JP2006006533A - Game machine - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To unerringly concentrate game balls in a desired position of the width direction of a guide route and discharge while maintaining the swinging performance of a game ball in the guide route and without providing irregularities to cause ball clogging. <P>SOLUTION: A vertical-line-symmetrical gradually varying slope with the central portion positioned lowermost is formed across the width direction of a horizontal hole 78B having a slope gradually lowering from the inner side to the front side of a game board 32 to maintain the relation of θ2/L2>θ1/L1. Since game balls are discharged from a passage outlet 80 in the central position of the horizontal hole portion 78B while maintaining the interesting property of a game by making winging possible in the horizontal hole portion 78B, the rate of winning in a start opening 46 can be increased. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention is configured to send a game ball to an upper part of a vertically placed game board surface, and the game ball falls along the game board surface while changing the moving direction by at least an obstacle provided on the game board surface. It relates to a game machine.

  Conventionally, in a gaming machine, particularly a pachinko machine, in a normal gaming state, a lottery is made by detecting a pachinko ball won at a starting opening (special symbol starting winning opening), and if the result of the lottery is a win, A player who increases the winning rate of a game ball by opening a large number of winning holes, which are closed in a gaming state, for a predetermined period of time, a predetermined number of times (one opening and closing is one round and generally continues for 10 to 16 rounds). There is a pachinko machine having a special gaming state (hereinafter referred to as a big hit process) that is advantageous to the player.

  In this type of pachinko machine, a display unit based on image display control, such as a liquid crystal display device, is arranged on a game board surface (generally, a center accessory etc. in the center), and a plurality of symbol rows, for example, are scrolled and changed on this display unit. The result of the lottery is notified in the state of symbols in each column (symbol arrangement state) when the variation stops (hereinafter referred to as symbol variation pattern effect).

  In order to obtain the right to win a jackpot as described above, first of all, a winning at the start opening is a condition. Guidance to the starting port is performed by a nail or the like that is attached to the game board and adjusted by a skilled engineer, but apart from this nail, a pachinko ball rides on the center object provided at the upper part of the starting port. There is a stage to go up. This stage can guide the pachinko ball on board to the vicinity of the starting port.

  Furthermore, this stage is provided with a guide path directly above the start port so that a part of the pachinko balls riding on the stage are almost surely guided to the start port.

  Here, in this guideway, it is not 100% surely guided to the starter, but to create a certain degree of failure (no prize at the starter), the guideway width dimension is set to the winning opening of the starter It is slightly larger than the width dimension (see, for example, Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2).

  As a result, the pachinko balls guided by the guide path are discharged from the guide path while swinging slightly to the left and right, and a part of the pachinko balls will not win the starting opening.

  However, if the swing in the width direction of the guide path is large, the desired winning probability for the starting port cannot be obtained. On the other hand, if the width direction of the guide path is narrowed, the swing of the pachinko ball is restricted and the game preference is reduced.

  In order to solve this problem, it is considered to provide a pair of rails substantially parallel to each other with a pitch dimension smaller than the diameter of the pachinko sphere on the surface of the guide path to which the gravity load of the pachinko sphere is applied.

As a result, the pachinko ball moves on the center in the width direction of the guideway while maintaining a state in which the pachinko ball can swing in the guideway, thereby increasing the probability of winning the starting opening. be able to.
JP 2000-51448 A JP 2003-225383 A

  However, in the pachinko ball guide structure using the rail, pachinko balls that move in the width direction end of the guide path (not on the rail) and pachinko balls that ride on the rail are clearly sorted in the guide path. Therefore, there is a problem in that the palatability of the pachinko ball swinging in the guide path is reduced.

  In addition, if a convex portion such as a rail or a concave portion such as a groove is provided in the guide path, the fluidity of the pachinko sphere is lowered, and in the worst case, there is a possibility that the sphere becomes clogged.

