JP2005168663A - Drop scattering preventor for game balls in game machine - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a drop scattering preventor for the game balls in the game machines which enables the accurate recovery of the game balls into a ball receiving container built on the installation frame base by exactly easing the dropping speed of the game balls discharged from a ball discharge path. <P>SOLUTION: The ball discharge path 15 is disposed at the lower part on the rear side of a pachinko game machine 10 and at the final end part 24 of the path extending vertically, a path component member 16 is provided to ease the dropping speed of the game balls S dropped and discharged through the final end part 24 of the path and a step part 26 is worked and formed at a site on the lower end side of the final end part 24 of the path. As a result, when dropping into the final end part 24 of the path, the game balls S contact the step part 26 to turn the drop direction toward the path component member 16. Thus, the contact of the game balls S with the path component member 16 works to ease the dropping speed of the game balls S and thereafter, the game balls S are dropped and discharged into the ball receiving container 17 built on the installation frame base E. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an apparatus for preventing fall of game balls in a game machine that prevents the fall of game balls that are dropped and discharged from the back side of the game machine.

  Conventionally, at the lower part of the back side of a pachinko gaming machine (hereinafter referred to as “gaming machine”), which is a type of gaming machine, a ball holder disposed on an installation frame base (commonly known as “island”) installed in the game hall A ball discharge passage for discharging game balls toward the container is formed. Then, through this ball discharge passage, the game balls that have entered each port (various winning ports, out ports, etc.) provided on the game board on the machine surface side are dropped into the ball receiving container from the back side of the machine. It was supposed to be collected. However, when the game ball that drops in the ball discharge passage vigorously falls and is discharged into the ball receiving container, it bounces off from the ball receiving container due to a drop impact force or the like, and scatters out of the ball receiving container. There was a fear. Therefore, in order to prevent the game balls from scattering outside the ball receiving container, for example, a game ball falling and scattering preventing device (scattering preventing mechanism) in a gaming machine as described in Patent Document 1 has been proposed.

  Now, a game ball fall-and-scatter prevention device (hereinafter referred to as “falling and scattering prevention device”) in the gaming machine described in Patent Document 1 is provided at a lower end portion (terminal portion) of the ball discharge passage (collective discharge passage). A flexible cylindrical passage component (guide regulating member) is attached, and a plurality of comb-shaped buffers are provided on the lower end side of the passage component to further improve flexibility. A restriction piece is formed. For this reason, when the game ball falls on the ball discharge passage, if the game ball comes into contact with the passage component member (each buffer regulation piece) due to the momentum of the game ball and the installation inclination angle of the game machine, the drop impact force ( The ball is dropped and discharged into the ball receiving container in a state where the dropping speed is reduced. Therefore, since the degree of rebounding of the game ball due to the fall into the ball receiving container is reduced, the scattering (jumping out) of the game ball to the outside of the ball receiving container is favorably suppressed.

On the other hand, when the game ball falling through the ball discharge passage does not contact the passage component (each buffering restriction piece) (that is, when the game ball is dropped and discharged vertically through the ball discharge passage), the drop impact force of the game ball (Falling speed) is not relaxed. However, in such a case, when the game ball falls into the ball receiving container and bounces back directly above, the game ball comes into contact with the passage component (each buffering restriction piece), and again downward (in the ball receiving container). Is described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-26883. In other words, it will be collected in the ball receiving container in the end.
Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 5-41583 (Claim 2, paragraph number [0009], FIG. 4)

  However, even in the case of the falling and scattering preventing device of Patent Document 1, there are still the following problems. That is, when the game ball is dropped and discharged into the ball receiving container without coming into contact with the passage component, the game ball whose fall speed is not reduced does not necessarily bounce up directly after falling into the ball receiving container. The contact member (each buffering restriction piece) does not always come into contact. In other words, among the game balls bounced back from the inside of the ball receiving container, the game balls that have not contacted the passage component member may be scattered (spilled out) outside the ball receiving container. For this reason, it has been difficult to say that this falling scattering prevention device can surely prevent the gaming balls from scattering outside the ball receiving container.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and its purpose is to install the game ball on the installation frame base by reliably reducing the falling speed of the game ball discharged from the ball discharge passage. An object of the present invention is to provide a device for preventing fall of a game ball in a gaming machine that can be reliably collected in a ball receiving container.

