JP5437883B2 - Button-type production operation device for gaming machines - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a gaming machine such as a pachinko gaming machine or a slot machine, and in particular, for a gaming machine in which the player or the like is operated in order to expect some advantageous gaming state. The present invention relates to a button-type production operation device.

  Conventionally, among these types of gaming machines, for example, pachinko gaming machines described in Patent Document 1 have been proposed for pachinko gaming machines. This pachinko gaming machine is provided with operating means, a cylindrical guide means, and a movement driving means. The pachinko gaming machine is operated by operating buttons from an opening hole of an upper plate cover provided in the gaming machine main body. Is exposed to the front side of the gaming machine main body, and is provided on the upper plate cover from the back side.

  Thus, in the pachinko gaming machine, the operating means protrudes from the retreat position where the operation button is retreated in the internal direction of the gaming machine main body to project the operation button from the opening hole of the upper plate cover in the external direction of the gaming machine main body. It is held by the guide means so as to be slidable along the cylindrical guide means from the protruding position to the retracted position.

  Here, the operation button of the operating means slides along the cylindrical guide means from the retracted position to the protruding position with the elasticity of the urging means when the drive shaft advances forward with the energization of the moving drive means. Also, it slides along the cylindrical guide means in accordance with the backward movement of the drive shaft accompanying the deenergization of the moving drive means.

  Thereby, in a state in which the operation button is located at the protruding position, the player hits the operation button from the front, so that the operation button is displaced toward the movement drive means against the elasticity of the urging means. When it is detected, an effect display that makes the player expect a certain advantageous gaming state is performed.

Japanese Patent No. 3989287

  By the way, in the pachinko gaming machine, since the protruding range of the operation button from the retracted position in the operating means is restricted to the range from the retracted position to the protruding position by the guide means, The degree of protrusion is small. Therefore, the effect that the operation button appeals to the player due to the protrusion is low.

  For this reason, the player tends to overlook the protrusion of the operation button, and even if he notices the protrusion of the operation button, it is difficult for the player to exert his intention to tap the protruded operation button.

  On the other hand, even if the degree of protrusion of the operation button from the upper pan cover is increased, if the protrusion form of the operation button is only monotonous, the operation button appeals to the player by the protrusion as described above. The effect is low.

  Therefore, in order to deal with the above, the present invention has been devised so that the button portion protrudes greatly in two stages, and the player strongly recognizes the protrusion of the button portion. An object of the present invention is to provide a button-type production operation device for the above.

In solving the above problems, according to the present invention, in the button-type effect operating device provided on the front surface of the gaming machine,
An operating body (40) having a button portion (41) that can protrude from a reference portion (33) extending forward from the front surface of the gaming machine;
Drive means (50) for supporting the operating body to be able to advance and retreat on the side opposite to the protruding side of the button part of the reference part,
In the initial stage, the drive means causes the operating body to protrude instantaneously from the reference portion by the spring means (52), and then in the later stage, the rotational motion / linear motion conversion mechanism (51, 53-58) Thus, the button-type effect operating device for a gaming machine is characterized in that it protrudes greatly at a speed slower than the initial stage.

  According to such a configuration, the effect operating device is configured to move up the operating body in two stages of an initial stage and a subsequent stage as described above, so that the player can Such protrusion of the button can be recognized strongly.

Moreover, according to the description of claim 2, the present invention provides the button-type effect operating device for the gaming machine according to claim 1,
The operating body is configured such that the button portion is a cylindrical button portion, and the cylindrical button portion is slidably fitted to the column portion (43) via a spring (42).
In the drive means, the rotational motion-linear motion conversion mechanism is:
First and second motors (57, 58);
A first drive gear (55) driven by a first motor (58);
A sector gear (56), which is coaxially supported relative to the second motor (57) and reciprocally rotates by a predetermined angle;
A second drive gear (54) coaxially supported by the second motor so as not to rotate relative to the second motor;
A rack (51) that is coaxially connected to the column portion, and a pinion (53) that is rotatably supported by a part of the sector gear and meshes with the second drive gear and selectively meshes with the rack. And
The spring means is a coil spring that is interposed between the reference portion and the column portion and urges the column portion toward the protruding direction of the operating body.
The rack, together with the operating body, is instantaneously protruded by the coil spring based on the disengagement from the pinion accompanying the one-way rotation of the sector gear in the initial stage, and then the other of the sector gear in the subsequent stage. Based on the meshing with the pinion accompanying the direction rotation, the pinion driven by the second drive gear is protruded greatly at a speed slower than the speed due to the instantaneous protrusion. .