  In consideration of the above-mentioned facts, the present invention ensures that the game ball can be securely inserted in the width direction of the guide path while maintaining the swingability of the game ball in the guide path and without providing irregularities that may cause clogging of the ball. An object is to obtain a gaming machine that can be concentrated and discharged at a desired position.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, a game ball is sent out to an upper part of a vertically placed game board surface, and the game ball falls along the game board surface while changing the moving direction by at least an obstacle provided on the game board surface. A gaming machine configured to be provided on the gaming board, and when the gaming ball wins, a start opening for obtaining a right of lottery lottery is provided above the start opening, and the game A stage portion that returns to the game board in a state in which the winning rate of the game ball that has been climbed to the start port is increased by the ride of the ball, and the stage portion is provided immediately above the start port in the stage portion. And a guide means formed with a guide path for guiding a part of the game ball riding on the part to the start opening, and the guide width dimension of the guide path is larger than the winning width dimension of the start opening Formed and said plan While the game ball guide surface shape of the road is guided and moved while being swung within the guide path width from the entrance to the exit of the guide path, the game ball gradually converges to the center of the guide path width. It is characterized by being formed as follows.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, when a game ball rides on the stage portion, a part thereof enters the guide path. The game ball moves from the entrance to the exit while being swung in the guide path, and reaches directly above the start opening.

  Here, the game ball gradually converges to the center of the guideway width while being guided and moved within the guideway width. Thereby, the game ball maintains its preference by swinging in the guide path. Further, the game ball discharged from the exit can be given a sense of security to the player by almost certainly guiding it to the starting port.

  The invention according to claim 2 is the invention according to claim 1, wherein the stage part and the guide means are provided in a central part of the game board, and the result of the lottery is notified by a symbol variation pattern effect. It is characterized by being provided in a center accessory unit equipped with a display device.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, the stage portion and the guide means are formed as a part of the center accessory and are unitized, so that the assembling property is improved.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect of the present invention, the position of the entrance of the guide path is displaced to the back side in the direction perpendicular to the game board surface. The guide path from the exit to the exit is an inclined surface having a first average angle θ1 that gradually becomes lower, and the surface on which the gravity load of the game ball on the guide path is gradually lowered from each of the guide width ends toward the center. When the amount of movement from the inlet to the outlet is L1, and the amount of movement from one end of the guide width to the center is L2,
θ2 / L2> θ1 / L1 (1)
The movement distance and the inclination angle are set so as to maintain the above relationship.
According to invention of Claim 3, when a game ball moves from an entrance to an exit, it moves the distance of L1. On the other hand, when the game ball moves from one end of the guide width to the center, the game ball moves by a distance of L2.

  Therefore, when moving these distances, if the time at the center is shortened, it is almost certainly located at the center of the width of the guide path when discharged from the exit.

  When this is expressed by an equation, the equation (1) is obtained.

  That is, since the movement amounts L1 and L2 are denominators, for example, when L1 becomes smaller, it is necessary to decrease θ1 or increase θ2 accordingly. When L2 increases, it is necessary to increase θ2 or decrease θ1 accordingly.

  The invention according to claim 4 is the invention according to claim 3, wherein the movement amount L1 and the movement amount L2 are the same.

  According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, if the movement amounts L1 and L2 are the same, only the relationship between the inclination angles θ1 and θ2 needs to be considered, and the design becomes easy.

  The invention according to claim 5 is the invention according to claim 3 or claim 4, wherein the inclined surfaces from both ends of the guide width to the center are relatively inclined closer to the end and closer to the center. This is characterized in that the slope is steep and the tilt angle changes steplessly.

  According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the inclined surface of the guide path width is such that the inclined surface from both ends of the guide width to the center is relatively inclined closer to the end, and closer to the center is steeply inclined. The tilt angle changes steplessly. As a result, the game ball does not approach the center at an early stage, and there is no level difference, so that the ball is not clogged.

  As described above, according to the present invention, the game ball is reliably placed in the width direction of the guide path while maintaining the swingability of the game ball in the guide path and without providing irregularities that cause clogging of the ball. It has the outstanding effect that it can be made to concentrate and discharge at the position of.