  In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the invention according to claim 1 is characterized in that a passage terminal portion provided in a ball discharge passage disposed in a lower part on the back side of a gaming machine so as to extend in the vertical direction is provided at the passage terminal end. When the game ball that is dropped and discharged through the section comes into contact with the game ball, the fall speed relaxation unit that relaxes the fall speed of the game ball, and the game ball that falls in the end of the passage comes into contact with the fall of the game ball A gist is provided with a drop direction changing section that changes the direction toward the direction in which the drop speed reducing section is provided.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the gaming ball fall / scattering prevention device in the gaming machine according to the first aspect, the drop speed relaxation portion has a predetermined shape attached to a passage end portion of the ball discharge passage. It is a passage constituent member to be formed, and the passage constituent member has a gist that the upper end portion is supported by the passage end portion.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the gaming machine fall prevention device according to the second aspect of the present invention, the passage component member is located on the back side of the gaming machine with respect to the passage end portion of the ball discharge passage The gist is that the attachment mode is detachable from the direction toward the machine front side.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the gaming ball drop scattering prevention device in the gaming machine according to any one of the first to third aspects, the drop speed reducing unit includes the drop direction changing unit. A ball contact surface with which the game ball whose fall direction has been changed comes into contact is formed, and the ball contact surface is formed in an oblique shape with a downward slope from the front side to the back side of the gaming machine. It is a summary.

  The invention according to claim 5 is the device for preventing falling of the game balls in the gaming machine according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the passage component member is attached to the passage component member. A locking portion that protrudes in the direction of the machine surface side of the gaming machine at a time, and the locking portion is attached in a state where the passage component member is attached to the passage end portion of the ball discharge passage. The gist is that it is formed so as to abut and engage with the passage wall of the passage end portion.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the gaming ball fall-and-scattering prevention device in the gaming machine according to any one of the second to fifth aspects, the passage component member is formed of a flexible material. It is a summary.

  The invention according to claim 7 is the apparatus for preventing fall of the game ball in the gaming machine according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the fall speed relaxation unit is a part of the fall speed relaxation unit. The gist is that the lower end portion is formed in a comb-like shape facing downward.

  By reliably reducing the falling speed of the game balls discharged from the ball discharge passage, the game balls can be reliably collected in the ball receiving container installed on the installation frame base.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment in which the present invention is embodied in a game ball fall-and-scattering prevention device in a pachinko gaming machine (hereinafter referred to as a “pachinko machine”) which is a kind of gaming machine will be described with reference to FIGS.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the pachinko machine 10 according to the present embodiment (only the lower part of the machine base is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2) has a game board (not shown) or the like on an outer frame 11 that forms the outline of the machine body. The middle frame 12 for setting the game components is assembled so as to be openable and detachable. A passage forming plate 13, also referred to as a back plate, is assembled to the lower part of the back side of the middle frame 12, and the mechanism set panel 14 is attached to the middle frame 12 from the back side of the machine so as to sandwich the passage forming plate 13. And is detachably set. On the back side of the mechanism set board 14 is a control for controlling various game devices (not shown) such as a ball payout device 40 for paying out the game balls S as winning balls (or rental balls) and a symbol display device. A substrate (not shown) or the like is detachably attached.

  On the other hand, on the front side (front side) of the middle frame 12, a front frame 50 and a top ball tray 60 having a glass frame for seeing and protecting the game board disposed inside the machine are opened and closed in a laterally open state. It is assembled as possible. A lower ball tray 70 and a launcher 80 are attached to the lower part on the front side of the middle frame 12. The game area (front side) of the game board is provided with a plurality of winning holes (not shown), and when the game ball S wins the winning hole, the game ball S is awarded from the ball payout device 40. It has come to be paid out as. Further, at the bottom of the game area of the game board, there is provided an out port (not shown) for collecting the game balls S that have been launched into the game area but have not won the winning holes. .

