JP2000093612A - Supply control mechanism for pachinko balls - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable to quickly supply all prize balls when a number of prize winning balls exist by successively supplying prize balls when prize winning signals are successively transmitted to other prize winning balls before completing supply of prize balls to one prize winning ball. SOLUTION: When a prize ball counter to count the number of prize balls to be supplied marks one or more prize balls at a prize ball supply control circuit 69 during a game, a register F2 is set to 1 and a low speed pulse is outputted to a prize ball discharge motor 58 to supply prize balls in a low speed with large torque. A value of the register F2 is judged 1 or not, and, in case of YES, a prize ball counter is contracted by 1 when prize balls are identified discharged to set the register F2 at 2 to output a high speed pulse to the prize ball discharge motor 58 to make the discharge of prize balls in a high speed. Then the prize ball discharge motor 58 is operated at a low speed when the remained number of prize balls reached 3.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a pachinko ball payout control mechanism.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a pachinko game machine, when a pachinko ball wins a winning device and becomes a winning ball, a predetermined number of pachinko balls corresponding to the winning device are paid out as prize balls.
In the conventional prize ball payout, once the payout of the prize ball corresponding to one winning ball is completed, the payout is temporarily stopped,
The payout of the prize ball for the next winning ball is started at a predetermined time interval (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-11).
No. 4679).

[0003]

However, most current pachinko game machines are provided with a large-diameter winning opening called an openable large winning opening. This big winning opening,
It is always closed and it is not possible to win pachinko balls, but if a pachinko ball wins a predetermined winning opening,
The pachinko ball is released to be acceptable. When the big winning opening is opened, many pachinko balls are accepted as winning balls in a short time. For this reason, if the payout of the prize balls is performed for each of the prize balls in a state where such a large number of the prize balls are present, it takes a long time to pay out the prize balls for all the prize balls. I will.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a pachinko ball payout control mechanism capable of promptly paying out prize balls to a large number of winning balls.

[0005]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a pachinko ball payout control mechanism for solving the above-mentioned problems, wherein the pachinko ball is driven into a game area to play a game. A winning device that receives the pachinko ball in the play area and turns it into a winning ball, a winning ball detecting device that detects the winning ball and transmits a winning signal, and receives the winning signal and generates the winning signal. And a payout device for paying out a predetermined number of pachinko balls as prize balls in response to the payout device. When the winning signal is received, the payout of the prize ball to the other winning ball is performed continuously after the payout of the prize ball to the one winning ball.

[0006]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, if a prize signal for one prize ball is completed and a prize signal for another prize ball continues before the prize ball is paid out, the prize ball is paid out. It is performed continuously. For this reason, when there are many winning balls, all the prize balls are promptly paid out.

[0007]

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

First, the appearance of a pachinko game machine 1 to which the pachinko ball payout control mechanism of the present invention is applied will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. FIG. 1 is a front view of the pachinko game machine 1, and FIG. 2 is a rear view of the pachinko game machine 1.

In FIG. 1, a pachinko game machine 1 is provided with a front frame 2 formed in a frame shape, and an opening of the front frame 2 is provided with a door holding frame 3. A glass door frame 4 having a glass plate is provided on the upper part of the door holding frame 3 so as to be openable and closable, and a front door plate 5 having a hit ball supply tray 6 is provided on the lower part of the glass door frame 4 so as to be openable and closable. . Further, on the lower surface of the front frame 2, there is provided an excess ball receiving tray 20 for storing pachinko balls overflowing from the hit ball supply tray 6. An operation handle 21 for firing a pachinko ball is provided on the right side of the surplus ball tray 20. Further, a game effect lamp 61 is provided on the upper portion of the front frame 2 and blinks when the game state becomes a predetermined big hit state. In addition, a speaker 64 that emits various sound effects is provided on the back side of the surplus ball receiving tray 20.