  FIG. 1 shows a pachinko machine 10 according to the present embodiment. The pachinko machine 10 includes an outer frame 12, and one side portion (left side portion in FIG. 1) of a frame-shaped inner frame 14 having a window portion is attached to the front surface of the outer frame 12 so as to be openable and closable.

  The inner frame 14 is provided with a plurality of indicator lights 62 and speakers 64. In addition, a window portion is formed at the center of the inner frame 14, and a glass frame in which a pair of glasses 16 (double structure) that are parallel to each other at a predetermined interval in the depth direction of the paper is mounted on the window portion. 20 is provided. A locking device (cylinder) 22 is provided on the right side of FIG.

  An integrated dish 26 having a ball dish part 24 is disposed below the glass frame 20. The ball tray portion 24 of the integrated dish is provided with a communication port 23 that communicates with a ball storage tank (not shown) and allows the pachinko balls in the ball storage tank to flow out to the ball tray portion 24.

  The one side part (left side part of FIG. 1) of the integrated dish 26 is attached to the inner frame 14 so that it can be opened and closed. An ashtray 28 is disposed on the lower left side on the front surface of the integrated dish 26, and a firing handle 30 is provided on the lower right side for adjusting the flight distance of a ball to be fired from a launching device (not shown).

  In addition, a game board 32 that is exchangeable by being placed on the game board mounting table is installed in the window part of the inner frame 14 so as to correspond to the window part.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the game board 32 has a substantially circular game area 40 surrounded by an outer band 36 and an inner band 38.

  In the game area 40, in addition to nails and windmills (not shown), a center character 42, a display unit (liquid crystal display device) 43 provided in the center of the center character 42, and a big prize opening (variable prize device) 44 are provided. And other game parts such as a start port 46, a passing device 48, and a winning device 49 are attached, and an out port 54 is arranged at the lowest position. A normal symbol display device 42A is provided at the upper end of the center accessory 42.

  When a pachinko ball wins at the start opening 46, a lottery (a random number is obtained from a random number counter) is executed internally, a result of the lottery is determined (a comparison between the obtained random number and a winning value), and the lottery Based on the result, the symbol variation pattern effect is executed by the display unit 43.

  In this symbol variation pattern effect, a plurality of symbol sequences (for example, three columns) vary, and the player is notified of hit / miss by the stopped symbol sequence finally stopped.

  When the result of the lottery is a win (big win), the round winning opening 44 is repeated for a plurality of rounds (for example, 15 rounds), with one round being a predetermined time (for example, 30 seconds). If a predetermined number (for example, 10) is won while the grand prize opening 44 is opened, the big prize opening 44 is temporarily closed even before a predetermined time has elapsed, and a predetermined condition (for example, passing through the V zone) is established. If it is, move to the next round (big hit processing).

  The passing device 48 serves as a start trigger for the normal symbol display device 42A. When the pachinko ball passes through the passing device 48, the normal symbol lottery is executed. In the case of winning, the display of the normal symbol display device 42A displays the winning symbol. Then, the electric tulip 47 is opened, and the probability of winning the winning opening 46 is physically increased.

  As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, various decorations are applied to the peripheral portion 70 of the display unit 43 in the center accessory 42. This decoration is set corresponding to a theme (concept) such as a pattern or background displayed on the display unit 43.

  In particular, in recent years, shapes formed by decoration are colored or chrome-plated, and a synergistic effect is produced together with an image displayed on the display unit 43.

  The peripheral portion 70 of the center accessory 42 protrudes toward the front (side on which the player is seated) with respect to the display surface of the display unit 43, and has a substantially box shape. Of the peripheral edge portion 70 formed by the protrusion, three sides (left and right side surfaces and the ceiling surface) excluding the lower surface are formed so as to gradually spread toward the side on which the player is seated. For this reason, the player can directly view the peripheral portion 70 in these three directions.

