JP2879371B2 - Ball supply and return system for pachinko games - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION <Industrial Application Field> The present invention relates to a pachinko game store, in which a ball is supplied to each pachinko machine, an out ball is collected, a game ball is lent out, and a prize ball is collected. More specifically, the present invention relates to a ball supply and return system for a pachinko game store, and more particularly to a ball supply and return system capable of maintaining the number of balls in a ball circulation path of each island in a game store within a predetermined range and preventing uneven distribution of the balls in the store. Things.

<Prior Art> A pachinko game store has a block constituted by arranging a large number of pachinko machines called a so-called "island", and the game store uses this island as a unit for performing various management controls.
However, in the past, since balls to be distributed were intensively managed throughout the game arcade, it was necessary to attach a flow gutter connecting the islands to each other on the ceiling side. Therefore, the equipment of the game shop becomes large and complicated, and there is a problem in terms of an increase in equipment cost or strength of a ceiling, a flow gutter, and the like. In addition, the above-mentioned downspout gutter has a problem from the viewpoint of aesthetics in the store.

Then, an island recycling system was developed in which the balls were circulated in each island so that the balls did not flow to other islands. However, each pachinko machine naturally has a different payout rate,
In addition, there are various types of customers, and when the player changes the platform, the player moves with the ball possessed, so the number of balls circulating on the islands increases and decreases, and the balls are unevenly distributed on each island.

Therefore, in order to average the number of balls circulating on each island, Japanese Patent Publication No. 62-24110 proposes a pachinko ball possession amount averaging device on a pachinko island. This pachinko ball possession averaging device provides a prize ball counter on each pachinko island equipped with a ball rental machine, and connects the discharge pipe of the prize ball counter to an appropriate place on the pachinko island to count the counted prize balls. In the apparatus for returning to pachinko islands, a detection means for detecting the amount of balls held on each island is provided, and a detection signal of this detection means
If the ball possession amount of the island becomes equal to or more than a predetermined value, the prize ball counter is stopped, that is, the prize ball exchange of the player is stopped, and the prize ball is provided to the player on another island. In the case where the ball is transferred to another island by the player's own hands and the increase in the number of balls on that island is suppressed, By allowing the operation of the prize ball counter, taking in the prize balls of the player and increasing the number of balls on the island, the number of balls held by each island in the game store is averaged.

<Problems to be Solved by the Invention> However, the above-mentioned conventional pachinko ball holding amount averaging device manages the ball holding amount in each individual island. When the ball counter is stopped, the player who wants to change his ball does not know which island to move to. Therefore, if the destination island is full, the player may go left and right in the store with a heavy carton, which is unfriendly to the player. Also, the gaming shop wants to bring prize balls to the island where the number of possession balls has decreased, and if the prize balls are not replenished, the island will not be able to manage enough and suspend business. There is a risk of falling.

Further, in the conventional pachinko ball holding amount averaging apparatus, the set value of the held balls is fixed, that is, it is necessary to adjust a detecting means, for example, a limit switch in accordance with the set value. In addition, if the number of pachinko machines installed on the islands is different, the number of balls required for the islands is also different. Therefore, each island must be provided with a tank having a capacity corresponding to the number of pachinko machines. Therefore, not only is the construction adjustment troublesome and the construction period is prolonged, but also various tanks must be prepared for the construction company, which is inefficient and uneconomical.

The present invention has been made in view of the above, and an object of the present invention is to provide a ball supply that can maintain the number of balls in a ball circulation path of each island in a game store within a predetermined range and prevent uneven distribution of the balls in the store. It is to provide a reduction system.

