JP2007111262A - Game machine - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a game machine capable of suppressing the delivery of excessive game balls. <P>SOLUTION: A putout device of a Pachinko machine 10 comprises a ball passage allowing game balls to fall by dead weight, a flicker capable of blocking the falling of the game balls in the ball passage, and a solenoid for actuating the flicker. When a prescribed putout signal is input, a putout control device controlling the putout device sets the number of putout game balls according to the putout signal to the number of putout balls storage area, controls the actuation of the solenoid based on the stored number of putout balls and puts out the game balls. When occurring a putout error state wherein a ball detecting sensor detects the number of game balls exceeding the number of balls to be put out, a flow passage changeover mechanism of a putout chute unit is actuated to stop the delivery of the game balls to an upper tray 19 and a lower tray 15. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a gaming machine such as a pachinko machine.

  One type of gaming machine is a pachinko machine. In the pachinko machine, for example, various winning holes are provided in the game area, and the winning balls (game balls) are paid out based on the game balls entering the winning holes.

As is well known, a ball payout mechanism such as a pachinko machine receives a game ball supplied from a ball supply mechanism on a gaming machine installation island by a storage tank, and receives a game ball derived from the storage tank by a tank rail or a storage case rail. It is configured so as to be sequentially guided to the dispensing device via a guide means such as the above. Further, the payout device includes, for example, a ball passage configured to communicate with the guide means so that a game ball can flow down due to its own weight, a stop member such as a flicker capable of stopping the flow of the game ball in the ball passage, and the stop It is comprised from drive means, such as a solenoid which drives a member. Then, by actuating the driving means and retracting the restraining member from the ball passage, the restraining of the game ball is released to allow the game ball to flow down. Thereby, a game ball is paid out from the payout device and led out to a ball tray on the front side of the pachinko machine (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Then, after a predetermined number of game balls are paid out, the operation of the driving means is stopped, and the stop member is returned to the position where the game balls are stopped.
JP 2004-209142 A

  However, in the above prior art, when the stop member or the interlocking mechanism that interlocks the stop member and the drive means does not operate normally, and the stop member does not return to the position to stop the game ball, There is a possibility that it will continue to flow down.

  In such a situation, for example, a store clerk at the game hall can stop the ball supply mechanism on the island where the gaming machine is installed and take measures to prevent the game ball from being paid out any further. It is.

  However, once the above-mentioned problems occur and the response of the game hall clerk is delayed, game balls may be excessively paid during that time, and there is a risk of causing a great loss to the game hall side. Moreover, depending on the structure, the loss may be larger. For example, in a type that pays out a game ball by retracting a stop member such as flicker from the inside of the ball passage, if the stop member does not return to the position where the game ball is stopped, the game ball continues to flow down and the payout stops. As a result, the loss on the game hall side may become extremely large.

  Such a problem is not limited to a pachinko machine, but is a serious problem inherent in other game machines using game balls as game media.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a gaming machine that can suppress excessive derivation of gaming balls.

  In the following, each means suitable for solving the above-mentioned purpose will be described in terms of items. In addition, the effect etc. peculiar to the means to respond | correspond as needed are added.

Means 1. A payout ball passage through which the game ball can flow under its own weight; a stop member capable of stopping the flow of the game ball in the payout ball passage; and a stop member driving means for driving the stop member; With a plurality of payout means for paying out game balls by retreating from the payout ball passage and releasing the restraint of the game balls,
A ball storage means capable of storing a game ball on the front side facing the player;
A plurality of derivation guide passages corresponding to the respective payout means for guiding the game balls paid out from the payout means to the ball storage means;
The number of game balls to be paid out in each payout means, the payout number storage means capable of individually storing corresponding to each payout means,
Based on the input of a predetermined payout signal, a payout number setting means for setting the number of balls to be paid out according to the payout signal in the payout number storage means according to each payout means;
A payout ball detecting means for detecting game balls to be paid out from each payout means at a position where each stop member of the plurality of payout means stops the flow of the game ball or downstream thereof, and
Based on the detection result of the payout ball detection means, payout ball number counting means for individually counting the number of game balls paid out from each payout means,
When the remaining number of balls to be paid out corresponding to a predetermined payout means among the plurality of payout means is 1 or more, a control member driving means of the payout means is operated to cause the game ball to flow down. When the remaining number of balls to be paid out corresponding to a predetermined payout means among the plurality of payout means is 0, the flow of the game ball is stopped by disabling the stop member driving means of the payout means. A payout control means for performing control;
An abnormality determination means for individually determining whether or not a specific abnormal state in which the number of balls exceeding the number of balls to be paid out has been detected has occurred, corresponding to each of the payout means;
A blocking member provided corresponding to each of the payout means on the downstream side of the position where the payout ball detection means detects the game ball, and capable of preventing the game ball from being led out to the ball storage means;
Blocking member driving means for individually driving the blocking members;
Blocking control for controlling the blocking member driving means and performing control for blocking the derivation of the game ball from the payout means in which the specific abnormal state has occurred to the ball storing means when at least the specific abnormal state occurs And a game machine.

  According to the above means 1, when a specific abnormal state occurs in which game balls exceeding the number of balls to be paid out are detected (game balls exceeding the number of balls to be paid out) are generated, for example, by means of a blocking member By closing the payout ball passage and the guide guide passage, the derivation of the game ball to the ball storage means can be stopped. Therefore, if the stop member or the interlocking mechanism that interlocks the stop member and the drive unit does not operate normally, and the stop member does not return to the position to stop the game ball, the game ball flows down. It is possible to prevent such a problem that when the game hall clerk's response is delayed, the derivation of the game ball to the ball storage means cannot be stopped. As a result, it is possible to reduce the risk that the game hall side will incur losses due to excessive derivation of game balls that should not be performed.

  In addition, in this means, the number of game balls to be paid out in each paying means is individually grasped, and the payout in each paying means is individually controlled, and a specific abnormal state occurs in a predetermined paying means Is configured to prevent only the derivation of the game ball from the payout means. Accordingly, since the payout can be normally performed from other payout means, the game can be continued even when a specific abnormal state occurs in the predetermined payout means. Further, in a configuration in which a plurality of payout means are detachably assembled, if a predetermined payout means fails, only the payout means needs to be replaced, and the cost and work effects are great.

  Further, the present means is configured to prevent the game ball from being led out to the ball storage means at a position downstream of the position where the payout ball detection means detects the game ball, and hence the stop member stops the game ball. ing. Therefore, the number of game balls led out to the ball storage means when the specific abnormal state occurs can be reduced as much as possible as compared with the case where the lead-out is prevented upstream from the restraining member. Here, the “position where the stop member stops the flow of the game ball”, which can be the position where the payout ball detection means detects the game ball, includes not only the position of the stop member itself with respect to the flow direction of the game ball. On the slightly upstream side, the position of the game ball that is brought into contact with the restraining member and directly restrained from flowing down is included.

  The reasons why the stop member or the like does not operate normally include, for example, deterioration of slidability of various members due to adhesion of dirt and dust, deformation of various members due to heat, breakage of various members, and the like. For example, in the case of a type that allows the game ball to flow down by releasing the stop of the game ball by retracting the stop member such as flicker from the payout ball passage by driving means such as a solenoid as in the flicker type As a result, the stopping member may be caught somewhere and may not return to the position where the game ball is stopped. In this way, if the stopping member does not return to the position to stop the game ball, the game ball continues to flow down, and if the response of the game hall clerk is delayed, the payout will not stop, so the loss on the game hall side is extremely large There is a risk.

  The same applies to the following means, but various configurations are conceivable as the payout ball number counting means for counting the number of balls paid out from the payout means (the number of balls detected by the payout ball detection means). For example, by adding the number of balls detected by the paid-out ball detecting means, the number of balls delivered is counted (addition counting means such as a counting counter) or directly stored in the paid-out number storage means. By subtracting the number of balls detected by the paid-out ball detection means from the number of balls to be paid out (for example, subtracting one by one every time a game ball is detected), A configuration for counting (subtraction counting means) is included.

  In the former case, for example, the difference between the number of balls (target value) corresponding to the payout signal set in the payout number storage means by the payout number setting means and the added value counted by the payout ball number counting means is obtained. When the difference is 1 or more, the remaining number of balls to be paid out is regarded as 1 or more, and the payout control means performs control to flow the game ball down with the stop member driving means in an operating state, and the difference is 0. In this case, it is assumed that the remaining number of balls to be paid out is 0, and the payout control means performs control to stop the flow of the game ball by disabling the stop member driving means. Further, in such a configuration, when the addition value of the payout ball number counting means reaches the number of balls to be paid out (target value) set in advance in the payout number storage means, the addition value of the payout ball number counting means. And the number of balls to be paid out (target value) stored in the payout number storage means are reset together.

  On the other hand, in the latter case, for example, the number of balls counted by the paid-out ball number counting means should be subtracted from the number of balls set in the paid-out number storage means, and the remaining payouts stored in the paid-out number storage means should be paid out. When the number of balls is 1 or more, the payout control means performs control to cause the game ball to flow down with the stop member driving means in an operating state, and the remaining number of balls to be paid out stored in the payout number storage means is 0 In this case, the payout control means performs control to stop the flow of the game ball by disabling the restraining member driving means.

  Of course, the “remaining number of balls to be paid out” that is taken into account when controlling the restraining member driving means is not yet paid out of the number of balls set (stored) in the payout number storage means by the payout number setting means. It means the number of balls.

  In addition, when the restraining member driving means is, for example, a solenoid, the excitation state usually corresponds to the above-described operation state, and the non-excitation state corresponds to the non-operation state. However, of course, depending on the configuration, the non-excited state may correspond to the activated state, and the excited state may correspond to the non-actuated state. In other words, the operating state of the restraining member driving means is a control state when performing control to flow down the game ball, and the non-operating state means a control state when performing control to stop the flow of gaming ball. is there.

  In addition, the configuration in which the abnormality determining unit determines that the specific abnormal state has occurred when the remaining number of balls to be paid out is 0 and when the game ball is detected by the paid-out ball detecting unit is an example. Can be mentioned. In this way, the process for determining the occurrence of the specific abnormal state is further simplified. Instead of this, a control state discriminating unit for discriminating a control state of the stopping member driving unit is provided, and the abnormality discriminating unit is configured to play a game ball when the stopping member driving unit is in an inoperative state and the payout ball detecting unit. The same action and effect can be achieved even if the configuration is such that the specific abnormal state is determined to have occurred.

  Mean 2. 2. The gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein each of the blocking members is provided so as to block the derivation of the game ball to the ball storage unit in each of the derivation guide passages.

  According to the above-described means 2, the derivation guide passage located downstream from the payout means (payout ball passage) is configured to prevent derivation of the game ball to the ball storage means, thereby storing the ball when a specific abnormal state occurs. The number of game balls led out to the means can be reduced as much as possible. If the blocking member and the blocking member driving means are provided in the payout means, the structure of the payout means may be complicated, but according to this means, such a problem can be prevented.

Means 3. A discharge ball passage that communicates each of the payout ball passages or each of the lead-out guide passages with a discharge portion outside the machine;
Each blocking member is
A first position at which a game ball can flow along each of the payout ball passages or each of the lead-out guide passages at each of the payout ball passages or in a communication portion between each of the discharge guide passages and the discharge ball passages, The payout ball passages or the lead-out guide passages are closed so that they cannot pass, and the game balls are displaceably provided at a second position where the game balls can flow into the discharge ball passages. A gaming machine according to either 1 or 2.

  According to the means 3, when an abnormal state occurs, the payout ball passage or the guide guide passage communicating with the ball storage means is closed to prevent the game ball from being led to the ball storage means, and is different from the ball storage means. The game ball can be discharged to a discharge unit outside the machine (a discharge mechanism on the game hall side). If the flow of the game ball is forcibly stopped, a large load is applied to the blocking member, which may cause a failure. However, since the present means is configured to change the flow path of the game ball and prevent the game ball from being led to the ball storage means, such a problem is unlikely to occur.

Means 4. Derived balls for detecting the game balls that are paid out from the payout means and led out to the ball storage means at positions where the respective blocking members prevent the game balls from being led out to the ball storage means or downstream thereof. Detection means;
Based on the detection result of the derived ball detecting means, at least the number of game balls derived to the ball storing means after the occurrence of the specific abnormal state can be counted individually corresponding to each paying means. A number counting means;
4. A means according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising derived ball number storage means capable of individually storing the number of balls counted by the derived ball number counting means corresponding to each payout means. Game machines.

  According to the means 4, by providing the derived ball number counting means and the derived ball number storage means, a game that is derived to the ball storage means when the specific abnormal state that should not be paid out should occur. It is possible to grasp the number of balls and to collect the game balls corresponding to the number of balls. In addition, since it is possible to accurately grasp which payout means is not functioning normally, in a configuration in which a plurality of payout means described in the effect of the means 1 are detachably assembled, The effect on the work surface can be further increased.

Means 5. Based on at least the detection result of the payout ball detection means and the detection result of the lead ball detection means, game balls that have not yet been detected by the lead ball detection means among the game balls detected by the payout ball detection means A remaining ball number counting means for individually counting the number of balls corresponding to each of the payout means,
Based on the number of balls counted by the derived ball number counting means and the number of balls counted by the remaining ball number counting means, the number of game balls for the excessively derived game balls paid out exceeding the number of balls to be paid out An excessively derived ball number calculating means capable of individually calculating the number corresponding to each payout means,
5. The gaming machine according to claim 4, wherein the derived ball number storage means stores the number of balls obtained by the excessive derived ball number calculation means individually corresponding to each payout means.

  According to the above means 5, it is possible to grasp only the number of excessively derived game balls paid out exceeding the number of balls to be paid out as an inappropriate number of balls derived at the occurrence of the specific abnormal state. it can. Depending on the arrangement configuration of the blocking member and the path configuration of the ball passage, the game ball to be paid out is still detected by the derived ball detecting means even after the start of the derivation blocking control by the blocking control means (after the occurrence of a specific abnormal state). Since it is assumed that there is no case, if the game ball derived at the occurrence of the specific abnormal state is collected, the player may suffer a disadvantage. In this respect, this means can avoid such a problem.

Means 6. A remaining ball number storage means for individually storing the number of balls counted by the remaining ball number counting means corresponding to each payout means;
When the specific abnormal state occurs and when the remaining ball number is stored in the remaining ball number storage unit corresponding to the payout unit in which the specific abnormal state has occurred, 6. The game according to claim 5, wherein the number of remaining balls is set in the payout number storage means in correspondence with another payout means different from the payout means in which the specific abnormal state has occurred. Machine.

  According to the means 6, it is possible to prevent a problem that a game ball to be paid out to a player remains as a remaining ball without being paid out.

  Mean 7 Means comprising derived ball number display means for individually displaying the number of balls individually stored in the derived ball number storage means corresponding to each paying means corresponding to each paying means A gaming machine according to either 5 or 6.

  According to the means 7, by providing the display means, it becomes possible to recognize in which payout means the abnormality has occurred, and at the same time can grasp the number of derived balls corresponding to each payout means, The workability at the time of confirming the number of balls for time derivation can be improved.

  Means 8. 8. The gaming machine according to any one of means 1 to 7, further comprising a notifying means for notifying that the specific abnormal state has occurred.

  According to the means 8, by providing the notification means, excessive derivation of game balls can be detected at an early stage.

  Means 9. The storage means for storing a game ball and the guiding means for guiding the game ball derived from the storage means to the ball path of the payout means, according to any one of means 1 to 8, Gaming machine.

  An example of the storage means is one that can store a game ball supplied from a game ball supply mechanism provided on the gaming machine installation island, such as a storage tank.

  The basic configuration of various gaming machines to which the above means are applied is shown below.

  A. The gaming machine in each of the above means is a ball game machine. As more detailed mode examples, “an operation means (game ball launching handle) operated by a player, a ball launching means (such as a launch motor) for playing a game ball based on the operation of the operation means, and the launch And a ball game machine including a game area where the game balls are guided and each ball entry means (general prize opening, variable prize winning device, operation opening, etc.) arranged in the game area. In the case of this type of ball game machine, for example, based on the entrance of a game ball into a predetermined entrance means, the payout means is paid out from the entrance means or a predetermined control means (main control device, etc.) A prize ball signal is output as a signal. The payout amount setting means sets the payout number of game balls corresponding to the prize ball signal based on the input of the prize ball signal (payout signal). Further, in the case of this type of ball game machine, for example, when a ball lending operation unit is operated in a state where a bill or a card is inserted into a ball lending unit arranged on the side of the game machine, A ball rental signal is output and a game ball is lent. In this case, the payout number setting means sets the payout number of game balls corresponding to the lending signal based on the input of the lending signal output as a payout signal from the lending signal output means such as a lending operation unit. To do.

  B. The gaming machine in each of the above means is a bullet ball gaming machine having a gaming area extending in a substantially vertical direction. As more detailed mode examples, “an operation means (game ball launching handle) operated by a player, a ball launching means (such as a launch motor) for playing a game ball based on the operation of the operation means, and the launch A predetermined game area (for example, the game area is constituted by a game board surface or the like) extending in a substantially vertical direction, and each ball entry means (general prize opening, variable prize winning device, etc.) arranged in the game area. And a ball ball game machine configured to be able to visually recognize the behavior of a game ball flowing down the game area.

  C. The gaming machine in each of the above means or each of the above ball game machines is a pachinko machine or a gaming machine equivalent to a pachinko machine.

