JP2001239030A - Prize ball delivering device for pachinko machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To accurately control the prize ball number information with a hall computer. SOLUTION: A main controller 4 outputs a command including the prize ball instructed delivery number corresponding to the prize ball detection signal from a winning detecting switch 3 to a ball delivery controller 20 and outputs prize ball number information for each prescribed unit number of the prize ball instructed delivery number to the hall computer 50. The ball delivery controller 20 controls a prize ball deliver mechanism section 30 based on the prize ball instructed delivery number in the command, and the prize ball delivery mechanism section 30 delivers prize balls 47. The main controller 4 and the ball delivery controller 20 control the prize ball delivery number based on the signal from a prize ball detecting switch 40, and the ball delivery controller 20 stops the prize ball delivery action by the prize ball delivery mechanism section 30 when the difference between the prize ball instructed delivery number and the prize ball delivery number becomes zero.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a game ball which is fired by a player's operation and automatically wins a set number of prize balls corresponding to the prize when the sphere wins a prize hole provided on a game board. The present invention relates to a prize ball dispensing device for a pachinko machine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a pachinko machine prize ball payout device disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 2519683, a game ball fired by a player's operation wins a prize hole provided in a game board, and a main control portion is provided. The prize ball instruction payout number set corresponding to the winning is output to the ball payout control section, and the ball payout control section electrically controls the prize ball payout mechanism section based on the prize ball instruction payout number, and the prize ball payout. The mechanism pays out the prize ball.

[0003]

However, in the above-described prize ball dispensing apparatus of the conventional pachinko machine, the prize ball detection switch of the prize ball dispensing mechanism section detects a signal that detects a prize ball dispensed from the prize ball dispensing mechanism section. The main control unit or the ball payout control unit outputs the information to the main control unit or the ball payout control unit as the prize ball quantity information for each predetermined unit number of the prize ball payout number generated from the prize ball detection signal from the prize ball detection switch. In this configuration, one pulse is output to a hall computer. That is, the management of the prize ball quantity information output from the pachinko machine to the hall computer is the exit management.
Therefore, for example, the time lag between winning and the output of the prize ball quantity information increases due to the fact that the prize ball payout in the prize ball payout mechanism section has not ended even though the big hit game has ended, and the prize ball Quantity information may not be managed accurately.

Therefore, the present invention manages the award ball quantity information at the entrance, thereby reducing the time lag between the winning and the output of the award ball quantity information, and the award ball payout of a pachinko machine capable of accurately managing the award ball quantity information. An apparatus is provided.

[0005]

According to the present invention, a prize ball detecting switch for detecting a prize ball winning a prize port, and a prize ball instruction payout number corresponding to a prize ball detection signal input from the prize ball detection switch. In a prize ball payout device of a pachinko machine having a control unit for controlling a prize ball payout mechanism, the control unit outputs prize ball quantity information means for outputting prize ball quantity information for each predetermined unit quantity of the prize ball instruction payout number. It is characterized by having. Therefore, according to the present invention, the prize ball quantity information means outputs the prize ball quantity information for each predetermined unit quantity of the prize ball instruction payout number corresponding to the prize ball detection signal from the prize detection switch, thereby obtaining the prize ball quantity information. The information becomes the entrance management, the time lag between the winning and the output of the winning ball quantity information is reduced, and the winning ball quantity information can be managed accurately. Further, in the present invention, the control unit is separated into a main control unit that controls the entire game and a ball payout control unit that controls the prize ball payout mechanism by a command output in one direction from the main control unit. If the main control unit is provided with the prize ball quantity information means, even if the control unit is divided into the main control unit and the ball payout control unit, the time lag between winning and the prize ball quantity information output is further reduced. be able to. Further, in the present invention, the control unit includes a main control unit that controls the entire game, and a ball payout control unit that controls the prize ball payout mechanism by a command output in one direction from the main control unit. If the ball payout control section is provided with the prize ball quantity information means, the burden on the main control section can be reduced.