<Means for Solving the Problems> In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the invention described in claim 1 is to provide a prize ball counter on a pachinko island equipped with a daima ball lending machine, and to provide a prize ball counter above the island. The supply gutter is disposed below the collection gutter, and a lifting device for lifting the balls of the collection gutter to the supply gutter is provided to form a circulation path of the balls, and the balls and prize balls counted in each pachinko machine are counted. A ball supply and return system that returns prize balls put into a pachinko island to a pachinko island, means for generating out pulses based on balls driven into each pachinko machine installed on each pachinko island in a game store, ball amount adjuster Counting pulse generating means based on the prize ball put into the prize ball counter in the inside, replenishment pulse generating means based on the ball to be supplied to each pachinko machine, sales pulse generating means based on the lending ball lent by the Taima ball lending machine, Output of each pulse generation means Processing means for calculating and monitoring the number of balls presently present in each circulation path based on the above, an upper tank provided in the replenishing gutter lifting device, and a replenisher located and replenished in the ball quantity adjuster. A storage tank communicating with the gutter through the first control means and communicating with the collection gutter through the second control means, activating each of the control means based on a calculation result of the calculation processing means, By controlling the insertion of the prize ball into the amount adjuster and indicating the other islands on which the ball amount adjuster allowing the insertion of the prize ball is arranged by the display means provided in the ball amount adjuster, the pachinko island The number of balls in the ball circulation path is maintained within a predetermined range.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the display means is provided with a quantity display device for visually displaying the number of balls in the island.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, the display means is provided with a destination display device for displaying another island into which a prize ball can be inserted.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the display means is provided with a state display device which operates in a state where the number of balls in the island is small.

<Operation> The arithmetic processing means always keeps track of the number of balls in each island by a pulse based on the balls entering and exiting the circulation path of each island, and if the number of balls existing in one island exceeds a predetermined value, the island In this case, the player is instructed by the display means to indicate an island with a small number of other balls that is allowed to receive the prize ball. On the other hand, when the number of balls existing in the circulation path falls below a predetermined value, the balls stored in the storage tank are released and the number of balls is maintained within a certain range by the arithmetic processing means.

<Embodiment> Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to the illustrated embodiment. FIG. 1 is a schematic front view of an island, and this island 1 has, for example, two rows of 15 pachinko machines 2 arranged back to back. 30
The pachinko machine 2 includes, for example, a ball amount adjuster 3 installed at one end of the island 1 and a pachinko ball lending machine 4 provided between the pachinko machines 2. A supply gutter 5 is provided at the upper part of the island 1 so as to be inclined so that the balls can flow down from the center toward one end, and the balls gather at the lower part toward the center of a later-described lifting device. A collection gutter 6 is arranged in an inclined manner, and balls can be supplied from the supply gutter 5 to the upper plate of each pachinko machine 2 via a bellows gutter 7 and is driven into each pachinko machine 2 and flows out of the pachinko machine 2 The balls to be collected are collected in the collecting gutter 6 and the balls collected in the collecting gutter 6 are lifted by the lifting device 8 to the island reduction upper tank 9 located upstream of the supply gutter 5 while being polished, for example. To form Further, a storage tank 10 is provided downstream of any of the supply gutters 5, and the storage tank 10 is built in the ball quantity adjuster 3 and communicates with the collection gutter 6. Therefore, all the balls in one island circulate through the ball circulation path.

The ball quantity adjuster 3 has a storage tank 10 in the upper portion as described above, and the storage tank 10 is supplied with balls from a supply gutter 5. The first control means 11 is provided between the control unit 5 and the control unit 5 to control the balls flowing into the storage tank 10. The first control means 11 comprises, for example, a gutter shutter that can be electrically operated remotely. Also,
Second control means 12 is provided between the storage tank 10 and the collection gutter 6. The second control means 12 comprises, for example, a control shutter configured to discharge balls into the collection gutter 6 in small amounts, and the control shutter extends from the storage tank 10 toward the collection gutter 6 and collects the collection gutter. It is provided in the middle of the discharge gutter 13 opened on 6. Further, the ball amount adjuster 3 is provided with a prize ball counter 3a for receiving a prize ball brought by the player, and the prize ball input to the prize ball counter 3a is used as a counting detection means having a counter configuration. After the action, it is discharged to the recovery gutter 6 directly or via the temporary storage unit 14. Further, the ball amount adjuster 3 is provided with a display means 15 described later.