  D. The gaming machine in each of the above means is a gaming machine configured by combining a pachinko machine and a slot machine (especially a gaming machine of a slot machine specification that uses a gaming ball as a gaming medium). As a more detailed mode example, “After an identification information string (symbol array; for example, a reel with a symbol, a rotating body such as a belt) including a plurality of identification information is variably displayed (for example, rotation of the reel or the like) Variable display means (for example, a rotating unit such as a reel unit) for confirming and stopping display of the identification information string is provided, and the change of the identification information is started due to the operation of the start operation means (for example, the start lever). A special advantage that is advantageous to the player when the change of the identification information is stopped due to the operation of the means (for example, a stop button) or when a predetermined time elapses and the identification information is displayed side by side in a specific manner at the time of the stop. A throwing device configured to generate a gaming state (such as a bonus game), and further provided with a ball tray (top plate, etc.) and performing a loading process for taking a game ball from the ball tray; In a dispensing device that performs payout of game ball, constituting the game machine "and the like so that the operations of the starter operation means by the game ball is turned is enabled by the closing device. In the case of this type of gaming machine, for example, when the identification information is displayed side by side in a predetermined manner on the variable display means, a payout signal is output from the predetermined control means (main control device or the like) to the payout number setting means. The The payout amount setting means sets the payout number of game balls corresponding to the payout signal based on the input of the payout signal.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of a pachinko gaming machine (hereinafter simply referred to as “pachinko machine”) will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a front view of a pachinko machine 10, and FIG. 2 shows a lower plate unit in which a front frame set 14 serving as a front door is opened with respect to an outer frame 11 described later and an inner frame 12 serving as a support frame. It is a perspective view showing the state where 13 was removed. FIG. 3 is a front view showing a state in which the front frame set 14 is removed from the pachinko machine 10. However, in FIGS. 2 and 3, for the sake of convenience, a configuration in a game area on the surface of the game board 30 to be described later is shown blank. .

  The pachinko machine 10 includes an outer frame 11 that forms an outer shell of the pachinko machine 10, and an inner frame 12 is supported on one side of the outer frame 11 so as to be opened and closed. The opening / closing axis of the inner frame 12 is set so as to extend vertically to the left when viewed from the front of the pachinko machine 10, and the inner frame 12 can be opened forward by using the opening / closing axis as an axis.

  A lower tray unit 13 is attached to the inner frame 12 at the lowermost portion, and a front frame set 14 is attached to correspond to a range excluding the lower tray unit 13. The front frame set 14 is attached to the inner frame 12 so as to be openable and closable. Like the inner frame 12, the front frame set 14 is located on the front side with an open / close axis extending vertically to the left when viewed from the front of the pachinko machine 10. It can be opened.

  The lower tray unit 13 is provided with a lower tray 15 as a ball storage means at a substantially central portion, and the game balls discharged from the discharge port 16 can be stored in the lower tray 15. Reference numeral 24 denotes a sound output port from the speaker 249 (see FIG. 2), and reference numeral 25 denotes a ball release lever for discharging the game ball from the lower plate 15 downward.

  A game ball launching handle (hereinafter simply referred to as “handle”) 18 is disposed on the right side of the lower plate 15 so as to protrude to the front side. An ashtray 26 is provided on the left side of the lower plate 15.

  On the other hand, an upper plate 19 as a ball storage means is provided above the lower plate 15. Here, the upper tray 19 is a ball receiving tray that temporarily stores the game balls and guides them to a game ball launching device as launching means while aligning them in a line. The upper plate 19 is integrally formed with the glass frame portion that supports the glass 137 in the front frame set 14.

  In FIG. 3, the inner frame 12 is mainly composed of a resin base 20 having a rectangular outer shape, and a substantially circular window hole 21 is formed at the center of the resin base 20. A game board 30 (see FIG. 4) is detachably mounted on the rear side of the resin base 20. The game board 30 is made of a rectangular plywood, and is attached in a state in which the peripheral edge thereof is in contact with the back side of the resin base 20 (inner frame 12). Accordingly, a substantially central portion of the front surface portion of the game board 30 is exposed to the front surface side of the inner frame 12 through the window hole 21 of the resin base 20. The resin base 20 is provided with an opening detection sensor 22 that detects opening of the front frame set 14. Although not shown, an open detection switch for detecting the opening of the inner frame 12 is also provided.

  Next, the configuration of the game board 30 will be described with reference to FIG. The game board 30 includes a general winning port 31, a variable winning device 32, a first opportunity corresponding unit (starting port) 33, a second opportunity corresponding port (through gate) 34, a variable display unit 35, and the like formed by router processing. Is disposed in the through hole. As is well known, a game ball enters the general winning opening 31, the variable winning device 32, and the first opportunity corresponding unit 33, and a predetermined number of prizes are given to the upper plate 19 (or the lower plate 15) by the output of a detection switch described later. The ball is paid out. In addition, the game board 30 is provided with an out port 36. The game balls that have not entered the various winning units (the winning device, the winning port, the first opportunity corresponding unit 33, etc.) as the winning means are It is guided through the out port 36 toward a ball discharge path (not shown). A number of nails are planted on the game board 30 in order to appropriately disperse and adjust the falling direction of the game balls, and various members (functions) such as the windmill 27 are arranged.

  The first opportunity corresponding unit 33 includes a pair of opening / closing members 33a, and the opening / closing member 33a is configured to open / close in response to establishment of a predetermined condition. Thereby, the first opportunity corresponding unit 33 can be switched between a closed state in which a game ball is difficult to enter and an open state in which a game ball is easy to enter. In the first opportunity corresponding unit 33, for example, when the opening / closing member 33a is in the open state in the normal mode and a specified time (for example, 0.2 seconds) elapses, or a specified number (for example, 1) of game balls has entered. The case is closed.

  The variable display device unit 35 displays a normal symbol display device 41 that displays a normal symbol variably with the passage of the second trigger corresponding port 34 as a trigger, and a color change display of the LED with a winning at the first trigger corresponding unit 33 as a trigger ( A special display device 43 that performs variable display) and a decorative symbol display device 42 that displays the decorative symbols in a variable manner in accordance with the variable display by the special display device 43 are provided.

  The normal symbol display device 41 is configured so that “O” or “X” can be lit and displayed as a normal symbol, and each time the game ball passes through the second opportunity corresponding port 34, for example, the normal symbol is changed from “O” to “ When “×” → “○” →... Is displayed at a high speed (variation display), and the variation display is stopped for several seconds with a “○” symbol, the first opportunity corresponding unit 33 is in an operating state for a predetermined time. It is configured to be (opened). The display contents of the normal symbol display device 41 are directly controlled by a main control device 261 described later. If a new game ball passes through the second opportunity corresponding port 34 while the normal symbol display device 41 is displaying the fluctuation of the normal symbol, the fluctuation display of the normal symbol corresponding to that change is performed at that time. The configuration is performed after the display is completed. That is, the variable display is on standby (held). The maximum number of the variable display to be held is determined for each model of the pachinko machine, but in this embodiment, it is held up to 4 times, and the hold number is lit and displayed by the hold lamp 44. ing. However, the maximum number of holding times is not limited to this. For example, the maximum number of holdings may be set to 8 in order to wait for the normal symbol variation display for 8 times.

  Note that the normal symbol may be configured to be variably displayed on a part of the decorative symbol display device 42 (liquid crystal display device) in addition to the configuration to be variably displayed by switching the lighting of a plurality of lamps. Similarly, the hold lamp 44 may be configured to be displayed on a part of the decorative symbol display device 42. When the decorative symbol display device 42 is configured to display the normal symbol variation display and the variation hold display in this manner, the main control device 261 transmits a command related to the normal symbol to the display control device 45, and the display control device 45. However, the decorative symbol display device 42 is controlled. However, even in this case, an LED or the like that is directly controlled by the main controller 261 is provided, and a lottery result indicating whether or not the first opportunity corresponding unit 33 is to be opened is displayed by this LED. It is desirable to make the display of the normal symbol on the display device 42 auxiliary. The reason is that the main controller 261 is stored in the sealed board box 263 as will be described later. That is, in view of the fact that an illegal act on the display control device 45 is easier than an illegal act on the main control device 261, the decorative symbol display device by the display control device 45 mainly uses the display using the LED or the like by the main control device 261. By making the normal symbol display using 42 auxiliary, it is possible to easily find an illegal act on the display control device 45 by the display using the LED or the like by the main control device 261.

  The special display device 43 is provided on the right side of the normal symbol of the normal symbol display device 41 controlled by the main controller 261, and is composed of three-color light emitting diodes (three-color LEDs) having red, green, and blue emission colors. Has been. The display content of the special display device 43 is controlled by a main control device 261 described later. In the present embodiment, whether or not a big hit is made is displayed deterministically by the special display device 43, and the decorative symbol display device 42 shown below is a result displayed on the special display device 43. The display control device 45 performs auxiliary display based on a command from the main control device 261 so as to correspond to the above.

  The decorative symbol display device 42 is configured as a liquid crystal display device, and the display content is controlled by a display control device 45 described later. The decorative symbol display device 42 displays, for example, three symbol rows of left, middle and right. Each symbol row is composed of a plurality of symbols, and these symbols are variably displayed on the decorative symbol display device 42 so as to be scrolled for each symbol row. In the present embodiment, the decorative symbol display device 42 (liquid crystal display device) includes a large liquid crystal display having an 8-inch size. The variable display device unit 35 is provided with a center frame 47 so as to surround the decorative symbol display device 42.

  The variable winning device 32 is normally in a closed state in which a game ball cannot be won or difficult to win, and is in an open state in which a game ball is likely to win in a big hit (occurrence of a special game state) and a normal closed state. It is designed to be operated repeatedly. More specifically, when the game ball wins the first opportunity corresponding unit 33, the special display device 43 displays the three-color LED at a high speed such as red → green → blue → red →. When a predetermined time elapses, it is determined and displayed in one of the colors. The high-speed color change display is, for example, that red, green, and blue are displayed in order every 4 msec. At this time, a special gaming state occurs when the decision display is made in red or green (for example, when it is stopped for a few seconds), that is, when a big win lottery is won. Here, red or green is a display showing a big hit. In particular, red is a display (mode) indicating that the game mode after the jackpot is a high probability mode described later, and green is a display indicating that the game mode after the jackpot is a time reduction mode described later. (Mode). For this reason, when the special display device 43 determines and displays the three-color LEDs in red or green, a specific symbol combination is supplementarily displayed on the decorative symbol display device 42. The large winning opening of the variable winning device 32 is in a predetermined open state, and the game ball is configured to be in a state where it is easy to win (a big hit state). More specifically, a special winning opening of the variable winning device 32 is repeatedly opened a predetermined number of times when a predetermined time (for example, 29 seconds) or a predetermined number (for example, 10) of winnings is defined as one round (special prize state). When a game ball newly wins the first opportunity corresponding unit 33 during the variation display of the special display device 43, the corresponding variation display is performed after the end of the variation display performed at that time. It has become. That is, the variable display is on standby (held, stored). The maximum number of the variable display to be held is determined for each model of the pachinko machine, but in this embodiment, it is held up to 4 times, and the hold number is lit and displayed by the hold lamp 46. ing. However, the maximum number of holding times is not limited to this. For example, the maximum number of suspensions may be set to 8 in order to wait for 8 fluctuation displays. The hold lamp 46 may be configured to be displayed on a part of the decorative symbol display device 42.

  In addition, the game board 30 is provided with a rail unit 50 as a rail member for guiding the game ball launched from the game ball launching device to the upper part of the game board 30, and the game board 30 was fired as the handle 18 was rotated. The game ball is guided to a predetermined game area through the rail unit 50. The rail unit 50 is formed of a ring-shaped resin molded product, and includes an inner rail constituent part (inner rail part) 51 and an outer rail constituent part (outer rail mounting part) 52 that are integrally formed in an inner and outer double. Have. The inner rail constituting portion 51 is formed in a substantially annular shape except for about 1/4 of the upper portion. Further, the outer rail constituting portion 52 is formed so that a part (mainly the left side portion) faces the inner rail constituting portion 51. In such a case, the inner rail constituting portion 51 and the outer rail constituting portion 52 mainly constitute a guide rail, and each of the rail constituting portions 51 and 52 is guided by a ball by a portion (left portion toward the left) that is parallel with a predetermined interval. A passage is formed.

  Next, the game area will be described. The game area is partitioned and formed in a substantially circular shape by the inner peripheral part (inner and outer rail constituent parts 51 and 52) of the rail unit 50. In particular, in this embodiment, the game area is partitioned on the board surface of the game board 30. Is much larger than before. In the present embodiment, when the game area is viewed from the front of the pachinko machine 10, guidance that is a parallel part of the inner and outer rail constituting parts 51 and 52 among the area surrounded by the inner rail constituting part 51 and the outer rail constituting part 52. The area excluding the rail area.

  Returning to the description of FIG. 3, in the resin base 20, below the window hole 21 (game board 30), a launch rail 61 for guiding the game ball immediately after being launched from the game ball launcher is attached. The firing rail 61 is fixedly attached to the resin base 20 integrally with the metal plate 62 behind the firing rail 61, and is configured to extend linearly at a predetermined firing angle (launch angle). Accordingly, the game ball that is launched in accordance with the turning operation of the handle 18 is first launched obliquely upward along the launch rail 61 and then guided to a predetermined game area through the ball guide passage of the rail unit 50 as described above. It is like that.

  Further, there is a gap of a predetermined interval between the firing rail 61 and the rail unit 50 (guidance rail), and a foul ball passage 63 is formed below the gap. Therefore, if the game ball launched from the game ball launching device does not reach the game area and returns to the inside of the guide rail as a foul ball, the foul ball is discharged to the lower plate 15 through the foul ball passage 63. The Further, the game ball launching device is provided with a hitting ball, and the game ball is shot with the rotation of the hitting ball about the shaft portion.

  In addition, the code | symbol 67 in FIG. 3 is the discharge port connected to the upper plate 19, and a game ball is discharged to the upper plate 19 through this discharge port 67. FIG. An open / close shutter 68 is attached to the discharge port 67. Although detailed disclosure of the drawings is omitted, the shutter 68 is rotatable about the shaft portion provided along the lower side portion thereof, and is in a state where the front frame set 14 is opened (state of FIG. 3). The shutter 68 substantially closes the discharge port 67 by a biasing force such as a spring. When the front frame set 14 is closed, the shutter 68 is pushed open by a ball passage rod 69 (see FIG. 2) provided on the back surface of the front frame set 14. Note that the game ball is discharged to the lower plate 15 in the open state of the front frame set 14.

  In order to detect that the lower plate 15 is filled with a ball in the middle of a ball passage connecting the discharge port 16 opened in the lower plate 15 and an opening 245b of a game ball distributing unit 245 described later. A lower plate full tank switch 15a (see FIG. 23) is provided so as to form a part of the bottom surface of the passage. When the balls are dispensed in a large amount in a short period of time, the balls start to accumulate on the lower plate 15 after the upper plate 19 is full. Thereafter, even if the balls continue to be paid out, if the balls in the lower plate 15 are not pulled out, the balls start to collect in the middle of the ball passage, but when the balls are collected up to the installation position of the lower plate full tank switch 15a, It is stopped by a payout control device 311 described later.

  Next, the front frame set 14 will be described with reference to FIG. The front frame set 14 is formed with a substantially elliptical window 101 so that most of the game area can be visually recognized from the outside. A pair of glass 137 having a rectangular shape is attached to the front frame set 14 at a predetermined interval in the front-rear direction. In addition, the front frame set 14 is provided with light emitting means such as various lamps around it (for example, a corner portion). These light emitting means play a role of enhancing the effect of the game during the game by changing and controlling the light emission mode such as lighting and blinking according to the change of the game state at the time of big hit or predetermined reach. For example, at the periphery of the window portion 101, an annular illumination portion 102 containing a light emitting means such as an LED is provided symmetrically, and at the center of the annular illumination portion 102 and at the top of the pachinko machine 10, Similarly, a central illumination unit 103 having a built-in light emitting means such as an LED is provided. In addition, on the left and right sides of the central illumination unit 103, there are provided a prize ball lamp 105 that is lit during award ball payout and an error display lamp 106 as a notification means that is lit when a predetermined error occurs. The annular illumination unit 102, the central illumination unit 103, the prize ball lamp 105, and the error display lamp 106 are electrically connected to an audio lamp control device 262, which will be described later, and are controlled by the audio lamp control device 262.

  In addition, a ball rental operation unit 120 as a ball rental signal output unit is disposed below the window unit 101. The ball rental operation unit 120 includes a ball rental button 121, a return button 122, and a frequency display unit 123. And are provided. If the ball lending operation unit 120 is operated in a state where a bill or a card is inserted into a card unit (ball lending unit) arranged on the side of the pachinko machine 10, a game ball is lent according to the operation. . The ball lending button 121 is operated to obtain a lending ball based on information recorded on a card or the like (recording medium), and the lending ball is supplied to the upper plate 19 as long as there is a remaining amount on the card or the like. Is done. The return button 122 is operated when requesting the return of a card or the like inserted into the card unit. The frequency display unit 123 displays remaining amount information such as a card. It should be noted that the ball rental operation unit 120 is not necessary for a pachinko machine in which game balls are lent directly to the upper plate from a ball lending device or the like without using a card unit, that is, a so-called cash machine.

  The locking mechanism of the front frame set 14 is integrated with the locking mechanism of the inner frame 12, and the main body of the integrated locking mechanism G1 (see FIG. 5 and the like) is on the back side of the inner frame 12. Is provided.