[0006]

1 to 4 show a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 shows a prize ball payout control of a pachinko machine.
2 shows a configuration of a prize ball instruction command, FIG. 3 shows a configuration of a command other than a prize ball instruction, and FIG. 4 shows a timing chart of prize ball quantity information output.

Referring to FIG. 1, the award ball payout apparatus will be described. Reference numeral 1 denotes a winning opening provided on the front of the game board. There are a plurality or a plurality of types of winning openings called a general winning opening, a starting opening, a variable winning opening, and the like. Have been. Reference numeral 2 denotes a winning ball that has won the winning opening 1. In the case of the first embodiment, ten prize balls 47 are paid out in the general winning opening every time one prize ball 2 wins. Every time one winning ball 2 wins, five starting balls 47 are paid out, and the starting port is provided with a display such as a liquid crystal, an LED, a CRT, a plasma display, or the like provided as a center role on the game board. The symbol change game starts. However, if a prize ball 2 wins at the starting port during one game on the display, a predetermined number such as four is stored and stored every time the symbol change game on the display is completed. In the range of the stored number, the symbol change game on the display is repeated. Each time the combination of symbols stopped at the end of one symbol change game on the display matches the predetermined combination, the variable winning opening opens in a form that allows a ball to easily enter. The variable winning opening is also called a large winning opening, and each time one winning ball 2 enters, 15 winning balls 4
7 is paid out. However, if one of the conditions is satisfied, that is, ten winning balls 2 are inserted while the variable winning opening is opened once or a predetermined time such as 30 seconds has elapsed since the opening, the variable winning opening is changed. Closes. The relationship between the winning, the game, and the prize ball payout is determined by electrically controlling the main control unit 4 that electrically controls the entire game of the pachinko machine and the prize ball payout mechanism unit 30 by an electric instruction from the main control unit 4. Is controlled by the ball payout control unit 20 that performs the control.

Reference numeral 3 denotes a winning ball detection switch, which outputs a winning ball detection signal to the main control unit 4 each time a winning ball 2 having won the winning opening 1 is detected. The winning ball detection switch 3 is constituted by a sensor such as a proximity switch, and is turned on in response to the winning ball 2. However, it does not easily react to the piano wire inserted into the winning opening 1, thereby preventing fraud. It is a form.
The prize ball detection switch 3 may be provided for each system of the number of prize balls paid out. However, if provided for each of the prize holes 1, the number of the prize balls 2 winning the prize port 1 and the prize ball detection signal The consistency with the number of is improved. That is, when the prize ball detection switch 3 is provided corresponding to the system of the number of prize balls to be paid out, the plurality of prize balls 2 which have won the prize holes 1 divide the plurality of prize holes 1 into systems of the number of prize balls to be paid out. The operation of the prize ball detection switch 3, which flows down the system passage in a daisy chain, and separates and detects the connected prize balls 2 one by one, does not work correctly, and the prize ball detection switch 3 sets the plurality of prize balls to one. There is a high possibility of erroneous detection. On the other hand, when the prize ball detection switch 3 is provided for each prize port 1, there are few cases in which a plurality of prize balls 2 are simultaneously prized in one prize port 1, and a plurality of prize balls are provided in one prize port 1. Even if two prizes are won simultaneously, it is extremely rare that the beads are connected while moving the distance from the winning opening 1 to the prize ball detection switch 3, and the prize ball detection switch 3 accurately detects the prize balls 2 one by one. Because you can.

The main control section 4 and the ball payout control section 20 are individually provided with microcomputers each comprising a CPU, a ROM and a RAM. When the winning ball detection signal from the winning ball detection switch 3 is input via the wiring and the input interface, the microcomputer of the main control section 4
Based on the program set in the RAM, input processing, error processing, symbol control processing,
A game process of the entire game such as a prize ball control process, external information processing, and a command set process is executed, and a command as a result of the process is transmitted to the ball payout control unit 20 via the output interface and the wiring, a special symbol (not shown). The information is output in one direction to a control unit, an indicator light control unit (not shown), a sound effect control unit (not shown), and a ball emission control unit (not shown). These main control unit 4 and ball payout control unit 2
0, the special symbol control unit, the indicator light control unit, the sound effect control unit, and the ball launch control unit are divided by function.