  The lower surface of the peripheral portion 70 functions as a stage 72 on which a pachinko ball can ride. The stage 72 has a two-step shape with different heights on the near side and the far side in FIGS. 3 and 4, the near side is formed slightly lower than the far side, and the near side mainly receives the pachinko balls. The main stage portion 72A and the back side form a substage portion 72B (see FIG. 4).

  The main stage portion 72A has a wave shape in the left-right direction in FIG. 3, and the pachinko ball that has ridden on the surface of the game board 32 repels itself and moves left and right on the main stage portion 72A. After that, it comes to fall again from the near side.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the middle of the main stage portion 72A in the left-right direction is a corrugated convex side, and a pachinko ball is placed at the apex of the main stage portion 72A on the back side (substage portion 72B side). A concave portion 74 is formed for guiding.

  Corresponding to the concave portion 74, a passage inlet portion 76 is provided from the boundary step surface with the substage portion 72B to the substage portion 72B, and the pachinko ball guided by the concave portion 74 is passed through the passage inlet portion 76. It becomes easy to enter. The pachinko ball that has entered the passage entrance 76 passes through the passage 78 and is discharged from a passage outlet 80 (heart-shaped) provided in the lower portion of the center accessory 42.

  A starting port 46 (see FIG. 2) is provided directly below the passing outlet 80 and serves to guide most of the pachinko balls discharged from the passing outlet 80 to the starting port 46.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the passage path 78 is bent in a substantially L shape, and a vertical hole portion 78 </ b> A having the passage inlet portion 76 as an upper end opening and a horizontal hole portion having the passage outlet 80 as a tip opening. 78B communicates.

  The vertical hole 78A has a substantially U-shaped cross section, and its inner width dimension is slightly larger than the diameter of the pachinko sphere, and is a space through which the pachinko sphere passes one by one.

  Further, a pair of convex portions 82 that are parallel to each other are formed from the upper end to the lower end of the vertical hole portion 78A. A pair of convex part 82 functions as a guide member which delivers a pachinko ball smoothly from the vertical hole part 78A to the horizontal hole part 78B.

  That is, the pachinko ball that has entered from the passage entrance 76 falls through the vertical hole 78A by its own weight, and changes its direction to the front direction of the game board 32 (the direction of the player who is seated) at its lower end. When the direction is changed, the pair of convex portions 82 linearly extending from the upper end to the lower end of the vertical hole portion 78A are bent in the so-called R shape in the forward direction of the game board 32 at the lower end portion. Pachinko balls are designed to change direction without receiving the impact of falling.

  On the other hand, the lateral hole 78B has an inner width dimension of about three times the width dimension of the pachinko sphere. For this reason, the pachinko balls sent out from the vertical hole portion 78A with substantially the same trajectory can swing in the horizontal hole portion 78B.

  This horizontal hole 78 extends from the depth side of the game board 32 (the direction changing position from the vertical hole part 78A where the passage inlet part 76 is located above) to the front side (the tip position where the passage outlet part 80 is present). The distance L1) is inclined so as to gradually become lower (inclination angle θ1). In the present embodiment, the inclination angle θ1 is constant (for example, θ ≦ 5 °) in the entire stroke, but the average inclination angle may be θ1.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 6, the horizontal hole 78B has a substantially heart-shaped outline in the inner space when viewed from the front of the game board 32 (see FIG. 6B).

  More specifically, the support surface to which the pachinko ball in the lateral hole portion 78B comes into contact and is directly subjected to the gravitational load is inclined so that the center is at the lowest position, and the inclination angle is determined in the width direction. From each end to the center (distance L2), it gradually changes symmetrically.

  The inclination angle is the smallest on the side close to each end in the width direction of the passage outlet 80 (θ2min, the center is the largest and θ2max (the average inclination angle is θ2 (about 20 ° in the present embodiment)). To do).

  In the horizontal hole portion 78B having the above-described configuration, when the pachinko ball is positioned at any end in the width direction immediately after being delivered from the vertical hole portion 78A, the distance L1 is set to a predetermined inclination to the passage outlet 80. While moving at a predetermined time t1 by the slope of the angle θ1, the distance L2 is moved at the predetermined time t2 according to the slope of the predetermined inclination angle θ2.