  Next, the configuration of the back surface of the pachinko machine 10 will be described in detail. FIG. 5 is a rear view of the pachinko machine 10, FIG. 6 is a rear view showing the configuration of the game board 30 assembled to the inner frame 12, and FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the inner frame 12 as viewed from the rear. is there.

  First, an overall outline of the rear configuration of the pachinko machine 10 will be described. In the pachinko machine 10, various control boards are arranged on the back side (actually the back side of the inner frame 12 and the game board 30) so as to be arranged vertically or horizontally, or to be stacked in front and back, A game ball supply device (payout mechanism) for supplying game balls, a protective cover made of resin, and the like are attached. In this embodiment, various control boards are divided into two mounting bases to form two control board units, and these control board units are individually attached to the inner frame 12 or the back of the game board 30. ing. In this case, the main board and the sound lamp control board are mounted on one mounting base to form a unit, and the dispensing control board, launch control board, and power supply board are mounted on the other mounting base to form a unit. Here, for convenience, the former unit is referred to as “first control board unit 201”, and the latter unit is referred to as “second control board unit 202”. Further, since the dispensing mechanism and the protective cover are integrated as one unit, and the resin portion is generally referred to as a back pack, the unit is referred to as a “back pack unit 203” here. The detailed configuration of each unit 201 to 203 will be described later.

  As will be described later, the first control board unit 201 having a substantially L-shape is arranged at substantially the center of the pachinko machine 10, and the second control board unit 202 is arranged therebelow. Further, the back pack unit 203 is arranged in a region partially overlapping the first control board unit 201.

  A variable display device unit 35 is disposed in the center of the game board 30. In the variable display device unit 35, a frame cover 213 made of resin (for example, made of ABS) that covers the center frame 47 (see FIG. 4) from behind is provided to protrude rearward, and at the rear end of the frame cover 213, A decorative symbol display device 42 and a display control device 45, which are liquid crystal display devices, are detachably attached in a state where they are overlapped in the front and rear. In the frame cover 213, an LED control board for driving LEDs and the like built in the center frame 47 are disposed.

  A back frame set 215 is attached to the back surface of the game board 30 so as to surround the variable display device unit 35. The back frame set 215 is a thin resin-molded product (for example, made of ABS) provided so as to stick to the back surface of the game board 30 and is formed with a game ball collecting mechanism that collects game balls won in various winning openings. Has been. Specifically, below the back frame set 215, the general winning opening 31, the variable winning device 32, and the first opportunity corresponding unit 33 (see FIG. 4 respectively) described above correspond to the game board opening and 1 on the downstream side. A collection passage 216 that collects at a place is formed. In addition, a discharge passage board 217 made of resin (for example, made of polycarbonate resin) is also attached to the inner frame 12 below the game board 30, and discharge balls are sent to the outside of the pachinko machine 10 in the discharge passage board 217. A guide discharge passage 218 is formed. Accordingly, all the game balls won in the general winning opening 31 and the like are gathered through the collection passage 216 of the back frame set 215 and further discharged to the outside of the pachinko machine 10 through the discharge passage 218 of the discharge passage board 217. In addition, the out port 36 (see FIG. 4) similarly communicates with the discharge passage 218, and the game balls that have not won any winning opening are discharged to the outside of the pachinko machine 10 through the discharge passage 218.

  Also, on the back surface of the game board 30, a winning detection mechanism (entrance detecting means) for detecting the passage of gaming balls such as various winning holes is provided. Specifically, a prize opening switch 221 is provided at a position corresponding to the general prize opening 31 on the front side of the game board 30, and a count switch 223 is provided in the variable prize winning device 32. The count switch 223 is a switch that counts the game balls won in the variable winning device 32 in the big hit state. Further, a first trigger corresponding unit (starting port) switch 224 is provided at a position corresponding to the first trigger corresponding unit 33, and a second trigger corresponding port (gate) switch is provided at a position corresponding to the second trigger corresponding port 34. 225 is provided.

  The prize opening switch 221 and the second opportunity corresponding gate (gate) switch 225 are connected to the board relay board 226 through electric wiring (not shown), and this board relay board 226 is further connected to a main board (main controller 261) described later. ing. Further, the count switch 223 is connected to the special winning opening relay board 227, and this special winning opening relay board 227 is also connected to the main board. On the other hand, the first opportunity corresponding unit (starting port) switch 224 is directly connected to the main board without the relay board.

  Although not shown in the drawings, the variable prize winning device 32 is provided with a big prize opening solenoid for opening the big prize opening, and the first opportunity handling unit 33 is provided with a first opportunity handling unit (opening / closing member 33a). A starting port) solenoid is provided. 5 to 7, reference numeral 228 denotes a set handle including a hitting ball and the like, and reference numeral 229 denotes a firing motor.

  The detection results detected by the winning detection mechanism are taken into a main board, which will be described later, and a payout command (the number of game balls to be paid out) corresponding to the winning situation is transmitted from the main board to the payout control board. The Then, a predetermined number of game balls are paid out by the output of the payout control board.

  In addition, in the rear configuration of the inner frame 12, a game ball for distributing a game ball paid out from a payout mechanism, which will be described later, to either the upper plate 19, the lower plate 15, or the discharge passage 218, at the lower right portion of the game board 30. A distribution unit 245 is provided. That is, the opening 245a of the game ball distribution unit 245 communicates with the upper plate 19, the opening 245b communicates with the lower plate 15, and the opening 245c communicates with the discharge passage 218 (see FIG. 7).

  Next, the first control board unit 201 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the unit 201.

  The first control board unit 201 has a mounting base 251 having a substantially L shape, and the main control device 261 and the initialization device 543 (board box 263) and the sound lamp control device 262 (board box 265) are mounted on the mounting base 251. ) And are installed.

  The main control device 261 includes a CPU that controls the main control, a ROM that stores a game program, a RAM that stores necessary data according to the progress of the game, a port for communicating with various devices, and a random number used in various lotteries. It includes a main board including a generator, a clock pulse generation circuit used for time counting and synchronization, and the like.

  The initialization device 543 is electrically connected to the RAM erase switch 323, detects whether the RAM erase switch 323 has been pressed, and transmits the detection result to the main control device 261. (See FIG. 23).

  The main board and the RAM erasing switch circuit 543a are accommodated in a board box 263 (encapsulating means) made of a transparent resin material or the like, and the main controller 261 and the initialization apparatus 543 are integrated. The substrate box 263 includes a substantially rectangular parallelepiped box base and a box cover that covers the opening of the box base. The box base and the box cover are connected to each other by a sealing unit 264 (sealing means) so that the box box 263 is sealed.

  The RAM erase switch 323 that is electrically connected to the initialization device 543 is a switch that is operated when the pachinko machine 10 is returned to the initial state when the power is turned on. This pachinko machine 10 has a backup function, so that even if a power failure occurs, it maintains the state at the time of a power failure, and can be restored to the state at the time of a power failure when returning from a power failure (power recovery) It has become. Therefore, if the power is turned off in the normal procedure (for example, when the hall is closed), the state before the power is turned off is stored. If you want to return to the initial state when the power is turned on, turn on the power while holding down the RAM erase switch 323. We are going to throw it in. By providing the RAM erase switch 323 in the substrate box 263, a signal generating device or the like is attached between the initialization device 543 and the RAM erase switch 323, and the main controller 261 is forced to the initial state. Can be prevented. As will be described later, the jackpot of the pachinko machine 10 is drawn by lottery based on the value of the jackpot random number counter C1 stored in the reserved ball storage area in accordance with the winning timing of the ball to the first opportunity corresponding unit 33. Therefore, if a signal generating device is attached between the first trigger corresponding unit switch 224 that detects entering the first trigger corresponding unit 33 and the main control device 261, a jackpot can be generated illegally, Since the main control device 261 can be prevented from being forced to the initial state, it is possible to prevent the jackpot from being illegally generated.

  As the sealing unit 264 as the sealing means, any configuration can be applied as long as the box base and the box cover are connected so as not to be opened, but here, the sealing unit 264 has a configuration in which five sealing members are connected. The box base and the box cover are connected so as not to be opened by inserting a locking claw into the long hole of the member. The sealing process by the sealing unit 264 prevents unauthorized opening after the sealing, and makes it possible to detect such a situation early and easily even if the unauthorized opening is performed. It is possible to perform the opening / sealing process again even after the operation. That is, the sealing process is performed by inserting the locking claw into the long hole of at least one sealing member among the five sealing members constituting the sealing unit 264. And when opening the board | substrate box 263 by the malfunction of the accommodated main board | substrate etc., the connection of the sealing member in which the latching claw was inserted, and another sealing member is cut | disconnected. Thereafter, when the sealing process is performed again, the locking claws are inserted into the long holes of the other sealing members. If the history of opening the board box 263 is left in the board box 263, it can be easily found that the illegal opening has been performed by looking at the board box 263.

  The voice lamp control device 262 is a voice lamp including, for example, a CPU that controls voice and lamp display in accordance with instructions from the main control device 261 (main board) or the display control device 45, and other ROM, RAM, various ports, and the like. The audio lamp control board is housed in a board box 265 made of a transparent resin material or the like. A power relay board 266 is mounted on the sound lamp control device 262, and power supplied from a power board described later is output to the display control device 45 and the sound lamp control device 262 via the power relay board 266. It is like that.

  A board box 263 in which the main controller 261 (main board) and the initialization device 543 are accommodated on one board mounting surface is disposed in a horizontally oriented direction, and an audio lamp control is provided on the other board mounting surface. A board box 265 in which the device 262 (sound lamp control board) is accommodated is arranged in a vertically long direction. In particular, the main control device 261 (board box 263) is arranged on the near side when viewed from the back of the pachinko machine 10, and the sound lamp control device 262 (board box 265) is arranged on the back side.

  Next, the second control board unit 202 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the unit 202.

  The second control board unit 202 has a horizontally long mounting base 301 on which a payout control device 311, a firing control device 312, a power supply device 313 and a card unit connection board 314 are mounted. The payout control device 311, the launch control device 312, and the power supply device 313 are equipped with a control board including a central control CPU, ROM, RAM, various ports and the like as is well known. The payout of prize balls (prize balls) and rental balls (lending balls) is controlled by the substrate. Further, the launch motor 229 is controlled by the launch control board of the launch controller 312 in accordance with the operation of the handle 18 by the player, and a predetermined power supply voltage required by various control devices and the like is generated by the power board of the power supply 313. Is output. The card unit connection board 314 is electrically connected to the ball lending operation unit 120 on the front surface of the pachinko machine and a card unit (not shown). The card unit connection board 314 takes a ball lending operation command from the player and outputs it to the payout control device 311. is there. Note that the card unit connection board 314 can be omitted in a cash machine in which game balls are lent directly to the upper plate from a ball lending device or the like without using a card unit.

  The payout control device 311, the firing control device 312, the power supply device 313, and the card unit connection substrate 314 are respectively configured to be accommodated in substrate boxes 315, 316, 317, and 318 made of a transparent resin material or the like. In particular, in the dispensing control device 311, similarly to the main control device 261 described above, the box base and the box cover constituting the substrate box 315 (encapsulating means) are connected by the sealing unit 319 (sealing means) so that they cannot be opened. Thus, the substrate box 315 is sealed.

  Further, the payout control device 311 is provided with a state return switch 321. If the state return switch 321 is pressed when an error state occurs, the state returns to the normal state.

  Next, the configuration of the back pack unit 203 will be described. The back pack unit 203 is formed by integrating a resin-molded back pack 351 and a game ball payout mechanism 352, and FIG. 10 is a rear view of the pachinko machine 10 viewed from the back.

  The back pack 351 has a substantially flat base portion 353 and a protective cover portion 354 that protrudes rearward of the pachinko machine and has a horizontally long, substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. The protective cover 354 has a shape in which the left and right side surfaces and the upper surface are closed and only the lower surface is opened, and has a size sufficient to surround at least the variable display device unit 35.

  In addition, a payout mechanism portion 352 is disposed on the base portion 353 so as to bypass the protective cover portion 354. That is, a tank 355 serving as a storage means that opens upward is provided at the top of the back pack 351. The tank 355 has a game ball supply mechanism provided in an island facility (game machine installation island) of the game hall. The game balls supplied from are sequentially replenished.

  Below the tank 355, a tank rail 356 having a plurality of spherical passages and gently inclined toward the downstream side is connected. Further, a case rail 357 is connected to the downstream side of the tank rail 356 in the vertical direction. . The tank rail 356 and the case rail 357 constitute guiding means in this embodiment.

  A payout device 358 is connected to the most downstream portion of the case rail 357, and the payout device 358 appropriately pays out a required number of game balls. Note that the payout device 358 in the present embodiment is configured by two ball payout units 400 as described later. The game balls paid out from the payout device 358 are guided to the game ball distribution unit 245 through the payout basket unit 359.

  The payout basket unit 359 includes a first derivation passage 709 and a second derivation passage 710 as will be described later. Thereby, the game balls led out from the payout passage portions 419 and 420 are led to the upper plate 19 and the lower plate 15 through the first lead-out passage 709, and the game balls led out from the ball discharge passage portions 421 and 422. Is led to the discharge passage 218 via the second lead-out passage 710 and eventually to a predetermined discharge portion of the island facility of the game hall.

  The payout mechanism 352 is provided with a payout relay board W1 (see FIG. 13 and the like) that relays a payout command signal from the payout control device 311 to the payout device 358, and detailed illustration is omitted. A power switch board for taking in the main power from outside is installed. The power switch board is supplied with, for example, AC 24V main power via a voltage converter, and the power switch is turned on or off by switching the power switch.

  Also, all of the dispensing mechanism 352 from the tank 355 to the dispensing basket unit 359 is formed of a conductive resin material (for example, conductive polycarbonate resin) and is grounded at a part thereof. Thereby, generation | occurrence | production of the noise by charging of a game ball is suppressed.

  Further, the base 353 of the back pack unit 203 is provided with an opening 391 for the external relay terminal plate 230, so that the external relay terminal plate 230 can be removed and operated even when the back pack unit 203 is fixed. It is possible.

  Next, the tank 355, the tank rail 356, and the case rail 357 will be described in detail.

  As shown in FIG. 11, the tank 355 is configured in a substantially box shape that is longer in the left-right direction than in the front-rear direction and opens upward, and is configured to store game balls therein.

  On the bottom of the tank 355, a substantially rectangular outlet 355a for leading the game ball to the tank rail 356 is formed on one of the left and right sides (left side as viewed from the back side of the pachinko machine 10 in this embodiment). The bottom of the tank 355 is inclined downward toward the outlet 355a.

  The front-rear width (depth) of the outlet 355a in this embodiment is substantially the same as the front-rear width of the tank 355 itself so that a plurality of game balls can be dropped simultaneously. This is because the front-rear width of the tank rail 356 is formed to be substantially the same as the front-rear width of the tank 355 itself. Conventionally, the front and rear width of the tank rail is generally narrower than the front and rear width of the tank itself, and the front and rear width of the outlet is set to match the front and rear width of the tank rail. Is provided with a guiding portion that gradually narrows the front-rear width of the tank bottom portion (the flow path of the game ball) toward the outlet. Therefore, conventionally, it has been easy to cause clogging in the vicinity of the outlet. In this regard, in the present embodiment, it is not necessary to provide a guiding portion that narrows the front and rear width of the bottom portion (the flow path of the game ball) of the tank 355 in the vicinity of the outlet 355a. It is hard to wake up.

  Next, the configuration of the tank rail 356 will be described. The tank rail 356 has a rail body 361 having a long bowl shape opened upward. Further, a ball receiving portion may be provided at the starting end portion (left side in FIG. 11) of the rail main body 361 so that the game ball dropped from the tank 355 can be smoothly taken into the rail main body 361 by the ball receiving portion. .

  The rail body 361 is provided with three partition walls 363 extending in the longitudinal direction (left-right direction), and four rows of spherical passages 364 are formed by the partition walls 363. Each of the four rows of ball passages 364 partitioned by the partition wall 363 is slightly wider than the diameter of the game ball. Further, on the bottom surface of each ball passage 364, a protrusion for increasing the inductiveness of the game ball or suppressing the clogging of the ball and an opening for eliminating the ball clogging may be provided.

  In addition, a rectifying plate 367 is disposed on the rail body 361 so as to cover the ceiling portion at the downstream end thereof. A convex portion (not shown) extending in the longitudinal direction is formed on the lower surface of the rectifying plate 367. Thereby, the game balls flowing in the tank rail 356 finally flow out downstream without being stacked up and down. Accordingly, even if a large amount of game balls flow into the tank rail 356, the game balls are prevented from being jammed, and the ball clogging in the tank rail 356 is eliminated. The rail body 361 is formed of black conductive polycarbonate resin, whereas the rectifying plate 367 is formed of transparent polycarbonate resin. The rectifying plate 367 is detachably provided. By removing the rectifying plate 367, maintenance in the tank rail 356 can be easily performed. Further, since the rectifying plate 367 is formed of a transparent resin, it is possible to check the state in the tank rail 356 without having to remove the rectifying plate 367 bothersomely, and save the trouble of removing the rectifying plate 367 during maintenance or the like. Can do.