  A ball discharge passage 15 is formed in the passage forming plate 13, and a passage constituting member 16 made of a flexible material (for example, synthetic resin) is provided at the end of the ball discharge passage 15 from the rear side of the machine. It is attached in a detachable attachment manner toward the front side direction. A ball receiving container 17 having a bottomed box shape is disposed on the installation frame base E, which is also commonly referred to as “island” in the game hall, at a position below the passage component member 16.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 (a) and 3 (b), the passage forming plate 13 has a main body portion 13a having a flat plate shape, and a plurality of (three in this embodiment) are provided at predetermined positions of the main body portion 13a. ) Through-holes 18 to 20 are formed. Specifically, in the upper right side of the main body 13a in FIG. 3 (a), a prize ball (game ball S) paid out from the ball payout device 40 is passed out to the upper ball tray 60 on the machine surface side. The prize ball outlet 18 is formed. 3A of the main body portion 13a, the upper ball tray 60 is filled and the game ball S overflowing from the prize ball outlet 18 to the back side of the machine passes through the lower ball tray 70 on the front side of the machine. The overflow ball outlet 19 for taking out is formed. Further, an out-ball outlet 20 connected to the out-port on the machine surface side is formed near the center of the main body 13a.

  Further, a plurality of strip-like ribs 13b are formed on the back surface side of the main body 13a, and the ribs 13b form a collective passage 21, an out-sphere passage 22, A ball passage 23 and a passage end portion 24 are configured. On the other hand, a communication passage 14 a made up of a plurality of strip-like ribs is also formed in the lower part on the front side of the mechanism set panel 14 so as to constitute the ball discharge passage 15 in cooperation with the passages 21 to 24. The collective passage 21, the out ball passage 22, the safe ball passage 23, and the communication passage 14a are each a game ball when the passage forming plate 13 (main body portion 13a) is covered with the mechanism set board 14 from the back side. It is designed to function as a passage for guiding through S. Further, the passage terminal portion 24 functions as a passage through which the game ball S is guided by the passage component 16 being attached from the back side.

  The assembly passage 21 is formed of a rib 13b that is inclined obliquely downward to the right and a rib 13b that is obliquely inclined downward to the left in the upper portion of the main body 13a in FIG. In addition, the game balls (safe balls) S that have been passed from the respective prize winning ports on the machine surface side to the back side of the machine are gathered and guided to the lower side downstream. The out ball passage 22 is formed so as to extend in the vertical direction, and guides the game ball (out ball) S passed through the out ball passage 20 to drop downward vertically. .

  The safe ball passage 23 is formed below the collective passage 21 and is connected to the collective passage 21 through the communication passage 14a. Further, the safe ball passage 23 joins the out ball passage 22 at the lower end of the safe ball passage 23. The passage terminal portion 24 is formed so as to extend in the vertical direction from the junction of the out-ball passage 22 and the safe ball passage 23. Therefore, the game ball S guided through the out ball passage 22 or the safe ball passage 23 to the joining portion of both the passages 22 and 23 is dropped and discharged to the ball receiving container 17 through the passage end portion 24.

  The lower end side portion of the passage end portion 24 is a stepped portion 26 that is processed and molded so as to protrude from the machine front side direction of the gaming machine to the machine back side direction, and the upper plane 27 of the stepped portion 26 has a vertical direction. In contrast, it is formed in a slanted shape having a downward gradient of a predetermined angle θ (see FIGS. 2 and 3B). For this reason, the game ball S that has fallen on the passage end portion 24 comes into contact with the step portion 26 (upper flat surface 27), so that the falling direction is directed toward the back side where the passage constituting member 16 is disposed. Be changed. That is, the stepped portion 26 comes into contact with the game ball S falling inside the passage end portion 24 and serves as a drop direction changing unit that changes the drop direction of the game ball S toward the direction in which the passage component member 16 is provided. It is supposed to function. Further, the upper plane 27 functions as a guide plane for changing and guiding the falling direction of the game ball S in contact with the game ball S falling in the passage end portion 24. The upper plane 27 is formed so that the predetermined angle θ is in the range of 60 degrees to 70 degrees.