On the back of the glass door frame 4 and on the back of the front frame 2, a game board 30 is detachably mounted. The play board 30 has a guide rail 31 for guiding a pachinko ball launched by operating the operation handle 21.
Are provided in a substantially circular shape, and the inside surrounded by the guide rail 31 constitutes a play area 32. In the game area 32, game devices such as a variable display 33, a big winning port 35, and various winning ports 34, 36A and 36B are arranged. More specifically, a variable display 33 based on a liquid crystal display imitating a plurality of rotating drums is disposed substantially at the center of the play area 32. Below the variable display 33, a start winning opening 34 and a large winning opening are provided. 35 are arranged. The start winning port 34 is for starting the rotation of the drum by the liquid crystal display of the variable display 33. The winning ball that has won the starting winning opening 34 is detected by a starting winning detector 37, and the variable display 33 is started according to a signal from the detector 37. The special winning opening 35 is always closed by the opening / closing plate 62 and is in a state of not accepting a pachinko ball.
It is opened by the drive of 0. Also,
In addition to the above configuration, the game board 30 is provided with an out port 63 at the lowermost part of the game area 32, and winning ports 36A and 36B on the left and right of the center of the game area 32, respectively.

A mechanism plate 42 on which various mechanisms are mounted is rotatably mounted on the back surface of the play board 30. A pachinko ball feeding device (not shown) is provided above the mechanism plate 42.
A prize ball tank 43 is provided for storing pachinko balls sent from the company. Below the prize ball tank 43, there is formed a lead-out gutter 44 for guiding pachinko balls serving as a prize ball while cascading them in two rows, and a payout device for paying out pachinko balls at the lower end of the lead-out gutter 44. 7 is mounted. A ball replenishment interlock switch 8 is provided in the middle of the lead-out gutter 44 to detect when a required number of pachinko balls are not stored for the payout device 7 to operate. At the end of the outlet gutter 44 and immediately before the dispensing device 7, a ball clogging interlock switch 9 is provided.
Is provided. The payout device 7 pays out prize balls only when the interlock switches 8 and 9 are off. The payout device 7 is for paying out a predetermined number of pachinko balls as prize balls according to the winning balls. The winning balls that have won each of the winning ports 34, 35, 36A, and 36B are detected by a winning ball detector 66 provided on the winning ball derivation path 65. In addition, this winning ball detector 6
Below the wheel 6, a winning ball discharge solenoid 68 is provided. When the solenoid 68 is driven, the winning balls are discharged one by one from the winning ball deriving path 65 one by one. In the pachinko game machine 1 of the present embodiment, the winning balls are classified into two types depending on the place where the winning is achieved (described in detail later). Below the payout device 7, there is provided a discharge gutter 10 for guiding pachinko balls paid out as prize balls to the hit ball supply tray 6 or the surplus ball tray 20.

Next, the payout device 7 will be described with reference to FIGS. The dispensing device 7 includes a case 11 in the shape of a hollow rectangular tube that is open vertically, and inside the case 11, two rows of spherical passages 27 and 28 are provided at positions corresponding to the lower ends of the outlet gutters 44. It has. A horizontal shaft 29 whose both ends are supported on both side walls of the case 11 is provided inside the case 11, and the two spherical cutting disks 53 and 54 are integrated with the horizontal shaft 29 by the connecting cylinder 12. Further, it is rotatably supported on the horizontal shaft 29. Each of the ball cutting disks 53 and 54 has two sprockets 1 each having 13 semicircular notches 49 evenly along the outer circumference.
4 and a bracket 16 to which the sprocket 14 is fixed on both sides. The balls 53, 54
It is installed so that the outer periphery faces the inside of the spherical passages 27 and 28. The diameter of the notch 49 is substantially the same as the outer diameter of the pachinko ball P. When the ball cutting disks 53 and 54 rotate, the pachinko balls P in the ball passages 27 and 28 fit into the notch 49. While being inserted, it is transported by the pair of sprockets 14 and paid out to the discharge gutter 10. In addition, the ball cutting disks 53 and 54 are fixed to each other at a rotational position shifted by exactly １ ／ of the pitch of the notch 49, so that the pachinko ball P is separated from the ball cutting disks 53 and 5 by one.
4 alternately sent out.

