JP2005040471A - Game machine - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a game machine which can accurately detect game balls flowing down on a ball path. <P>SOLUTION: A bounce out part 10 which makes the game balls P bounce out within the ball path 30 is provided in the course of the ball path 30 where the game balls P flow down. A detection switch 20 for detecting the game balls P is provided near the inner wall of the ball path 30 which the game balls P bouncing out of the bounce out part 10 contacts with impacts. The bounce out part 10 is formed by bending the ball path 30. The width of the ball path 30 positioned on the downstream side of the bounce out part 10 is made larger than that on the upstream side thereof. A buffer member 80 which receives the game balls P to absorb the impacts is disposed on the inner wall of the ball path 30 which the game balls P bouncing out of the bounce out part 10 contact with impacts. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a gaming machine provided with a ball passage through which game balls flow down.

  A gaming machine represented by a pachinko machine has a ball passage for allowing game balls stored in a ball tank to flow down toward the upper plate, and a ball payout for paying out game balls in the middle of the ball passage. A device is provided.

  In addition, a ball detector is disposed in a ball passage located downstream of the ball payout device, and a game ball flowing down in the ball passage is detected by the ball detector, thereby operating the ball payout device to obtain a predetermined value. A number of game balls are paid out.

  In a conventional pachinko machine having such a configuration, the game ball flows down in a substantially vertical direction in the ball passage on the downstream side of the ball dispensing device, so the flow speed of the game ball is high, and the ball detector There was a possibility that the game ball could not be detected reliably.

  In order to solve such a problem, a speed reduction means for decelerating the game ball is provided in the ball path for allowing the game ball to flow down in a substantially vertical direction, and all the game balls flowing down the ball path are reliably detected. A gaming machine is disclosed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-813

  However, since the ball path of the conventional pachinko machine is set to a minimum width that allows the game ball to flow down without clogging, the flow speed of the game ball is reduced by the speed reduction means. The spheres flow down in a chain of beads. Therefore, the ball detector cannot detect the break of the game balls, and the number of detected game balls becomes too small, and there is a possibility that more game balls are paid out than the set number.

  Such a problem can be solved by setting the width of the portion of the ball passage where the game ball is detected by at least the ball detector to be sufficiently wide. Such a spherical passage will be described with reference to the schematic diagram shown in FIG. That is, as shown in FIG. 5, a spherical passage 300 extending in a substantially vertical direction is connected to the lower side of the spherical dispensing device 400. When the width of the ball passage 300 is set sufficiently wide, the game balls P are not scattered in the ball passage 300, and the game balls P do not flow down in a continuous manner in the ball passage 300.

  However, when the width of the ball passage 300 is set to be sufficiently wide, the flow path of the game ball P is not constant, and the game ball P does not always flow down the same path. For this reason, the game ball P may flow down at a position away from the ball detector 200. In this case, the game ball P cannot be reliably detected.

  In particular, when a proximity sensor is used as the ball detector 200, if the game ball P flows down a position away from the proximity sensor, the game ball P cannot be reliably detected. When an optical sensor is used as the ball detector 200, the game ball P cannot be reliably detected if the game ball P flows down from the detection position of the optical sensor.

  The present invention has been proposed in view of the above-described circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a gaming machine capable of reliably detecting a gaming ball flowing down a ball passage.

  The gaming machine according to the present invention has the following features in order to achieve the above-described object. In addition, although the specific application example is shown with reference to the code | symbol attached | subjected to drawing about each component of the gaming machine which concerns on this invention, each component is not limited to these.

That is, the gaming machine according to the present invention is a gaming machine (for example, a pachinko machine 100) provided with a ball passage (30) through which a gaming ball (P) flows down.
In the middle of the ball passage (30), a jumping portion (10) for jumping out the game ball (P) inside the ball passage (30) is provided.
Detection means (detection switches 20 and 70) for detecting the game ball (P) is provided in the vicinity of the inner wall of the ball passage (30) where the game ball (P) that has jumped out from the jump-out portion (10) comes into contact. It is characterized by.

  In the gaming machine having such a configuration, after the game ball (P) flowing down the ball passage (30) jumps out of the flying portion (10) and hits the inner wall of the ball passage (30), the ball passage ( 30) Flow down inside. At this time, the game ball (P) that has jumped out of the jumping section (10) naturally falls while drawing a parabola, hits the substantially same position on the inner wall of the ball passage (30), and detection means (detection switches 20, 70). ) Is detected.