  Further, at the lower end side portion of the passage wall 24a in the passage end portion 24, as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3 (a), convex portions 28 projecting horizontally from the outer surfaces of the left and right passage walls 24a, respectively. Is provided. As can be understood from FIG. 3A, these two convex portions 28 are convex on one side (left side in FIG. 3A) and on the other side (right side in FIG. 3A). The arrangement is different in height by a predetermined distance in the vertical direction so as to be positioned above the portion 28. And these both convex parts 28 function as a positioning means for making the said channel | path component member 16 into a predetermined attachment position aspect, when attaching the channel | path component member 16 to the said channel | path terminal part 24. FIG. It has become. Further, a pair of left and right boss portions 24b are formed at the upper end side portion of the passage wall 24a in the passage end portion 24, and a support hole 25 serving as a screw hole is formed in each boss portion 24b.

  On the other hand, as is understood from FIGS. 2 and 4 (a) and 4 (b), the passage constituting member 16 has a direction on the machine surface side and a direction on the lower side when attached to the passage end portion 24. It is in the form of a cap having a substantially trapezoidal shape when viewed from the side. A plane that comes into contact with the passage component 16 when the falling direction of the game ball S falling in the passage end portion 24 of the ball discharge passage 15 is changed by the step portion 26 to the rear side of the machine. A spherical contact surface 29 is formed. Incidentally, the passage constituting member 16 is attached to the passage end portion 24 in such a manner that the ball contact surface 29 is disposed at an upper position near the center of the ball receiving container 17. Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the ball contact surface 29 is formed in an oblique shape having a downward slope from the front side to the back side of the pachinko machine 10. For this reason, in the present embodiment, the game ball S falling on the passage end portion 24 comes into contact with the step portion 26 (upper flat surface 27), so that the falling direction is the back side direction (the ball contact surface 29 is positioned). Direction). Then, the game ball S whose fall direction has been changed comes into contact with the ball contact surface 29 located near the center of the ball receiving container 17 so that the falling direction is substantially vertically downward (that is, in the ball receiving container 17). It will be changed towards (near the center).

  Further, through holes 30 are respectively formed at positions corresponding to the support holes 25 when attached to the passage terminal portion 24 at the upper end side portion of the passage constituting member 16. Then, in a state where the through holes 30 and the support holes 25 are aligned, the passage constituting member 16 is attached to the passage end portion 24 by, for example, screws inserted into the through holes 30 and the support holes 25. It has come to be supported. Accordingly, only the upper end side portion of the passage component member 16 is supported by the passage end portion 24, while the lower end portion thereof is a free end portion that is not supported at all by the passage end portion 24 (that is, the lower end side portion is It is supposed to be swingable). For this reason, in the game ball S that has been changed in the dropping direction by the step portion 26 in the passage terminal portion 24 and has come into contact with the passage constituent member 16 (ball contact surface 29), the passage constituent member 16 swings the lower end side portion in the front-rear direction. The falling speed is relieved by dynamic displacement and exhibiting cushioning properties.

  Therefore, in the present embodiment, when the passage component member 16 comes into contact with the game ball S that is dropped and discharged via the passage end portion 24, the passage component member 16 functions as a fall speed relaxation portion that relaxes the fall speed of the game ball S. It is like that. The path component member (falling speed relaxation portion) 16 and the stepped portion (falling direction changing portion) 26 are used to prevent the game ball S from falling and scattering in the pachinko machine 10 (hereinafter referred to as “falling and scattering preventing device”). P) is configured.

  Further, at the upper end side portion of the passage component member 16, a ridge portion 31 having a rectangular shape in plan view is provided in the horizontal direction so as to protrude in the direction of the surface side of the pachinko machine 10 when the passage component member 16 is attached. It has been. The length of the protrusion 31 in the direction perpendicular to the paper surface in FIG. 4B is approximately the same as the length between the inner surfaces of the left and right passage walls 24a in FIG. Yes. Accordingly, the protrusion 31 serves as a reference for alignment in the horizontal direction when the passage component member 16 is attached to the passage end portion 24.