[0010] In particular, the main control unit 4 is a winning ball detection switch 3
The command which is identification information including the winning ball instruction payout number corresponding to the prize ball detection signal inputted from the main control unit 4 is transmitted to the ball payout control unit 20 via a signal line. In this embodiment, the winning ball payout mechanism 30 is electrically controlled via the signal line based on the decoded number of the winning ball instruction payouts, and the main control unit 4 employs a sealing circuit case, a security CPU, etc. Preventive measures can be taken.

The main control unit 4 includes a winning detection unit 5, a prize ball instruction payout number counting unit 6, a command output unit 7, a prize ball instruction remaining number counting unit 8, a prize ball quantity information unit 9, and an error detection unit 10.
Is provided. The ball payout control unit 20 includes a command decoding unit 2
1. A prize ball payout instruction means 22 and a prize ball remaining number counting means 23 are provided. The winning ball payout mechanism 30 includes a winning ball payout passage 31, a winning ball payout actuator 32, and a passage opening / closing member 33.
The prize ball payout actuator 32 can use either an electromagnetic solenoid or a stepping motor. However, when a stepping motor is used, a drive pulse signal of the stepping motor is used as a prize ball detection signal output from the prize ball detection switch 40. The award ball detection switch 40 can be omitted. The prize ball detection switch 40 outputs a prize ball detection signal to the main control unit 4 and the ball payout control unit 20 via the relay board 48 every time the prize ball 47 paid out from the prize ball payout mechanism unit 30 is detected. The prize ball detection switch 40 is set to the prize ball payout mechanism 3
Since the prize ball detecting switch 40 is provided in the prize ball payout passage 31 on the upstream side of the 0 path opening / closing member 33, the prize ball detection switch 40 detects the prize ball 47 immediately before being paid out from the prize ball payout mechanism unit 30,
The time lag between the prize ball payout operation of the prize ball payout actuator 32 and the detection operation of the prize ball detection switch 40 can be eliminated.

Reference numeral 41 denotes a tank connected to the upstream side of the prize ball payout passage 31 for storing prize balls 47; 42, a supply confirmation switch for confirming whether or not there is a supply ball in the tank 41; 43, a passage opening / closing member 33; A prize ball preparation detection switch 44 for confirming whether or not a prize ball 47 to be paid out is prepared higher than both of the prize ball detection switches 40 receives the prize ball 47 paid out from the prize ball payout passage 31. Plate, 45
Is a lower plate for receiving the prize balls 47 overflowing from the upper plate 44, and 46 is for detecting that the prize balls 47 flowing down from the upper plate 44 to the lower plate 45 and overflowing into the prize ball payout mechanism 30. This is an overflow detection switch. When the replenishment confirmation switch 42 is not detected, the main controller 4 outputs a replenishment request to the hall computer 50 via an external information board (not shown) provided on the back side of the pachinko machine. When the condition that the prize ball preparation detection switch 43 is in the detection state and the overflow detection switch 46 is in the non-detection state are simultaneously satisfied, the main control unit 4 determines that a prize ball is possible and sends a prize ball permission command to the ball payout control unit 20. Send out. 48 is the main control unit 4
And a relay board provided separately from the ball payout control unit 20 and outside thereof, and has a connector for branching the wiring of the prize ball detection switch 40 and distributing it to the main control unit 4 and the ball payout control unit 20. Substrate. Winning ball detection switch 3
Prize ball detection switch 40 and prize ball preparation detection switch 43
Is a non-contact type that can directly detect the passing of the prize balls 47 one by one without passing through a movable mechanism.

