JP4477751B2 - Game ball payout device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a game ball payout device, and in particular, when award balls and rental balls are paid out from the same payout port, the number of winning balls and the number of rental balls are counted in the flow-down passage and the ball passage is switched. Relates to the device.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In a ball game machine represented by a pachinko game machine, a game ball is fired on the surface of the game board by a launcher, and when the shot ball flows down while being played by a game nail, a prize ball is entered. If the game ball in the ball tray is exhausted, the game ball is paid out (or the credited ball is paid out) according to the operation of the ball lending machine. A payout operation is performed. When the number of game balls that can be fired decreases, a supply operation of game balls to the circulation path is performed as necessary.
[0003]
For this reason, this type of ball game machine has, for example, a replenishment tank that receives replenishment of balls from the island facility at the upper part on the back side of the machine frame, and an award that pays out game balls from the replenishment tank to the ball tray side as prize balls. A ball payout device, a ball payout device for paying out a game ball from the replenishing tank as a loan to the ball tray side, and a prize ball sensor and a ball rental sensor for counting the number of prize balls and balls, respectively, are provided. Yes.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the conventional ball game machine described above, when it is necessary to separately count the payout of the winning ball and the rental of the ball, etc., even if the payout destination of the ball is the same ball receiving tray, Since most of the payout devices and passages have independent configurations, the device configuration is complicated and the cost is high.
[0005]
In addition, in order to switch the passage between the upstream ball detection sensor and the winning ball or rental ball counting sensor, it is necessary to arrange a large switching member and its driving means at the passage branching part, such as during a power failure In this case, the number of payout balls detected by the upstream ball detection sensor may not match the total number of game balls counted by the downstream prize ball counting sensor and the rental loan counting sensor. There was a risk.
[0006]
Therefore, the present invention realizes a simple game ball payout device capable of accurately counting the number of payout balls and switching between payout balls and rental balls, thereby simplifying the structure of the ball game machine and manufacturing costs. Reduction and improvement in counting accuracy of the number of balls to be paid out.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention forms an upstream passage for introducing game balls, a winning ball payout passage and a rental ball payout passage branched from the upstream passage, and the winning ball payout passage and the rental ball. A payout passage rod that can pay out a game ball introduced from the upstream passage through any one payout passage among the payout passages to a ball receiving tray, and an upstream ball detection that detects a payout ball in the upstream passage. A sensor, a ball counting sensor provided in each of the winning ball payout passage and the rental ball payout passage, a turning fulcrum portion located near a branch point of the payout ball payout passage and the rental ball payout passage of the payout passage 樋, A first switching position and a second switching position are pivotally supported by the pivot fulcrum so as to switchably connect the upstream side passage to either the prize ball payout passage or the rental ball payout passage. A switching valve portion rotatable to a change position, a passage switching member comprising an operation portion for rotating the switching valve portion, a tip portion engaged with the operation portion of the passage switching member, and the discharge passage rod A switching operation lever for rotating the passage switching member, and a switching driving means for rotating the passage switching member by rotating the switching operation lever. The ball counting device is arranged such that the lead wire drawing portion of one of the ball counting sensors is substantially orthogonal to the lead wire drawing portion of the other ball counting sensor. Then, a space for operating the switching operation lever along the one sphere counting sensor is formed.
[0008]
In the gaming ball payout device of the present invention, the upstream passage structure can be simplified by switching the connection from the upstream passage to the prize ball payout passage or the rental ball payout passage by the switching valve portion of the passage switching member. . In addition, it is only necessary to install a passage switching member located at the passage branch portion between the upstream ball detection sensor and the ball counting sensor for winning or renting a ball, and the operation is performed in the lead drawing direction of the ball counting sensor. Since it can be performed in the space formed by contrivance, the interval between the ball detection sensor and the ball count sensor can be reduced, and the number of detected balls on the upstream side and the downstream side can be detected even during a power failure. The problem of being different will be solved.