  Next, the case rail 357 will be described. The case rail 357 includes four rows of ball passages corresponding to the four rows of ball passages 364 of the tank rail 356. These ball passages have a configuration in which two pairs of ball passage sets in two rows are arranged in the front and rear so as to correspond to two ball paying units 400 described later. More specifically, the front set of ball passages 371a and 371b corresponding to the ball dispensing unit 400 disposed on the front side (front side in FIG. 11) and the ball disposed on the back side (back side in FIG. 11). It is composed of a rear set of ball passages 372a and 372b corresponding to the payout unit 400. With these ball passages 371a and the like, the game balls flowing down from the tank rail 356 can be waited (stopped) and individually guided to the payout device 358. Each ball passage 371a and the like is provided with a ball break detection switch 357a (see FIG. 23) as a ball presence / absence detecting means for detecting the presence / absence of a game ball in each ball passage 371a. When the game balls are parked in the ball passages 371a and so on, the ball break detection switch 357a is turned on. When there is no game ball in each ball passage 371a and the like, the ball break detection switch 357a is turned off. Is turned off.

  Next, the payout device 358 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 12 is a front perspective view of the dispensing device 358, FIG. 13 is a rear perspective view of the ball dispensing unit 400, and FIGS. 14 to 16 are cross-sectional views for explaining the configuration inside the ball dispensing unit 400. 17 is an exploded perspective view of the ball dispensing unit 400.

  The payout device 358 in the present embodiment includes two ball payout units 400. Each ball dispensing unit 400 is covered with a case body 401 made of, for example, a transparent resin, and has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape.

  The case body 401 is configured by connecting a plurality of case constituent members. In the present embodiment, the case body 401 includes a first base portion 403, a second base portion 404 that covers the front side (front side in FIG. 12) of the first base portion 403, and the second base portion 404. It has a three-layer structure including a cover portion 405 covering the front side. These case constituent members 403, 404, and 405 are integrally assembled by fastening means such as screws.

  By assembling the case constituent members 403, 404, and 405, a ball passage through which game balls flow and a space portion in which a payout mechanism is disposed are formed between the case constituent members 403, 404, and 405. . Further, these spherical passages and spaces are formed by connecting ribs or the like protruding from the case constituent members 403, 404, and 405.

  More specifically, a first ball passage 407 is formed between the first base portion 403 and the second base portion 404 so as to communicate with the upper and lower sides in the case body 401, and the first ball passage 407 has a first side on the side. A stop mechanism 408 is provided. Similarly, a second ball passage 409 is formed between the second base portion 404 and the cover portion 405, and a second stopping mechanism 410 is disposed on the side of the second ball passage 409. The first ball passage 407 and the second ball passage 409 have substantially the same shape, and the first stop mechanism 408 and the second stop mechanism 410 have substantially the same configuration. Accordingly, each ball dispensing unit 400 has two dispensing mechanisms, a dispensing mechanism composed of the first ball passage 407 and the first stopping mechanism 408 and a dispensing mechanism composed of the second ball passage 409 and the second stopping mechanism 410 and the like. It will be provided. Each of these payout mechanisms corresponds to the payout means in this embodiment. In the present embodiment, the first ball passage 407 and the second ball passage 409 are formed in a cylindrical shape having a substantially square cross section, and the diameter of a general game ball is about 11 mm. The length of one side of the ball passages 407 and 409 is set to about 12 mm.

  Further, each component member (ball) of the two payout mechanisms accommodated in the first layer between the first base portion 403 and the second base portion 404 and the second layer between the second base portion 404 and the cover portion 405, respectively. The arrangements of the passages 407 and 409 and the stopping mechanisms 408 and 410 are substantially the same (see FIG. 14 and the like). That is, the cross-sectional shape of the first layer (arrangement configuration in the cross-sectional cross-section) that is a cross-section orthogonal to the front-rear direction and the cross-sectional shape of the second layer are substantially the same. Here, since the spherical passage is formed along the cross section of each layer, and the retaining mechanism is arranged in the non-formation region of the spherical passage in the cross section, for example, the spherical passage and the retaining mechanism are alternately arranged in the front-rear direction. The configuration can be made more compact than the configuration, and the ball dispensing unit 400 can be thinned (thinned in the front-rear direction).

  The first sphere passage 407 and the second sphere passage 409 are relatively gently lowered from the openings 415 and 416 opened on the upper surface of the case body 401 toward one of the left and right directions (the left direction in FIG. 14 in the present embodiment). Inclined stop passage portions 417 and 418, payout passage portions 419 and 420 that communicate with the downstream side of the stop passage portions 417 and 418 and extend in a substantially vertical direction, and branch off from the middle of the payout passage portions 419 and 420. It is composed of inclined ball passage portions 421 and 422. And on the lower surface of the case body 401, openings 419a and 420a of the payout passage portions 419 and 420 are formed, and openings 421a and 422a of the ball removal passage portions 421 and 422 are formed.

  The first ball passage 407 and the second ball passage 409 of both the ball paying units 400 are arranged to communicate with the corresponding ball passages 371a, 371b, 372a, 372b of the case rail 357, respectively. More specifically, the first ball passage 407 of the front-side ball dispensing unit 400 communicates with the ball passage 371b, and the second ball passage 409 communicates with the ball passage 371a. In addition, the first ball passage 407 of the back side ball dispensing unit 400 communicates with the ball passage 372b, and the second ball passage 409 communicates with the ball passage 372a.

  On the other hand, at the lower part of both ball paying units 400, the payout passage portions 419 and 420 of both ball paying units 400 communicate with the first lead-out passage 709 of the payout basket unit 359, and the ball removal passage portions 421 of the both ball payout units 400. , 422 communicate with the second outlet passage 710 of the dispensing basket unit 359.

  Next, the first stop mechanism 408 and the second stop mechanism 410 will be described in detail. The stopping mechanisms 408 and 410 include space portions 431 formed below the stopping passage portions 417 and 418, on the side of the payout passage portions 419 and 420 (right side in FIG. 14), and above the ball removal passage portions 421 and 422, respectively. 432 is disposed. And the 1st stop mechanism 408 and the 2nd stop mechanism 410 are comprised so that it can drive independently, respectively.

  The stopping mechanisms 408 and 410 include flickers 433 and 434 as stop members (claw members), solenoids 435 and 436 as stop member driving means, and drive transmission members 437 and 437 as drive transmission means for interlocking the both. 438.

  The solenoids 435 and 436 are provided with plungers 441 and 442 as sliding means that protrude downward. Slide members 443 and 444 that slide up and down integrally with the plungers 441 and 442 are attached to the distal ends of the plungers 441 and 442. A coil spring as an elastic member (not shown) is attached to the plungers 441 and 442, and the plungers 441 and 442 are pushed downward in a normal state, that is, in a non-excited state (non-operating state) of the solenoids 435 and 436. Has been lowered. When the solenoids 435 and 436 are in an excited state (operating state), the plungers 441 and 442 are pulled upward (see FIG. 16).

  The flickers 433 and 434 are pivotally supported in the vicinity of the payout passage portions 419 and 420 in the space portions 431 and 432 by the support shaft 447 inserted through the flickers 433 and 434, respectively. The support shaft 447 passes through the second base portion 404, is inserted into both the flickers 433 and 434, and is attached between the first base portion 403 and the cover portion 405.

  Flickers 433 and 434 have a substantially arc shape, and a tip portion located above the support shaft 447 is tapered. On the other hand, openings 451 and 452 are provided on the wall portions 431 and 432 in the vicinity of the upper ends of the payout passage portions 419 and 420. Then, as the flickers 433 and 434 are rotated, the tip ends of the flickers 433 and 434 are moved in and out of the payout passage portions 419 and 420 through the openings 451 and 452. In a state where the tip ends of the flickers 433 and 434 protrude into the payout passage portions 419 and 420, the game ball cannot pass, and the game ball is stopped upstream. The displacement positions of the flickers 433 and 434 in which the tip ends of the flickers 433 and 434 protrude into the payout passage portions 419 and 420 through the openings 451 and 452 correspond to the restriction positions in the present embodiment. Further, the displacement position of the flickers 433 and 434 where the tip ends of the flickers 433 and 434 are subtracted (retracted) from the payout passage portions 419 and 420 corresponds to the restriction release position in the present embodiment.

  In addition, drive transmission members 437 and 438 each having a substantially rectangular shape are disposed below the flickers 433 and 434. The drive transmission members 437 and 438 are pivotally supported by a support shaft 448 inserted through the drive transmission members 437 and 438. Similarly to the support shaft 447, the support shaft 448 passes through the second base portion 404, is inserted into both the drive transmission members 437 and 438, and is attached between the first base portion 403 and the cover portion 405. Yes.

  Engagement recesses 453 and 454 are formed at the lower ends of the flickers 433 and 434, and the distal end portions of the drive transmission members 437 and 438 are engaged (freely fitted) with the engagement recesses 453 and 454. Furthermore, long holes (not shown) are formed in the wall portions 455 and 456 provided on the back side of the engaging recesses 453 and 454 (back side in FIG. 14), and the drive transmission member 437, An engagement pin (not shown) that protrudes from the distal end of 438 to the back is inserted. With these configurations, the flickers 433 and 434 are rotated in conjunction with the movement of the drive transmission members 437 and 438.

  On the other hand, an engagement recess 461 is formed at the lower rear end of the drive transmission members 437 and 438. End portions of slide members 443 and 444 attached to the plungers 441 and 442 are inserted into the engagement recess 461. With such a configuration, the drive transmission members 437 and 438 and thus the flickers 433 and 434 are rotated in conjunction with the vertical movement of the plungers 441 and 442.

  Now, on the side of the case body 401, a ball detection sensor 464 as a payout ball detection means is attached in the vicinity of the tip of the flicker 433,434. More specifically, the ball detection sensor 464 is arranged so that the game ball can be detected at a position slightly downstream from the position of the most downstream game ball stopped by the tip of the flickers 433 and 434 (flow stop position). ing.

  As shown in FIG. 18, the sphere detection sensor 464 includes a substantially rectangular parallelepiped main body 466 that includes a substrate 465 and the like, and a light emitting unit that protrudes from a substantially central portion in the longitudinal direction of the main body 466 and includes a light emitting element 467a. 467, and a first light receiving portion 469 and a second light receiving portion 470 that project from both ends in the longitudinal direction of the main body portion 466 so as to face the light emitting portion 467 and include the light receiving elements 469a and 470a. Transmission type photosensor. In addition, through holes 471a and 471b that transmit light emitted from the light emitting element 467a are formed on both sides of the light emitting portion 467 facing the light receiving portions 469 and 470, respectively. Correspondingly, the first light receiving portion 469 and the second light receiving portion 470 are provided with through holes 472 and 473 for receiving light from the light emitting element 467a on the side facing the light emitting portion 467, respectively. . As a result, the light emitting unit 467, the first light receiving unit 469, the light emitting unit 467, and the second light receiving unit 470 detect the game balls in the payout passage units 419 and 420, respectively.

  With the above configuration, only one light emitting unit 467 corresponds to the two light receiving units 469 and 470, and furthermore, only one light emitting element 467a corresponds to the two light receiving units 469 and 470. Mu Therefore, for example, the sphere detection sensor 464 is more compactly integrated than a configuration including two light emitting units corresponding to the two light receiving units 469 and 470 or a configuration including two light emitting elements in one light emitting unit. The sphere detection sensor 464 can be further downsized.

  On the other hand, a side portion of the case body 401 is provided with an attachment recess 475 in which the ball detection sensor 464 is fitted, and a pair of upper and lower locking claws 475a and 475b for locking the ball detection sensor 464. . Further, the second base portion 404 is provided with an engaging recess 476 into which the light emitting portion 467 is fitted at the boundary portion between the payout passage portions 419 and 420. Further, an engagement recess 477 into which the first light receiving part 469 is fitted is provided on the back side of the first base part 403, and an engagement recess 478 into which the second light receiving part 470 is fitted on the front side of the cover part 405. Is provided. The engaging recesses 476, 477, 478 are provided with through holes 476a, 476b, 477a, 478a corresponding to the through holes 471a, 471b, 472, 473 of the ball detection sensor 464, respectively. However, as the sphere detection sensor 464, a photo sensor having a configuration in which the through holes 471a, 471b, 472, and 473 are omitted can be employed. Of course, the through holes 476a, 476b, 477a, 478a of the case body 401 can be omitted correspondingly.

  With the above configuration, the ball dispensing unit 400 has a structure in which the protruding portion is suppressed as much as possible so that the substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape is maintained even when the ball detection sensor 464 is attached. In addition, when the ball detection sensor 464 is attached, the case body 401 (from the first base portion 403 to the cover portion 405) is sandwiched by the ball detection sensor 464, and temporarily tightened with screws or the like. Even if a member is not used, the case body 401 can maintain the assembled state of a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape.

  In addition, on the side of the case body 401, a dispensing relay board W1 is provided below the ball detection sensor 464. The payout relay board W1 is electrically connected to the ball detection sensor 464 via the connector W1a, electrically connected to the two solenoids 435 and 436 via the connector W1b, and via the payout control device 311 and the connector W1c. Electrically connected. However, for convenience, the electrical wiring is omitted in each drawing. As a result, the ball dispensing unit 400 (solenoids 435 and 436) is driven and controlled based on the output signal from the dispensing control device 311. Further, the payout control device 311 is configured to count the payout number based on an input signal from the ball detection sensor 464.

  Now, switching members 479 and 480 as passage switching means are provided at the branching points of the payout passage portions 419 and 420 and the ball removal passage portions 421 and 422 in the first ball passage 407 and the second ball passage 409. The switching members 479 and 480 are formed integrally with the switching valve portions 479a and 480a that function as the flow path side walls of the payout passage portions 419 and 420 or the ball passage portions 421 and 422, and the lower ends of the switching valve portions 479a and 480a. The support shaft portions 479b and 480b, and the operation portions 479c and 480c provided in parallel to the support shaft portions 479b and 480b on the distal end side of the switching valve portions 479a and 480a.

  The support shaft portions 479b and 480b are rotatably supported between the first base portion 403 and the second base portion 404 and between the second base portion 404 and the cover portion 405, respectively. The switching members 479 and 480 are configured to be rotationally displaced about the support shaft portions 479b and 480b. Then, the payout passage portions 419 and 420 or the ball removal passage portions 421 and 422 are brought into a communication state depending on the stop positions of the switching members 479 and 480.

  More specifically, as shown in FIGS. 14 to 16, the switching members 479 and 480 are provided so that the game balls flow down along the payout passage portions 419 and 420, and the game balls are paid out so that the game balls cannot pass therethrough. While the passage portions 419 and 420 are closed, the game ball is guided to the ball removal passage portions 421 and 422, and is rotationally displaced to a ball removal passage opening position where the game balls flow down along the ball removal passage portions 421 and 422.

  Further, the support shaft portions 479b and 480b are configured to be connected via a shaft hole 481 provided in the second base portion 404 in order to support the support shaft portions 479b and 480b. On the other hand, each of the operation portions 479c and 480c is formed with a protrusion 482a at the back end and a recess 482b with which the protrusion 482a can be engaged at the front end. The projections 482a on the operation unit 480c side are engaged with the recesses 482b on the operation unit 479c side through the elongated holes 483 provided in the second base unit 404, so that the operation units 479c and 480c are connected. Has been. With such a configuration, the switching members 479 and 480 are integrally rotated and displaced.

  Further, the protrusion 482 a of the operation portion 479 c protrudes to the outside through a long hole 484 provided in the first base portion 403. On the other hand, the front end portion of the operation portion 480 c protrudes outside through a long hole 485 provided in the cover portion 405. With such a configuration, when the two ball payout units 400 are connected, the protrusion 482a of the operation portion 479c of one ball payout unit 400 is engaged with the recess 482b of the operation portion 480c of the other ball payout unit 400. The switching members 479 and 480 of the two ball paying units 400 are configured so as to be able to rotate and displace integrally.

  Now, on the front side of the cover portion 405, an operation lever 488 is provided so as to be manually operable as a ball removing operation means for performing the switching operation of the switching members 479, 480 and the stop releasing operation of the stopping mechanisms 408, 410. ing. The operation lever 488 is fixed to a shaft rod 489 that is attached so as to penetrate the case body 401, so that the operation lever 488 can rotate between a first operation position and a second operation position described later. The operation lever 488 has a substantially fan shape in which the tip side is substantially arc-shaped. In addition, a long hole 488a into which the front end portion of the operation portion 480c of the switching member 480 is inserted is formed at one end portion in the rotational direction on the distal end side. As a result, when the operation lever 488 is rotated, the switching members 479 and 480 are rotated in conjunction with the operation lever 488. When the operation lever 488 is in the first operation position, the switching members 479 and 480 are located at the payout passage opening position, and when the operation lever 488 is in the second operation position, the switching members 479 and 480 are located. Is located in the above-described ball-opening passage opening position.

  Further, a substantially flat operation portion 488 b extending along the radial direction from the axis of the operation lever 488 protrudes from a substantially central portion in the rotation direction on the distal end side of the operation lever 488. Further, as shown in FIG. 19A, a substantially hemispherical locking convex portion (engaging convex portion) 488c is formed on the cover portion 405 side of the operation lever 488. Correspondingly, a first locking recess 490a and a second locking recess 490b in which the locking protrusion 488c can be engaged (inserted) are provided on the surface of the cover portion 405. When the operation lever 488 is in the first operation position (solid line portion), the locking projection 488c is engaged with the first locking recess 490a, and the operation lever 488 is in the second operation position (two-dot chain line portion). In this case, the locking projection 488c is engaged with the second locking recess 490b. Accordingly, the operation lever 488 can be locked at the first operation position and the second operation position, respectively. As a result, the loose movement of the switching members 479, 480, the stopping mechanisms 408, 410, and the like can be restricted, and the positions can be more reliably stopped and positioned.