In the case of the first embodiment, a game ball fired by a player's operation wins one of the plurality of winning openings 1 and the winning ball detection switch 3 detects a winning ball detection signal obtained by detecting the winning ball 2. Output to the main control unit 4. As a result, first, the prize detecting means 5 determines which of the plurality of prize ball detection switches 3 the prize ball detection signal is input from, and transfers the result of the determination to the prize ball instruction payout number counting means 6. . The prize ball instruction payout number counting means 6 determines the prize ball instruction payout number corresponding to the prize ball detection signal based on the determination result from the prize detection means 5.
Is extracted and added (counted up) from the plurality of prize ball instruction payout numbers set in, and the prize ball instruction payout number, which is the added value, is transferred to the command output means 7 and the prize ball quantity information means 9,
It subtracts the prize ball instruction payout number corresponding to the transfer of its own added value. The command output means 7 generates a command including the prize ball instruction payout number, outputs the generated command to the ball payout control section 20, and transfers the prize ball instruction payout number to the prize ball instruction remaining number counting means 8. The prize ball instruction remaining number counting means 8 is incremented by the prize ball instruction payout number.
The prize ball quantity information means 9 adds the prize ball instruction payout number transferred from the prize ball instruction payout number counting means 6, and mainly controls the prize ball quantity information for each predetermined unit quantity of the prize ball instruction payout number which is the added value. Part 4
Is output to the hall computer 50 via the external information board irrespective of or in association with the command transmission to the ball dispensing control unit 20 from the server, and subtracts its own added value by a predetermined unit quantity.

Next, in the ball payout control unit 20, the command decoding unit 21 decodes the command from the main control unit 4, converts the number of payout ball instruction payouts in the command from the command data, and converts it into the prize ball payout instruction unit 22. Then, it is transferred to the prize ball remaining number counting means 23. The prize ball remaining number counting means 23 is added by the prize ball instruction payout number. The prize ball payout instructing means 22 is based on the prize ball payout number and is based on the prize ball payout actuator 32 of the prize ball payout mechanism 30.
Is electrically controlled. As a result, the passage opening / closing member 33 is opened only while the prize ball designated payout number of balls pass through the prize ball payout passage 31, and the prize ball 47 is paid out from the tank 41 to the upper plate 44. Then, every time the prize ball detection switch 40 detects the prize ball 47 to be paid out, it outputs a prize ball detection signal corresponding to the number of prize ball payouts to the main control unit 4 and the ball payout control unit 20. The prize ball instruction remaining number counting means 8 and the prize ball remaining number counting means 23 subtract the prize ball payout number which is the prize ball detection signal. then,
When the count value of the prize ball remaining number counting means 23 becomes zero, the prize ball payout instruction means 22 executes a stop control of the ball payout, the prize ball payout actuator 32 stops, and the passage opening / closing member 33 moves the prize ball payout passage. 31 is closed and the prize ball payout mechanism 30
The prize ball payout operation is stopped.

During the processing from the winning to the payout of the prize ball, the error detecting means 10 determines the prize which is the count value of the prize ball instruction remaining number counting means 8 within a predetermined time after the start of the prize ball control processing in the main control section 4. When the remaining number of ball indications is a positive number that does not become zero, a prize ball shortage error is detected, and the positive number of remaining prize ball indications is compared with a predetermined insufficiency level determination value. The number of errors corresponds to one of a plurality of different levels of missing error levels. The error detecting means 10 detects a prize ball excess error when the prize ball instruction remaining number which is the count value in the prize ball instruction remaining number counting means 8 becomes a negative number smaller than zero not including zero. A certain award ball instruction remaining number is compared with a preset excess level determination value, and it is discriminated which one of a plurality of different levels of the excess error number that the negative excess error number corresponds to. Then, the error detection means 10 transmits a prize ball prohibition command or a firing prohibition command to the ball payout control unit 20 by a shortage error level signal or an excess error level signal, and transmits a display error command to a special symbol control unit or a display outside the figure. This is transmitted to the light control unit and the sound effect control unit.

Referring to FIG. 2, the prize ball instruction command output from the main control unit 4 to the ball payout control unit 20 will be described. The prize ball instruction command is 8 bits, the most significant bit D7 is the type of command, and the most significant bit D7
Is "0", it is an award ball instruction command. The least significant bit D0 to the seventh bit D6 in the award ball instruction command
Indicates the number of winning ball instruction payouts from 1 to 127. However, for the purpose of fraud prevention, for example, up to 50 conditions can be provided.