A worm gear 55 is fixed to the outer periphery of the connecting cylinder portion 12 connecting the pair of ball cutting disks 53 and 54. A worm 56 that can drive the worm gear 55 is meshed with the worm gear 55. One end of a drive shaft 57 to which the worm 56 is attached is rotatably supported on the outer wall of the case 11, while the other end is The rotating shaft 5 of the prize ball discharging motor 58 (corresponding to the "driving means" of the present invention. This motor is a stepping motor).
9 is fixed. Also, the prize ball discharge motor 58
It is fixed to the outer wall of the case 11. When the prize ball discharge motor 58 rotates, the worm 56 directly connected to the rotation shaft 59 rotates. Then, the worm gear 55 rotates in accordance with the rotation of the worm 56, and accordingly, the ball cutting disks 53 and 54 also rotate. A prize sphere detector 60 using infrared light is provided at a position sandwiching one of the sprockets 14 of the spherical cutting disks 53, 54 in order to detect the rotation state of the spherical cutting disks 53, 54. This prize ball detector 60
Transmits a pulse signal each time light is blocked by the pachinko ball through the notch 49 of the sprocket 14.

Next, an electrical configuration of the pachinko game machine 1 will be described with reference to FIG. In the pachinko game machine 1 of the present embodiment, two control circuit boards 69 and 70 are provided for controlling a playing state, and each of them is a central information processing device (hereinafter, referred to as a “CPU”) 2.
2, 23 are provided. The CPUs 22 and 23 can operate in parallel according to their own programs. Two control circuit boards 69, 70
Among them, the prize ball payout control circuit board 69 controls a prize ball payout operation and a payout ball discharge operation accompanying the operation. The game control circuit board 70 controls other operations, for example, the operation of the circuit for starting the driving of the variable display 33, the operation of driving the solenoid 40, the driving of turning on the game effect lamp 61, and the like.

First, the prize ball payout control circuit board 69 will be described. The board 69 is provided with a CPU 23, which has a ROM 24, a RAM 2
5 is connected. Further, the CPU 23 is provided with an I / O port 45, through which signals are transmitted to the CPU 22, the circuit 13, and the like. The winning ball detector 66 is connected to the I / O port 4 via a waveform shaping circuit 13 composed of a flip-flop for preventing chattering.
5 is connected. A driver 52 is connected to the I / O port 45. The driver 52 is a CPU
The drive of the prize ball discharge motor 58 and the winning ball discharge solenoid 68 is controlled according to the signal from the control unit 23. The clock generation circuit 17 outputs an external interrupt signal to the C
Output to PU23. CPU 23 executes a main program (not shown) in synchronization with the external interrupt signal. When a switch (not shown) of the power supply circuit is turned on, the signal is input to the reset signal generation circuit 19, and the reset signal, which is the output signal, is input to the reset terminal of the CPU 23. An initial program is executed by the signal.

On the other hand, the game control circuit board 70 has a CPU
The CPU 22 includes a ROM 7
6. The RAM 77 is connected. The CPU 22 has I
An / O port 78 is provided, and signals are transmitted to the CPU 23, the waveform shaping circuit 71, and the like. The waveform shaping circuit 71 is formed of a flip-flop for preventing chattering. The waveform shaping circuit 71 includes a start winning detector 37 for detecting a winning prize ball to the starting winning opening 34, a large winning opening 35. Winning prize detector 38 for detecting the winning of a winning prize ball, a winning prize opening (a specific winning opening provided at the center of the special winning opening 35, not shown). Winning detector 39 for detecting
Winning detectors 41A and 41B for detecting the winning of the winning balls to the winning openings 36A and 36B are connected. The winning signal input to the waveform shaping circuit 71 is output to the CPU 22 via the I / O port 78.

A programmable sound generator (hereinafter, referred to as “PSG”) 75 and a driver 79 are connected to the I / O port 78. PSG
Reference numeral 75 inputs control data for sound output from the CPU 22 to each register, D / A converts a waveform created based on the control data, and outputs the converted waveform to the speaker 64. The driver 79 is connected to the display driving circuit 50, the solenoid 40, the game effect lamp 61, and the like, and controls the driving of these. The variable display 33 is connected to the display driving circuit 50.
Is controlled. Further, the clock generation circuit 73
An external interrupt signal is output to the CPU 22 via the frequency divider 72. CPU 22 executes a main program (not shown) in synchronization with the external interrupt signal. Also,
When a switch (not shown) of the power supply circuit is turned on, the signal is input to a reset signal generating circuit 74, and a reset signal, which is an output signal, is input to a reset terminal of the CPU 22. The initial program is executed.