  A connecting bar 491 extending along the radial direction from the axial center of the shaft rod 489 is provided at the back end of the shaft rod 489 on the back side of the first base portion 403 so as to be substantially parallel to the operation portion 488b. Is attached. A connecting hole 491a into which the operation portion 488b of another ball paying unit 400 is fitted when the ball paying unit 400 is connected is formed at the tip of the connecting bar 491.

  In addition, a pair of regulating ribs 488d and 488e project from the vicinity of the axis of the operation lever 488. Accordingly, when the ball dispensing units 400 are connected, when the operation levers 488 of the two ball dispensing units 400 are at the same rotation position (first operation position, second operation position, etc.), FIG. As shown, the connecting bar 491 of one ball paying unit 400 is fitted between the pair of regulating ribs 488d and 488e of the other ball paying unit 400. On the other hand, when the operation levers 488 of the two ball paying units 400 are not in the same rotation position (first operation position, second operation position, etc.), that is, in a state where the operation unit 488b is not inserted into the connection hole 491a. The problem that the payout unit 400 is connected is prevented. More specifically, as can be seen by referring to FIGS. 19A and 19B, the arrangement of the operation portion 488b and the pair of restriction ribs 488d and 488e is such that the connecting bar 491 is disposed between the pair of restriction ribs 488d and 488e. When the operation portion 488b is inserted into the connection hole 491a, the connection bar 491 cannot be inserted between the pair of restriction ribs 488d and 488e. In other words, when the connecting bar 491 is inserted between the pair of regulating ribs 488d and 488e and is inserted between the operating portion 488b and the regulating rib 488d or between the operating portion 488b and the regulating rib 488e. In this configuration, the restriction rib 488d or the restriction rib 488e becomes an obstacle, and the connection bar 491 cannot be inserted between the pair of restriction ribs 488d and 488e.

  In the case body 401, an action transmitting member 492 is disposed below the solenoids 435, 436 (plungers 441, 442) so as to straddle the space portions 431, 432. The action transmission member 492 is a member for moving the plungers 441 and 442 in conjunction with the operation of the operation lever 488. The action transmitting member 492 includes a main body 492a pivotally supported between the first base 403 and the cover 405, and an operation projecting from the main body 492a corresponding to the plungers 441 and 442. It is comprised from the element | child 492b, 492c and the protrusion part 492d protruded so that it might be substantially orthogonal to the operation element 492b, 492c in the vicinity of the cover part 405 side edge part of the main-body part 492a.

  Further, an operation portion 492e protruding to the front side is provided in the vicinity of the distal end portion of the protrusion 492d. Correspondingly, the cover portion 405 is provided with a long hole 493 corresponding to the movement range of the operation portion 492e, and the operation portion 492e is moved to the front side of the cover portion 405 through the long hole 493. It protrudes. Correspondingly, a long hole 488f into which the operation portion 492e is inserted is formed in the operation lever 488 in the vicinity of the end opposite to the long hole 488a. Then, the action transmission member 492 is rotated by rotating the operation lever 488. More specifically, the operation lever 488 is rotated from the first operation position to the second operation position and the action transmitting member 492 is rotated, whereby the operation elements 492b and 492c push up the plungers 441 and 442. . As a result, similarly to the case where the solenoids 435 and 436 are excited, the tip portions of the flickers 433 and 434 are immersed outside the payout passage portions 419 and 420, and the game ball can flow down.

  Now, at the four corners of the cover portion 405, boss portions 494 projecting forward are provided. Further, a protrusion 494 a is provided at the tip of the boss 494. On the other hand, on the back side of the first base part 403, holes 499 into which the protrusions 494 a of the boss part 494 can be fitted are provided at the four corners of the first base part 403. With the above configuration, the ball dispensing units 400 can be connected as shown in FIG. When the two ball paying units 400 are connected, as described above, the connecting bar 491 of the front ball paying unit 400 is connected to the pair of regulating ribs 488d and 488e of the operation lever 488 of the rear ball paying unit 400. The operation portion 488b is inserted into the connection hole 491a while being in between. Further, the projection 482a of the operation portion 479c of the switching member 479 provided in the front ball paying unit 400 is engaged with the concave portion 482b of the operation portion 480c of the switching member 480 provided in the rear ball paying unit 400. It becomes a state.

  Next, the attachment structure to the said base part 353 of the paying apparatus 358 where the two ball paying units 400 were connected is demonstrated. The case body 401 of each ball dispensing unit 400 is provided with a plurality of insertion holes 495 penetrating in the front-rear direction. Correspondingly, a metal bar 497 protrudes from the mounting portion 496 (see FIG. 17) on the base portion 353 side. At the time of attachment, first, each metal rod 497 is inserted into each insertion hole 495 of the two ball dispensing units 400 that are integrated. Then, by screwing a screw 498 to the tip of the metal bar 497, the payout device 358 to which the two ball payout units 400 are connected is fixed to the base portion 353.

  Next, a payout operation and a ball removal operation of the payout device 358 (ball payout unit 400) will be described.

  Normally, in each ball dispensing unit 400, the operation lever 488 is locked at the first operation position. In addition, each of the stopping mechanisms 408 and 410 is in a restricted state that restricts the flow of the game ball. That is, the solenoids 435 and 436 are in a state in which the plungers 441 and 442 are pushed downward, and the tip portions of the flickers 433 and 434 are in a state of protruding into the payout passage portions 419 and 420. On the other hand, the switching members 479 and 480 are in the payout passage opening position, and the game balls can flow down along the payout passage portions 419 and 420.

  Then, based on a payout command (ON signal) from the payout control device 311, when the solenoids 435 and 436 are in an excited state (actuated state), the plungers 441 and 442 are pulled up. In conjunction with this, the drive transmission members 437 and 438 rotate counterclockwise as viewed from the back side of the pachinko machine 10, and the flickers 433 and 434 rotate clockwise. Then, the tip ends of the flickers 433 and 434 are immersed outside the payout passage portions 419 and 420, and the game balls stopped by the flicker 433 and 434 flow down along the payout passage portions 419 and 420, and the upper plate 19 To the lower plate 15. Such a state corresponds to the restriction release state of each stopping mechanism 408, 410 in the present embodiment. When the ball detection sensor 464 detects a predetermined number of game balls, a stop command (off signal) is issued from the payout control device 311, and the solenoids 435 and 436 are again de-energized (non-actuated), and each stopping mechanism 408 and 410 return to the normal state (restricted state).

  Next, a description will be given of the ball removing operation of the game ball stopped in the ball paying unit 400 (upstream from the flickers 433 and 434). The ball removal operation is performed after completion of inspection at the time of shipment, or when an error occurs (at the time of failure). In the present embodiment, it can be executed even when the ball dispensing unit 400 is in a non-energized state.

  In order to remove the game ball, first, the operation lever 488 is rotated counterclockwise. When operated in this way, the locking projection 488c is disengaged from the first locking recess 490a, and the operation lever 488 rotates counterclockwise from the first operation position.

  In conjunction with the movement of the operation lever 488, as shown in FIG. 15, the switching members 479, 480 are rotated and displaced counterclockwise to the ball removal passage opening position, and the action transmission member 492 is rotated clockwise. Dynamic displacement. As a result, the plungers 441 and 442 are pushed up by the operating elements 492b and 492c of the action transmitting member 492. Then, as shown in FIG. 16, the game ball can flow down when the tip ends of the flickers 433 and 434 are immersed outside the payout passage portions 419 and 420 as in the case where the solenoids 435 and 436 are excited. It becomes a state. Accordingly, the game ball stopped by the flickers 433 and 434, as in the game ball B shown by the two-dot chain line in FIGS. 14 and 15, is the payout passage portion 419 as in the game ball B shown in FIG. , 420 and led to the ball removal passage portions 421 and 422 by the switching members 479 and 480, to the discharge passage 218 through the ball removal passage portions 421 and 422 and the second lead-out passage 710, and thus the game hall. To the specified discharge section of the island facility. When the operation lever 488 reaches the second operation position, the locking projection 488c is engaged with the second locking recess 490b, and the operation lever 488 is locked at the second operation position.

  As shown in FIG. 15, when the operation lever 488 is slightly rotated, the tip ends of the switching members 479 and 480 slightly protrude into the payout passage portions 419 and 420, and the flickers 433 and 434 The tip of the stub is slightly sunk out of the payout passage portions 419 and 420. Thereafter, the game ball can flow down when the distance H1 between the tip of the flicker 433, 434 and the wall surface of the payout passage 419, 420 facing the tip exceeds the distance corresponding to the diameter of the game ball. It becomes a state. Further, in the present embodiment, before the distance H1 reaches a distance corresponding to the diameter of the game ball (before the game ball can flow down), the tip portions of the switching members 479, 480, and the tip portion The flickers 433 and 434 and the switching members 479 and 480 are interlocked so that the distance H2 between the opposing payout passage portions 419 and 420 reaches a distance shorter than the radius of the game ball. In the present embodiment, the distance between the upper corner portion of the tip portion on the upper side when the switching members 479 and 480 are in the ball removal passage opening position and the wall surfaces of the payout passage portions 419 and 420 is the distance H2. With the above configuration, at the timing when the restraint of the game ball is released, the game ball can no longer pass through the branch portion of the passage along the payout passage portions 419 and 420. As a result, it is possible to prevent the game balls from being bitten by the switching members 479 and 480.

  Next, the payout basket unit 359 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. FIG. 20 is an exploded perspective view of the dispensing basket unit 359, and FIGS. FIG. 21 is a diagram for explaining a normal state, and FIG. 22 is a diagram for explaining a state when a payout error described later occurs.

  The payout unit 359 includes a main body portion 701 having a ball passage formed therein, a flow path switching mechanism 702 for switching the flow path of the game ball B, and the pachinko machine 10 outside of the main body portion 701 (on the right side in FIG. 21 and the like). And a cover portion 703 that covers the side surface. The main body portion 701 and the cover portion 703 are made of a transparent or translucent synthetic resin.

  The main body 701 has a front-rear width that is substantially the same as the front-rear width of the payout device 358 (two-ball payout unit 400) and the front-rear width of the game ball distribution unit 245, and the first through the top and bottom. A lead-out passage 709 is provided.

  A partition wall 705 is formed in the main body 701 along the vertical direction to divide the first lead-out passage 709 into approximately four equal parts. With these partition walls 705, four rows of lead-out passages 706a, 706b, 706c, and 706d are formed in the first lead-out passage 709. More specifically, the second ball passage 409 of the ball dispensing unit 400 on the front side (the front side in FIG. 11 or the like) communicates with the lead-out passage 706a, and the first ball passage 407 communicates with the lead-out passage 706b. . Further, the second ball passage 409 of the ball dispensing unit 400 on the back side (the back side in FIG. 11 and the like) communicates with the lead-out passage 706c, and the first ball passage 407 communicates with the lead-out passage 706d. Each of the outlet passages 706a to 706d has a slightly wider front and rear width than the diameter of the game ball.

  The cover portion 703 has a substantially U-shaped cross section, and is configured to be fixed to the main body portion 701 by a locking mechanism such as a locking claw (not shown). When the cover portion 703 is attached, a second lead-out passage that passes vertically between the cover portion 703 and the side wall portion 708 of the main body portion 701 on the outer side of the pachinko machine 10 so that a game ball can pass therethrough. 710 is formed.

  Further, the side wall portion 707 on the inner side of the pachinko machine 10 of the main body portion 701 has a configuration in which a substantially central portion in the vertical direction protrudes toward the side wall portion 708 side. An upper surface 713a of the protruding portion 713 is an inclined surface that is inclined downward toward the side wall 708 side. The interval between the side wall portion 713b of the protruding portion 713 and the side wall portion 708 is set to a width that allows one game ball B to pass therethrough. Since the diameter of a general game ball B is about 11 mm, in this embodiment, the diameter is set to about 12 mm so that a required gap is formed. Although illustration is omitted, in the section along the side wall portion 713b of the protruding portion 713, the movement of the game ball in the front-rear direction is restricted on the back side surface of the partition wall 705 and the front wall portion 745 of the main body portion 701. Ribs are formed along the vertical direction. With these configurations, the game balls B led out from the payout device 358 (two-ball payout unit 400) are aligned in the section along the side wall portion 713b while being drawn toward the side wall portion 708 in the lead-out passages 706a to 706d. However, it is derived one by one.

  A game ball passing type proximity sensor 721 is attached to each of the outlet passages 706a to 706d. The proximity sensor 721 constitutes a derived sphere detection means in this embodiment. Thereby, the game ball B led out to the upper plate 19 and the lower plate 15 through the respective lead-out passages 706a to 706d is detected for each passage. More specifically, four insertion holes 713d are formed in the side wall portion 713b of the protruding portion 713, and concave portions 708a are respectively formed in the portions of the side wall portion 708 facing this. And the proximity sensor 721 is each fixed by inserting the proximity sensor 721 from the outer side of the side wall part 707 through the insertion hole 713d and fitting the front-end | tip part in the recessed part 708a of the side wall part 708.

  In addition, a protrusion 723 is formed on the inner side of the side wall 708 (on the left side in FIG. 21 and the like) at a position below the protruding portion 713 of the side wall 707. The upper surface 723a of the protrusion 723 is an inclined surface inclined downward toward the side wall 707 side.

  In the state where the payout basket unit 359 is assembled to the pachinko machine 10 under the above-described configuration, the opening 245a and 245b of the game ball distribution unit 245 is defined by the first lead-out passage 709 (lead-out passages 706a to 706d). The payout passages 419 and 420 of the payout device 358 (ball payout unit 400) communicate with each other. Similarly, the second lead-out passage 710 allows the opening 245c of the game ball distribution unit 245 to communicate with the ball removal passage portions 421 and 422 of the payout device 358 (ball payout unit 400). Accordingly, the game ball B led out from the payout passage portions 419 and 420 is guided to the upper plate 19 and the lower plate 15 through the first lead-out passage 709 (lead-out passages 706a to 706d), and the ball removal passage portion 421 The game ball B led out from 422 is led to the discharge passage 218 via the second lead-out passage 710 and eventually to a predetermined discharge portion of the island facility of the game hall. Here, the game ball B flowing down through the first lead-out passage 709 (lead-out passages 706a to 706d) is guided to the opening 245a side by the protruding portion 723 of the side wall portion 708. That is, it is guided preferentially to the upper plate 19. The payout passage portions 419 and 420 of the ball payout unit 400 constitute a payout ball passage in the present embodiment. The lead-out guide passages 706a to 706d constitute the lead-out guide passage in the present embodiment. Further, the ball discharge passage portions 421 and 422 and the second lead-out passage 710 of the ball dispensing unit 400 constitute the discharge ball passage in the present embodiment.

  Next, the flow path switching mechanism 702 that switches the flow path of the game ball B will be described in detail. The flow path switching mechanism 702 includes four switching members 731 as blocking members and four solenoids 732 as blocking member driving means for individually driving the switching members 731.

  The side wall portion 708 facing the second lead-out passage 710 is formed with a communication portion 734 that allows the first lead-out passage 709 (lead-out passages 706a to 706d) and the second lead-out passage 710 to communicate with each other at a substantially central portion in the vertical direction. ing. The four switching members 731 are attached to correspond to the communication portion 734.

  Each switching member 731 has a substantially flat plate shape and is formed with a shaft hole 736 penetrating along the lower side in the vicinity of the lower end thereof. One shaft rod 738 is inserted into the shaft hole 736 of each switching member 731, and the four switching members 731 are integrated together and attached to the communication portion 734. However, each switching member 731 is individually rotatable with respect to the shaft bar 738. A bearing recess 739 for fitting the shaft rod 738 is formed in the partition wall 705 and the like along the lower side portion of the communication portion 734. When the cover portion 703 is attached, the cover portion 703, the main body portion 701, Thus, both end portions of the shaft rod 738 are fixed.

  Further, a groove portion 740 is formed along the left-right direction on the front side of the partition wall 705 facing the communication portion 734 and the back wall portion 746 of the main body portion 701, and the slide member 741 is slidable in the groove portion 740. Installed on. More specifically, four insertion holes 713e are formed in the side wall portion 713b of the protruding portion 713 corresponding to each of the groove portions 740. The slide member 741 is slidably attached by inserting the slide member 741 into the insertion hole 713e from the outside of the side wall portion 707 and inserting the slide member 741 into the groove portion 740.

  A long hole 741a that is long in the vertical direction is formed on the distal end side (the right side in FIG. 21 and the like) of each slide member 741. On the other hand, a protrusion 737 is formed on the side of the switching member 731 on the back side (back side in FIG. 20 and the like). In the assembled state of the flow path switching mechanism 702, the protruding portion 737 of each switching member 731 is inserted into the long hole 741 a of each slide member 741.

  The base end side (left side in FIG. 21 and the like) of each slide member 741 is connected to the plunger 732 a of each solenoid 732. Each solenoid 732 is held on the side of the main body 701 by a pair of upper and lower clamping parts 747 a and 747 b formed outside the side wall 707 of the main body 701.

  Then, by driving each solenoid 732, each slide member 741 slides in the groove 740, and in conjunction with this, each switching member 731 is rotationally displaced about the shaft rod 738 as an axis. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 21, each switching member 731 has a first position where the game ball B can flow down along the respective lead-out passages 706a to 706d, and the game ball B cannot pass as shown in FIG. As described above, the lead-out passages 706a to 706d are closed, and the game ball B is rotationally displaced to the second position where the game ball B can flow into the second lead-out passage 710.