  Thus, when the game ball (P) naturally falls while drawing a parabola, the flow speed of the game ball (P) becomes faster on the downstream side than on the upstream side of the flying portion (10). Therefore, even if the game balls (P) are connected in a daisy chain on the upstream side of the projecting portion (10), the game balls (P) and the game balls (P) are in contact with the inner wall of the ball passage (30). As a result, a slight interval is generated between the two and the game balls (P) flowing down in the ball passage (30).

  Further, since the game ball (P) that has jumped out of the jumping portion (10) always hits almost the same position on the inner wall of the ball passage (30), detection means (detection switches 20, 70) are located in the vicinity of the hitting position. ), Even if the width of the ball passage (30) is wide, the detection failure of the game ball (P) does not occur.

  The gaming machine according to the present invention is characterized in that, in addition to the above configuration, the jumping portion (10) is formed by bending the ball passage (30).

  In the gaming machine having such a configuration, since the ball passage (30) is bent in the flying portion (10), the flow-down speed of the gaming ball (P) can be reduced, and the detection means (detection switch 20). , 70), the game ball (P) can be detected more reliably.

  In addition to the above-described configuration, the gaming machine according to the present invention receives and impacts the game ball (P) on the inner wall of the ball passage (30) with which the game ball (P) that has jumped out of the jump-out portion (10) comes into contact. The shock absorbing member (80) which absorbs is arrange | positioned, It is characterized by the above-mentioned.

  In the gaming machine having such a configuration, the impact of the game ball (P) is absorbed by the buffer member (80) on the inner wall of the ball passage (30) with which the game ball (P) abuts, so that the ball passage (30 ) Damage can be prevented. Moreover, since the flow-down speed of the game ball (P) can be further reduced by the buffer member (80), all of the game balls (P) can be detected more reliably.

According to the gaming machine of the present invention, the game ball is ejected from the projecting portion provided in the middle of the ball passage, and the game ball is detected by the detecting means disposed in the vicinity of the inner wall of the ball passage where the game ball comes into contact. To do.
Therefore, even if the game balls are connected in a daisy chain on the upstream side of the projecting part, there is a slight gap between the game balls and the game balls at the part where the game balls that have ejected from the projecting part come into contact with each other. It becomes possible to reliably detect all the game balls flowing down inside.

  In addition, since the game ball that has jumped out from the jumping portion is always detected by the detecting means in contact with the almost same position on the inner wall of the ball passage, even if the ball passage is wide, there is no detection loss of the game ball. It does not occur.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
1 to 4 show an example when the present invention is applied to a pachinko machine. FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a ball passage in the vicinity of the ball paying device, and FIG. 2 is a jumping out according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a projecting portion according to the second embodiment, and FIG. 4 is a rear view of the pachinko machine.

<Pachinko machine>
As shown in FIG. 4, the pachinko machine 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention has a ball tank 110 for storing the game ball P at an upper portion thereof, and is directed from the ball tank 110 toward the upper plate and the lower plate. A ball passage 30 through which the game ball P flows down is provided, and a ball dispensing device 40 is provided in the middle of the ball passage 30.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the ball passage 30 on the downstream side of the ball dispensing device 40 branches into a rental ball dispensing passage 31 and a prize ball dispensing passage 32, and both passages 31, 32 are provided at the branching point. A ball passage switching device 50 for selectively switching is provided.

  Although not shown in the drawings, on the front side of the pachinko machine 100, a game board provided with a game unit, an upper plate and a lower plate for storing the game ball P, and a launch handle for adjusting the launch force of the game ball P Etc. are arranged.

<Ball delivery device>
The ball payout device 40 and the ball path switching device 50 will be described in more detail with reference to FIG.

  As described above, the ball passage 30 branches into the rental ball payout passage 31 and the prize ball payout passage 32 along the way. As shown in FIG. 1, the ball payout device 40 provided above the branch portion of the ball passage 30 temporarily dams the game balls P flowing down the ball passage 30 and separates them into a predetermined number to flow down. A sprocket 44, a regulating piece 42 for regulating the rotation of the sprocket 44, a ball dispensing solenoid 41 for driving the regulating piece 42, and a spring 43 for projecting the regulating piece 42 toward the sprocket 44. .

