Ball launcher and amusement machine using it

Abstract

Disclosed is a ball launcher and an amusement machine using the ball launcher. The ball launcher includes: a controller that produces compressed air when the controller is hit; a cylinder that is disposed under the ball seat member and has a piston that is moved up/down by compressed air; a duct member that is connected to the lower portion of the ball seat member to send the compressed air produced by the controller to the cylinder; a rotary disc assembly that is disposed over the ball seat member, has two or more through-holes in which balls are seated, and is rotated by a motor to sequentially seat balls on the ball seat member; and a ball sensor that selectively operates the motor by determining whether there is a ball on the ball seat member. The ball launcher launches balls by controlling an external controller and easily collects the balls, so the ball launching function can be quickly controlled. Further, a user can control the ball launch direction and launch intensity in accordance with the operation amount of the controller, so the ball launcher can be more effectively used.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A ball launcher having a ball seat member on which balls are seated on a main body and launching a ball seated on the ball seat member, the ball launcher comprising:
 a controller that produces compressed air when the controller is hit;   a cylinder that is disposed under the ball seat member and has a piston that is moved up/down by compressed air;   a duct member that is connected to the lower portion of the ball seat member to send the compressed air produced by the controller to the cylinder;   a rotary disc assembly that is disposed over the ball seat member, has two or more through-holes in which balls are seated, and is rotated by a motor to sequentially seat balls on the ball seat member; and   a ball sensor that selectively operates the motor by determining whether there is a ball on the ball seat member.   
     
     
         2 . The ball launcher of  claim 1 , wherein the controller includes:
 a base bracket that has a compressed air outlet and an air inlet;   a diaphragm that opens/closes the air inlet by moving up/down over the air inlet; and   a semispherical punching ball that is attached and fixed to the edge of the top of the base bracket.   
     
     
         3 . The ball launcher of  claim 2 , wherein the punching ball has one or more patterns each having a band shape and restoring ability and extending from an edge at a side to an edge at the other side through an apex. 
     
     
         4 . The ball launcher of  claim 2 , wherein the punching ball is made of elastic rubber having a predetermined thickness and the thickness is increased as it goes to the edge from the apex. 
     
     
         5 . The ball launcher of  claim 1 , wherein the duct member is formed in a pipe shape to send the compressed air produced by the controller to the cylinder, in which one end is in close contact with the compressed air outlet of the controller and the cylinder is inserted and fixed in the other end. 
     
     
         6 . The ball launcher of  claim 5 , wherein an end of the duct is in close contact with or separated from the compressed air outlet of the controller and the joint is pressed by a sealing member preventing leakage of compressed air. 
     
     
         7 . The ball launcher of  claim 5 , further comprising an air outlet for discharging some of the air in the duct member to the sensor. 
     
     
         8 . The ball launcher of  claim 5 , wherein the other end of the duct member further has a ball seat hole in which the bottom of a ball seated on the ball seat member is inserted, and a piston rod disposed under the ball seat hole and protruding from the cylinder hits the ball seated in the seat hole. 
     
     
         9 . The ball launcher of  claim 1 , comprising a guide line disposed over the rotary disc assembly. 
     
     
         10 . The ball launcher of  claim 1 , wherein the ball seat member includes:
 a circular seat hole having a diameter smaller than those of the through-holes of the rotary disc assembly so that balls can be seated therein; and   a guide hole formed at a side of the seat hole so that a ball that is rotated is guided deeper in the seat hole, and   the guide hole and the seat hole are formed in a water drop shape.   
     
     
         11 . The ball launcher of  claim 10 , further comprising a guide bracket disposed between the base bracket and the rotary disc assembly to prevent balls that are supplied by the rotary disc assembly from coming out of the seat hole. 
     
     
         12 . The ball launcher of  claim 1 , wherein the cylinder includes:
 a guide pipe that configures rod covers at upper and lower portions and in which a piston moving up/down is inserted;   rod holes that are formed at the centers of the rod covers at the upper and lower portions; and   an upper rod and a lower rod of the piston that are respectively inserted in the rod holes to move up/down.   
     
     
         13 . The ball launcher of  claim 12 , comprising a spring that is fitted on the upper rod of the piston so that the piston is returned after hitting a ball. 
     
     
         14 . The ball launcher of  claim 1 , wherein the rotary disc assembly includes:
 a motor of which the lower end is fixed in the main body;   a plate that is rotated by rotation of the motor; and   two or more through-holes circumferentially arranged at a side of the plate.   
     
     
         15 . An amusement machine using a ball launcher, the amusement machine comprising:
 a main body that has a target;   a floor that has a ball seat member on which a ball is seated, that is disposed in a space spaced apart forward away from the target, and that has a slope to collect balls to the ball seat member; and   a ball launcher that includes a punching ball disposed ahead of the floor and a piston hitting a ball on the ball seat member such that the ball is launched toward the target when the punching ball is hit,   wherein balls launched from the ball launcher are seated on the ball seat member of the floor, and the ball launcher includes:   a controller that produces compressed air when the controller is hit;   a cylinder that is disposed under the ball seat member and has a piston that is moved up/down by compressed air;   a duct member that is connected to the lower portion of the ball seat member to send the compressed air produced by the controller to the cylinder;   a rotary disc assembly that is disposed over the ball seat member, has two or more through-holes in which balls are seated, and is rotated by a motor to sequentially seat balls on the ball seat member; and   a ball sensor that selectively operates the motor by determining whether there is a ball on the ball seat member.   
     
     
         16 . The amusement machine of  claim 15 , wherein the floor is made of a shock-absorbing material that absorbs shock by dropping balls. 
     
     
         17 . The amusement machine of  claim 15 , further comprising a guide line disposed over the rotary disc assembly. 
     
     
         18 . The amusement machine of  claim 15 , wherein the controller includes:
 a base bracket that has a compressed air outlet and an air inlet;   a diaphragm that opens/closes the air inlet by moving up/down over the air inlet; and   a semispherical punching ball that is attached and fixed to the edge of the top of the base bracket and disposed ahead of the floor.