  A relay substrate WK1 is provided on the side wall portion 707 of the main body portion 701. Although not shown, the relay board WK1 is electrically connected to a connector electrically connected to each proximity sensor 721, a connector electrically connected to each solenoid 732, and a dispensing control device 311. Connectors are provided. Thereby, each solenoid 732 is drive-controlled based on the output signal from the payout control device 311. In addition, the payout control device 311 is configured to count the number of derived game balls B for each passage based on the input signal from each proximity sensor 721.

  With the above configuration, when the solenoid 732 corresponding to the predetermined lead-out passages 706a to 706d (for example, the lead-out passage 706a) is in a non-excited state, the plunger 732a is driven by the force of a coil spring (not shown) attached around the plunger 732a. Takes the position where it is pushed out, and a stress is applied to the corresponding switching member 731 to rotate toward the side wall portion 708. The switching member 731 is maintained in an upright state at the first position because the distal end of the switching member 731 is locked to the locking portion 751 of the side wall portion 708. In this state, a part of the communication portion 734 corresponding to the predetermined lead-out passages 706a to 706d (for example, the lead-out passage 706a) is closed, and the predetermined lead-out passages 706a to 706d (for example, the lead-out passage 706a) are opened. Thus, the game balls B that are led out from the payout passage portions 419 and 420 of the payout device 358 (ball payout unit 400) and pass through predetermined lead-out passages 706a to 706d (for example, the lead-out passage 706a) are the upper plate 19 and the lower plate 15 Is derived.

  On the other hand, when the solenoid 732 corresponding to the predetermined lead-out passages 706a to 706d (for example, the lead-out passage 706a) is excited, the switching member 731 corresponding to the solenoid 732 is rotationally displaced toward the side wall portion 707. And the front-end | tip part of this switching member 731 is maintained in the inclined state in the said 2nd position by being latched by the upper surface 713a of the protrusion part 713, the side wall part 713b, and the latching | locking part 752 formed in the corner | angular part. The In this state, predetermined lead-out passages 706a to 706d (for example, the lead-out passage 706a) are closed. At the same time, the upper surface 713a of the protruding portion 713 and the upper surface of the switching member 731 are substantially flush. Accordingly, the game balls B led out from the payout passage portions 419 and 420 of the payout device 358 (the ball payout unit 400) are not led out to the upper plate 19 and the lower plate 15, but are led to predetermined lead-out passages 706a to 706d (for example, lead out). It is guided from the passage 706a) to the second lead-out passage 710 through the communication portion 734, and is led to a predetermined discharge portion of the island facility of the game hall.

  Next, the electrical configuration of the pachinko machine 10 will be described. FIG. 23 is a block diagram showing an electrical structure of the pachinko machine 10. The main control device 261 (main substrate) of the pachinko machine 10 is equipped with a CPU 501 as a one-chip microcomputer that is an arithmetic device. The CPU 501 includes a ROM 502 that stores various control programs executed by the CPU 501 and fixed value data, and a RAM 503 that is a memory that temporarily stores various data when the control program stored in the ROM 502 is executed. Various circuits such as an interrupt circuit, a timer circuit, and a data transmission / reception circuit are incorporated.

  The RAM 503 has a stack area for storing the contents of the internal registers of the CPU 501, the return address of the control program executed by the CPU 501, and a work area for storing values such as various flags, various counters, and I / O. Area) and a backup area 503a. The RAM 503 is configured such that even after the pachinko machine 10 is turned off, the backup voltage is supplied from the power supply device 313 so that the data can be retained (backed up). Data is backed up.

  The backup area 503a includes a stack pointer, each register, various flags, various counters, I / O, etc. when the power is shut down due to a power failure or the like (including when a power failure occurs). This is an area for storing values, and when the power is turned on (including power-on due to power failure cancellation, the same applies hereinafter), the state of the pachinko machine 10 is restored to the state before the power-off based on the information in the backup area 503a. The Writing to the backup area 503a is executed when the power is shut off by normal processing (see FIG. 26), and conversely, returning of each value written to the backup area 503a includes power-on (including power-on due to power failure cancellation). The same processing is performed in the main process (see FIG. 25). The N501 terminal (non-maskable interrupt terminal) of the CPU 501 is configured to receive a power failure signal SK1 output from a power failure monitoring circuit 542 described later when the power is cut off due to the occurrence of a power failure or the like. When the signal SK1 is input to the CPU 501, the NMI interruption process as the process at the time of power failure is immediately executed.

  An input / output port 505 is connected to the CPU 501 incorporating the ROM 502 and RAM 503 via a bus line 504 including an address bus and a data bus. The input / output port 505 is connected to an initialization device 543, a payout control device 311, a display control device 45, a special display device 43, a normal symbol display device 41, and other switches. With this configuration, the special display device 43 and the normal symbol display device 41 described above are directly controlled by the main control device 261. On the other hand, the decorative symbol display device 42 is controlled via the display control device 45.

  The initialization device 543 is provided with a RAM erase switch circuit 543a, and a RAM erase switch 323 is electrically connected to the RAM erase switch circuit 543a. The RAM erase switch circuit 543a is a circuit that outputs a RAM erase signal SK2 for clearing backup data to the main controller 261 when the RAM erase switch 323 is pressed. When the RAM erase switch 323 is pressed when the pachinko machine 10 is turned on, the data in the RAMs 503 and 513 (backup areas 503a and 513a) of the main controller 261 and the payout controller 311 are cleared. As described above, the initialization device 543 and the main control device 261 are housed in the board box 263.

  Also, the payout control device 311 performs payout control for prize balls and rental balls. The CPU 511 that is an arithmetic unit includes a ROM 512 that stores a control program executed by the CPU 511, fixed value data, and the like, and a RAM 513 that is used as a work memory or the like.

  The RAM 513 of the payout control device 311 is similar to the RAM 503 of the main control device 261, a stack area that stores the contents of the internal registers of the CPU 511, the return address of the control program executed by the CPU 511, various flags, various counters, etc. , A work area (work area) in which values such as I / O are stored, and a backup area 513a. The RAM 513 is configured to hold (backup) data by being supplied with a backup voltage from the power supply device 313 even after the power of the pachinko machine 10 is turned off. Data is backed up.

  In the work area, a payout permission flag 513b in which the payout control device 311 is allowed to pay out a prize ball, a command reception flag 513c set when a command transmitted from the main control device 261 is received, and main control A command buffer 513d for storing a command transmitted from the device 261 is provided.

  As shown in FIG. 45, the work area is provided with a payout number storage area for storing the number of game balls to be paid out. Specifically, the payout number storage area includes a total payout number storage area A0 for storing the total number of game balls to be paid out, and a plurality of payout numbers for storing the payout numbers corresponding to the respective ball paths of the ball payout unit 400. A payout number storage area is provided. More specifically, the second ball passage 409 (hereinafter referred to as the first lane), the first ball passage 407 (hereinafter referred to as the second lane) of the front-side ball dispensing unit 400, the second ball passage unit 400 of the rear-side ball dispensing unit 400. Corresponding to the ball passage 409 (hereinafter referred to as the third lane) and the first ball passage 407 (hereinafter referred to as the fourth lane), the first lane payout number storage area A1, the second lane payout number storage area A2, A three-lane payout number storage area A3 and a fourth lane payout number storage area A4 are provided. In this embodiment, as described later, when a prize ball command or a rent signal as a prize ball signal is received, a payout number corresponding to the command or the like is once set in the total payout number storage area A0, and then each lane payout is made. The number is assigned to the number storage areas A1 to A4. Of course, when a payout number is set in advance in each payout number storage area A0 to A4, a value obtained by adding a payout number corresponding to a prize ball command or the like to the payout number is set as a new payout number. To do. The total payout number storage area A0 and the lane payout number storage areas A1 to A4 constitute the payout number storage means in the present embodiment.

  In the work area, the difference between the number of game balls detected by the ball detection sensor 464 of the ball payout unit 400 and the number of game balls detected by the proximity sensor 721 of the payout basket unit 359 is counted. A counter for counting the number of remaining balls is provided for each lane. More specifically, the first lane remaining ball count counter CT1 corresponding to the first lane, the second lane remaining ball count counter CT2 corresponding to the second lane, and the third lane remaining ball corresponding to the third lane. A number lane counter CT3 and a fourth lane remaining ball number counter CT4 are provided corresponding to the fourth lane. That is, the number of game balls (the number of remaining balls) that have not been led out to the upper plate 19 or the lower plate 15 after being paid out from the ball paying unit 400 by the remaining ball number counting counters CT1 to CT4 is calculated for each lane. Can be counted. The remaining ball number counting counters CT1 to CT4 constitute the remaining ball number counting means in the present embodiment.

  Furthermore, in the work area, in the case of a payout error state to be described later, that is, a game that is led out to the upper plate 19 or the lower plate 15 regardless of the value of the payout number stored in the payout number storage areas A1 to A4. An excessively derived ball number counting counter for counting the number of balls (excess derived ball number) is provided for each lane. More specifically, the first lane excess derivation ball count counter CE1 corresponding to the first lane, the second lane excess derivation ball count counter CE2 corresponding to the second lane, and the third lane corresponding to the third lane. An excessively derived ball number counting counter CE3 and a fourth lane excessively derived ball number counting counter CE4 are provided corresponding to the fourth lane, respectively.

  In addition, the work area is provided with first to fourth lane remaining ball number counter buffers CB1 to CB4 for storing the remaining ball number counted by the remaining ball number counting counters CT1 to CT4, and the excessive derived ball number. Excess derived ball number counter buffers KB1 to KB4 are provided for storing the excessive derived ball number counted by the counting counters CE1 to CE4. The remaining ball number counter buffers CB1 to CB4 constitute the remaining ball number storage means in the present embodiment, and the excessive derived ball number counter buffers KB1 to KB4 constitute the derived ball number storage means.

  The backup area 513a has a stack pointer, various flags, various counters, various registers, values such as I / O, a storage pointer in the command buffer 513d, and reading when the power is cut off due to a power failure or the like This is an area for storing pointers and the like. When the power is turned on, the state of the pachinko machine 10 is restored to the state before the power is shut off based on the information in the backup area 513a. Writing to the backup area 513a is executed when the power is shut off by the main process (see FIG. 36), and restoration of each value written to the backup area 513a is executed in the main process when the power is turned on. Similarly to the CPU 501 of the main controller 261, the power failure signal SK1 is input to the NMI terminal of the CPU 511 from the power failure monitoring circuit 542 when the power is interrupted due to the occurrence of a power failure or the like. When input to the CPU 511, NMI interrupt processing as power failure processing is immediately executed.

  The payout permission flag 513b is a flag for setting a prize ball payout permission, and is turned on when a specific command for permitting the payout of the prize ball is transmitted from the main control device 261, and is received when the specific command is received. It is turned off when returning to the setting process or before power-off. In the present embodiment, the specific commands are a payout initialization command for instructing initial processing of the RAM 513 of the payout control device 311, a prize ball command as a payout signal for instructing payout of a prize ball, and the main control device 261. There are three payout return commands sent when power is restored.

  The command reception flag 513c is a flag for confirming whether or not the payout control device 311 has received a command. The command reception flag 513c is turned on when any command is received, and, similarly to the payout permission flag 513b, It is turned off when the power is restored before the power is shut off, and is turned off when the received command is determined by a command determination process (see FIG. 39) described later.

  The command buffer 513d is configured by a ring buffer that temporarily stores commands transmitted from the main control device 261. The ring buffer has a predetermined storage area, and commands are stored with regularity from the beginning to the end of the storage area. When commands are stored in all storage areas, the ring buffer is at the start of the storage area. The return command is configured to be updated. Therefore, when the command is stored and when the command is read, the storage pointer and the read pointer in the command buffer 513d are updated, and the command is stored and read based on each pointer.

  An input / output port 515 is connected to the CPU 511 of the payout control device 311 via a bus line 514 including an address bus and a data bus. The input / output port 515 includes a main controller 261, a launch controller 312, a ball dispensing unit 400, a lending operation unit 120, a ball break detection switch 357 a, a state return switch 321, a lower pan full switch 15 a, and a dispensing rod unit 359. The excessively derived ball number display units D1 to D4 are connected to each other. The excessively derived ball number display units D1 to D4 constitute the derived ball number display means in the present embodiment, and display the excessively derived ball number stored in the excessively derived ball number counter buffers KB1 to KB4. .

  Specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, the excessively derived ball number display units D1 to D4 include the first lane excessively derived ball number display unit D1 corresponding to the first lane and the second lane excess corresponding to the second lane. Consists of a derived ball number display section D2, a third lane excess derived ball number display section D3 corresponding to the third lane, and a fourth lane excess derived ball number display section D4 corresponding to the fourth lane, and is paid out from each lane The number of over derived spheres displayed is displayed. In the present embodiment, each excessively derived ball number display section D1 to D4 is composed of two 7-segment display sections, and can display up to “99”. Thereby, the store clerk on the game hall side can collect the excessive derivation by looking at the numerical values displayed on the respective excessive derivation ball number display portions D1 to D4. Further, when the number of excessively derived spheres becomes “100” or more, the excessively derived part can be collected based on the excessively derived sphere number data output to the hall computer or the like.

  The launch control device 312 permits or prohibits the launch of the gaming machine by the launch motor 229, and the launch motor 229 is permitted to drive when a predetermined condition is met. Specifically, a firing permission signal is output from the payout control device 311, a sensor signal is detected that the player is touching the handle 18, and a firing stop switch that stops firing is operated. On the condition that it is not done, the launch motor 229 is driven, and the game ball is launched with the strength corresponding to the operation amount of the handle 18 (see FIG. 5 and the like).

  The display control device 45 controls the variation display of the decorative symbols on the decorative symbol display device 42. The display control device 45 includes a CPU 521, a ROM (program ROM) 522, a work RAM 523, a video RAM 524, a character ROM 525, an image controller 526, an input port 527, two output ports 528 and 529, and a bus. Lines 530 and 531 are provided. The output of the main controller 261 is connected to the input of the input port 527, and the CPU 521, ROM 522, work RAM 523, and image controller 526 are connected to the output of the input port 527 and one output port is connected via the bus line 530. 528 is connected. An audio lamp control device 262 is connected to the output of the output port 528. Further, an output port 529 is connected to the image controller 526 via a bus line 531, and a decorative symbol display device 42 which is a liquid crystal display device is connected to an output of the output port 529.

  The CPU 521 of the display control device 45 controls the display of the decorative symbol display device 42 based on the display command transmitted from the main control device 261. The main control device 261 displays whether or not the special display device 43 is a decisive big hit, so that the display command is sent for auxiliary display on the decorative symbol display device 42. The ROM 522 is a memory that stores various control programs executed by the CPU 521 and fixed value data, and the work RAM 523 is a memory that temporarily stores work data and flags used when the CPU 521 executes various programs. is there. This is provided with a counter buffer for storing various counter values to be described later.

  The video RAM 524 is a memory for storing display data to be displayed on the decorative symbol display device 42, and the display content of the decorative symbol display device 42 is changed by rewriting the contents of the video RAM 524. The character ROM 525 is a memory for storing character data such as symbols displayed on the decorative symbol display device 42. The image controller 526 adjusts the timings of the CPU 521, the video RAM 524, and the output port 529 to intervene in reading and writing data, and also reads display data stored in the video RAM 524 from the character ROM 525 at a predetermined timing. It is displayed on the display device 42.

  Further, the power supply device 313 includes a power supply unit 541 that supplies power to each part of the pachinko machine 10 and a power failure monitoring circuit 542 that monitors power interruption due to a power failure or the like. The power supply unit 541 supplies necessary operation power to the main control device 261, the payout control device 311 and the like through a power supply path (not shown). As its outline, the power supply unit 541 takes in an AC 24 volt power supply supplied from the outside, and supplies various switches, solenoids, motors, etc., + 12V power supply, logic + 5V power supply, RAM backup backup power supply, etc. The + 12V power source, the + 5V power source, and the backup power source are supplied to the main controller 261, the payout controller 311, and the like. Note that operation power (+12 V power, +5 V power, etc.) is supplied to the launch control device 312 via the payout control device 311.

  The power failure monitoring circuit 542 is a circuit that outputs a power failure signal SK1 to each NMI terminal of the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 and the CPU 511 of the payout control device 311 when the power is cut off due to the occurrence of a power failure or the like. The power failure monitoring circuit 542 monitors the DC stable voltage of 24 volts, which is the maximum voltage output from the power supply unit 541, and determines that a power failure (power failure) has occurred when this voltage is less than 22 volts. The power failure signal SK1 is output to the main controller 261 and the payout controller 311. Based on the output of the power failure signal SK1, the main control device 261 and the payout control device 311 recognize the occurrence of a power failure and execute a power failure process (NMI interrupt processing). The power supply unit 541 is a drive voltage of the control system for a time sufficient for execution of the power failure process (NMI interrupt process) even after the DC stable voltage of 24 volts becomes less than 22 volts. It is configured to maintain the output of the bolt at a normal value. Therefore, the main controller 261 and the payout controller 311 can normally execute and complete the power failure process (NMI interrupt process).

  By the way, the decorative symbol display device (liquid crystal display device) 42 is set with three symbol rows of left, middle, and right (not shown), and the symbols (decorative symbols) are variably displayed for each symbol row. In the present embodiment, the decorative symbols are configured so as to be given numbers “0” to “9”, respectively, and the decorative symbols are displayed in ascending or descending order of numbers to form a series of symbol strings. The decorative symbols are displayed in a variable manner from top to bottom with periodicity.