Referring to FIG. 3, commands other than the prize ball instruction output from the main control unit 4 to the ball payout control unit 20 will be described. The command other than the prize ball instruction is 8 bits, and the most significant bit D7 is the type of the command.
When 7 is "1", the command is a command other than the award ball instruction. The function corresponding to the least significant bit D0 to the third bit D3 in the command other than the award ball instruction indicates the corresponding function. Least significant bit D
When 0 is "1", it indicates a prize ball prohibition set, when the first place bit D1 is "1", it indicates a prize ball prohibition release (prize ball permission) set, and when the second place bit D2 is "1". The case indicates a firing permission set, and the third bit D3 of "1" indicates a firing prohibition set.

Referring to FIG. 4, the timing related to the output of the prize ball quantity information will be described. The main control unit 4 calculates an added value of the prize ball instruction payout number based on the prize ball detection signal, and whenever the added value exceeds a predetermined unit number, subtracts a predetermined unit number from the added value, and obtains prize ball quantity information. Output one. For example, if the predetermined unit number is set to “10”, and if the number of prize ball instruction payouts due to the winning shown in FIG. A at time t1 is 5, the added value shown in FIG. B at time t1 is “5”. It is. Then, at time t2, if the number of prize ball instructions paid out by the next winning shown in FIG. A is ten, the addition value shown in FIG. B at that time t2 is “5 + 10 = 15”. Since the addition value at the time t2 is equal to or larger than the predetermined number of units, the addition value shown in FIG. B is subtracted as 15-10 = 5, and the prize ball quantity information S1 shown in FIG. Further, at time t4
In the case where the number of awarded ball instructions paid out by further winning shown in FIG. A is fifteen, the added value shown in FIG. B at time t4 is “5 + 15 = 20”. Since the sum at time t4 is twice the predetermined number of units, the sum shown in FIG.
-10-10 = 0 is subtracted, and prize ball quantity information S2; S3 shown in FIG. C is output at time t4; t6. Fall time t3 of winning ball quantity information S1 and winning ball quantity information S2
The interval between the rise time t4 of the prize ball quantity information S2 and the interval between the fall time t5 of the prize ball quantity information S3 and the rise time t6 of the prize ball quantity information S3 are determined by the hall computer 50 based on the prize ball quantity information from the main control unit 4. The time is set to be equal to or longer than the scan time of the hall computer 50 because it is necessary to accurately confirm the zero level.

According to the first embodiment, in a pachinko machine in which the main control unit 4 sends a one-way command to the ball payout control unit 20 whose function is divided, the main control unit 4 generates a prize ball instruction payout number. The prize ball quantity information is transmitted to the hall computer 50 for each predetermined unit of the generated prize ball instruction payout number, and a command including the generated prize ball instruction payout number is transmitted to the ball payout control unit 20. Upon receiving the command, the ball payout control section 20 electrically controls the prize ball payout mechanism section 30 based on the number of prize ball payouts in the command.
0 transmits a prize ball detection signal that has detected the prize ball 47 paid out from the prize ball payout mechanism unit 30 to the main control unit 4 and the ball payout control unit 20. The prize ball instruction remaining number counting means 8 of the main control section 4 adds the prize ball instruction payout number by receiving the command from the main control section 4 and detects the prize ball input from the prize ball detection switch 40. By subtracting the prize ball payout number corresponding to the signal, the main control unit 4 counts and manages the prize ball payout number paid out from the prize ball payout mechanism unit 30. The prize ball remaining number counting means 23 of the ball payout control section 20 adds the prize ball instruction payout number according to the command input from the main control section 4 and adds the prize ball detection signal input from the prize ball detection switch 40 to the prize ball detection signal. By subtracting the corresponding prize ball payout number, the ball payout control section 20 performs counting management of the prize ball payout number paid out from the prize ball payout mechanism section 30. Further, a main control section 4 having a prize ball quantity information means 9 is provided on the back of the game board, and a ball payout control section 20 is provided.
Is provided on the frame on which the game board is exchangeably mounted, by replacing the game board of the old model with the game board of the new model for the frame by changing the model, the prize ball quantity information means 9 is also provided in the main control unit. 4, the predetermined unit quantity of the prize ball quantity information means 9 in the main control section 4 attached to the new type of game board is replaced with the main control section 4 attached to the old type of game board.
If the value is set to a value different from the predetermined unit quantity of the prize ball quantity information means 9, the predetermined unit quantity of the prize ball quantity information means 9 can be changed with replacement of the old and new game boards. Further, if the main control unit 4 provided with the award ball quantity information means 9 is provided on the back of the game board and the ball payout control unit 20 is provided on a frame on which the game board is exchangeably mounted, the main body is replaced by the model. On the other hand, even if an old model game board is replaced with a new model game board, the ball payout control unit 20 can be used as a common component.