  A plurality (two in this embodiment) of locking portions 32 projecting in the direction of the machine surface side of the pachinko machine 10 when the passage constituent member 16 is attached to the lower end side portion of the passage constituent member 16. Is provided. Each of these locking portions 32 comes into contact with and engages with the outer surface of the passage wall 24a of the passage end portion 24 in a state where the passage constituting member 16 is attached to the passage end portion 24. . Specifically, at the time of attachment to the passage end portion 24, the upper side surface of the locking portion 32 on the left side in FIG. 1 is engaged with the lower side surface of the convex portion 28 protruding from the left passage wall 24a in FIG. It comes to match. Further, the lower side surface of the locking portion 32 on the right side in FIG. 1 is engaged with the upper side surface of the convex portion 28 protruding from the right passage wall 24a in FIG. For this reason, for example, when the game ball S vigorously contacts (hits) the ball contact surface 29, the passage constituting member 16 intersects with the attachment direction of the passage constituting member 16 (vertical direction in FIG. 1). And the right and left direction). That is, in the present embodiment, when the game ball S contacts (hits) the ball contact surface 29, the passage component member 16 moves from the front side to the back side or from the back side to the front side. Only rocking is allowed.

Next, the operation of the falling and scattering preventing device P of the present embodiment configured as described above will be described below.
Now, the game ball S that has entered the out-port on the machine surface side during the game is led out from the out-ball passage 20 to the passage end portion 24 of the ball discharge passage 15 via the out-ball passage 22. Similarly, the game balls S that have entered the winning holes are passed through the collecting passage 21, the communication passage 14 a and the safe ball passage 23 to the passage end portion 24 of the ball discharge passage 15. Then, the game ball S passed through the passage end portion 24 drops in the passage end portion 24 in the vertical direction and contacts the upper flat surface 27 of the step portion 26. Then, since this upper side plane 27 has an oblique shape with a downward gradient of the predetermined angle θ, the direction of the falling of the game ball S is changed to the direction of the path component 16 (ball contact surface 29). .

  Further, since the game ball S drops vigorously at the passage end portion 24, after the fall direction is changed by the upper flat surface 27 of the step portion 26, the game ball S is applied to the passage constituting member 16 (ball contact surface 29). Also touches vigorously. However, as described above, the passage component member 16 is made of a flexible material, and the lower end portion of the passage component member 16 is not supported (fixed) by the passage terminal portion 24. The fall speed (drop impact force) is relieved by the passage constituting member 16 exhibiting cushioning properties. In addition, the ball contact surface 29 with which the game ball S contacts is formed in a slanted shape with a downward slope from the front side to the back side of the pachinko machine 10, and the ball contact surface 29 is the center of the ball receiving container 17. Since the passage component member 16 is arranged so as to be formed at an upper position in the vicinity, the game ball S falls toward the vicinity of the center in the ball receiving container 17. At this time, since the falling speed of the game ball S is surely reduced, the game ball S dropped and discharged into the ball receiving container 17 largely rebounds from the ball receiving container 17 and out of the ball receiving container 17. There is no such thing as scattering.

  On the other hand, when the game ball S comes into contact with the passage component member 16 vigorously, there is a concern that the passage component member 16 is misaligned. However, as described above, each engaging portion 32 is provided on the passage constituting member 16, while each convex portion 28 is provided on the passage wall 24 a of the passage end portion 24. For this reason, the passage component member 16 is not displaced in the left-right direction or the up-down direction in FIG. 1 due to the collision force from the game ball S.

Therefore, in this embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.
(1) The passage end portion 24 that extends in the vertical direction at the end of the ball discharge passage 15 comes into contact with the game ball S that is dropped and discharged through the passage end portion 24 to reduce the falling speed of the game ball S. A passage constituent member (falling speed relaxation portion) 16 and a step portion (falling direction changing portion) 26 that changes the falling direction toward the passage constituent member 16 are provided. Therefore, the game ball S falling in the passage terminal portion 24 contacts the step portion 26 (upper flat surface 27) and changes the dropping direction, thereby reliably contacting the passage component member 16, and as a result, The falling speed of the game ball S is surely reduced. Therefore, even if the game ball S dropped and discharged from the passage end portion 24 is subsequently dropped into the ball receiving container 17 disposed on the installation frame base E, the game ball S rebounds vigorously because the fall speed is moderated. And the scattering to the outside of the ball receiving container 17 can be suitably prevented.