  In such a case, in the left symbol row, the decorative symbols are displayed in descending order (in the order in which the attached numbers decrease), and in the middle symbol row and the right symbol row, the decorative symbols are also in ascending order (in the order in which the attached numbers increase). Is displayed. Then, the variable display stops in the order of left symbol sequence → right symbol sequence → middle symbol sequence. When the jackpot is confirmed by the main control device 261, the fact is displayed on the special display device 43, and the decorative symbol is a combination of the jackpot symbols on the decorative symbol display device 42 (in the present embodiment, the same A special game animation is displayed as a jackpot (a jackpot state is started).

  Next, the operation of the pachinko machine 10 configured as described above will be described.

  In the present embodiment, the CPU 501 in the main controller 261 performs lottery (big hit lottery) using various counter information in the game. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 24, the jackpot random number counter C1 used for the jackpot lottery, and the high probability mode (continues until the next jackpot) or the time reduction mode (shift to the normal mode after the end of the predetermined period). Mode determination counter C2 used for determining the transition to (1)), reach random number counter C3 used for reach lottery when the decorative symbol display device 42 is shifted and changed, and initial random number used for setting the initial value of the jackpot random number counter C1 The value counter CINI and the variation type counters CS1 and CS2 used for variation pattern selection of the decorative symbol display device 42 are used. The variation type counters CS1 and CS2 are used for variation pattern selection. Specifically, the effect and variation time in the decorative symbol display device 42 are determined by the determined variation pattern, and the special display device 43 is used. The variation time is determined.

  Each of the counters C1, C2, C3, CINI, CS1, and CS2 is a loop counter that adds 1 to the previous value every time it is updated and returns to 0 after reaching the maximum value. Each counter is periodically updated, and the updated value is appropriately stored in a counter buffer set in a predetermined area of the RAM 503 (except for the random number initial value counter CINI). In addition, the RAM 503 is provided with a holding ball storage area as a storage area composed of one execution area and four holding areas (holding first to fourth holding areas). The values of the jackpot random number counter C1, the mode determination counter C2, and the reach random number counter C3 are stored in time series in accordance with the winning histories of the game balls to the one opportunity corresponding unit 33.

  The respective counters will be described in detail. The jackpot random number counter C1 is configured so that, for example, 1 is sequentially added within a range of 0 to 676, and after reaching the maximum value (that is, 676), it returns to 0. In particular, when the jackpot random number counter C1 makes one round, the value of the random number initial value counter CINI at that time is read as the initial value of the jackpot random number counter C1. The random number initial value counter CINI is a loop counter similar to the jackpot random number counter C1 (value = 0 to 676), and is updated once for each timer interruption and is repeatedly updated within the remaining time of normal processing. The jackpot random number counter C1 is updated periodically (once every timer interruption in this embodiment), and stored in the reserved ball storage area of the RAM 503 at the timing when the game ball wins the first opportunity corresponding unit 33. There are two types of values of random numbers that are jackpots, low probability mode (time reduction mode or normal mode) and high probability mode. In this embodiment, random numbers that are jackpots in the low probability mode. The number of values is 2, and the value is “337, 673”. In the high probability mode, the number of random numbers that are jackpots is 10, and the value is “67, 131, 199, 269, 337”. , 401, 463, 523, 601, 661 ".

  The high-probability mode is a big win when the special display device 43 is stopped and displayed with “red” (the decorative symbol display device 42 is stopped and displayed with a predetermined probability variation symbol), and the subsequent big win. A state in which the probability is higher than that in the low probability mode. In the following description, the case where the decorative symbol display device 42 is a jackpot due to the probability variation symbol is referred to as “probability variation jackpot”, and the case where the jackpot is due to a normal symbol other than the probability variation symbol is referred to as “normal jackpot”. In the high probability mode, the jackpot probability (winning probability of the jackpot state) is increased. In addition to this, in the present embodiment, (1) the variable display time in the special display device 43 is shortened, (2 ) Shorten the variable display time in the normal symbol display device 41, (3) Increase the specified time (opening time) related to the opening / closing process of the first opportunity corresponding unit 33 as compared with the normal mode, or specify the specified number (winning number) ) Is increased compared to the normal mode. (4) When the winning result indicating that the symbol “○” is stopped and displayed on the normal symbol display device 41 is obtained, the opening / closing process of the first opportunity corresponding unit 33 performed once (5) The probability that the symbol “○” is stopped and displayed on the normal symbol display device 41 (winning probability) is higher than the winning probability in the normal mode. It is performed to. More specifically, in the time reduction mode, the opening / closing member 33a of the first opportunity corresponding unit 33 is in an open state, and when a specified time (for example, 3 seconds) elapses or a specified number (for example, 3) of game balls enter. Closed when there is a ball. This opening / closing process is repeated twice. As a result, the first opportunity corresponding unit 33 is opened frequently, and lottery lotteries are continuously made, and the ball is in good condition. In addition to this, as a high probability mode, in addition to increasing the jackpot probability (winning probability of the jackpot state), any combination of the above configurations (1) to (5) (for example, (1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (1) and (2), (1) and (3), (1) and (4), (1) and (5), (2) and (3 ), (2) and (4), (2) and (5), (3) and (4), (3) and (5), (4) and (5), (1) and (2) (3), (1) and (2) and (4), (1) and (2) and (5), (1) and (3) and (4), (1) and (3) and (5 ), (1) and (4) and (5), (2) and (3) and (4), (2) and (3) and (5), (2) and (4) and (5), (3), (4) and (5), (1), (2), (3) and (4), (1), (2), (3) and (5), (1) and (2 ) And (4) (5) can be employed (1) and (3) and (4) (5), and (2) and (3) and (4) (5)).

  Of the low probability modes, the time shortening mode is that the special display device 43 is stopped and displayed as “green” (the decorative symbol display device 42 is stopped and displayed in a normal symbol other than a predetermined probability variation symbol). ) And then the special display device 43 is displayed 100 times, the probability of jackpot is the same low probability as in the normal mode, but the state in which the above (1) to (5) are executed, A state that is more advantageous to the player than the normal mode. Not only this but the game mode which satisfy | fills at least 1 of the structure of said (1)-(4) may be employ | adopted as time reduction mode. For example, (1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (1) and (2), (1) and (3), (1) and (4), (1) and ( 5), (2) and (3), (2) and (4), (2) and (5), (3) and (4), (3) and (5), (4) and (5) , (1) and (2) and (3), (1) and (2) and (4), (1) and (2) and (5), (1) and (3) and (4), ( 1), (3), (5), (1), (4), (5), (2), (3), (4), (2), (3), (5), (2) And (4) and (5), (3), (4) and (5), (1), (2), (3) and (4), (1), (2), (3) and ( 5), (1), (2), (4) and (5), (1), (3), (4) and (5), (2), (3), (4) and (5) Can be adopted.

  Further, the normal mode of the low probability mode refers to a normal state that is neither the high probability mode nor the time reduction mode.

  For example, the mode determination counter C2 is incremented one by one within a range of 0 to 9, for example, and reaches a maximum value (that is, 9) and then returns to 0. In the present embodiment, the mode determination counter C2 determines whether or not to shift to the high probability mode. Specifically, if the counter value is an odd number “1, 3, 5, 7, 9”, the transition to the high probability mode is determined. Determine the transition to time saving mode. Although the term “transition” is used here, the high probability mode is continued if the counter value is odd when originally in the high probability mode, and the counter value is even when originally in the time reduction mode. If so, the time reduction mode is continued. The mode decision counter C2 is updated periodically (once every timer interruption in the present embodiment), and stored in the reserved ball storage area of the RAM 503 at the timing when the game ball wins the first opportunity corresponding unit 33.

  In addition, the reach random number counter C3 is configured to increment one by one within a range of, for example, 0 to 238 and return to 0 after reaching the maximum value (that is, 238). In the present embodiment, the reach random number counter C3 causes the last stop symbol to stop after the reach has occurred by shifting the last stop symbol by one before and after the reach symbol, and the last stop symbol after the reach has also occurred. “Reach other than front / rear out” and stop “completely out” where no reach occurs, for example, C3 = 0, 1 corresponds to front / rear reach, and C3 = 2-21 It corresponds to the reach other than the front and rear deviation, and C3 = 22 to 238 corresponds to the complete deviation. The reach lottery may be individually set according to the state of the lottery probability, the number of starting reserved balls at the start of change, and the like. The reach random number counter C3 is updated periodically (once every timer interruption in this embodiment), and stored in the reserved ball storage area of the RAM 503 at the timing when the game ball wins the first opportunity corresponding unit 33.

  Further, one of the two variation type counters CS1 and CS2 is incremented by one within a range of 0 to 198, for example, and reaches a maximum value (that is, 198) and then returns to 0. For example, the other variation type counter CS2 is incremented one by one within a range of 0 to 240, for example, and reaches the maximum value (that is, 240) and then returns to 0. In the following description, CS1 is also referred to as “first variation type counter”, and CS2 is also referred to as “second variation type counter”. This is also shown in FIG. The first variation type counter CS1 determines the reach types of decorative symbols such as so-called normal reach, super reach, premium reach, and other rough symbol variations, and the second variation type counter CS2 determines the final stop symbol (book) In the embodiment, a more detailed symbol variation mode such as an elapsed time (in other words, the number of variation symbols) until the middle symbol) stops is determined. Accordingly, a variety of variation patterns can be easily realized by combining these variation type counters CS1 and CS2. It is also possible to determine the symbol variation mode only by the first variation type counter CS1, or to determine the symbol variation mode similarly by combining the first variation type counter CS1 and the stop symbol.

  The variation type counters CS1 and CS2 are updated once every time a normal process to be described later is executed once, and are repeatedly updated even within the remaining time in the normal process. Then, the buffer values of CS1 and CS2 are acquired when determining the variation pattern at the start of variation of the decorative symbol by the decorative symbol display device 42.

  In addition, the magnitude | size and range of each counter are only examples, and can be changed arbitrarily. However, it is desirable that the big hit random number counter C1, the reach random number counter C3, and the variation type counters CS1 and CS2 are all different prime numbers and are not synchronized in any case.

  Although not shown, the normal symbol random number counter C4 is used for the lottery of the normal symbol display device 41. The normal symbol random number counter C4 is configured as a loop counter that is incremented one by one within a range of 0 to 250, for example, and returns to 0 after reaching the maximum value (that is, 250). The normal symbol random number counter C4 is updated periodically (once every timer interruption in the present embodiment), and is acquired when the game ball passes through the left or right second opportunity corresponding port 34. The number of random number values to be won is 149 in the normal mode, and the range is “5 to 153”. On the other hand, there are 224 in the high probability mode and the time reduction mode, and the range is “5 to 228”. That is, the probability of stopping the symbol “◯” in the normal symbol display device 41 is higher than that in the normal mode.

  Next, each control process executed by the CPU 501 in the main controller 261 will be described with reference to a flowchart. The processing of the CPU 501 is roughly divided into a main processing that is started when the power is turned on, a timer interrupt processing that is started periodically (in this embodiment, at a cycle of 2 msec), and a stop to the NMI terminal (non-maskable terminal). There is NMI interrupt processing activated by signal input. For convenience of explanation, first, timer interrupt processing and NMI interrupt processing will be described, and then main processing will be described.

  FIG. 32 is a flowchart showing the timer interrupt process. This process is executed by the CPU 501 of the main control device 261 every 2 msec, for example.

  In FIG. 32, first, in step S601, reading processing of various winning switches is executed. That is, the state of various switches (except for the RAM erase switch 323) connected to the main controller 261 is read, and the state of the switch is determined and the detection information (winning detection information) is stored.

  Thereafter, in step S602, the random number initial value counter CINI is updated. Specifically, the random number initial value counter CINI is incremented by 1 and cleared to 0 when the counter value reaches the maximum value (676 in this embodiment). Then, the update value of the random number initial value counter CINI is stored in the corresponding buffer area of the RAM 503. In subsequent step S603, the big hit random number counter C1, the mode decision counter C2, and the reach random number counter C3 are updated. Specifically, the jackpot random number counter C1, the mode determination counter C2, and the reach random number counter C3 are each incremented by 1, and their counter values reach the maximum values (in the present embodiment, 676, 9, 238, respectively). Each time it is cleared to 0. Then, the updated values of the counters C1, C2, and C3 are stored in the corresponding buffer area of the RAM 503.

  Thereafter, in step S604, a start winning process associated with winning in the first opportunity corresponding unit 33 is executed. This start winning process will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 33. In step S701, whether or not the game ball has won the first opportunity corresponding unit 33 is determined based on the detection information of the first opportunity corresponding unit (start port) switch 224. . If it is determined that the game ball has won the first opportunity corresponding unit 33, in the subsequent step S702, it is determined whether or not the number N of starting reserved balls is less than the upper limit value (4 in the present embodiment). The process proceeds to step S703 on the condition that there is a winning in the first opportunity corresponding unit 33 and the number N of starting reserved balls is smaller than 4, and the number N of starting reserved balls is incremented.

  In subsequent step S704, a random number related to the winning is acquired. Specifically, the values of the jackpot random number counter C1, the mode determination counter C2 and the reach random number counter C3 updated in step S603 are stored in the first area of the free storage area of the reserved ball storage area of the RAM 503. Then, after the start winning process, the CPU 501 once ends the timer interruption process.

  FIG. 34 is a flowchart showing the NMI interrupt process. This process is executed by the CPU 501 of the main controller 261 when the power of the pachinko machine 10 is cut off due to the occurrence of a power failure or the like. By this NMI interruption, the state of the main controller 261 at the time of power-off is stored in the backup area 503a of the RAM 503. That is, when the power of the pachinko machine 10 is cut off due to the occurrence of a power failure or the like, the power failure signal SK1 is output from the power failure monitoring circuit 542 to the NMI terminal of the CPU 501 in the main controller 261. Then, the CPU 501 interrupts the control being executed and starts the NMI interrupt process. In step S801, the CPU 501 stores the power interruption occurrence information in the backup area 503a of the RAM 503 as the setting of the power interruption occurrence information, and performs the NMI interruption process. finish.

  The above NMI interrupt processing is executed in the same manner by the payout control device 311, and information on occurrence of power interruption is stored in the backup area 513 a of the RAM 513 by such NMI interrupt. That is, when the power of the pachinko machine 10 is cut off due to the occurrence of a power failure or the like, the power failure signal SK1 is output from the power failure monitoring circuit 542 to the NMI terminal of the CPU 511 in the payout control device 311 and the CPU 511 interrupts the control being executed. The NMI interrupt process of FIG. 34 is started. The contents are as described above.

  FIG. 25 is a flowchart showing an example of a main process executed by the CPU 501 in the main control device 261. This main process is started upon reset when the power is turned on.

  First, in step S101, an initial setting process associated with power-on is executed. Specifically, in order to set a predetermined value in the stack pointer and wait for the sub-side control device (sound lamp control device 262, payout control device 311 etc.) to become operable, for example, Wait processing is performed for about 1 second. In the subsequent step S103, RAM access is permitted.

  Thereafter, data backup processing is executed for the RAM 503 in the CPU 501. That is, in step S104, it is determined whether or not the RAM erase switch 323 is pressed (ON). If it is pressed, the process proceeds to step S113 to clear (erase) the backup data. On the other hand, if the RAM erase switch 323 has not been pressed, it is determined in a subsequent step S105 whether power-off occurrence information is set in the backup area 503a of the RAM 503. Here, if it is not set, no backup data is stored. In this case as well, the process proceeds to step S113. If power failure occurrence information is set in the backup area 503a, a RAM determination value is calculated in step S106, and in the subsequent step S107, whether or not the RAM determination value matches the RAM determination value stored when the power is turned off. That is, the effectiveness of the backup is determined. If the RAM determination value calculated here does not match the RAM determination value stored when the power is turned off, the backed up data is destroyed, and in this case as well, the process proceeds to step S113.

  In the process of step S113, a payout initialization command (and a voice initialization command, etc.) is transmitted in order to initialize the payout control device 311 (and the sound lamp control device 262 and the like) which is a sub-side control device. Thereafter, the process proceeds to a RAM initialization process (step S114, etc.). Note that the RAM determination value is, for example, a checksum value at the work area address of the RAM 503. Instead of the RAM determination value, it is possible to determine the effectiveness of backup based on whether or not the keyword written in a predetermined area of the RAM 503 is correctly stored.

  As described above, the pachinko machine 10 is turned on while pressing the RAM erase switch 323 when it is desired to return to the initial state when the power is turned on, for example, when the hall starts business. Therefore, if the RAM erase switch 323 is ON, the process proceeds to a RAM initialization process (step S114, etc.). Similarly, when the information on occurrence of power interruption is not set, or when a backup abnormality is confirmed by a RAM determination value (checksum value or the like), the process proceeds to initialization processing of the RAM 503 (step S114 or the like). That is, in step S114, the used area of the RAM 503 is cleared to 0, and in the subsequent step S115, the initial value of the RAM 503 is set. Thereafter, interrupt permission is set in step S112, and the routine proceeds to normal processing described later.

  On the other hand, if the RAM erase switch 323 has not been pressed, the power-off occurrence information is set, and the RAM judgment value (checksum value, etc.) is normal. Execute the process (process when power is restored). That is, in step S108, the stack pointer before the power interruption is restored, and in step S109, the information on the occurrence of the power interruption is cleared. In step S110, a command for returning the control device on the sub side to the gaming state at the time of power-off is transmitted, and in step S111, the used register is returned from the backup area 503a of the RAM 503. Thereafter, interrupt permission is set in step S112, and the routine proceeds to normal processing described later.