[0009]
The gaming ball payout device preferably includes a ball separating member that divides the balls in the upstream passage one by one and pays them downstream, detection information of the upstream ball detection sensor, and a predetermined payout command. And a payout control means for controlling a payout operation of the payout member based on the information. According to this configuration, a certain payout operation can be performed by dividing the payout balls one by one on the upstream side.
[0010]
Furthermore, it is preferable that the switching drive means is composed of a solenoid having a plunger extending in a substantially vertical direction from an upper end portion engaged with the switching operation lever toward a lower end portion. In this case, the weight of the plunger can be used to bias the passage switching member in a certain direction, and the output of the solenoid can be suppressed.
[0011]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0012]
1 to 12 are views showing a game ball payout device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and show an example in which the present invention is applied to a pachinko gaming machine.
[0013]
As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the pachinko gaming machine 10 according to the present embodiment includes a base frame 11 supported by an outer frame 100 and a window door that can be opened and closed at an upper front portion of the base frame 11. 12 and a game board 13 disposed on the front side of the base frame 11. Further, the base frame 11 is supported by the outer frame 100 so as to be able to be opened and closed forward and backward via hinge mechanisms 115A and 115B on the left end side in FIG. 1, and is normally closed.
[0014]
The window door 12 is formed with an opening window 12a corresponding to the game area 13a of the game board 13, and is rotated to the base frame body 11 via a hinge mechanism (not shown) so that the base frame body 11 can be opened and closed forward and backward. Supported as possible. The window door 12 is provided with electrical display units 121 and 122 each including a plurality of light emitting element groups. Further, the window door 12 is locked to the base frame body 11 at the closed position by the lock mechanism 123, and is further locked to the outer frame 100 in the closed state together with the base frame body 11.
[0015]
An upper ball tray 15 is provided below the window door 12. A lower ball tray 16 and an operation handle 17 that is rotated by a player are provided below the upper ball tray 15. Each is provided. The upper ball receiving tray 15 is configured as a part of an upper tray panel 150 supported on the base frame 11 so as to be openable and closable. Reference numeral 18 denotes a ball removal operation lever for performing the ball removal operation of the upper ball receiving tray 15. The ball removal operation lever 18 is moved to the left side in the drawing to move from the upper ball receiving tray 15 to the lower ball receiving tray 16. Game balls can flow down and be discharged. 19 is an ashtray.
[0016]
On the front side of the game board 13, as shown in FIG. 5, there is formed a game area 13 a in which a shot ball is launched from the launch device 30 through the launch passage 22, and the game area 13 a has a start winning opening 23 and The symbol display device 70 with a warp route is arranged in the approximate center, and a special winning opening 26 and a passing gate 27 are arranged below the symbol display device 70, respectively. Further, general winning holes 24A, 24B, 25A, 25B are provided on the left and right sides of the start winning opening 23, and windmills 28A, 28B (rotating obstacles that change the flow direction of the game ball) are provided on the left and right sides of the symbol display device 70. Each is arranged. In addition, a plurality of LED lamps 31, 32A, 32B, etc., in which a plurality of light emitting elements such as LEDs are provided, are provided in an annular shape surrounding these accessories, and the plurality of LED groups divided into blocks in the circumferential direction are provided. Lighting control is performed so as to light up sequentially or simultaneously. The game board 13 is supported on the front side of the base frame 11 so as to be rotatable in the front-rear opening / closing direction via the left and right hinges in FIG.