  According to this, when the rack is maintained in the original position together with the operating body so that the coil spring is compressed by the pillar portion in mesh with the pinion, the rack is in the initial stage in the sector. With the disengagement from the pinion accompanying the one-way rotation of the gear, the coil spring instantly protrudes with the operating body, and then, at a later stage, based on the re-engagement with the pinion accompanying the other-direction rotation of the sector gear, Along with the rotation of the pinion driven to rotate in one direction by the second drive gear, the pinion is greatly protruded at a speed slower than the speed due to the instantaneous protrusion. As a result, the function and effect of the first aspect of the invention can be achieved more reliably.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the button-type effect operating device for the gaming machine according to the first aspect,
The operating body is configured such that the button portion is a cylindrical button portion, and the cylindrical button portion is slidably fitted to the column portion (43) via a spring (42).
In the drive means, the rotational motion-linear motion conversion mechanism is:
First and second motors (57, 58);
A first drive gear (55) driven by a first motor (58);
A sector gear (56), which is coaxially supported relative to the second motor (57) and reciprocally rotates by a predetermined angle;
A second drive gear (54) coaxially supported by the second motor so as not to rotate relative to the second motor;
A rack (51) that is coaxially connected to the column part, and a pinion (53) that is rotatably supported by a part of the sector gear and selectively meshes with the rack;
The spring means is a coil spring that is interposed between the reference portion and the column portion and urges the column portion toward the protruding direction of the operating body.
Rack
Under the meshing with the pinion, the coil spring is maintained in the original position together with the operating body so as to be compressed by the column portion,
In the initial stage, based on the disengagement from the pinion accompanying the one-way rotation of the sector gear, it is instantaneously projected together with the operating body by the coil spring,
Then, in the latter stage, based on the re-engagement with the pinion accompanying the other direction rotation of the sector gear, the speed of the instantaneous protrusion is determined by the rotation of the pinion rotated in one direction by the second drive gear. Is characterized by a large protrusion at a slow speed.

  Also by this, the same effect as that of the invention described in claim 2 can be achieved.

In the invention according to claim 3,
Original position detection means (S1) for detecting when the rack is in its original position;
An upward movement initial position detecting means (S2) for detecting when the rack is in the upward movement initial position;
An upward movement end position detecting means (S3) for detecting when the rack is in its upward movement end position;
When the rack is in its original position, if there is a single stroke command or a continuous stroke command for the button part of the operating body, the first motor (58) is moved in one direction to disengage the pinion from the rack via the first drive gear and the sector gear. First control means (100 to 110) for controlling the rotation;
When the rack reaches the initial upward movement position from the original position, the first motor is rotated in the other direction so as to mesh the pinion with the rack via the first drive gear and the sector gear based on the detection output of the original position detecting means. Second control means (111 to 121) for controlling
Third control means (122, 131) for controlling the second motor to rotate in one direction so as to further move the rack upward through the second drive gear and the pinion in accordance with the engagement of the pinion with the rack;
After the control by the third control means, after the effect content adjustment command processing based on the single shot command or the continuous hit command, the second motor is rotated in the other direction so that the rack is returned to the original position by the pinion via the second drive gear. You may make it provide the 4th control means (140-161) controlled to.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the button-type effect operating device for the gaming machine according to the third aspect,
The rack protrudes greatly at the latter stage, and in the re-engagement state with the pinion, the rack rotates the pinion rotated in the other direction by the second drive gear (54), and the column portion causes the coil to rotate. The spring is returned to the original position together with the operating body while compressing the spring.

  Thereby, the rack can be surely returned to the original position together with the operating body. At this time, the coil spring is in a state of being compressed onto the reference portion by the column portion.

  In addition, the code | symbol in the bracket | parenthesis of each said means shows a corresponding relationship with the specific means as described in embodiment mentioned later.

It is a perspective view which shows one Embodiment of the pachinko game machine which concerns on this invention in relation to the original position of the button part of a button type production | presentation operating device. It is a perspective view shown by the relationship with the upward movement end position of the button part of the button type production | presentation operating device in the said one Embodiment. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the button type production | presentation operating device in the said one embodiment in relation to the original position of a button part. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the button type production | presentation operating device in the said one embodiment in relation to the upward movement end position of a button part. It is a perspective view of a cylindrical part of an operation body and a drive mechanism in the above-mentioned one embodiment. It is a disassembled perspective view of the button type effect operating device in the one embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the electric circuit structure of the said button type effect operation apparatus. It is a flowchart showing the computer program run by the microcomputer of FIG. It is a front view which shows the button type production | presentation operating device in the said one embodiment by the relationship between the operation body in meshing with the rack of a pinion, and the original position of a rack. It is a front view which shows the button type production | presentation operating device in the said one embodiment in relation to the operation body in the dissociation from the rack of a pinion, and the upward movement to the initial position of a rack upward movement. It is a front view which shows the button type production | presentation operating device in the said one embodiment by the relationship between the operation body in the re-engagement with the rack of a pinion, and the upward movement initial position of a rack. It is a front view which shows the button type production | presentation operating device in the said one embodiment in the state which moved up the operation body and the rack to the up movement end position based on the re-engagement with the rack of a pinion.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 shows an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a pachinko gaming machine. The pachinko gaming machine is erected on an island in the pachinko hall, and the pachinko gaming machine includes a machine frame F, a gaming machine main body B, and a front door D as shown in FIG.

  The gaming machine main body B is supported by the frame (not shown) so as to be openable and closable with respect to the machine frame F. The gaming machine main body B includes a gaming board (not shown) and an operation. A handle 10 is provided.

