JP2001000643A - Pachinko machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily judge whether there is trouble in a shooting system, etc., of a pachinko machine by effectively utilizing properties of a variable winning means. SOLUTION: This pachinko machine has a shooting means 10 for shooting pachinko balls to the game area 21 of the game board 6 and a variable winning means 28 arranged inside the game area 21 for varying the condition of pachinko balls falling inside the game area 21 from a first condition when balls cannot enter the winning slot to a second condition when balls can enter the winning slot. The pachinko machine also has an error judging means for judging the no-winning-ball error on condition that the shooting means 10 is operated at least once and no ball enters the variable winning means 28 in a prescribed period of time including a part or the whole of the time when the variable winning means 28 is in the second condition.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a ball game machine such as a pachinko machine, an arrange ball machine, and a play ball game machine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a ball-and-ball game machine such as a pachinko machine or the like, game balls are supplied one by one from an upper plate onto a firing rail by a ball feeding means in conjunction with a firing operation of a firing means. The game balls are fired by the firing means to the game area of the game board via the guide rails, and if the game balls falling in the game area win the prize means, the specified number of game balls per one prize is sequentially raised. To be paid out.

[0003] In addition to ordinary winning means, there are variable winning means called so-called attackers. The variable winning means includes, for example, an opening / closing plate which rotates around a horizontal axis on the lower side and opens and closes, and when the stop symbol after the change of the special symbol display means displays a big hit symbol, the opening / closing plate is turned forward. The game ball that moves and falls from above is guided by the opening / closing plate to the game ball to the winning opening.

[0004]

In the ball game machine, when a ball is clogged by the ball feeding means, foreign matter or the like adheres on the game ball guide path from the launch rail to the upper part of the game area via the guide rail. In this case, no matter how the launching means operates normally, the game ball cannot be launched into the game area, and the game cannot be continued.

Further, even when a game ball is caught on a game nail or the like in the middle of a fall path from the upper part of the game area to each winning means, the falling direction of a subsequent game ball is changed by the caught game ball. The game may be disadvantageous to the player, and the game cannot be played normally.

Therefore, if these troubles occur during the game, it is necessary for the manager on the side of the hall to immediately find them and take appropriate measures. In particular, when the variable winning means is in the open state, there is a possibility that the profit of the player may be significantly impaired, and an immediate response is required.

However, since troubles are caused in a wide variety of places, it is practically very difficult to provide sensors at all the places and detect and report the occurrence of troubles with the sensors in view of manufacturing costs. Difficult.

On the other hand, the launching means normally launches game balls at a maximum speed of 100 balls / minute, and the variable winning means has a predetermined number (for example, 1) after the opening and closing plate is opened.
Game balls win or win for a predetermined time (for example, 3).
On the condition that the opening / closing plate is closed when 0 seconds have elapsed, and that the winning game ball passes through the specific area while the opening / closing plate is being opened, the opening / closing plate repeats the opening / closing operation up to a predetermined number of times (for example, 16 times). It has become.

Therefore, the ball feeding means and the launching means operate normally, and there is no obstacle such as a foreign object in the game ball guide path from the launch rail to the upper part of the game area via the guide rail, and the game area has no obstacle. As long as there is no game ball caught on a game nail or the like in the fall path of the game ball from the upper part to the variable prize means, if the open / close plate of the variable prize means is opened, at least one variable prize means is normally provided. Each game ball wins.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional problems, and provides a ball game machine capable of easily determining the presence or absence of a trouble by effectively utilizing the characteristics of variable winning means and combining it with other predetermined conditions. The purpose is to do.

[0011]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to a launching means 10 for launching a game ball to a game area 21 of a game board 6, and a game arranged in the game area 21 and falling within the game area 21. In a ball game machine provided with a variable winning means 28 capable of changing between a first state in which a ball cannot be won and a second state in which a ball can be won, a time during which the variable winning means 28 is in the second state. During a predetermined time including a part or all of
Has an error determining means 39 which operates at least once and determines that there is no winning error on condition that there is no winning of the game ball to the variable winning means 28.