  Here, when it is discharged from the passage outlet 80, the movement time is preferably t2 <t1 because it is most easy to win the starting port 46 because it is positioned at the center in the width direction.

  Therefore, in order to make the above movement time t2 <t1, the movement distance L1, the inclination angle θ1, which is the parameter of the movement time from the back side to the front side of the game board 32, and any end portion of the lateral hole portion 78B are used. The shape is specified using the moving distance L2 and the inclination angle θ2 which are parameters of the moving time to the center.

  That is, by maintaining the relationship of θ2 / L2> θ1 / L1, the pachinko sphere can be ejected from the central position in the width direction almost certainly while allowing the horizontal hole portion 78B to swing.

  The operation of the present embodiment will be described below.

  First, the flow of normal games will be described.

  When the player holds the handle 30 and performs an operation for launching, a pachinko ball is launched with a strength corresponding to the handle operation amount (rotation amount).

  When the pachinko ball is launched, it is guided by the outer band 36 and the inner band 38 and abuts against a nail, a windmill or the like of the board surface 32 and falls while moving unpredictably. Here, when a pachinko ball wins at the start port 46, the lottery unit 250 equipped with a random number counter or the like starts lottery with a predetermined probability.

  When the lottery result is a win, execution of the jackpot process is started, and a jackpot process with a preset number of rounds (for example, 15 rounds) is executed. During the jackpot process, since the big prize opening 44 is almost open, it can be put in an advantageous state by the player. When the jackpot processing for a predetermined round is completed, the game returns to the normal game.

  In this way, if there is a jackpot process, the player can receive a lot of award winning pachinko balls, so the pachinko ball is launched aiming for the first lottery, that is, winning the starting opening 46 To do.

  There are two types of winnings for the starting port 46: a case of winning while bouncing back to a nail or the like, and a case of winning after getting on the main stage portion 72A and being almost centered. Certainty is low.

  Therefore, a passage entrance 76 of the passage 78 is provided in the main table portion 72A, and a part of the pachinko ball that has climbed over the main stage portion 72A is guided to the passage entrance portion 76 by the recess 74 or the like.

  The pachinko ball that has entered the passage 78 falls by a predetermined amount by the vertical hole 78A and then changes its direction so as to be delivered to the horizontal hole 78B. At this time, the R shape of the pair of rail-shaped convex portions 82 formed in the vertical hole portion 78B allows the direction to be smoothly changed, and the direction can be changed with almost no speed reduction.

  The pachinko ball delivered to the horizontal hole portion 78B has an inner width dimension of the horizontal hole portion 78B of approximately three times or more the diameter of the pachinko ball. Roll toward the exit 80.

  On the other hand, the cross-section of the lateral hole portion 78B has a substantially heart shape, the surface on which the pachinko sphere is directly supported, and the gravity load is applied, gradually increases in inclination angle from the end in the width direction to the center ( Average tilt angle θ2).

  For this reason, the pachinko ball located at the end in the width direction slowly moves to the center along the gentle slope, and increases in speed as it approaches the center. By this speed increase, a pachinko ball that has reached the center can pass through the center and include an element that goes to the other end. By including this uncertainty, the game preference can be maintained.

  Theoretically, the parameters of the movement time to reach the front side (passage outlet 80) from the back of the horizontal hole portion 78B are the inclination angle θ1 and the movement distance L1. On the other hand, the parameters of the movement time reaching the center from one end portion in the width direction of the lateral hole portion 78B are the inclination angle (average inclination angle) θ2 and the movement distance L2.

  At this time, by maintaining the relationship of θ2 / L2> θ1 / L1, the pachinko sphere located at the back of the horizontal hole portion 78B and at one end in the width direction is It will be located in the center part of the width direction of 78B, and the winning rate to the starting port 46 can be raised by discharging | emitting from this center part.

  In FIG. 7, a comparison is made between the present embodiment and a conventional shape that shares the swing of the pachinko sphere and the guide to the center in the side hole portion.