[0017]
In this pachinko gaming machine 10, as shown in FIG. 3, a predetermined prepaid card as a frequency card is inserted into the card insertion slot 1a of the ball lending machine 1 arranged adjacent to the side (of course, cash may be inserted). ) When a rental ball rental operation, which will be described later, is performed in front of the upper ball receiving tray 15, the loaned ball is lent to the upper ball receiving tray 15 from the payout port 49, while the upper ball receiving tray 49 is operated according to the amount of operation of the handle 17 by the player. A known launching device 30 operates on the back side of the ball tray 15 to launch a game ball into the game area. For example, when a game ball enters one of the start winning port 23, the general winning ports 24A, 24B, 25A, 25B, and the big winning port 26, the payout of the winning ball from the payout port 49 to the upper ball receiving tray 15 is performed. Is called. When the game ball passes through the passing gate 27, the normal symbol display device (not shown) integrally attached to the upper portion of the symbol display device 70 is operated, and the normal symbol display LED (not shown) is operated. The normal symbol variation display by alternately lighting the two colors is executed, and when the variation stops in a predetermined stop mode, the tulip at the start winning opening 23 opens. When a game ball wins the start winning opening 23, a special symbol change display game is executed on the symbol display device 70, and the open / close door of the big winning opening 26 opens and closes in the front-rear direction according to the stop mode. ing.
[0018]
As shown in FIG. 4, on the back side of the base frame body 11, a main board part 210 with a protective case, a collective board 220 including a power supply unit, an audio board 230, a launch board 240 and a symbol control board 250, A back mechanism (not shown in detail) including a plurality of mechanism members is provided. The back mechanism includes, for example, a ball tank 41 for storing a supply ball from an island device, a ball passage rod 42 for supplying a game ball from the ball tank 41 as a prize ball or a rental ball to the payout port 49 side and a ball (not shown) A path, a ball delimiter 43 that divides the ball in the middle of the ball path, and a game ball from the ball delimiter 43 is divided into award balls and rental balls and counted to flow down to the payout port 49 side It is composed of a rental ball passage switching device 50 (ball passage switching device).
[0019]
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the ball delimiter 43 and the winning ball / rented ball passage switching device 50 constitute a single winning ball / rented ball payout device 40 as a unit.
[0020]
Here, the ball separation device 43 includes a case 80 as a payout passage rod forming the upstream side passage 51, and a payout number detection switch 81 (upstream side ball detection sensor) for detecting a game ball paid out in the upstream side passage 51. And a sprocket 82 (ball-separating member) that divides the front and rear game balls while guiding the game balls B that are paid out from the upstream passage 51 one by one to the detection position of the pay-out number detection switch 81, and a fulcrum type rotation The plate 83a is engaged with the sprocket 82 by the tension spring 83b to restrict the rotation of the sprocket 82, and the rotation plate 83a is sucked away from the sprocket 82 to release the restriction of the rotation. And an allowable dispensing solenoid 84. Here, the payout solenoid 84 is a game ball payout operation by the sprocket 82 based on the detection information of the upstream ball detection sensor 81 and the predetermined payout command information for lending a ball or a ball from the main control board 210 side. This is a payout control means for controlling.
[0021]
6 to 9 includes an upstream passage 51 for introducing the game ball B, and a prize ball payout passage 52 and a rental ball payout passage 53 branched from the upstream passage 51. It has a payout passage 54 to be formed. The payout passage 54 can pay out the game ball B introduced from the upstream passage 51 through any one payout passage 52 or 53 out of the prize ball payout passage 52 and the rental ball payout passage 53 to the ball receiving tray. . Further, the upstream passage 51 can be switched to either the prize ball payout passage 52 or the ball payout payout passage 53 in the vicinity of the passage branching portion 54a of the prize ball payout passage 52 and the ball payout payout passage 53 of the payout passage rod 54. A flapper 55 (passage switching member) is provided as a switching valve connected to.
[0022]
The flapper 55 includes a base end portion 55c as a rotation fulcrum disposed on an extension of the passage center line of the upstream side passage 51, and both left and right sides of the base end portion 55c while being closer to the upstream side passage 51 than the base end portion 55c. And a switching valve portion 55a that swings to a first switching position shown in FIG. 1 and a second switching position shown in FIG. Then, by turning around the base end portion 55 c of the flapper 55, it is possible to perform selective payout passage switching from the upstream side passage 51 to the prize ball payout passage 52 or the rental ball payout passage 53. Yes.