  The gaming board is provided in the gaming machine main body B so as to be located on the back side of the glass plate 20 (described later) of the front door D, and the gaming board has a ball launcher (not shown) in the gaming area. No) and guide the game ball from above to roll downward along the game area.

  The operation handle 10 is supported from the front side of the lower right side of the gaming machine main body B as a constituent member of the above-described ball launching device (not shown). The operation handle 10 is operated under the operation by the player. A game ball supplied to the ball launcher is launched into the game area of the game board. In addition, the said ball | bowl launcher is attached to the lower right side of the game machine main body B from the back surface side.

  The front door D is supported by the machine frame F through the gaming machine main body B so as to be opened and closed in the front-rear direction. As shown in FIG. 1, the front door D includes a rectangular plate-like glass plate 20 and a ball tray 30. The glass plate 20 is assembled from the back side to the opening of the front door D so as to be positioned corresponding to the game board from the front side when the front door D is closed.

  The ball tray 30 is extended in the shape of a tray forward from the lower part of the glass plate 20 in the front door D so as to temporarily store a game ball such as a prize ball that has been paid out. As shown in FIG. 1, it is constituted by an outer wall member 30a and a ball housing member 30b.

  The outer wall member 30a is composed of a U-shaped outer wall 31 and a bottom wall 32, and the U-shaped outer wall 31 is formed in a U shape with a front side wall portion 31a and left and right side wall portions 31b. The bottom wall 32 is formed integrally with the U-shaped outer wall 31 so as to close the lower edge opening of the U-shaped outer wall 31.

  Thus, the outer wall member 30a is configured such that the left and right side wall portions 31b and the bottom wall 32 of the U-shaped outer wall 31 extend forward from the lower portion of the glass plate 20 in the front door D. It is attached to the lower part. Thereby, the outer wall member 30a is formed to be concave toward the lower side, and is an opening that opens upward between the upper edge of the U-shaped outer wall 31 and the lower portion of the glass plate 20. Forming part.

  The ball housing member 30b includes an annular upper wall portion 33 and a concave ball housing portion 34, and the annular upper wall portion 33 is assembled to the opening of the outer wall member 30a. The concave sphere accommodating portion 34 is formed to be concave downward with a peripheral wall portion 34a and a bottom wall portion 34b that closes the lower end opening of the peripheral wall portion 34b. The peripheral wall portion 34 a is formed integrally with the annular upper wall portion 33 so as to extend downward from the hollow inner peripheral portion of the annular upper wall portion 33.

  Thereby, the concave sphere accommodating part 34 is supported by the annular upper wall part 33 so as to be positioned in the outer wall member 30a, and opens upward. Note that the ball housing member 30b temporarily stores the game ball to be paid out in the concave ball housing portion 34 in the concave ball housing portion 34, and rotates the operation handle 10 with the pooled game ball, for example. In accordance with the operation, it is supplied to the launching device.

  The game board main body B includes a button-type effect operating device G as shown in any of FIGS. 1 to 5, and this effect operating device G is a ball that can move the button portion 41 up and down. The ball tray 30 is supported so as to protrude upward from the tray 30.

  As shown in any of FIGS. 1 to 5, the effect operating device G includes an operating body 40 and a driving mechanism 50, and the operating body 40 causes the L-shaped auxiliary wall member 30 c to be moved by the driving mechanism 50. The ball tray 30 is supported so as to be movable up and down.

  Here, the L-shaped auxiliary wall member 30c is located in a space formed in the ball tray 30 between the front side wall portion 31a of the U-shaped outer wall 31 and the concave ball storage portion 34 of the ball storage member 30b. The L-shaped auxiliary wall member 30c is erected from the bottom wall 32 of the outer wall member 30a upward, and the L-shaped auxiliary wall member 30c is L-shaped from the upper end of the standing wall 35 to the front side. And an upper wall portion 36 extending in a shape. In addition, the standing wall part 35 is located in the wall surface so that the front side wall part 31a of the U-shaped outer wall 31 may be followed, and the upper wall part 36 is an annular upper wall of the ball | bowl accommodating member 30b in the wall surface. It is located so as to be parallel to the portion 33.

  As shown in any of FIGS. 3, 4, and 6, the operating body 40 includes a button portion 41, a coil spring 42, and a cylindrical portion 43. The button part 41 includes a cylindrical peripheral wall part 41a and a pressing wall part 41b formed integrally with an upper end opening of the peripheral wall part 41a so as to have a vertical cross-section U-shape together with the peripheral wall part 41a. The button portion 41 has a cylindrical peripheral wall portion 41a from the lower side to a through-hole portion 33a formed in the annular upper wall portion 33 of the ball housing member 30b so that the pressing wall portion 41b faces upward. It is inserted coaxially so that it can move up and down. In addition, as shown in FIG. 3, the pressing wall part 41b is formed in the cross-section circular arc wall shape convex upwards.