  (2) Further, the passage component member 16 is swingable so that the upper end portion thereof is supported by the passage end portion 24 and the lower portion thereof is not supported (fixed) to the passage end portion 24 at all. It is considered as a proper attachment mode. Therefore, when the game ball S whose fall direction has been changed with respect to the passage constituting member 16 vigorously contacts (collises), the lower end portion of the passage constituting member 16 swings and displaces and exhibits cushioning properties. Thus, the falling speed of the game ball S can be more effectively reduced.

  (3) Since the passage component member 16 is a detachable attachment mode from the back side direction of the pachinko machine 10 toward the front side direction, it can be easily attached and detached from the back side direction. Therefore, for example, when the game ball S is clogged at the passage end portion 24 of the ball discharge passage 15, the maintenance work efficiency of the pachinko machine 10 can be improved satisfactorily. In addition, for example, when there is a difference in the size shape or the installation position of the ball receiving container 17 in each game hall, the passage constituting member 16 having various sizes and shapes is prepared according to the difference. By flexibly replacing them, it is possible to respond flexibly.

  (4) In addition, the ball contact surface 29 of the passage component member 16 with which the game ball S whose direction of dropping has been changed by the step portion 26 comes into contact has a slanted shape with a downward slope from the front side to the back side of the pachinko machine 10. Is formed. The passage component member 16 is disposed such that the ball contact surface 29 is formed at an upper position in the ball receiving container 17 disposed on the installation frame base E when attached to the passage end portion 24. Therefore, the game ball S that comes into contact with the passage component member 16 and falls can be dropped in the direction near the center of the ball receiving container 17 according to the descending gradient of the ball contact surface 29. Further, since the opening width (exit width) of the passage end portion 24 of the ball discharge passage 15 is also widened, it is possible to favorably avoid the clogging of the game balls S in the passage end portion 24. .

  (5) The passage constituting member 16 is provided with two locking portions 32 that protrude in the direction of the machine surface side of the pachinko machine 10 when the passage constituting member 16 is attached. For this reason, when the passage component member 16 is attached to the passage end portion 24, the respective locking portions 32 come into contact with and engage with the passage wall 24 a of the passage end portion 24. Accordingly, when the game ball S comes into contact with (or hits) the passage component member 16 due to the abutting engagement between the respective locking portions 32 and the passage wall 24a, the passage component member 16 is attached. It is possible to prevent displacement in the direction intersecting the direction (the left-right direction in FIG. 1). Further, when the passage constituting member 16 is attached to the passage end portion 24, each locking portion 32 functions as an attachment guide, so that it can be attached quickly and easily.

  (6) Moreover, since the channel | path structural member 16 is formed from the flexible material, when the game ball | bowl S contacts, it exhibits cushioning more effectively. Therefore, the falling speed of the game ball S can be reduced more effectively.

  (7) The passage end portion 24 is provided with two convex portions (positioning means) 28 for attaching the passage constituting member 16 to the passage wall 24a of the passage end portion 24 in a predetermined attachment position mode. ing. For this reason, the passage component 16 can be securely attached to the passage end portion 24 as desired. 1 is engaged with the upper side surface of the locking portion 32 on the left side in FIG. 1, while the lower side surface of the convex portion 28 protruding from the left side wall 24a in FIG. 1, the upper side surface of the convex portion 28 protruding from the right passage wall 24 a is engaged with the lower side surface of the locking portion 32 on the right side in FIG. 1. For this reason, the passage component member 16 is displaced in a direction (vertical direction in FIG. 1) that intersects the attachment direction of the passage component member 16 when the game ball S comes into contact (hits) vigorously, for example. Can be prevented.

  (8) The step portion 26 has an upper plane (guide plane) 27 that comes into contact with the game ball S falling in the passage terminal portion 24 and guides the fall direction of the game ball S, and the upper plane. 27 is formed in an oblique shape having a downward gradient of a predetermined angle θ from the machine front side direction toward the machine rear side direction where the passage constituting member 16 is provided. For this reason, the game ball S can be guided in the direction of the passage component 16 by surely changing the falling direction of the game ball S that contacts (hits) the upper plane 27.