  As shown in FIG. 7A, in the conventional general structure, a pair of rail members 102 parallel to each other are provided on the floor surface of the lateral hole portion 100 and guided to the center. However, in this case, if a pachinko ball is located at one end in the width direction, it may be held at that position, and the movement speed is greatly changed by the step, preventing smooth movement, which is the worst case Ball clogging may occur.

  On the other hand, in the shape of the horizontal hole B78B of the present embodiment shown in FIG. 7B, there is no step with respect to the swinging direction, and the inclined surface changes continuously. And the movement speed changes smoothly, and there is no problem such as ball clogging.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the laterally symmetric and gradual change in which the center portion is the lowest in the width direction of the lateral hole portion 78B having the inclined surface gradually lowering from the back side to the labor side of the game board 32. By forming the inclined surface to be able to swing within the lateral hole portion 78B, the game is maintained with certainty (although slight uncertainty remains) while maintaining the game's preference. Since it is made to discharge | emit from the passage exit 80 in the center position of the hole 78B, the winning rate to the starting port 46 can be raised.

  In the present embodiment, the lateral hole 78B has a so-called heart shape, and the inclination angle in the width direction is gradually changed. However, a constant inclination angle (for example, a home base type) may be used.

It is a front view of the pachinko machine concerning this embodiment. It is a front view of the game board concerning this embodiment. It is a front view of the center combination which concerns on this Embodiment. It is a perspective view of the center accessory which concerns on this Embodiment. It is side surface sectional drawing of a passage. (A) is a plane sectional view of a passage way, (B) is a front view of a side hole part. It is a front view of a horizontal hole part, (A) is a conventional structure, (B) is the structure of this Embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

10 Pachinko machines (game machines)
32 Game board 42 Center role 43 Display unit 44 Big prize opening 46 Start port 70 Peripheral part 72 Stage part 72A Main stage part 72B Substage part 74 Concave part 76 Passing entrance part (guide means)
78 Passage (guidance means, guideway)
78A Vertical hole (guide means)
78B Horizontal hole 80 Passing outlet

Claims (5)

A gaming machine configured to send a game ball to an upper part of a vertically placed game board surface, and the game ball is configured to fall along the game board surface while changing a moving direction by at least an obstacle provided on the game board surface. There,
A start opening provided on the game board, and the game ball wins to obtain a right to win a big hit,
A stage unit that is provided above the start port and returns to the game board in a state where the winning rate to the start port of the game ball that has been climbed is increased by climbing the game ball;
A guide means provided on the stage portion directly above the start port, and having a guide path for guiding a part of the game ball riding on the stage portion to the start port;
The guide width dimension of the guide path is formed larger than the winning width dimension of the start opening, and the game ball guide surface shape of the guide path is swung within the guide path width from the entrance to the exit of the guide path. The gaming machine is formed so that the game ball gradually converges to the center of the guide path width while being guided and moved.   The stage part and the guiding means are provided in a center part unit provided with a display device provided in a central part of the game board and informing the result of the lottery by a symbol variation pattern effect. The gaming machine according to claim 1. The position of the entrance of the guide path is displaced to the back side in the direction perpendicular to the game board surface, and the guide path from the entrance to the exit is gradually inclined to a first average angle θ1. ,
The surface on which the gravity load of the game ball on the guide path is applied is an inclined surface having a second average angle θ2 that gradually decreases from each end of the guide width toward the center.
When the amount of movement from the inlet to the outlet is L1, and the amount of movement from one end of the guide width to the center is L2,
θ2 / L2> θ1 / L1 (1)
The gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the moving distance and the inclination angle are set so as to maintain the relationship.   The gaming machine according to claim 3, wherein the movement amount L1 and the movement amount L2 are the same.   The inclined surface from both ends of the guide width to the center is a gentle slope relatively closer to the end, a steep slope closer to the center, and the tilt angle is changed steplessly. Item 5. The game machine according to item 4 or claim 4.

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