  The button 41 has an annular flange 41c. The annular flange 41c is a lower end of the peripheral wall 41a so as to come into contact with the outer periphery of the through hole 33a of the annular upper wall 33 from below. An annular projection is formed outward from the opening in the radial direction. Moreover, the through-hole part 33a mentioned above is formed in the horizontal direction front side intermediate part of the cyclic | annular upper wall part 33 of the ball | bowl accommodating member 30b, as shown in FIG. 1 or FIG.

  The cylindrical portion 43 is fitted in the peripheral wall portion 41a of the button portion 41 via the coil spring 42 so as to be coaxial and slidable from the lower end opening. The cylindrical portion 43 includes the upper end portion 43a and the button. A coil spring 42 is sandwiched between the pressing wall portion 41 b of the portion 43. Thereby, the cylindrical part 43 is urged | biased by the elastic spring of the coil spring 42 at the lower end opening part side of the surrounding wall part 41a of the button part 41. FIG.

  According to the operation body 40 configured as described above, when the button part 41 is at the lower moving end position (original position) as described later, the pressing wall part 41b of the button part 11 is shown in FIGS. As shown, it is positioned so as to face upward from the inside of the through hole 33a of the annular upper wall portion 33 of the ball housing member 30b.

  On the other hand, when the button part 41 is in the upward movement end position (upward movement end position) as will be described later, the button part 41 is formed on the annular wall as shown in FIGS. It protrudes greatly upward from the through-hole part 33a of the wall part 33, and is in contact with the outer peripheral part of the through-hole part 33a of the annular upper wall part 33 by the annular flange 41c from below.

  The drive mechanism 50 includes a rack-pinion mechanism 50a as shown in any of FIGS. The rack-pinion mechanism 50a includes a rack 51 that is integral with the cylindrical portion 43 of the operating body 40, and the rack 51 includes a rack body 51a and upper and lower side guide pins 51b and 51c. .

  The rack body 51a has a through-hole portion 36a formed in the coil spring 52 and the upper wall portion 36 of the auxiliary wall member 30c from the lower end portion of the columnar portion 43 so as to be parallel to the standing wall portion 35 of the L-shaped auxiliary wall member 30c. It extends downward through the road. The rack body 51a has a prismatic shape, and the rack body 51a is parallel to the standing wall portion 35 of the L-shaped auxiliary wall member 30c at both front and rear wall portions thereof. The longitudinal tooth portion of 51a faces to the left. Moreover, the through-hole part 36a of the upper wall part 36 is formed in T shape as shown in FIG. Accordingly, when the rack body 51a is inserted into the through hole 36a from above, the upper and lower side guide pins 51b and 51c are inserted through the through hole 36a together with the rack body 51a.

  The upper and lower side guide pins 51b and 51c are formed so as to protrude rearward from the rear wall of the rack body 51a, and the upper and lower side guide pins 51b and 51c are L-shaped at their tip portions. It engages in the guide groove part 35a formed in the standing wall part 35 of the shape auxiliary wall member 30c so that sliding is possible.

  Here, the guide groove portion 35a is formed in a longitudinal direction along the vertical direction in a portion of the standing wall portion 35 of the L-shaped auxiliary wall member 30c facing the rear wall of the rack body 51a, and the guide groove portion 35a At the upper end portion, the upper wall portion 36 of the L-shaped auxiliary wall member 30c is located at the corresponding portion with respect to the back surface of the upper wall portion 36. Moreover, the lower end part of the guide groove part 35a is located in the lower end part of the standing wall part 35 of the L-shaped auxiliary wall member 30c.

  Of the upper and lower guide pins 51b and 51c, the upper guide pin 51a is engaged with the upper end of the guide groove portion 35a when reaching the upper end position of the button portion 41. The lower guide pin 51b is formed on the rear wall at a position where the lower guide pin 51b is engaged with the lower end of the guide groove 35a when the button 41 reaches the original position. Is formed.

  The coil spring 52 is coaxial between the outer peripheral edge portion of the through hole portion 36a of the upper wall portion 36 of the auxiliary wall member 30c and the lower end portion of the column portion 43 so as to bias the column portion 43 upward. Is intervened.

  As shown in any of FIGS. 3 to 6, the drive mechanism 50 includes a pinion 53, a drive gears 54 and 55, a sector gear 56, and a pinion drive that constitute a rack-pinion mechanism 50 a together with the rack 51. Motor 57 and sector drive motor 58.

  As shown in FIG. 3 or FIG. 4, the pinion 53 is positioned by the sector gear 56 so that it can be engaged with the rack body 51a or disengaged from the rack body 51a. It is supported.

  The drive gear 54 and the sector gear 56 are supported coaxially with the pinion drive motor 57 as follows.

  The pinion drive motor 57 is composed of a step motor, and this pinion drive motor 57 has a through-hole portion 35b (FIG. 6) formed in the standing wall portion 35 of the L-shaped auxiliary wall member 30c at its output shaft 57a. The motor body 57b is assembled to the standing wall portion 35 of the L-shaped auxiliary wall member 30c from the rear side.

  The drive gear 54 is coaxially supported on the output shaft 57 a of the pinion drive motor 57 together with the sector gear 56 via the sector gear 56. As a result, the drive gear 54 rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the pinion drive motor 57.