  In the state where the game ball P is not paid out, the ball payout device 40 engages the sprocket 44 by the urging force of the spring 43 and restricts the rotation of the sprocket 44. Further, in the state where the game ball P is paid out, the regulating piece 42 is attracted by the solenoid against the biasing force of the spring 43, and the regulating piece 42 is separated from the sprocket 44 so that the sprocket 44 can be rotated. Then, when paying out the winning ball or lending the game ball P to the player, the ball paying solenoid 41 operates based on a signal from a control device (not shown), and the sprocket 44 is operated by the regulating piece 42. A predetermined number of game balls P are paid out by restricting the rotation or permitting the rotation.

<Ball passage switching device>
Further, the ball passage switching device 50 provided below the branch portion of the ball passage 30 selectively closes either the rental ball payout passage 31 or the prize ball payout passage 32 as shown in FIG. Further, a flapper 53 for switching the ball path 30, a ball path switching solenoid 51 for driving the flapper 53, and a connecting member 52 for connecting the flapper 53 and the ball path switching solenoid 51 are provided. Then, when paying out the winning ball or lending the game ball P to the player, the ball path switching solenoid 51 operates based on a signal from a control device (not shown), via the connecting member 52. By changing the position of the flapper 53, the flow path of the game ball P is switched between the rental ball payout passage 31 and the prize ball payout passage 32.

That is, when the game ball P is lent to the player, the prize ball payout passage 32 is closed by the flapper 53 so that the game ball P flows down to the loan ball payout passage 31 side and the prize ball is paid out. The ball rental payout passage 31 is closed by the flapper 53 so that the game ball P flows down to the prize ball payout passage 32 side.
Note that the ball rental payout passage 31 is provided with a detection sensor 60 for detecting the game ball P flowing down the ball payout payout passage 31.

<Projection part>
The winning ball payout passage 32 is provided with a flying portion 10 which is a main component of the present invention.
First, with reference to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, schematic structure of the protrusion part 10 is demonstrated.

<First Embodiment>
In the first embodiment, as schematically shown in FIG. 2, the flying portion 10 is formed by bending the ball passage 30 on the downstream side of the ball dispensing device 40 in two stages. In the example shown in FIG. 2, the ball passage 30 immediately below the ball dispensing device 40 extends in a substantially vertical direction, and after the flow direction change unit 11 changes the flow direction of the game ball P to the right lateral direction, the game ball is again played. The flow direction of P is changed to a substantially vertical direction. The game ball P is once decelerated in a state where the flow direction is changed by the flow direction changing unit 11 and the flow is flowing rightward.

  The width (b) of the spherical passage 30 on the downstream side of the flying portion 10 is set wider than the width (a) of the spherical passage 30 on the upstream side of the flying portion 10. For this reason, the game ball P that has jumped out of the jumping portion 10 naturally falls while drawing a parabola and collides with substantially the same position on the inner wall of the ball passage 30.

  In this way, when the game ball P naturally falls while drawing a parabola, the flow speed of the game ball P becomes faster on the downstream side than on the upstream side of the projecting portion 10 and comes into contact with the inner wall of the ball passage 30. In some cases, a slight space is generated between the game ball P and the game ball P.

  Further, a detection switch 20 including a proximity sensor for detecting the game ball P is disposed so as to be close to the inner wall of the ball passage 30 with which the game ball P jumped out from the jumping portion 10 comes into contact. The game ball P flowing down the ball passage 30 is reliably detected by the detection switch 20.

<Second Embodiment>
In the second embodiment, as schematically shown in FIG. 3, the flying portion 10 is formed by bending the ball passage 30 on the downstream side of the ball dispensing device 40 in two stages. In the example shown in FIG. 3, the ball passage 30 immediately below the ball dispensing device 40 extends in a substantially vertical direction, and after the flow direction changing unit 11 changes the flow direction of the game ball P to the right lateral direction, , The flow direction is changed to the reverse direction, and the flow direction of the game ball P is changed to a substantially vertical direction.

  Similarly to the first embodiment, the width (b) of the ball passage 30 on the downstream side of the projecting portion 10 is set wider than the width (a) of the ball passage 30 on the upstream side of the projecting portion 10. ing. For this reason, the game ball P that has jumped out of the jump-out portion 10 naturally falls while drawing a parabola, and the flow speed increases, so that the ball path is in a state where there is a slight gap between the game ball P and the game ball P. It hits almost the same position on the 30 inner walls.

  In addition, a detection switch 70 including an infrared sensor for detecting the game ball P is disposed on the inner wall of the ball passage 30 where the game ball P jumped out from the jump-out unit 10 flows down. The game ball P flowing down the ball passage 30 is reliably detected by the detection switch 70.