The present embodiment may be changed to another embodiment (another example) as follows.
In the above-described embodiment, the upper plane 27 of the step portion 26 in the passage end portion 24 has a predetermined angle θ for forming a downward slope with respect to the vertical direction to be 60 degrees or more and 70 degrees or less. The predetermined angle θ can be arbitrarily set as long as it is within an angle range larger than 0 degree and smaller than 90 degrees.

  In the above-described embodiment, at the time of attachment to the passage end portion 24, the passage constituting member 16 is a locking portion in which the lower side surface of the convex portion 28 protruding from the left passage wall 24a in FIG. 1 engages with the lower surface of the locking portion 32 on the right side in FIG. 1 while the upper surface of the convex portion 28 protruding from the right passage wall 24a in FIG. . However, the upper side surface of each convex portion 28 may be engaged with the lower side surface of each locking portion 32. Conversely, the lower surface of each convex portion 28 may be engaged with the upper surface of each locking portion 32, respectively. Moreover, although the two convex parts 28 are provided, you may make it provide arbitrary numbers (for example, 1 or 4 etc.) of convex parts 28. FIG.

  In the embodiment described above, the passage component member 16 having a substantially trapezoidal cap shape when viewed from the side and having the oblique spherical contact surface 29 formed thereon is attached to the passage end portion 24. However, as shown in FIG. 5, the lower end side portion of the spherical contact surface formed in the shape of a plate piece and extending in the vertical direction passes through the passage component member 16A formed in a comb-teeth shape facing downward. You may make it attach with respect to the termination | terminus part 24. FIG. If comprised in this way, since the lower end side site | part of 16 A of channel | path components is formed in the comb-tooth shape, the flexibility of the said channel | path component member 16A (especially lower end side site | part) will improve more. Therefore, the falling speed of the game ball S contacting the comb-like lower end side portion can be more effectively reduced. Moreover, you may form the lower end side site | part of the ball contact surface 29 formation site | part of the channel | path component member 16 in the said embodiment in a comb-tooth shape.

  In the above-described embodiment, the passage component member 16 is formed from a flexible material (for example, a synthetic resin), but may not necessarily be formed from a flexible material. For example, the passage constituting member 16 is formed of a non-flexible material such as a metal material, and an elastic member (in order to reduce the falling speed of the game ball S on the surface (the ball contact surface 29) with which the game ball S contacts) For example, rubber or the like) or an impact absorbing member (for example, sponge or the like) may be attached. Moreover, you may form the channel | path structural member 16 from the said elastic member or an impact-absorbing member.

  In the above-described embodiment, each locking portion 32 is provided at a lower end side portion of the passage constituting member 16, but may be provided at an arbitrary location (for example, an upper end side portion) of the passage constituting member 16. Moreover, although the two latching | locking parts 32 are provided, you may provide the latching | locking parts 32 of arbitrary numbers (for example, 1 or 4 etc.).

  In the above-described embodiment, the ball contact surface 29 of the passage component member 16 with which the game ball S comes into contact is formed so as to have an oblique shape that is a downward gradient from the front side to the back side of the pachinko machine 10. Further, it may be formed to extend in the vertical direction. Moreover, although the planar sphere contact surface 29 is formed, a sphere contact surface having an arbitrary shape (for example, a curved surface shape) may be formed.

  In the above-described embodiment, the passage component member 16 is detachably attached to the passage end portion 24 from the back side direction of the pachinko machine 10 toward the front side direction. It is good also as the attachment aspect which can be attached or detached in a direction.

  In the above-described embodiment, the passage component member 16 has an attachment support mode in which the upper end portion thereof is supported by the passage end portion 24 while the lower end portion thereof is not supported at all by the passage end portion 24. However, the lower end portion of the passage component 16 may be supported by the passage end portion 24 in the same manner as the upper end portion.

  In the above embodiment, the passage component member 16 is attached to the sphere discharge passage 15 so as to be detachable (that is, formed separately and attached to the sphere discharge passage 15). It may be formed integrally with the discharge passage 15.