On the other hand, the lifting device 8 is provided with an island return upper tank 9 (hereinafter abbreviated as upper tank 9), and supplies balls to the supply gutter 5 from the upper tank 9. This upper tank 9
Is provided with a ball detecting means for detecting the number of balls existing inside as shown in FIG. In the present invention, the ball detecting means is configured to calculate the initial number of balls that the arithmetic processing means (CPU) 16 has inserted into the island 1 based on the number of balls exiting the ball circulation path and the number of balls entering the ball circulation path. Is calculated from The number of balls leaving the ball circulation path is the total number of replenishment balls to be supplied to the upper plate of the pachinko machine 2 and balls to be lent to the player from the tama ball lending machine 4;
The number of balls entering the ball circulation path is the total number of balls (out balls + winning balls) hit by the player into the pachinko machine 2 and the total number of prize balls input to the prize ball counter 3a.

Accordingly, by adding the number of balls entering the ball circulation path to the initially set number of balls initially inserted into the island 1 and subtracting the number of balls exiting from the ball circulation path, the number of balls currently existing on the island 1 can be calculated. . Then, balls other than the number of balls remaining in the storage tank 10 and the ball circulation path are stored in the upper tank 9. As an example of a specific numerical value, if the number of balls required for one pachinko machine 2 is 4000 pieces,
Need only 120,000 balls. Therefore, the upper tank 9
Approximately 15,000 pieces should be stored in a fluid ball (pachinko machine 2
If there are hand-held balls stored in the receiving pan and balls stored in the bellows gutter 7, supply gutter 5, and recovery gutter 6), the storage tank 10
80000 to 85,000 balls are stored. Then, if the player plays on the island 1 without moving to another island, and exchanges the prize ball with the prize ball counter 3a of the ball amount adjuster 3 provided on the island 1,
There is no change in the total number of balls circulating in the island 1, and it is equal to the initial setting value. However, when the player moves to another island with the ball in hand, the number of balls on the source island decreases and the number of balls on the destination island increases. Alternatively, even when the player puts the obtained prize ball into the prize ball counter 3a arranged on another island, instead of the prize ball counter 3a arranged on the island where he / she was playing. The number of balls on the original island decreases, and the number of balls on the inserted island increases. Therefore, the number of balls on each island constantly fluctuates, and balls are often unevenly distributed on a particular island.

Therefore, the present invention provides a pulse creating means for creating a pulse necessary for a portion where the ball enters and exits from the ball circulation path,
The above-mentioned pulse is inputted to the arithmetic processing means 16, for example, a management device (computer) for managing the game store, and based on the above calculation result, the total number of balls in each island 1 is maintained within a certain range. This eliminates the uneven distribution of balls on each island so that an appropriate number of balls can be circulated.

That is, for example, a supply pulse creating means 17 for creating a supply pulse is provided in the bellows gutter 7 which branches off from the supply gutter 5 and supplies balls to each pachinko machine 2. This replenishment pulse creation means 17
May be a replenishment ball detector including, for example, a passing switch or an optical sensor, or a replenishment signal generated by the management device. Further, an outpulse generating means 18 for generating an outpulse is provided in the middle of the path of the ball from the outlet to the collection gutter 6, and the sales between the rented ball rental machine 4 based on the number of lent balls (number of sold balls) are provided. A pulse generating means 19 is provided, and each pulse is input to the management device. On the other hand, the prize ball counter 3a is provided with a counting pulse generating means 20 for generating a counting pulse based on the prize ball inserted by the player for exchange, and inputs the counting pulse to the management device.

