of the cylindrical path, and extending from the disposed position of the first electrode in the longitudinal direction of the cylindrical path to 1/1 of the diameter of a pachinko ball; and a ring-shaped second electrode arranged with an interval of 2 or less, and the first and second electrodes are arranged such that when one pachinko ball is closest to the electrode area, the conductivity of the pachinko ball increases. The ring-shaped shape and dimensions are selected so that the inter-electrode capacitance is maximized due to the action of , when a pachinko ball passes the position of the first and second electrodes provided in the insulating path, an oscillation output is generated in response to a change in capacitance occurring between the first and second electrodes. further comprising: an oscillation circuit that changes; and pulse generation means that derives a pulse output in response to a change in the oscillation output of the oscillation circuit;
Pachinko ball detection device.