The contents of the game on the game board 30 will be briefly described as follows. The pachinko ball hit by operating the handle 21 is sent out into the play area 32. When the pachinko balls win the winning ports 36A and 36B, a predetermined number of prize balls are paid out. When the pachinko ball wins the starting winning opening 34, the starting winning detector 37 is activated.
, The rotation drum mechanism of the variable display 33 starts rotating, and stops the rotation when a certain time (for example, 5 seconds) elapses. Then, when the combination of symbols displayed on the variable display 33 at the time of stop is a predetermined combination of big hit symbols, a big hit game state is established, and the opening / closing plate 62 of the big winning port 35 is held for a predetermined time (for example, 30 seconds). )
Is released, or until a predetermined number (for example, 10) of winning balls are generated. Then, when the pachinko ball further wins in the V winning opening provided in the center of the inside of the special winning opening 35 while the opening and closing plate 62 is opened, a continuation right is generated,
The opening operation of the opening / closing plate 62 is repeated again. The generation of the continuation right is allowed continuously for a predetermined number of times (for example, 15 times). As described above, when the big hit state occurs, a large number of winning balls can be generated in a short time. In the pachinko game machine 1, the number of prize balls with respect to the winning prize winning in the special winning opening 35 is fifteen. Therefore, in the big hit play state, about 2400 (15 × 10 × 16) prize balls are paid out.

The winning balls that have won the various winning ports 34, 35, 36A, 36B provided on the game board 30 are guided along the winning ball guide path 65 provided on the back of the game board 30. You. Of the winning prize balls, a relatively large number of prize balls (for example,
15), and a relatively small number of prize balls (for example, 7) are paid out to the prize holes 34, 36A, 36B other than the open / close plate 62. Is controlled. In the present embodiment, when a pachinko ball wins a prize hole 34, 36A, 36B for paying out a small number of prize balls, these prize holes 34, 36
A, winning detectors 37, 4 provided inside A, 36B
1A and 41B output signals from the general control CPU 22 to I
By sending a small payout prize ball signal to the payout control CPU 23 via the / O port 45, the number of prize balls to pay out a small number of prize balls can be known. That is,
The number of prize balls to pay out a large number of prize balls is obtained by subtracting the number of prize balls to pay a small number of prize balls from the number of all prize balls.

[Flowchart] Next, regarding the payout operation of the prize ball of the pachinko game machine 1, the payout control CPU 23 will be described.
A description will be given based on a flowchart showing the processing procedure.

(1) Initial setting at power-on When a start switch (not shown) is turned on, a payout control C
The power is supplied to the PU 23 and the reset signal generation circuit 1
9 outputs a reset signal to the CPU 23. Then
The CPU 23 executes the processing shown in FIG. That is, the prize ball counter C for counting all the prize balls and the small prize ball counter I for counting the number of prize balls to be paid out a small number of prize balls are set to zero, and the driving device for discharging the prize balls is set. The state register F1 for storing the state and the state register F2 for storing the state of the driving device for discharging prize balls are set to initial values. Further, the timer T for storing the holding time of the winning prize ball is set to zero, and the prize ball counter St for counting the number of prize balls to be paid out is set to zero.

(2) Prize Ball Payout Program After the initial setting, every time an external interrupt signal output from the frequency divider 15 is input, the CPU 23 executes the prize ball payout program shown in FIGS.

(A) Processing According to the Presence or Absence of a Winning Ball (i) When a Winning Ball Does Not Exist At step 100, it is determined whether or not the status register F1 is zero. Here, when the status register F1 is zero, it indicates that the winning ball discharge solenoid 68 is not driven, and when it is 1, it indicates that the winning ball discharge solenoid 68 is being driven.