The present invention also provides a launching means 10 for launching a game ball to a game area 21 of a game board 6, and a game ball placed in the game area 21 and falling in the game area 21 cannot win a prize. In a ball game machine provided with variable winning means 28 which can be changed between a first state and a second state in which a winning can be achieved, a part or all of the time when the variable winning means 28 is in the second state. During a predetermined time including at least one game ball from the launch means 10 and an error determination means 39 for determining that there is no winning error on condition that there is no winning of the game ball to the variable winning means 28. It is a thing.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. 1 to 3 illustrate a first embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a game machine main body, which comprises a rectangular frame-shaped outer frame 2 and a front frame 3 pivotally connected to the outer frame 2 so as to be openable and closable. The front frame 3 includes a glass door 4 and a front plate 5, and a game board 6 is disposed on the back side thereof. Glass door
An indicator lamp 7 for displaying a jackpot or the like is provided at the upper part of 4.

The game board 6 is detachably fitted from behind to a mounting frame (not shown) on the back side of the front frame 3 and is supported by a lower set plate 8 from below. On the front frame 3, a lower plate 9 for storing surplus balls and a firing handle 11 for a firing means 10 for firing game balls toward the game board 6 are provided at a lower portion on the front side. On the front surface of the lower set plate 8, a firing rail 12 is mounted on one end side in the left-right direction, and a foul ball guide passage 13 for guiding a foul ball to the lower plate 9 is provided in the center.

The firing means 10 includes a hammer 15 pivotally supported by a lower support shaft 14 and a firing motor 17 for driving the hammer 15 via a cam mechanism 16. When the firing handle 11 is gripped and operated, the firing motor 17 drives the hitting hammer 15 around the support shaft 14 via the cam mechanism 16, and the hitting hammer 15 hits the game ball on the firing rail 12. To fire.

The firing means 10 is provided with a firing operation detection switch 18 for detecting the firing operation of the firing means 10. The firing operation detection switch 18 is mounted on the fixed side corresponding to the origin stop position of the cam body 19, and is configured to detect the firing operation of the firing means 10 every time the cam body 19 rotates and returns to the origin. Have been.

On the front plate 5, an upper plate 20 for storing game balls for firing is provided on the front side, and the upper plate 20 is linked with the firing operation of the firing means 10.
Ball feeding means (not shown) for supplying 20 game balls one by one onto the firing rail 12 are mounted on the back side, respectively.

On the game board 6, a game ball from the firing rail 12 is arranged in an annular shape so as to surround the game area 21.
An outer rail 22 and an inner rail 23 for guiding to the upper side of 21 are mounted, and special symbol display means is provided in the game area 21 thereof.
24, a plurality of games such as a normal symbol displaying means 25, a first starting means 26 for starting a normal symbol, a second starting means 27 for starting a special symbol, an openable variable winning means 28, a normal winning means 29 to 31, and the like. Parts are installed. The lower end of the outer rail 22 faces the firing rail 12 with the foul ball guide passage 13 interposed therebetween. At the lower part of the game area 21, an out port 32 for guiding the out ball to the back side is provided.

The special symbol display means 24 displays one or more special symbols, and the special symbols fluctuate for a predetermined time by random number control on condition that the second starting means 27 detects a game ball. It is designed to stop. Normal symbol display means
Numeral 25 displays one or a plurality of ordinary symbols, and on condition that the first starting means 26 detects a game ball, the ordinary symbols fluctuate for a predetermined time by random number control and stop. . The ordinary symbol display means 25 is a special symbol display means 24.
It is provided on the upper part.

The variable winning means 28 constitutes a so-called attacker. As shown in a second state in FIG. 2, a first state (closed state) in which a game ball falling in the game area 21 cannot win.
And a second state (open state) in which a prize can be won, and the stopped symbol after the change of the special symbol display means 24 displays a specific symbol or a combination of specific symbols (hereinafter, referred to as a big hit symbol). , The state is changed from the first state to the second state.