  Here, the drive gear 54 is a spur gear, and this drive gear 54 is coaxially supported at the tip of the output shaft 57 a of the pinion drive motor 57.

  The sector gear 56 includes a sector gear portion 56a and a lever portion 56b. The sector gear portion 56a is for driving a pinion between the drive gear 54 and the standing wall portion 35 of the L-shaped auxiliary wall member 30c. The motor 57 is coaxially supported at an intermediate portion of the output shaft 57a so as to be relatively rotatable. The sector gear portion 56a is supported by the stop shaft 56a of the pinion drive motor 57 by both stop rings 56c.

  The sector gear 56 has an arcuate tooth portion 56 d, and the arcuate tooth portion 56 d meshes with the drive gear 55. The lever portion 56b extends outward from the outer peripheral portion of the sector gear portion 56a in the radial direction of the sector gear portion 56a. Here, the extending direction of the lever portion 56b from the sector gear portion 56a is an acute angle with respect to a line connecting the central portion in the arc direction of the arc-shaped tooth portion 56d of the sector gear portion 56a and the axial center portion of the sector gear portion 56a. (About 140 degrees).

  Thus, the above-described pinion 53 is supported coaxially with the extending end portion of the lever portion 56b by the pinion shaft 53a so as to mesh with the drive gear 54. The pinion 53 is prevented from coming off from the pinion shaft 53a by both stop rings 53b.

  The drive gear 55 is supported coaxially with the sector drive motor 58 as follows. The sector drive motor 58 is composed of a step motor, and the sector drive motor 58 has a through-hole portion 35c (FIG. 6) formed in the standing wall portion 35 of the L-shaped auxiliary wall member 30c at its output shaft 58a. The motor body 58b is assembled to the standing wall portion 35 of the L-shaped auxiliary wall member 30c from the rear side. In addition, as shown in FIG. 6, the through-hole part 35c is located in the illustration diagonally lower left side with respect to the through-hole part 35b.

  The drive gear 55 is coaxially supported on the output shaft 58 a of the sector drive motor 58 on the front side of the standing wall portion 35, and the drive gear 55 is an arcuate tooth portion 56 d of the sector gear portion 56 a of the sector gear 56. Mesh with.

  As a result, the drive gear 55 rotates in the same direction as the sector drive motor 58 rotates in the forward direction (clockwise rotation in FIG. 3), thereby causing the sector gear portion 56a to move in the reverse direction (in FIG. The pinion 53 is disengaged from the engagement with the rack 51 by rotating clockwise. Further, the drive gear 55 rotates in the same direction as the sector drive motor 58 reversely rotates (counterclockwise rotation shown in FIG. 3), thereby rotating the sector gear portion 56a in the reverse direction (clockwise shown in FIG. 3). The pinion 53 is meshed with the rack body 51a of the rack 51.

  In the present embodiment, the rotation of the sector gear portion 56a in the counterclockwise direction shown in FIG. 3 is restricted by the stopper pin 35d, while the rotation of the sector gear portion 56a in the clockwise direction shown in FIG. It is regulated by the pin 35e. Both stopper pins 35d and 35e protrude forward from the standing wall 35 at the positions shown in FIG.

  Next, the control circuit 60, which is an electric circuit configuration of the button type effect operating device, will be described with reference to FIG. 7. The control circuit 60 includes an original position sensor S1, an upward movement initial position sensor S2, and an upward movement end position sensor S3. And a pressure sensor S4, a microcomputer 60a, and both drive circuits 60b and 60c.

  Each of the original position sensor S1, the upward movement initial position sensor S2, and the upward movement end position sensor S3 is composed of a photo interrupter. The original position sensor S1 has an L-shaped auxiliary wall member at its light emitting portion and light receiving portion. The guide groove portions 35a of the upright wall portion 30c are provided opposite to each other on both sides at the lower end. Thus, when the lower guide pin 51c of the rack 51 is at the lower end portion of the guide groove portion 35a of the standing wall portion 35, the original position sensor S1 receives light from the light emitting portion by the light receiving portion. Blocked by 51c, the arrival at the lower end position (original position) of the rack 51 is detected. This means that the arrival of the operating body 40 to the lowest movement position (see FIG. 3) is detected by the original position sensor S1.

  The upward movement initial position sensor S2 is provided at the light emitting portion and the light receiving portion so as to face each other at a predetermined vertical intermediate portion of the guide groove portion 35a of the standing wall portion 35 of the L-shaped auxiliary wall member 30c. Here, the predetermined intermediate portion in the vertical direction is the intermediate upper movement position (lower guide) of the rack 51 that is moved up based on the bias of the coil spring 52 under the disengagement from the engagement of the pinion 53 with the rack 51. This corresponds to the intermediate upper movement position of the pin 51c.

  Thus, when the lower guide pin 51c of the rack 51 reaches the predetermined vertical intermediate portion of the guide groove portion 35a of the standing wall portion 35, the upward movement initial position sensor S2 receives the light receiving portion for the light from the light emitting portion. Is detected by the lower guide pin 51c, and the arrival of the rack 51 at the predetermined intermediate portion in the vertical direction (arrival at the initial position of the upward movement) is detected. This means that the arrival of the operating body 40 at a position corresponding to the initial upward movement position is detected by the upward movement initial position sensor S2.