[0023]
Further, the base end portion 55 c of the flapper 55 is provided so as to protrude from the back surface side of the payout passage rod 54, and the switching valve portion 55 a of the flapper 55 extends from the upstream side passage 51 to the winning ball payout passage 52 and the rental ball payout passage 53. Is inserted into the passage 51E immediately before the bifurcated branch portion 54a from the back surface side of the payout passage rod 54.
[0024]
Further, the flapper 55 has an engaging protrusion shaft 55b that is spaced apart in parallel to the central axis of the base end portion 55c and protrudes to one side in the axial direction at a predetermined rotational radius position. A switching operation lever 56 is rotatably engaged with 55b.
[0025]
The switching operation lever 56 includes a base end portion 56a that is rotatably supported by the payout passage rod 54 via a cylindrical support shaft 57 in the vicinity of the passage branch portion 54a of the payout passage rod 54, and a predetermined flapper 55. And a distal end portion 56b that engages with the engaging projection shaft 55b at the rotational radius position, and a substantially U-shaped cross section through which the engaging projection shaft 55b is slidably inserted and slid. The cam groove portion 56c is formed. The switching operation lever 56 is switched by a passage switching solenoid 58 as a switching drive means.
[0026]
The passage switching solenoid 58 has a plunger 61, and the plunger 61 extends in a substantially vertical direction from an upper end portion 61 a that engages with the switching operation lever 56 toward the lower end portion 61 b. An upper end portion 61 a of the plunger 61 is configured as a disk-shaped operation portion that engages with the switching operation lever 56, and a snap ring 61 c is attached to the lower end portion 61 b of the plunger 61. A compression spring 63 having a small spring constant is generated between the plunger 61 and the case 62 of the passage switching solenoid 58. The compression spring 63 has a small spring constant that generates a downward biasing force that is about the weight of the plunger 61 or less.
[0027]
In a normal state where the passage switching solenoid 58 is not energized, the plunger 61 is lowered to a position where it comes into contact with a part of the case 62 by its own weight and the urging force of the compression spring 63 as shown in FIG. 2, the plunger 61 is lifted and held against its own weight and the biasing force of the compression spring 63, and the switching valve portion 55a of the flapper 55 is moved to the position shown in FIG. Rotate. At this time, when the lending ball comes into contact with the flapper 55, the tip of the switching valve portion 55a of the flapper 55 comes into contact with the inner wall portion 51a of the upstream side passage 51 of the payout passage rod 54, and the rotation of the flapper 55 more than a predetermined angle. Movement is regulated.
[0028]
The passage 51E immediately before the upstream side passage 51 branches to the prize ball payout passage 52 or the rental ball payout passage 53 is expanded in a skirt shape so that the passage width increases toward the lower side, and the switching valve portion 55a of the flapper 55 The tip is operated to rotate left and right in FIG.
[0029]
On the other hand, a ball counting sensor 92 for counting the number of winning balls paid out in the prize ball paying passage 52, and a ball counting sensor 93 for counting the number of paid out balls in the rental ball paying passage 53, Each is provided. Each of these ball counting sensors 92 and 93 is composed of, for example, a proximity switch.
[0030]
As shown in FIG. 10, each of the ball counting sensors 92 and 93 has passage holes 92a and 93a for allowing a game ball to pass through at one end in the longitudinal direction of the substantially rectangular sensor housings 92h and 93h, and the longitudinal lengths of the sensor housings 92h and 93h. Connector connectors 92b and 93b (lead wire lead-out portions) for connecting to the lead wires 92c and 93c are provided on the other end side in the direction. Further, the sensors 92 and 93 are arranged orthogonally so that the connection connector portion 93b of one of the ball counting sensors 93 is substantially orthogonal to the connection connector portion 92b of the other ball counting sensor 92. Yes. And the operation mechanism for rotating the switching operation lever 56 in the path | route switching direction along one sphere counting sensor 93 by arrange | positioning the ball counting sensors 92 and 93 so that the longitudinal direction may mutually orthogonally cross in this way. An installation space Aw is formed. The lead wires 92c and 93c connect the ball counting sensors 92 and 93 to the external control board (for example, the main control board 210 including the detection circuit), and the lead wires 92c are externally connected via the relay board 95. Connected.