That is, the variable winning means 28 includes a special winning opening 33,
An opening / closing plate 34 pivotally supported about a lower horizontal axis to open and close the special winning opening 33, and an opening / closing plate between a first state in which the special winning opening 33 is closed and a second state in which the large winning opening 33 is opened. And an electric driving means (not shown) such as a solenoid for driving the opening and closing of the solenoid 34.

The inside of the special winning opening 33 includes a plurality of
For example, it is divided into three passages 35, a part (one of which) is a specific area 35a, and a specific area detection switch 36 is provided in the specific area 35a. Inside the large winning opening 33, there is provided a winning detection switch 37 for detecting a game ball winning this.

The second starting means 27 is an open / close type having a pair of opening / closing claws 27a, and the stop symbol after the normal symbol display means 25 changes is a specific symbol or a combination of specific symbols (hereinafter referred to as a hit symbol). In connection with the display of the opening and closing claw 27
a is opened for a predetermined time.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a control system. In FIG. 3, reference numeral 38 denotes opening / closing control means for controlling the variable winning means 28. The opening / closing plate 34 is opened so that the stop symbol after the change of the special symbol display means 24 displays the big hit symbol. A function to control the means and a winning detection switch 37
A function to detect a predetermined number (for example, 10) of game balls or to control the opening and closing plate 34 to close when a maximum opening time (for example, 30 seconds) preset by the timer 41 has elapsed. It has a function of controlling the driving means so that the open / close plate 34 opens and closes up to a maximum predetermined number of times (for example, 16 times) on condition that the area detection switch 36 detects a game ball.

Numeral 39 denotes an error judging means. The firing means 10 operates at least once during a predetermined time including a part or the whole of the time when the variable winning means 28 is in the second state (open), and the variable winning is performed. A structure in which a no-prize error is determined on condition that there is no winning of the game ball to the means 28, and a non-prize error is not determined when the firing means 10 has never operated during the second state of the variable prize means 28. Have been.

That is, the error judging means 39 includes an opening / closing control means.
An opening signal from the opening / closing control means 38 based on the opening signal of the variable winning means 28, the detection signal of the winning detection switch 37 of the variable winning means 28, and the detection signal of the firing operation detection switch 18 of the firing means 10 from 38. While there is a firing motion detection switch
When there is no detection signal from the prize detection switch 37 despite the detection signal from the prize 18, it is determined that there is no prize error after the elapse of the determination time, and the firing operation detection switch 18
When there is no detection signal from the prize detection switch 37, it is not determined that there is no prize-winning error regardless of the presence or absence of the detection signal from the prize detection switch 37.

Numeral 40 denotes an error notifying means, and an error judging means 39
This is to notify the non-prize error by receiving an error signal from the server. The error notifying means 40 may use the display lamp 7 or the like above the glass door 4 in FIG. 1 to display the no-prize error with a blinking cycle different from that during the occurrence of the jackpot. Of course, error reporting means
40 may be constituted by other display lamps 7 or the like, or may be constituted by a speaker so as to notify by voice. The notification may be made by using the special symbol display means 24, the ordinary symbol display means 25, and the like.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described. When the firing handle 11 is operated in a state where the game ball is on the upper plate 20, the firing motor 17 of the firing means 10 is operated, and the hammer 15 is driven via the cam mechanism 16. When the hitting hammer 15 is driven by the firing motor 17, the ball feeding means operates in conjunction with the firing operation of the game ball by the hitting hammer 15, and the game balls in the upper plate 20 are fired one by one by the firing rail 12. The hitting hammer 15 hits the game ball on the firing rail 12 and fires it toward the outer rail 22 side of the game board 6.