When the register F1 is zero, the falling of the winning ball signal S1 is determined in step 102. The winning ball signal S1 is output from the winning ball detector 66, and falls when there is a winning ball, and rises when there is no winning ball. here,
If there is no fall of S1, there is no winning ball, so the process proceeds to the next step 128. After step 128, the payout of the prize ball is controlled.

(Ii) When a Winning Ball Exists When it is determined in step 102 that the winning ball signal S1 has fallen, the value of the timer T is updated in step 104. In this step 104, the current value of the timer T is incremented by a predetermined value t (a time interval at which the prize ball payout program is called from the main routine by an external interrupt signal. In the present embodiment, it is 4 milliseconds). .) To make a new timer T value.

In the next step 106, it is determined whether or not the value of the prize ball counter St is 5 or less. this is,
Only when the number of remaining prize balls is five or less, the operation is for dropping the prize balls. That is, in the pachinko game machine 1, the control may be interrupted during the game due to a clogged ball or the like, and the power may be turned on again. In such a case, if the value of the prize ball counter St is increased by dropping too many prize balls, the corresponding prize balls will not be paid out when the power is turned on again. . In order to avoid such a situation, the number corresponding to the winning ball is increased to the prize ball counter St only when the number of remaining prize balls becomes equal to or less than a predetermined number.

If the value of the prize ball counter St is 5 or less, it is determined in step 108 whether or not the timer T is 0.3 seconds or more. This is the winning ball signal S
1 is for confirming that it has continuously fallen until a predetermined time has elapsed, and is for preventing a pulse-like erroneous input of the winning ball signal S1. If the timer T has continued for 0.3 seconds or more, step 11
The register F1 is set to 1 by 0 and 112, and the winning ball discharge solenoid 68 is driven.

Next, at step 114, the winning ball signal S
1 is determined. Note that, even if the register F1 is 1 in step 100, step 1
Go to 14. When it is determined in step 114 that the winning ball signal S1 has risen, it is determined that the winning ball has been ejected, and the process proceeds to the next step. In steps 116 and 117, the register F1 is set to zero,
The winning ball discharge solenoid 68 is stopped.

Next, at step 118, it is determined whether or not the value of the small winning ball counter I is 1 or more. When the pachinko ball wins in the winning openings 34, 36A, 36B, the small winning prize counter I has its winning detector 37, 41.
Signals from A and B are input to the general control CPU 22 and transmitted therefrom to the payout control CPU 23 to be increased. If the small winning ball counter I is zero, it is determined that the number of prize balls for all the winning balls is fifteen, and the number of the corresponding prize balls is added to the prize ball counter St (step 124). On the other hand, if the small winning ball counter I is 1 or more, the prize ball counter St is updated by adding 7 (step 120), and the small winning ball counter I is reduced by 1 (step 122). Then, in step 126, the timer T is returned to zero.

(B) Processing According to Presence or Absence of Prize Ball (i) When there is no remaining number of prize balls At step 128, it is determined whether or not the status register F2 is zero. In this step 128, the processing from step 126 continues, and in addition, steps 102 and 10
The processing is performed when a predetermined judgment is made in 6, 108 and 114. The register F2 has a prize ball discharging motor 58.
The driving state of the motor 58
Indicates that the motor 58 is stopped, and 1 indicates that the motor 58 is in the low-speed driving state at the time of initial driving.
The symbol “3” indicates a high-speed driving state, and the symbol “3” indicates a low-speed driving state at the time of final driving. When the register F2 is zero, the following step 1
At 30, it is determined whether or not the prize ball counter St is 1 or more. If there is no remaining prize ball, the process returns to the main routine.

(Ii) When the prize ball is not zero In step 130, when it is determined that the prize ball counter St is 1 or more, the register F2 is set to 1 in the subsequent step 132, and the prize ball discharge motor 58 is driven at a low speed. A pulse is output (step 134). This allows
The prize ball discharge motor 58 starts a prize ball discharge operation at a low speed with a large torque.