  In the above embodiment, the step portion (drop direction changing portion) 26 is formed by processing and molding the lower end side portion of the passage terminal portion 24 so as to protrude in the machine rear side direction. The drop direction changing portion may be formed by attaching a block having a shape (for example, a triangular prism).

  In the above embodiment, the step part (falling direction changing part) 26 is formed so as to protrude the lower end side portion of the passage terminal part 24 in the machine rear side direction. For example, in FIG. It may be formed so as to protrude in the right direction. In this case, the passage component member (falling speed relaxation portion) 16 is disposed in the direction in which the step portion 26 protrudes (direction in which the game ball S rebounds) and is positioned above the ball receiving container 17. Just do it.

Next, the technical idea that can be grasped from the above embodiment and other examples will be described below.
(A) A positioning means for attaching the passage component member in a predetermined attachment position mode is provided at a passage end portion of the ball discharge passage. An apparatus for preventing a ball from falling and scattering in the gaming machine according to one item.

  (B) The drop direction changing portion has a guide plane that contacts and changes the fall direction of the game ball in contact with the game ball falling in the end portion of the passage, and the guide plane is in the end portion of the passage. In the present invention, the predetermined angle is 60 degrees or more and 70 degrees or less. A device for preventing a ball from falling and scattering in the gaming machine according to any one of the technical ideas (A).

The front view which shows a part (lower side) of the back side of a pachinko gaming machine. FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 1. (A) is a front view which shows a channel | path formation board, (b) is a BB arrow directional cross-sectional view of Fig.3 (a). (A) is a perspective view which shows a channel | path component member, (b) is a sectional side view of a channel | path component member. The front view which shows another example of a channel | path structural member.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Pachinko machine (game machine), 15 ... Ball discharge passage, 16, 16A ... Passage component (falling speed reduction part), 24 ... Passage terminal part, 24a ... Passage wall, 26 ... Step part (fall direction change part) ), 27... Upper plane (guide plane), 28. Convex part (positioning means), 29... Ball contact surface, 32... Locking part, S. Falling and scattering prevention device), θ: a predetermined angle.

Claims (7)

When a game ball that is dropped and discharged through the passage end portion of the ball discharge passage disposed in the lower part on the back side of the gaming machine is provided so as to extend in the vertical direction, A falling speed relaxation portion that relaxes the falling speed of the game ball, and the game ball that falls in the end portion of the passage comes into contact with the game ball and changes the falling direction of the gaming ball toward the direction in which the falling speed relaxation portion is provided. A device for preventing a ball from falling and scattering in a gaming machine comprising a drop direction changing unit. The drop speed relaxation portion is a passage configuration member having a predetermined shape attached to a passage end portion of the ball discharge passage, and the passage configuration member is supported at the upper end side portion by the passage end portion. The apparatus for preventing a ball from falling and scattering in a gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the game ball is placed in a wearing state. The gaming machine according to claim 2, wherein the passage component member is configured to be detachable from the rear side direction of the gaming machine toward the front side of the machine with respect to a passage end portion of the ball discharge passage. Game ball falling and scattering prevention device. A ball contact surface with which the game ball whose fall direction has been changed by the drop direction changing unit is in contact with the drop speed relaxation unit is formed, and the ball contact surface is a machine from the front side of the gaming machine. The apparatus for preventing falling of game balls in a gaming machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the gaming ball is formed in an oblique shape having a downward slope toward the back side. The passage component member has a locking portion that protrudes in the direction of the machine surface side of the gaming machine when the passage configuration member is attached, and the locking portion discharges the ball configuration member from the ball. The gaming machine according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the gaming machine is configured to contact and engage with a passage wall of the passage end portion in a state of being attached to the passage end portion of the passage. A device for preventing falling of game balls. The said ball | bowl structural member is a fall prevention device of the game ball | bowl in a game machine as described in any one of Claims 2-5 currently formed with the flexible material. The game ball in the gaming machine according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the fall speed relaxation portion is formed in a comb-teeth shape in which a lower end side portion of the fall speed relaxation portion is directed downward. Fall scattering prevention device.

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