FIG. 5 shows prize ball payout control of a pachinko machine according to a second embodiment of the present invention. In the second embodiment, the prize ball quantity information means 9 is deleted from the main control section 4 and the prize ball quantity information means 24 is added to the prize ball payout control section 20. The decoded prize ball instruction payout number is added, and prize ball quantity information is output to the hall computer 50 via the external information board for each predetermined unit quantity of the prize ball instruction payout number, which is the added value, and the self-addition is performed. Subtracts the value by the given unit quantity. That is, since the prize ball quantity information means 9 has been deleted from the main control unit 4, the prize ball instruction payout number counting means 6 only has to transfer the prize ball instruction payout number to the command output means 7, and the main control unit 4 Burden is reduced.

FIG. 6 shows prize ball payout control of a pachinko machine according to a third embodiment of the present invention. In the third embodiment, since the control unit 25 is formed as an aggregate of the main control unit 4 and the ball payout control unit 20, the command output unit 7, the prize ball instruction remaining number counting unit 8 , The command decoding means 21 can be eliminated. The prize ball instruction payout number counting means 11 extracts the prize ball instruction payout number corresponding to the prize ball detection signal from the plurality of prize ball instruction payout numbers set in the main controller 4 based on the determination result from the prize detection means 5. The prize ball instruction payout number, which is the added value, is transferred to the prize ball payout instruction means 22 and the prize ball quantity information means 9, and only the prize ball instruction payout number corresponding to the transferred value of the own is transferred. Subtract.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a table showing a configuration of a prize ball instruction command according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a table showing a configuration of a command other than a prize ball instruction according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a timing chart of prize ball quantity information output of the first embodiment.

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

FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram showing a third embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS 1 winning opening 2 winning ball 3 winning ball detecting switch 4 main control unit 6 winning ball instruction payout number counting means 7 command output means 20 ball payout control unit 21 command decoding means 23 winning ball remaining number counting means 24 winning ball quantity information means 25 Control unit 30 Prize ball payout mechanism

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A prize ball payout mechanism section is controlled by a prize ball detection switch for detecting a prize ball winning a prize port, and a prize ball instruction payout number corresponding to a prize ball detection signal input from the prize ball detection switch. A prize ball payout device for a pachinko machine having a control unit, wherein the control unit comprises prize ball quantity information means for outputting prize ball quantity information for each predetermined unit quantity of the prize ball instruction payout number. Prize ball dispensing device. 2. The control section is divided into a main control section for controlling the entire game and a ball payout control section for controlling a prize ball payout mechanism section by a command output in one direction from the main control section, 2. The prize ball payout device for a pachinko machine according to claim 1, wherein a prize ball quantity information means is provided in the main control unit. 3. The control section is divided into a main control section for controlling the entire game and a ball payout control section for controlling the prize ball payout mechanism section by a command output in one direction from the main control section, 2. The prize ball payout device for a pachinko machine according to claim 1, wherein the ball payout control section is provided with a prize ball quantity information means.