In addition, the upper limit value, the middle limit value,
The lower limit value and the number of balls circulating in the island 1 are set in the management device. The lower limit of the upper tank 9 is set for safety so that the function of the island 1 does not stop due to a shortage of balls, and may be constituted by a limit switch or the like.

Next, the present invention will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. 8 (A) to 8 (C). The customer, that is, the player, is the Taima ball rental machine 4
When the ball is borrowed from the company, the tama ball lending machine 4 outputs a sales pulse from the sales pulse creating means 19, and the management device subtracts the total number of balls to obtain the current number of balls. The player plays a game at an arbitrary pachinko machine 2 with the borrowed ball, and if the hit ball is an out ball, acts on the out pulse generating means 18 to output an out pulse, and the management device adds the number of balls based on the pulse. And update the current number of balls. On the other hand, when the hit ball wins, it acts on a prize ball device (not shown) to discharge the prize ball. When this winning ball is discharged to the collecting gutter 6, it also acts on the out pulse generating means 18 to output an out pulse.

When a prize ball is inserted into the prize ball counter 3a, the count pulse is added to update the current number of balls. Then, the management device sequentially updates the current number of balls each time each pulse is input, and the balls flowing into the collection gutter 6 are lifted by the lifting device 8 and temporarily stored in the upper tank 9. It is preferable that an abrasive is mixed in the lifting device 8, the balls are polished during the lifting, and the abrasive and the balls are separated in the upper tank 9.

Then, the management device determines that the number of balls stored in the upper tank 9 is an upper limit value, for example, 15,000
When it is determined that the number has reached, the upper limit signal is issued, and the ball amount adjuster 3
The gutter shutter which is the first control means 11 provided at the entrance of the storage tank 10 is opened to allow the balls to flow into the storage tank 10. Then, when the balls of the upper tank 9 flow out to the storage tank 10 and the number of the balls of the upper tank 9 is reduced to the intermediate value, that is, for example, 10,000, an intermediate signal is issued, the gutter shutter is closed, and the balls are transferred to the storage tank 10. Stop the spill.

Then, the balls of the storage tank 10 are discharged to the collection gutter 6 by a small amount through the control shutter which is the second control means 12. On the other hand, when the upper limit signal is issued and the balls in the island 1 are full, that is, the storage tank 10 provided in the ball quantity adjuster 3 is also full, and a full set value (for example, 95,000 pieces are stored in the storage tank 1).
It is detected by a limit switch or the like provided at 0. ), The process branches to island full processing.

In the island full processing, a means for preventing a prize ball from being inserted is provided, and the display means 15 is operated to guide the player to another island 1.

The display means 15 is, for example, a display indicating that the acceptance of the prize ball is currently stopped and the island 1 which permits the insertion of the prize ball.
An arrow indicating the direction of the island (i.e., an island with few circulating balls) or the number of the island is lent and displayed. Then, when the game is continued and the number of balls in the ball circulation path is reduced by 10,000 from the full set value, the stoppage of the operation of the prize ball counter 3a is canceled and the display means 15 is displayed.
Cancel the visible display of.

When a game ball wins, a prize ball is discharged. And
When a ball is replenished via the bellows gutter 7 branching off from the replenishment gutter 5 by operating the upper plate switch provided at the upper part of the pachinko machine 2, a replenishment pulse is issued by the replenishment pulse generating means 17 to recycle the ball. Update the current ball count of the route. And
When the number of balls in the upper tank 9 decreases and an intermediate signal is issued, the first control means 11 is closed by the intermediate signal.
When the number of prize balls discharged reaches a predetermined number and the ball is hit, the ball is stopped without further replenishing the ball. Then, the player puts the prize ball into the prize ball counter 3a, and the ball amount adjuster 3 emits a counting pulse and returns the ball from the collection gutter 6 to the circulation path.