A game ball fired from the firing rail 12 is:
After being guided to the upper side of the game area 21 along the outer rail 22, it falls in the game area 21 along the surface of the game board 6, and during the fall, the second starting means 27, the normal prize means 29 to A prize of 31 or the like or a drop on the inner rail 23 without a prize.

When a game ball wins in the second starting means 27, the normal winning means 29-31, etc., the game ball is guided to the back side of the game board 6, and a predetermined number of game balls are won for each winning. Prize balls are paid out to the upper plate 20. In addition, the game ball that has fallen on the inner rail 23 without winning a prize passes through the out port 32 to the game board 6
You will be guided to the back side of.

When the first starting means 26 detects a falling game ball, the ordinary symbol of the ordinary symbol display means 25 fluctuates for a predetermined time and stops by random number control. And if the stopped symbol after the change of the ordinary symbol display means 25 displays the hit symbol,
The opening / closing claw 27a of the second starting means 27 is opened for a predetermined time, so that a game ball can easily win the second starting means 27.

When the second starting means 27 detects a game ball, the special symbol of the special symbol display means 24 fluctuates for a predetermined time and stops by random number control. Then, if the stopped symbol after the change of the special symbol display means 24 displays a big hit symbol, the opening / closing control means 38 operates to issue an opening command to the driving means of the variable winning means 28, and the open / close plate 34 of the variable winning means 28 Is rotated forward to open the special winning opening 33, so that a large number of game balls win the variable winning means 28 via the opening / closing plate 34.

Once the variable winning means 28 is released, the winning detection switch 37 detects the winning of ten game balls after the release, or the time set by the timer 41 is set to 30.
If the opening / closing plate 34 is closed when the time of second elapses and the specific area detection switch 36 detects the winning game ball, the opening / closing operation is repeated up to 16 times, so that the player can enjoy great profit.

When the variable winning means 28 is opened, the error judging means 39 carries out an operation for judging a no-prize error based on the detection signals of the winning detecting switch 37 and the payout operation detecting switch. In this case, the ball feeding means and the firing means 10 operate normally, and the game area extends from the firing rail 12 through the outer rail 22.
If there is no foreign matter on the way to the upper part of the game area 21 and there is no game ball or the like caught on a game nail or the like from the upper part of the game area 21 to the variable winning means 28, the firing means 10
Normally fire game balls at a rate of 100 balls / min.

Therefore, in a normal state, the variable winning means
When the ball 28 is opened, in most cases, at least about one game ball wins the variable winning means 28, and the winning ball detection switch 37 detects the game ball, so that the error determining means 39 determines that there is no winning error. Never.

However, if any trouble occurs, such as the ball feeding means not operating normally due to clogging of the ball, etc.,
Although the launching operation detection switch 18 detects the launching operation of the launching means 10, there is no gaming ball on the launching rail 12, so that the gaming ball is not launched into the gaming area 21.

Therefore, during the opening of the variable winning means 28, that is, during the maximum opening time set by the timer 41, even though the firing means 10 performs the firing operation, the variable winning means 28 also has one game ball. Since no prize is won, the error determination means 39 determines that there is no prize error, and the error notification means 40 displays an error based on the error signal. This allows the manager on the hall side to take appropriate measures for the trouble. Further, the error determination means 39 determines that there is no winning error when the opening time of the variable winning means 28 ends,
Erroneous error determination can be prevented as much as possible.

When the player stops the firing means 10 to stop firing the game ball, the firing operation detecting switch 18 does not detect the operation of the firing means 10, so that the variable winning means 28 is opened. Even if the winning detection switch 37 does not detect the winning of the game ball during a predetermined time including a part or all of the staying time, the error determining means 39 does not determine that there is no winning error.

FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate a second embodiment of the present invention. In the second state of the variable winning means 28, at least one game ball is fired from the firing means 10 and the variable winning means 28 is fired.
Error determination means, provided that there is no game ball winning
Numeral 39 indicates a no-prize error.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, a firing ball detection switch 42 for detecting the firing of a game ball by the firing means 10 is provided with a lower set plate corresponding to the firing position of the game ball on the firing rail 12. 8 behind. When the game ball at the shooting position is hit by the hammer 15 and fires, the fire ball detection switch 42 detects the firing of the game ball. The launch ball detection switch 42
Of the firing rail 12 through the lower set plate 8 made of synthetic resin
A proximity switch or the like is used so that the upper game ball can be detected.