[0031]
As shown in FIG. 9, the passage switching device 50 has a back cover 59 that covers the back side of the payout passage rod 54 to form a spherical passage, and the switching operation lever 56 is shown in the figure of the back cover 59. It is fastened by a screw 65 to the rear end portion of the support shaft 57 that protrudes to the back side through a hole that is not made.
[0032]
In the passage switching device of the present embodiment configured as described above, in the operation state of the pachinko gaming machine 10, the plunger 61 of the passage switching solenoid 58 is normally in a position lowered by its own weight. Accordingly, the flapper 55 is in the first switching position as shown in FIG. 1, and the upstream side passage 51 is connected to the prize ball payout passage 52.
[0033]
On the other hand, when a ball lending operation is performed on the ball lending machine 1 by a predetermined operation, the passage switching solenoid 58 is excited and the plunger 61 is attracted (raised) as shown in FIG. Goes up. Accordingly, the flapper 55 rotates from the first switching position to the second switching position, and the upstream passage 51 is connected to the lending payout passage 53.
[0034]
As described above, in the present embodiment, the connection from the upstream side passage 51 to the prize ball payout passage 52 or the rental ball payout passage 53 can be switched by the flapper 55, and the upstream side passage 51 is unified to form the apparatus configuration. Simplification can be achieved.
[0035]
Further, only the flapper 55 located in the passage branching portion 54a may be installed between the upstream-side payout number detection switch 81 and the ball counting sensors 92 and 93 for winning or renting the ball, and the operation is a ball. Since it can be performed in the operation mechanism installation space Aw formed by devising the lead drawing direction of the counting sensors 92, 93, the distance between the ball detection sensor 81 and the ball counting sensors 92, 93 for winning or renting balls is very large. Can be made smaller. As a result, even in the event of a power failure or the like, it becomes difficult for the upstream ball detection sensor 81 and the downstream ball counting sensors 92 and 93 to have different detection numbers of the payout balls, and such a problem is solved. The
[0036]
Further, in the present embodiment, the switching solenoid 58 that is the switching drive means is constituted by a solenoid having a plunger 61 that extends in a substantially vertical direction from the upper end 61a that engages with the switching operation lever 56 toward the lower end 61b. Therefore, the flapper 55 can be urged in a certain direction by utilizing the dead weight of the plunger 61, and a small solenoid 58 having a small output can be employed.
[0037]
In the above description of the embodiment, the switching operation lever 56 pivots (swings) in the vertical direction. However, the operation member in the operation mechanism installation space Aw is like the switching operation lever 56. The driving means is not limited to a direct acting type such as a solenoid 58 but may be a motor or the like. It may be a rotational drive means. Further, it goes without saying that the passage switching device of the present invention is not limited to pachinko gaming machines but can be applied to arrange ball machines and other bullet ball gaming machines.
[0038]
【The invention's effect】
According to the gaming ball payout device of the present invention, the connection from the upstream passage to the prize ball payout passage or the rental ball payout passage is switched by the passage switching member, so that the upstream passage configuration can be simplified. In addition, a space formed by devising the lead drawing direction of the ball counting sensor by installing only the passage switching member located at the passage branching portion between the ball detecting sensor on the upstream side and the ball counting sensor of the winning ball or the rental ball The distance between the ball detection sensor and the ball counting sensor for winning balls or rental balls can be made very small, and at the time of a power failure etc. The problem that the number of detected balls is different can be solved.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a front view showing a schematic configuration of a game ball payout device according to an embodiment of the present invention and a normal prize ball path selection state.