In the following step 136, it is determined whether or not the value of the register F2 is 1. Register F2 is 1
In this case, it is determined whether or not the prize ball has been ejected (step 138). If it is determined that the prize ball has been discharged, the prize ball counter St is decremented by 1 (step 140), and the register F2 is set to 2 (step 14).
2) A high-speed pulse is output to the prize ball discharge motor 58 (step 144). With this, the prize ball discharge motor 58
Starts rotating at a high speed, and a prize ball is quickly paid out.

At step 146, it is determined whether or not the value of the register F2 is 2, and if YES, it is determined whether or not a prize ball has been ejected (step 14).
8). When it is determined that the prize ball has been discharged, the prize ball counter St is decremented by 1 (step 1).
50), in the next step 152, the prize ball counter S
It is determined whether or not t is 3. This is a process for operating the prize ball discharge motor 58 again at a low speed when the number of remaining prize balls becomes three. If the prize ball counter St is 3, the register F2 is set to 3 (step 154), and a low-speed pulse is output (step 156).

In the following step 158, it is determined whether or not a prize ball has been ejected.
The prize ball counter St is decremented by 1 (step 16).
0), it is determined whether or not the prize ball counter St has become zero (step 162). And this judgment is YES
If so, the register F2 is set to zero (step 164), and a stop signal is output to the prize ball discharge motor 58 (step 166).

Next, the operation timing of each part in the above-mentioned prize ball payout operation will be described with reference to FIG. In the following, the symbols in FIG. 9 are used to indicate the timing. First, when the winning ball signal S1 from the winning ball detector 66 falls and the fall time is 0.3 seconds or more (A1), the winning ball discharge solenoid 68 is driven. When the winning ball signal S1 rises (B1), the winning ball discharging solenoid 68 is stopped (C), and the prize ball discharging motor 58 is driven at a low speed. Next, when the prize ball detector 60 detects the first prize ball (D), the prize ball discharge motor 58 is driven at a high speed, and the payout is continued while detecting the prize ball.
When the remaining number of the prize balls reaches five (E), it is checked whether or not the winning ball signal has fallen. When the signal falls and the fall time is 0.3 seconds or more (A2), the winning ball discharge solenoid 68 is driven. When the winning ball is discharged (B2), the winning ball discharging solenoid 68 is stopped (F), and the number of prize balls is increased by a predetermined number. Each time the number of remaining prize balls reaches 5, the above E ~
Repeat step F. Finally, when the number of remaining prize balls to be paid out becomes three (G) when there are no more prize balls, the prize ball discharge motor 58 is set to a low speed. When all the prize balls have been paid out (H), the prize ball discharge motor 58 is stopped.

As described above, according to the present embodiment,
Before the prize ball is paid out for one winning ball,
When the winning signal for another winning ball continues, the payout of the prize ball is continuously performed without ending. For this reason, when there are many winning balls, the payout of the prize balls is promptly performed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a pachinko game machine according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a rear view of a pachinko game machine.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an electric configuration of the pachinko game machine.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a prize ball payout device.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a prize ball dispensing device.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of the central information processing apparatus.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of the central information processing apparatus.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of the central information processing apparatus.

FIG. 9 is a timing chart showing the operation timing of each part of the prize ball payout apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Pachinko game machine 7 ... Payout device 32 ... Play area 34 ... Starting winning opening (winning device) 35 ... Large winning opening (winning device) 36A, 36B ... Winning opening (winning device) 37 ... Starting winning detector (winning detection) 38) Large winning opening winning detector (winning detecting device) 39 ... V winning detector (winning detecting device) 41A, 41B ... Winning detector (winning detecting device) 66 ... Winning ball detector (winning ball detecting device)

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A pachinko game machine in which a game is played by a pachinko ball being driven into a play area, a prize winning device that receives the pachinko ball in the play area and turns it into a prize ball, and detects the prize ball. And a payout device that receives the win signal and pays out a predetermined number of pachinko balls as a prize ball in accordance with the win signal. If the winning signal of another winning ball is received before the payout of the predetermined number of winning balls for the winning ball is completed, the payout of the other winning ball is continued following the payout of the winning ball for the one winning ball. A payout control mechanism for pachinko balls, which continuously pays out prize balls to the player.