As shown in FIG. 5, the error judgment means 39
During a predetermined time including a part or all of the time when the variable prize means 28 is in the second state, there is no prize of a game ball to the variable prize means 28, and at least one of the game spheres is emitted from the launch means 10.
It is determined that there is no prize error on condition that a plurality of shots have been fired.
The configuration is such that when no individual is fired, it is not determined that there is no winning error. The other configuration is the same as that of the first embodiment.

That is, the error judgment means 39 is provided with an opening / closing control means.
From the opening signal of the variable winning means 28, the detection signal of the winning detection switch 37 of the variable winning means 28, and the detection signal of the launching ball detection switch 42 of the launching means 10 from the opening and closing control means 38, While there is a signal, launch ball detection switch 42
Winning detection switch despite the detection signal from
When there is no detection signal from 37, it is determined that there is no prize error, and when there is no detection signal from the launch ball detection switch 42, it is determined not to determine that there is no prize error regardless of the presence or absence of the detection signal from the prize detection switch 37. Has become.

In this embodiment, although the launching means 10 normally fires a game ball, the game ball does not win in the variable winning means 28.
The error judging means 39 judges a trouble that occurred in the middle of the path of the game ball reaching 28 as a no-prize error,
An error is reported by the error reporting means 40. Therefore, it is possible to quickly take measures for such a trouble.

The embodiments of the present invention have been described above, but the present invention is not limited to the embodiments.
In the first embodiment, the launching operation detecting switch 18 detects the cam body 19 of the cam mechanism 16 of the launching means 10 and
Although the launching operation of the launching unit 10 is detected, it is sufficient that the launching operation of the launching unit 10 can be detected.

Therefore, the firing operation detecting switch 18 may detect the firing operation from the movement of the other part of the firing means 10, or may control the firing motor 17 instead of the firing operation detecting switch 18. It is also possible to use signals. In addition, a touch detection switch near the firing handle 11 may be used, and the player may detect the firing operation by touching the touch detection switch. Therefore, it suffices to provide a launching operation detecting unit that can detect the launching operation of the launching unit 10 by any method.

In the second embodiment, when there is no game ball at the shooting position of the shooting rail 12, the shooting ball detection switch 42 detects the shooting of the game ball by the shooting means 10. However, the launch ball detection switch 42 only needs to be able to detect the launch of a game ball. For example, as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. You may provide corresponding to a front-end | tip part or an intermediate part. Further, the shooting ball detection switch 42 may be provided on the tip side of the inner rail as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG.

The error determining means 39 detects whether the variable winning means 28 is in the second state by using a signal from the opening / closing control means 38, or directly detects the second state of the variable winning means 28 by using a switch or the like. good. The error determination means 39 determines the presence or absence of an error when a predetermined determination time elapses in the error determination, and the determination time is shorter than the maximum time of the variable winning means 28 in the second state. May be set. Therefore, it is sufficient to make the determination during a predetermined time including a part or all of the time when the variable winning means 28 is in the second state.

The variable winning means 28 may have any structure as long as it can change between a first state in which a game ball cannot be won and a second state in which a game ball can be won, and its specific structure does not matter. For example, a structure in which a pair of left and right opening and closing claws open and close in the left and right direction may be used. When the error determination unit 39 determines that there is no winning error, the determination signal may be transmitted from the external connection terminal to the hall-side management computer or other external device.

The time during which the variable winning means 28 is in the second state is at least as long as the time required for the game balls fired by the firing means 10 to reach the variable winning means 28 side, preferably several game balls are sequentially fired. At this time, the time may be set to be equal to or longer than the time required for the last game ball to reach the variable winning means 28 side.