FIG. 2 is a front view showing a ball lending path selection state of the gaming ball payout device of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of a pachinko gaming machine equipped with a game ball payout device according to one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a back view of the pachinko gaming machine according to one embodiment.
FIG. 5 is a front view of the pachinko gaming machine according to the embodiment when the window is open.
FIG. 6 is a rear view of the path switching device of the game ball payout device according to the embodiment as viewed from the back side of the pachinko gaming machine.
7 is a top view of the passage switching device of FIG. 8. FIG.
8 is a side view of the passage switching device in FIG. 7. FIG.
9 is a front view of the passage switching device of FIG. 7 as viewed from the front side of the pachinko gaming machine.
FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing an arrangement state of ball counting sensors in a ball rental passage and a prize ball passage according to an embodiment.
11A and 11B are views showing a passage switching member in the game ball payout device of the embodiment, wherein FIG. 11A is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 11B, and FIG.
FIGS. 12A and 12B are diagrams showing a switching operation lever in the game ball payout device according to the embodiment, in which FIG. 12A is a front view thereof, FIG. 12B is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in FIG. It is BB sectional drawing of.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Pachinko machine 40 Prize ball / rental ball payout device 43 Ball delimiter 50 Passage switching device 51 Upstream side passage 51a Inner wall portion 52 Prize ball payout passage 53 Loan ball payout passage 54 Payout passage 54a Passage branching portion 55 Flapper (passage switching) Element)
55a Switching valve portion 55b Engaging projection shaft 55c Base end portion 56 Operating lever 57 Support shaft 58 Passage switching solenoid 61 Plunger 81 Number detection switch (upstream ball detection sensor)
82 Sprocket (sphere separator)
84 Dispensing solenoid (dispensing control means)
92, 93 Ball counting sensor 92a, 93a Passing hole 92b, 93b Connector part (lead wire lead-out part)

Claims (3)

Forming an upstream passage for introducing game balls, a winning ball payout passage and a rental ball payout passage branched from the upstream passage, and passing through any one payout passage of the winning ball payout passage and the rental ball payout passage A payout passage 樋 capable of paying out a game ball introduced from the upstream passage to a ball tray;
An upstream ball detection sensor for detecting a payout ball in the upstream passage;
A ball counting sensor provided in each of the winning ball payout passage and the rental ball payout passage;
A turning fulcrum portion located near the branch point between the prize ball payout passage and the lending ball payout passage of the payout passage 樋, and supported by the rotation fulcrum portion so as to be rotatable, the upstream side passage is used as the prize ball payout passage or rental A switching valve portion that can be rotated between a first switching position and a second switching position so as to be switchably connected to one of the ball payout passages, and an operation portion that rotates the switching valve portion. A passage switching member;
A switching operation lever that has a distal end portion that engages with the operation portion of the passage switching member and a base end portion that is rotatably supported by the payout passage rod, and that rotates the passage switching member;
A game ball payout device comprising: a switching drive means for rotating the switching operation lever to rotate the passage switching member;
The both ball counting sensors are arranged so that the lead wire drawing portion of one of the ball counting sensors is substantially perpendicular to the lead wire drawing portion of the other ball counting sensor, and the switching operation lever is moved to the one of the ball counting sensors. A game ball payout device characterized in that a space for movement along a ball counting sensor is formed. The game ball payout device according to claim 1,
A ball separating member that separates the spheres in the upstream passage one by one and pays out to the downstream side;
A game ball payout device comprising: payout control means for controlling a payout operation of the payout member based on detection information of the upstream ball detection sensor and predetermined payout command information. The said switching drive means was comprised with the solenoid which has a plunger extended in a substantially perpendicular direction toward the lower end part from the upper end part engaged with the said switching operation lever, The Claim 2 or 3 characterized by the above-mentioned. Game ball payout device.

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