  In addition, the game ball P is placed on the bottom surface of the flow direction changing portion 11 where the game ball P discharged from the ball payout device 40 comes into contact and the inner wall of the ball passage 30 where the game ball P jumped out from the jump-out portion 10 comes into contact. Buffer members 80 and 90 are provided for receiving and absorbing the impact. The buffer members 80 and 90 are made of, for example, a rubber material.

  Since the impact of the game ball P flowing down the ball passage 30 and coming into contact with the flow direction changing portion 11 or the inner wall of the ball passage 30 is absorbed by the buffer members 80 and 90, the ball passage caused by the collision of the game balls P 30 damage can be prevented. In addition, the game ball P that has collided with the buffer members 80 and 90 has its flow-down speed reduced by the elastic force of the buffer members 80 and 90, so that the detection of the game ball P by the detection switch 20 is further ensured.

  The buffer members 80 and 90 are not provided on both the bottom surface of the flow direction changing portion 11 and the inner wall of the ball passage 30 where the game ball P jumped out from the jump portion 10 comes into contact, but the flow velocity of the game ball P is reduced. The buffer members 80 and 90 may be provided only at a fast part, or when the flow speed of the game ball P is sufficiently low, the buffer members 80 and 90 may not be provided.

<Specific example>
Next, with reference to FIG. 1, the specific structure of the protrusion part 10 is demonstrated.

  In the example shown in FIG. 1, the flying portion 10 is formed in the prize ball payout passage 32. That is, as shown in FIG. 1, the prize ball payout passage 32 bulges sideways, and a shelf piece that receives the game ball P and changes the flow direction in the bulged prize ball payout passage 32 is provided. The flow direction changing unit 11 is provided, and the leading end of the flow direction changing unit 11 is the flying unit 10. The game ball P is allowed to jump out from the flying portion 10 into the prize ball payout passage 32 on the downstream side. In addition, a detection switch 20 for detecting the game ball P is disposed so as to be close to the inner wall of the ball passage 30 where the game ball P jumped out from the jumping portion 10 comes into contact.

<Other embodiments>
In the embodiment described above, the pachinko machine 100 has been described as an example of a representative gaming machine. However, the present invention may be an arrangement ball gaming machine or the like as long as the gaming machine has a ball passage 30 through which the gaming ball P flows down. It can also be applied to other gaming machines.

  The detection switches 20 and 70 for detecting the game ball P may be any switches as long as the game ball P can be detected, and a piezoelectric sensor or the like may be used in addition to the proximity sensor and the infrared sensor. .

  Moreover, the site | part which forms the jumping-out part 10 is not restricted to the downstream part of the ball paying-out apparatus 40, What kind of position may be sufficient. For example, the jumping unit 10 is provided in a winning ball assembly cage that collects and flows down winning balls to the game club, and is close to the inner wall of the winning ball assembly cage that the winning ball jumping out of the flying unit 10 comes into contact with. A winning ball detection switch for detecting a winning ball can be provided.

The longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the ball channel | path near the ball paying apparatus in the gaming machine according to the embodiment of the present invention Schematic diagram of the projecting part according to the first embodiment Schematic diagram of the projecting part according to the second embodiment The rear view of the pachinko machine concerning the embodiment of the present invention Schematic diagram of conventional ball passage

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Jumping part 11 Flow direction change part 20,70,200 Detection switch 30,300 Ball passage 31 Rental ball paying path 32 Prize ball paying path 40,400 Ball paying device 41 Ball paying solenoid 42 Restriction piece 43 Spring 44 Sprocket 50 Ball Path switching device 51 Ball path switching solenoid 52 Connecting member 53 Flapper 60 Detection sensor 80, 90 Buffer member 100 Pachinko machine 110 Ball tank P Game ball

Claims (3)

In a gaming machine with a ball passage that allows game balls to flow down,
In the middle of the ball passage, a jumping portion for jumping out the game ball inside the ball passage is provided,
A gaming machine comprising a detecting means for detecting a game ball in the vicinity of an inner wall of a ball passage where the game ball jumping out from the jumping portion comes into contact.   The gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the projecting portion is formed by bending the ball passage.   3. A gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein a buffer member that receives the game ball and absorbs an impact is disposed on a ball passage inner wall against which the game ball that has jumped out of the projecting portion comes into contact.

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