  Further, the upward movement end position sensor S3 is provided opposite to each other on both sides of the upper end portion of the guide groove portion 35a of the standing wall portion 35 in the light emitting portion and the light receiving portion. Thus, when the upper guide pin 51b of the rack 51 reaches the upper end portion of the guide groove portion 35a of the standing wall portion 35, the upward movement end position sensor S3 receives light from the light emitting portion by the light receiving portion. Blocked by the pin 51b, the arrival of the rack 51 at the upper moving end position (upward moving end position) is detected. This means that the arrival of the operating body 40 at the uppermost movement position (see FIG. 4) is detected by the upper movement end position sensor S3.

  The pressure sensitive sensor S4 is provided on the protrusion 43b of the cylindrical portion 43 of the operating body 40. Here, the protruding portion 43 b protrudes outward in the radial direction from the lower end portion of the cylindrical portion 43 so as to face the annular flange portion 41 c of the button portion 41.

  Therefore, the pressure sensor S4 is pressed by the annular flange 41c as the button part 41 is moved downward, and detects a pressing operation on the button part 41.

  The microcomputer 60a executes the computer program according to the flowchart shown in FIG. 8, and during this execution, the drive circuit 60b is based on the detection output of the original position sensor S1, the upward movement initial position sensor S2, or the upward movement end position sensor S3. Alternatively, processing necessary to drive and control the pinion driving motor 57 or the sector driving motor 58 via 60c and processing necessary to produce an advantageous effect for the player based on the detection output of the pressure sensor S4. Do.

  In the present embodiment configured as described above, it is assumed that the player is playing a game with the pachinko gaming machine. At this stage, it is assumed that the effect operating device G is in a state where the rack 51 of the drive mechanism 50 is maintained at the lower moving end position (original position) as shown in FIGS. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 1, the button portion 41 of the operating body 40 is in a position facing upward from the inside of the through hole portion 33 a of the annular upper wall portion 33 of the ball tray 30.

  At this time, as shown in FIG. 9, the sector gear 56 of the drive mechanism 50 is locked to the stopper pin 35e while being rotated in the clockwise direction in the drawing. For this reason, in the rack-pinion mechanism 50a, the pinion 53 meshes with the rack body 51a of the rack 51 with an appropriate meshing force. Under such engagement, the coil spring 52 is compressed on the upper wall portion 36 of the L-shaped auxiliary wall member 30c by the cylindrical portion 43 of the operating body 40 as shown in FIG. Has been.

  In such a state, when a single hit command or a continuous hit command is output from a sub-control device (not shown) of the pachinko gaming machine, the microcomputer 60a starts executing the computer program according to the flowchart of FIG. The sub-control device controls the effect display of an image effect display device (not shown) of the game board main body B in the pachinko gaming machine, for example.

  Accordingly, in step 100, the sector drive motor forward rotation process is performed. In this sector drive motor forward rotation process, a forward rotation output indicating the forward rotation of the sector drive motor 58 is output from the microcomputer 60a to the drive circuit 60c. For this reason, the sector drive motor 58 is driven by the drive circuit 60c to rotate forward (clockwise shown in FIG. 9).

  When the sector drive motor 58 rotates in the forward direction in this way, the drive gear 55 rotates forward together with the sector drive motor 58, and the sector gear 56 disengages from the stopper pin 35e under meshing with the drive gear 55. 9, the pinion 53 is displaced in the counterclockwise direction shown in FIG. 9 about the axis of the sector gear portion 56 a of the sector gear 56, and the rack body 51 a of the rack 51 is rotated. Is dissociated from the meshing (see FIG. 10). The displacement of the pinion 53 is stopped by the locking of the sector gear portion 56a to the stopper pin 35d. Accordingly, the sector gear 56 does not rotate counterclockwise as shown in FIG. 9 so that the sector gear portion 56a meshes with the rack body 51a.

  When the pinion 53 is disengaged from the mesh with the rack 51 as described above, the rack 51 is placed in a free state and is elastically moved by the coil spring 52 with reference to the upper wall portion 36 of the L-shaped auxiliary wall member 30c. Pulled upward.

  Accordingly, in the rack 51, the rack body 51a is guided along the guide groove 35a of the standing wall portion 35 of the L-shaped auxiliary wall member 30c by the upper and lower side guide pins 51b and 51c and moves up. Here, the upward movement of the rack main body 51a is quickly performed by the coil spring 52 with an instantaneous extension due to its elasticity.

  For this reason, the cylindrical portion 43 of the operating body 40 is pushed by the rack 51 and quickly moves up like the rack 51. Then, when the rack 51 reaches the initial upward movement position, the initial upward movement position is detected by the upward movement initial position sensor S2. The arrival of the rack 51 at the initial upward movement position means the arrival of the operating body 40 at the corresponding position with respect to the initial upward movement position.