Then, when the number of balls in the circulation path is increased by performing a game or a prize ball or the like, the balls are accumulated in the upper tank 9 and the upper limit signal is issued again, the first control means 11 (gutter shutter) is opened. Repeat the above cycle. However, if the increase in the number of balls is small and the upper limit signal is not generated, the remaining balls in the storage tank 10 are checked.
The control means 12 (control shutter) is opened to discharge a predetermined number of balls to the collection gutter 6 via the discharge gutter 13. That is, as shown in FIG. 6, the intermediate limit value and the lower limit value are obtained as signals of the management device. On the other hand, when no ball remains, that is, when the lower limit signal is issued, a clerk (including a customer) is urged to insert the ball by notification means, for example, in-store broadcasting. The predetermined number of discharges is performed, for example, by controlling the opening time of a control shutter as the first control means.

If the upper tank 9 does not receive a middle limit signal even after the ball replenishment has been performed, it has already fallen below the middle limit value.
The process branches to the process when the balls are exhausted in the island 1, waits for the lower limit signal of the upper tank 9, and if there are balls in the storage tank 10, the second control means 12 (control shutter) is opened to release the balls. A predetermined number of balls are discharged to the collection gutter 6 via the discharge gutter 13.
On the other hand, when there is no remaining ball, a clerk (including a customer) is prompted to insert the ball by a notification means, for example, an in-store broadcast.

As described above, the number of balls circulating in the island 1 is always grasped. If the number of balls exceeds a preset upper limit, the number of newly flowing balls is limited. The number of balls circulating in the island 1 is always maintained within a certain range.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the island 1 showing an embodiment of the display means 15, and is provided with a quantity display device 21 for visually displaying the number of balls in the island 1. This quantity display device 21 is provided with a plurality of indicator lights 21a, 21b,.
In accordance with the current number of balls in the island 1, the number or area of the indicator lamps 21... Is increased or decreased, or the display color is changed so that the number of balls in the island can be grasped at a glance. It is.

In addition, as the display means 15, a destination display device 22 for displaying another island into which a prize ball can be inserted can be provided. This destination display device 22, for example, has a small number of balls in the island 1,
This displays the number of other islands that are permitted to accept prize balls. In addition, if the prize ball counter 3a continues to operate without canceling the prize ball acceptance and if a prize ball is accidentally inserted, the space will be overflowed to the space provided below the prize ball counter 3a. It should be left.

Further, the display means 15 may be provided with a status display device 23 which operates in a state where the number of balls in the island 1 is small. The status display device 23 includes, for example, a display lamp 23a on an end of the island 1 or a curtain plate.
And blinking this display lamp 23a when the number of balls is small. According to such a state display device 23, it is possible to see at a glance which island permits the reception of a ball from a distance.As described above, the present invention has been described with reference to the embodiment of the drawings. The present invention is not limited, and can be appropriately implemented unless the configuration described in the claims is changed. For example, in the above embodiment, the number of balls in the upper tank in the circulation path is calculated, and various controls are performed based on the number of balls. However, the number of balls in the storage tank may be calculated. Also, it does not prevent the calculated number of balls from being used in combination with other detection means such as a limit switch. Further, the arithmetic processing means may be provided separately from the management device. The present invention can be easily applied not only to pachinko machines but also to coin game machines such as slot machines.

<Effects of the Invention> In short, the present invention can always control the number of balls circulating in each island in the game store, and when the number of balls existing in the island exceeds a predetermined value, newly flows into the island. The ball is suppressed, that is, the insertion of the ball in the prize ball counter is limited, and at this time, the island which allows the reception of the prize ball can be indicated to the player by the display means, so that the player moves the island according to the instruction. There is no need to go back and forth with a heavy prize ball, and the player is kind to the player. On the other hand, when the number of balls circulating on the island is lower than the predetermined value, the balls can be replenished in the circulation path from the upper tank storing the balls and the storage tank. Therefore, the ball quantity of each island can always be maintained within an appropriate range, and the balls in the shop are not unevenly distributed on a specific island.