The condition under which the variable winning means 28 changes from the first state to the second state is not limited to the type of the stop symbol after the change of the special symbol display means 24 and the like. Therefore, the variable winning means 28 may be configured to change from the first state to the second state when some condition is satisfied during the game.
In addition, the present invention can be similarly applied to various types of ball game machines such as a pachinko machine, an arrangement ball machine, and a sparrow ball game machine.

[0051]

According to the present invention, during the predetermined time including part or all of the time when the variable winning means 28 is in the second state,
Launch means 10 operates at least once and variable winning means
Since there is provided the error determination means 39 for determining that there is no winning error on condition that there is no winning of the game ball to the game ball 28, the characteristic of the variable winning means 28 that the game ball is easy to win in the second state is described. By effectively utilizing, it is possible to detect a trouble between the launch rail 12 and the variable winning means 28 as well as a ball clogging in the ball feeding means as a no-prize error.

The error judging means 39 is configured not to judge that there is no prize-winning error when the firing means 10 has never actuated during the predetermined time. No error is determined.

Further, during a predetermined time including a part or all of the time when the variable winning means 28 is in the second state, the firing means 10
At least one game ball is fired from the player and variable winning means
Since there is provided the error determination means 39 for determining that there is no winning error on condition that there is no winning of the game ball to the game ball 28, the characteristic of the variable winning means 28 that the game ball is easy to win in the second state is described. By effectively utilizing, it is possible to detect a trouble leading to the variable winning means 28 as a no-prize error.

The error judging means 39 is configured not to judge that there is no winning error when no game ball is fired from the firing means 10 during a predetermined time.
When the launching means 10 is stopped and there is no game ball on the launch rail 12, for example, there is no erroneous determination that there is no prize-winning error.

Since the maximum time during which the variable winning means 28 enters the second state is set in advance, it is possible to determine the presence or absence of a trouble at the latest by the elapse of the maximum time, and limit the determination time to the preset maximum time.

Further, since there is provided the error notifying means 40 for notifying a no-prize error in response to the error signal from the error judging means 39, the hall manager or the like can notify the presence or absence of a trouble.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway front view of a ball game machine showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partially broken perspective view of a variable winning means according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a partially cutaway front view of a ball game machine showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 6 Gaming board 10 Launch means 21 Gaming area 28 Variable winning means 39 Error determination means 40 Error notification means

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A launch means (10) for launching a game ball to a game area (21) of a game board (6), and disposed in the game area (21) and falling in the game area (21). In a ball game machine provided with a variable winning means (28) capable of changing between a first state in which a winning game ball cannot be won and a second state in which a winning is possible, the variable winning means (28) During a predetermined time including a part or the whole of the state, the launching means (10) operates at least once and there is no winning of a game ball to the variable winning means (28). A ball game machine comprising an error determining means (39) for determining a no-prize error. 2. The error judging means (39) is configured so as not to judge the no-prize error when the firing means (10) has never operated during the predetermined time. The ball game machine according to claim 1. 3. A launching means (10) for launching a game ball to a game area (21) of a game board (6), and disposed in said game area (21) and falling in said game area (21). In a ball game machine provided with a variable winning means (28) capable of changing between a first state in which a winning game ball cannot be won and a second state in which a winning is possible, the variable winning means (28) During a predetermined time including a part or the whole of the state, at least one game ball is fired from the firing means (10) and the variable prize means (28)
A ball game machine comprising an error determination means (39) for determining a no-prize error on condition that there is no winning of a game ball. 4. The error judging means (39) is configured not to judge that there is no prize error when no game ball is fired from the firing means (10) during the predetermined time. The ball game machine according to claim 3, wherein 5. The ball game machine according to claim 1, wherein a maximum time of the variable winning means (28) in the second state is set in advance. 6. An error notification means (40) for receiving an error signal from the error determination means (39) and notifying the no-prize error. Ball game machine.