  Accordingly, in the next step 110, it is determined whether or not the rack 51 has reached the initial upward movement position. Here, if the upward movement initial position sensor S2 detects that the rack 51 has reached the initial upward movement position as described above, in step 110, the rack 51 has reached the initial upward movement position. It is determined as YES.

  After such determination, sector drive motor reverse rotation processing is performed in the next step 111. Along with this, the sector drive motor 58 is driven by the drive circuit 60c and reversely rotated (counterclockwise rotation shown in FIG. 10), and the drive gear 55 is reversely rotated in the same direction as the sector drive motor 58. 56 is rotated in the clockwise direction shown in FIG. For this reason, the pinion 53 is displaced toward the rack body 51a and meshes with the rack body 51a. At this time, the sector gear 56 is locked to the stopper pin 35e.

  After the processing of step 111 as described above, it is determined in step 120 whether a predetermined waiting time has elapsed. Here, the passage of the predetermined waiting time refers to the time until the pinion 53 meshes with the rack body 51a after the determination of YES in step 110.

  Therefore, if the predetermined waiting time has elapsed, since the engagement of the pinion 53 with the rack body 51a is established as described above, the determination in step 120 is YES.

  Next, in the sector drive motor stop process in the next step 121, the sector drive motor 58 is stopped by the drive circuit 60c under the control of the microcomputer 60a.

  Thereafter, in step 122, pinion drive motor forward rotation processing is performed. Along with this, the pinion drive motor 57 is driven by the drive circuit 60b to rotate forward (clockwise as shown in FIG. 11). Along with this, the drive gear 54 rotates forward together with the pinion drive motor 57 to reversely rotate the pinion 53 (counterclockwise as shown in FIG. 11) while meshing with the rack 51. Then, the rack 51 further moves up together with the operating body 40 from the above-described initial upward movement position under guidance along the guide groove portions 35a of the upper and lower side guide pins 51b and 51c. Here, due to the rotational speed of the pinion 53, the upward movement speed of the rack 51 is lower than the rapid upward movement speed from the original position of the rack 51 to the initial upward movement position.

  As the rack 51 is further moved upward as shown in FIG. 12, when the rack 51 reaches the upper movement end position, the upper guide pin 51b of the rack 51 reaches the upper end portion of the guide groove 35a. . For this reason, the arrival of the upper movement end position of the rack 51 is detected by the upper movement end position sensor S3. Further, as described above, when the rack 51 reaches the upward movement end position, the button portion 41 of the operating body 40 is inserted into the through hole portion 33a of the annular upper wall portion 33 of the ball receiving tray 30 by the annular flange portion 41c. It contacts the outer periphery from below. Thereby, the operating body 40 is maintained in a state of being largely discharged from the annular upper wall portion 33 of the ball receiving tray 30 at the button portion 41 as shown in FIG. Note that the arrival of the upward movement end position of the rack 51 means the arrival of the operating body 40 to the uppermost movement position.

  After the process of step 122, in the next step 130, it is determined whether or not the rack has reached the upper movement end position. As described above, if the rack 51 has reached the upward movement end position, YES is determined in step 130 based on the detection output of the upward movement end position sensor S3.

  Accordingly, in the pinion drive motor stop process in step 131, the pinion drive motor 57 is stopped by the drive circuit 60b under the control of the microcomputer 60a.

  In accordance with the protrusion of the button part 41 of the operating body 40 as described above, when the display meaning “simply hit” or “sequentially hit” is performed on the image effect display device provided on the game board of the game board main body B. The player visually recognizes the display of the image effect display device and hits the button portion 41 of the operation body 40 with a single hit or continuous hitting at the pressing wall portion 41b. Then, the button part 41 presses the pressure sensor S4 against the coil spring 42 in response to the single hit or the continuous hit. For this reason, the pressure sensor S4 detects a single shot or a continuous hit based on the press.

  After the process of step 131 is completed as described above, in step 140, it is determined whether or not there is a single shot or a continuous hit. At the present stage, as described above, if the pressure sensor S4 has detected a single shot or a continuous hit, it is determined YES in step 140.

  Along with this, in the effect content adjustment command processing in the next step 141, the display content of the image effect display device is changed to a single stroke or a continuous stroke under the control of the sub-control device based on the detection output of the pressure sensor S4. The corresponding production content is adjusted. This adjustment is continued until it is determined in step 150 that a predetermined time has elapsed.

  After the process of step 150, in the next step 151, a pinion drive motor reverse rotation process is performed. Along with this, the pinion drive motor 57 is driven by the drive circuit 60b and reversely rotates (counterclockwise rotation shown in FIG. 12), the drive gear 54 similarly reverses, and the pinion 53 reverses (FIG. 12). (Clockwise rotation in the figure).

  Therefore, the rack 51 moves downward while meshing with the pinion 53, and the operating body 40 moves downward while compressing the coil spring 52 against the elasticity of the cylindrical portion 43. When the rack 51 returns to the original position, YES is determined in step 160, and the pinion drive motor 57 is stopped by the drive circuit 60b in the pinion drive motor stop process in step 161. At this time, the operating body 40 reaches the lowest movement position, and the button 41 returns to the state shown in FIG.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, in the effect operating device G, the rack 51 of the drive mechanism 50 is moved from the original position to the initial upward movement position and from the initial upward movement position to the upward movement end position as described above. In the two-stage upward movement mode, the upward movement speed is divided and the upward movement speed is increased at the two-stage upward movement speed. Divide and move up at the stage moving speed.