Further, according to the present invention, the balls circulating on the island can be easily changed by the numerical values set in the management device. And it is not necessary to adjust the position of the limit switch in the tank according to the set value. Accordingly, standardization is possible, design and construction are facilitated, supply facilities are simplified, construction time or delivery time is shortened, and maintenance after completion is facilitated. In addition, the number of balls on the island can be easily changed according to the replacement of a new machine or the model of the pachinko machine, and it can be applied to various types of pachinko machines.

Furthermore, since the above-mentioned storage tank is provided in the ball quantity adjuster, a ballroom space for storing balls as in the related art is unnecessary, and the space can be effectively used, and more gaming machines can be used in the store. It can be installed efficiently and economically. In addition, since there is no need to use a drainage gutter for connecting the islands to adjust the number of balls, the aesthetic appearance in the game store is significantly improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

The drawings show an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a schematic front view of an island, FIG. 2 is a side view of the same, FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of input / output signals to a ball circulation path, and FIG. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a control system for balls entering and leaving a road, FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of the number of stored balls in an upper tank, FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of the number of stored balls in a storage tank, and FIG. 8 (A) to 8 (C) are flowcharts of an island control system, and FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an island in which a ball quantity adjuster is arranged. In the figure, 1 is an island, 2 is a pachinko machine, 3 is a ball quantity adjuster, 4 is a ball renting machine, 5 is a supply gutter, 6 is a collection gutter, 8 is a polishing and lifting device, 9 is an upper tank, 10 is an upper tank. Is a storage tank, 11 is a first control means, 12 is a second control means, 17 is a supply pulse creating means, 18 is an out pulse creating means, 19 is a sales pulse creating means, 20 is a counting pulse creating means, and 21 is a quantity display. The device, 22 is a destination display device, and 23 is a status display device.

────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Yoshiaki Fukuda 2-15-1, Fujimi, Sayama City, Saitama Prefecture Inside Sayama Precision Industry Co., Ltd. (56) References Japanese Patent Publication No. Sho 62-24110 (JP, B2) (58) ) Surveyed field (Int.Cl. ⁶ , DB name) A63F 7/02

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] A prize ball counter is provided on a pachinko island equipped with a tama ball rental machine, a supply gutter is provided above the island, and a collection gutter is provided below the island. A ball supply and return system for forming a ball circulation path by providing a lifting device for discharging to a pachinko machine, a ball driven into each pachinko machine and a prize ball input to a prize ball counter to a pachinko island, Out-pulse generating means based on balls hit on each pachinko machine installed on each pachinko island in the amusement store, counting pulse generating means based on prize balls input to the prize ball counter in the ball quantity adjuster, each pachinko Replenishing pulse generating means based on the balls to be replenished to the machine, sales pulse generating means based on the lending balls lent by the Taima ball lending machine, and the number of balls presently present in each circulation path based on the output of each pulse generating means. Calculation processing to calculate and monitor Control means, an upper tank provided in the supply gutter lifting device, and a recovery gutter located in the ball quantity adjuster and communicating with the supply gutter through the first control means. And a storage tank that communicates with the control unit. The control unit operates based on the calculation result of the calculation processing unit, and regulates the introduction of a prize ball into the ball amount adjuster. The display means indicates the other island where the ball quantity adjuster that allows the insertion of the prize ball is arranged, so that the number of balls in the ball circulation path of each pachinko island is maintained within a predetermined range. Pachinko game store ball supply and return system. 2. The ball supply and return system in a pachinko game store according to claim 1, wherein said display means is provided with a quantity display device for visually displaying the number of balls in the island. 3. A ball supply and return system in a pachinko game store according to claim 1, wherein said display means is provided with a destination display device for displaying another island into which a prize ball can be inserted. 4. The ball supply and reduction system in a pachinko game store according to claim 1, wherein said display means is provided with a status display device which operates when the number of balls in the island is small.