  In addition, when the rack 51 is moved upward from the original position to the initial upward movement position, the rack 51 is quickly moved up by the coil spring 52 accompanying the disengagement from the pinion 53 based on the instantaneous extension. After that, under the meshing with the pinion 53, the pinion 53 is moved up greatly at a speed slower than the above-mentioned rapid up speed.

  Therefore, the button part 41 of the operating body 40 protrudes greatly in two stages at the two-stage upward movement speed according to the two-stage upward movement mode of the operating body 40 as described above. For this reason, the player can recognize strongly the protrusion aspect of the above button parts 41. FIG. As a result, the player inevitably hits the button part 41 based on the protrusion of the button part 41 as described above. The content can be visually confirmed and the game can be further continued.

In carrying out the present invention, the following various modifications are possible without being limited to the above embodiment.
(1) The coil spring 52 described in the above embodiment is not limited to this, and may be a spring means such as a leaf spring or a rubber member.
(2) Although the operating body 40 described in the above embodiment protrudes upward, the present invention is not limited to this, and the operating body 40 may be protruded obliquely upward. Good.

33 ... annular upper wall part, 40 ... operating body, 41 ... button part, 42, 52 ... coil spring,
43 ... Cylindrical part, 50 ... Drive mechanism, 51 ... Rack, 53 ... Pinion, 54,55 ... Drive gear,
56 ... sector gear, 57 ... pinion drive motor, 58 ... sector drive motor.

Claims (4)

In the button-type production operation device provided on the front of the gaming machine,
An operating body having a button portion that can protrude from a reference portion extending forward from the front surface of the gaming machine;
Drive means for supporting the operation body to be able to advance and retreat on the opposite side of the reference portion from the protruding side of the button portion;
In the initial stage, the driving means causes the operating body to instantaneously protrude from the reference portion by a spring means, and then, in a later stage, the rotational motion is made slower than the initial stage by a linear motion conversion mechanism. A button-type production operation device for a gaming machine, characterized in that it protrudes greatly. The operating body is configured such that the button portion is a cylindrical button portion, and the cylindrical button portion is slidably fitted to a column portion via a spring.
In the driving means, the rotational motion-linear motion conversion mechanism is:
First and second motors;
A first drive gear driven by the first motor;
A sector gear that is coaxially supported relative to the second motor and reciprocally rotates by a predetermined angle;
A second drive gear coaxially supported by the second motor so as not to rotate relative to the second motor;
A rack that is coaxially connected to the column part, and a pinion that is rotatably supported by a part of the sector gear and meshes with the second drive gear and selectively meshes with the rack;
The spring means comprises a coil spring that is interposed between the reference portion and the column portion and urges the column portion toward the protruding direction of the operation body,
The rack, together with the operating body, is instantaneously protruded by the coil spring based on the disengagement from the pinion accompanying the one-way rotation of the sector gear, and then in the subsequent stage, Based on the meshing with the pinion accompanying the rotation of the sector gear in the other direction, the pinion driven by the second drive gear is caused to protrude greatly at a speed slower than the speed due to the instantaneous protrusion. The button-type effect operating device for a gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the button-type effect operating device is used. The operating body is configured such that the button portion is a cylindrical button portion, and the cylindrical button portion is slidably fitted to a column portion via a spring.
In the driving means, the rotational motion-linear motion conversion mechanism is:
First and second motors;
A first drive gear driven by the first motor;
A sector gear that is coaxially supported relative to the second motor and reciprocally rotates by a predetermined angle;
A second drive gear coaxially supported by the second motor so as not to rotate relative to the second motor;
A rack that is coaxially connected to the pillar portion, and a pinion that is rotatably supported by a part of the sector gear and selectively meshes with the rack;
The spring means comprises a coil spring that is interposed between the reference portion and the column portion and urges the column portion toward the protruding direction of the operation body,
The rack is
Under the engagement with the pinion, the coil spring is maintained in the original position together with the operating body so as to be compressed by the pillar portion,
In the initial stage, based on dissociation from the pinion accompanying the one-way rotation of the sector gear, the coil spring is instantaneously projected together with the operating body,
Next, in the subsequent stage, based on the re-engagement with the pinion accompanying the other direction rotation of the sector gear, the instantaneous rotation of the pinion driven in one direction by the second drive gear 2. The button-type effect operating device for a gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the button-type effect operating device according to claim 1, wherein the button is greatly projected at a speed slower than a speed by the protrusion.   After the rack protrudes greatly at the later stage, the rack is rotated by the second driving gear and rotated in the other direction by the second drive gear in the re-engaged state with the pinion. 4. The button-type effect operating device for a gaming machine according to claim 3, wherein the coil spring is compressed and returned to the original position together with the operating body.

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