  Next, the flow of normal processing will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In this normal process, the main process of the game is executed. As an outline, the processing of steps S201 to S207 is executed as a periodic processing with a period of 4 msec, and the counter update processing of steps S209 and S210 is executed with the remaining time.

  In FIG. 26, first, in step S201, output data such as a command updated in the previous process is transmitted to each control device on the sub side. For example, a variation pattern command, a symbol command, a determination command, and the like are transmitted to the display control device 45 when the decoration symbol display device 42 displays the variation of the decoration symbol. Here, the external output processing will be described with reference to FIG.

  First, in step S2001, it is determined whether or not the variation start process shown in FIG. 29 has been executed immediately before. Specifically, as will be described later, a flag (start flag) indicating the start of variation display is set in the variation start process. Here, it is determined whether or not this start flag is set. Further, in the variation start process described later, a variation pattern and a symbol command including variation time information are respectively determined. However, when it is determined in step S2001 that the variation is immediately after the variation start (step S2001: YES). After resetting the start flag in step S2002, the fluctuation pattern command is transmitted in step S2003, and a flag indicating fluctuation pattern command transmission (fluctuation pattern transmission flag) is set in step S2004. The process proceeds to S2008. On the other hand, when it is determined that it is not immediately after the start of fluctuation (step S2001: NO), the process proceeds to step S2005.

  In step S2005, it is determined whether or not a variation pattern command has been transmitted in the previous process. This determination is made based on whether or not the variation pattern transmission flag is set. If it is determined that a variation pattern command has been transmitted (step S2005: YES), the variation pattern transmission flag is reset in step S2006, the symbol command is transmitted in step S2007, and the process proceeds to step S2008. On the other hand, when it is determined that the variation pattern command has not been transmitted (step S2005: NO), the process proceeds to step S2008 as it is.

  In step S2008, it is determined whether various commands for the payout control device 311 are set. When it is determined that the command is set (step S2008: YES), the command is transmitted in step S2009, and the process proceeds to step S2010. On the other hand, when it is determined that the command is not set (step S2008: NO), the process proceeds to step S2010 as it is.

  In step S2010, it is determined whether or not error information is set, that is, whether or not an error occurrence flag value to be described later is 1. If it is determined that the error information is set (step S2010: YES), an error signal is output in step S2011, and the process proceeds to step S2012. Therefore, the error signal continues to be output while the error information is set. Specifically, the error signal is output to the display control device 45, a hall computer of the game hall (via an external output terminal or the like), and the like. Thereby, the display control device 45 performs error notification in the decorative symbol display device 42 while receiving the error signal, and outputs an error signal to the sound lamp control device 262. The sound lamp control device 262 performs control to turn on the error display lamp 106 while receiving the error signal.

  On the other hand, if it is determined that no error information is set (step S2010: NO), the process directly proceeds to step S2012 without outputting an error signal. That is, when the setting of the error information is cancelled, the error signal is not output to the display control device 45 and, consequently, the sound lamp control device 262, and the error notification in the decorative symbol display device 42 and the lighting of the error display lamp 106 are stopped. Ends.

  In subsequent step S2012, other processing is performed. For example, when a determination command is set, the determination command is transmitted. In addition, a control signal for driving the first opportunity corresponding unit 33 and the variable winning device 32 is also output here.

  According to the above-described external output processing, when the decoration symbol changes, one command is sent for each normal processing in the order of the variation pattern command → the symbol command (that is, one command every 4 msec). A decision command is sent at the timing.

  Further, the display control device 45 that has input the variation pattern command, the symbol command, the determination command, etc. determines the display mode of the decorative symbol display device 42 based on the various commands, and the display mode is displayed on the decorative symbol display device 42. It is supposed to be displayed. More specifically, the decorative symbols are displayed for a predetermined time based on the variation pattern command. In the present embodiment, the second variation type counter CS2 determines the elapsed time until the middle symbol that is the final stop symbol stops after the occurrence of reach, and the display control device as a variation pattern command based on the variation type counters CS1 and CS2. 45. In a normal state, the left symbol is stopped and displayed 3 seconds after the start of fluctuation, and the right symbol is stopped and displayed 4 seconds after the start of fluctuation. Therefore, the display control device 45 can grasp the variation time from the variation start to the final stop display based on the variation pattern command. Note that the variation pattern command may be configured to directly indicate the variation time from the variation start to the final stop display.

  Furthermore, the display control device 45 determines a stop symbol based on the symbol command and displays it after the fluctuation time has elapsed. The symbol command is a command that causes the display control device 45 to determine a stop symbol, and designates five categories: a probability variation symbol, a normal symbol, a front / rear off symbol, a symbol other than front / rear off symbol, and a completely off symbol. These divisions are indicated by numerical values “1”, “2”, “3”, “4”, “5”, and any of these numerical values is set as a symbol command. Hereinafter, the description is continued on the assumption that any one of “1” to “5” is set in the symbol command. The probability variation symbol is a symbol to which numbers 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9 are added, and when “1” indicating the probability variation symbol is set in the symbol command, the display control device 45 includes the symbol. Is determined as a stop symbol. The normal symbol is a symbol to which the numbers 0, 2, 4, 6, and 8 are added. When “2” indicating the normal symbol is set in the symbol command, the display control device 45 causes the symbol to be displayed. Is determined as a stop symbol. The back-and-forth back-and-forth symbol corresponds to “rear-and-forth back-and-forth reach” in which the final stop symbol stops by one shift before and after the reach symbol after a reach has occurred, and “3” is set in the symbol command for the front and back off symbol. When it is, the display control device 45 determines the symbol stored in the back-and-forth out-reach symbol buffer described later as the stop symbol. Symbols other than front / rear off correspond to “reach other than front / rear off” where the final stop symbol stops other than before or after the reach occurrence, and “4” is set in the symbol command. In this case, the display control device 45 determines the symbol stored in the reach symbol buffer other than the back-and-forth deviation described later as the stop symbol. The completely missed symbol corresponds to “completely missed” in which no reach occurs. When “5” indicating the completely missed symbol is set in the symbol command, the display control device 45 stores it in the completely missed symbol buffer described later. The displayed symbol is determined as a stop symbol.

  Note that each command in the present embodiment has a 2-byte configuration, and is transmitted in two portions, one byte at a time.

  Next, in step S202 in FIG. 26, update of the variation type counters CS1 and CS2 is executed. Specifically, the variation type counters CS1 and CS2 are incremented by 1, and are cleared to 0 when their counter values reach the maximum values (198 and 240 in this embodiment). Then, the update values of the variation type counters CS1 and CS2 are stored in the corresponding buffer area of the RAM 503.

  In a succeeding step S203, an error signal output from the payout control device 311 is read. In the present embodiment, error signals relating to a lower pan full tank error state, a tank ball no error state, and a payout error state, which will be described later, are read. Note that the output of the error signal from the payout control device 311 includes the case where the error signal output from the predetermined detection means passes through the payout control device 311 and is input to the main control device 261.

  Next, in step S204, the value of the error occurrence flag is set. More specifically, if an error condition has occurred based on the error signal received in step S203, 1 indicating that an error condition has occurred is set as the value of the error occurrence flag. That is, the value “1” is error information indicating that an error state has occurred. On the other hand, when no error signal is received, 0 indicating that no error condition has occurred is set in the value of the error occurrence flag.

  Thereafter, in step S205, variation processing is executed. By this variation processing, the special display device 43 is controlled, and jackpot determination and setting of a variation pattern of the decorative symbol in the decorative symbol display device 42 are performed. However, details of the variation process will be described later.

  Thereafter, in step S206, a jackpot control process is executed. With this process, when the jackpot is reached, the opening / closing control of the variable winning device 32 is repeatedly executed for a predetermined number of rounds. However, details of the jackpot control process will be described later.

  In step S207 in FIG. 26, normal symbol related control processing is performed. Specifically, the normal symbol display control by the normal symbol display device 41 and the opening / closing control of the first opportunity corresponding unit 33 are executed. That is, on the condition that the game ball has passed through the second opportunity corresponding port 34, the normal symbol random number counter C4 is acquired and the normal symbol display device 41 draws the normal symbol each time. When the hit state is reached, the first opportunity corresponding unit 33 is released until a predetermined time or a predetermined number of balls are entered. Although explanation is omitted, the normal symbol random number counter C4 is also updated by the timer interruption process shown in FIG. 32, like the big hit random number counter C1, the mode determination counter C2, and the reach random number counter C3. .

  Here, since the execution time of each process of steps S201 to S207 changes according to the state of the game, the remaining time until the next normal process execution timing is not constant and varies. Therefore, it is possible to update the random number initial value counter CINI (that is, the initial value of the big hit random number counter C1) at random by repeatedly executing the update of the random number initial value counter CINI using the remaining time. The type counters CS1 and CS2 can also be updated at random.

  After that, in step S211, it is determined whether or not occurrence information of power supply interruption is set in the backup area 503a of the RAM 503. If no power-off occurrence information is set in the backup area 503a, it is determined in step S208 whether or not the next normal processing execution timing has been reached, that is, a predetermined time from the start of the previous normal processing (4 msec in this embodiment). ) Or not. And if predetermined time has already passed, it will transfer to Step S201 and will repeat the processing after the above-mentioned Step S201.

  On the other hand, if the predetermined time has not yet elapsed from the start of the previous normal process, the random number initial value counter CINI and the variation type counters CS1 and CS2 are updated within the remaining time until the execution timing of the next normal process. Repeatedly execute (step S209, step S210). That is, in step S209, the random number initial value counter CINI is updated. Specifically, the random number initial value counter CINI is incremented by 1 and cleared to 0 when the counter value reaches the maximum value (676 in this embodiment).

  In step S210, update of the variation type counters CS1 and CS2 is executed (same as step S202). Specifically, the variation type counters CS1 and CS2 are incremented by 1, and are cleared to 0 when the counter values reach the maximum values (198 and 240 in this embodiment). Then, the change values of the variation type counters CS1 and CS2 are stored in the corresponding buffer area of the RAM 503.

  Further, in the process of step S211, it is determined whether or not the information on occurrence of power interruption is set in the backup area 503a. Here, if the information on occurrence of power supply interruption is set, the power supply is cut off. Therefore, the processing after step S212 is performed as a power failure process at the time of power supply interruption. In the power failure process, first, in step S212, the generation of each interrupt process is prohibited. In step S213, the contents of each register used by the CPU 501 are saved in the stack area. In step S214, the value of the stack pointer is stored in the backup area 503a. To remember. Thereafter, in step S215, a power-off notification command indicating that the power has been cut off is transmitted to another control device (such as the payout control device 311). In step S216, a RAM determination value is calculated and stored in the backup area 503a. The RAM determination value is, for example, a checksum value at the work area address of the RAM 503. Thereafter, RAM access is prohibited in step S217, and the infinite loop is continued until the power supply is completely shut down and the processing cannot be executed.

  The process of step S211 is performed at the end of a series of processes corresponding to the game state change performed at steps S201 to S207, or at the end of one cycle of the processes of steps S209 and S210 performed within the remaining time. It is executed at the timing. Therefore, in the normal process of the main controller 261, the occurrence information of the power interruption is confirmed at the end of each process, so that the amount of data stored in the backup area 503a of the RAM 503 is less than that in the middle of each process. And can be easily memorized. Further, when returning to the state before power-off, since the amount of data stored in the backup area 503a is small, it can be easily restored and the processing load of the main control device 261 can be reduced. . Further, since the interruption process is prohibited before the data is stored (step S212), it is possible to prevent the data from being changed when the power is shut off, and to reliably store the state before the power is shut off. .

  Next, the variation process of step S205 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  In FIG. 28, in step S301, it is determined whether or not a big hit is currently being made. The jackpot includes a special game and a predetermined time after the special game. In a succeeding step S302, it is determined whether or not the special display device 43 is performing color change display (variable display). Then, if it is not a big hit and is not in a variable display, the process proceeds to step S303, and it is determined whether or not the number N of starting reserved balls is greater than zero. At this time, if it is a big hit or the number N of starting reserved balls is 0, this processing is terminated as it is.

  If neither the big hit or the variable display is being displayed and if the number of starting reserved balls N> 0, the process proceeds to step S304. In step S304, 1 is subtracted from the number N of starting reserved balls. In step S305, a process for shifting the data stored in the reserved ball storage area is executed. This data shift process is a process for sequentially shifting the data stored in the reserved first to fourth areas of the reserved ball storage area to the execution area side. The reserved first area → the execution area, the reserved second area → The data in each area is shifted such as the first hold area, the third hold area → the second hold area, the fourth hold area → the third hold area.

  Thereafter, in step S306, a change start process is executed. Here, details of the variation start process will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  First, in the first step S400, color change display (variable display) on the special display device 43 is started. That is, a flag (start flag) indicating the start of variable display is set here (see step S2001). The special display device 43 is a three-color LED as described above, and changes color to green if the lit color is red, blue if it is green, and red if it is blue.

  In a succeeding step S401, it is determined whether or not the jackpot is based on the value of the jackpot random number counter C1 stored in the execution area of the reserved ball storage area. Specifically, whether the jackpot is determined based on the relationship between the value of the jackpot random number counter C1 and the mode at that time, as described above, in the low probability mode (normal mode or time reduction mode), the jackpot random number counter C1 Among the numerical values 0 to 676, “337, 673” is the winning value, and in the high probability mode, “67, 131, 199, 269, 337, 401, 463, 523, 601, 661” is the winning value. If it is determined that the game is a big hit (step S401: YES), the process proceeds to step S402. On the other hand, when it is determined that it is not a big hit (step S401: NO), that is, when it is out of place, the process proceeds to step S407.

  In step S402, it is determined whether or not the probability variation big hit. In the present embodiment, the system is configured to shift to the high probability mode or the time reduction mode with a probability of 1/2 in the case of a big hit. Specifically, whether or not to shift to the high probability mode is determined based on the value of the mode determination counter C2 stored in the execution area of the reserved ball storage area. If the odd number is “1, 3, 5, 7, 9” among the numerical values 0 to 9 of the mode determination counter C2, the transition to the high probability mode is determined (probable big hit), and the even number “0, 2, 4, 6, 8”. ", The transition to the time reduction mode is determined (usually a big hit). If it is determined that the probability variation jackpot is determined (step S402: YES), the discrimination information setting process is performed in step S403, the jackpot variation pattern is determined in step S404, and the probability variation design (this embodiment) is determined in step S405. Then, “1”) is set in the symbol command, and the variation start process is terminated.

  In the discrimination information setting process in step S403, a jackpot occurrence flag setting process routine, a high probability mode occurrence flag setting process routine, a time reduction mode occurrence flag setting process routine, and a time reduction mode counter setting process routine are sequentially performed.

  The jackpot occurrence flag is state determination information for determining whether or not to generate a jackpot state as a special gaming state, and “1” indicating the occurrence of the jackpot state is set as a flag value in this process. .

  The high probability mode generation flag is state determination information for determining whether or not to generate a high probability mode. In this process, “1” indicating the generation of the high probability mode is set as a flag value.

  The time reduction mode occurrence flag is state determination information for determining whether or not to generate the time reduction mode. In this process, “0” indicating that the time reduction mode is not generated is set as a flag value. The

  The time reduction mode counter is the number determination information for determining the duration of the time reduction mode (the number of times of variable display). Since this process does not generate the time reduction mode, “0” is used as the counter value. Is set.

  Now, if it is determined in step S402 that it is not a probable big hit (step S402: NO), that is, if it is a normal big win, a discrimination information setting process is performed in step S406, and a big hit fluctuation pattern is determined in step S407. In step S408, the normal symbol (“2” in the present embodiment) is set as the symbol command, and the variation start process is terminated.

  In the discrimination information setting process in step S406, similar to step S403 above, the jackpot occurrence flag setting process routine, the high probability mode occurrence flag setting process routine, the time reduction mode occurrence flag setting process routine, and the time reduction mode counter setting Processing routines are performed sequentially. However, in this process, the value of the jackpot occurrence flag is set to “1” indicating the occurrence of a jackpot state, and the value of the high probability mode occurrence flag is set to “0” indicating that the high probability mode is not generated. The time reduction mode occurrence flag is set to “1” indicating the occurrence of the time reduction mode, and the time reduction mode counter is set to “100” indicating the duration of the time reduction mode. The

  In steps S404 and S407, the variation pattern at the time of the big hit is determined, and the variation pattern is set in the variation pattern command. At this time, the values of the variation type counters CS1 and CS2 stored in the counter buffer of the RAM 503 are checked, and the reach type of the decorative symbol such as normal reach, super reach, premium reach, etc. based on the value of the first variation type counter CS1. And other rough symbol variation modes, and the elapsed time until the final stop symbol (in this embodiment, the middle symbol) stops after occurrence of reach based on the value of the second variation type counter CS2 (in other words, variation More detailed symbol variation mode is determined. The relationship between the numerical value of the first variation type counter CS1 and the reach pattern and the relationship between the numerical value of the second variation type counter CS2 and the stop symbol time are respectively defined in advance by a table or the like. Furthermore, by referring to the various flags, the table for each mode is taken into consideration during the high probability mode and the time reduction mode, and processing such as shortening the variation time is performed as appropriate. The symbol commands in step S405 and step S408 indicate the jackpot symbol in a predetermined section, and the display controller 45 determines the stop symbol as will be described later. Specifically, when “1” indicating a probability variation symbol is set in the symbol command (step S405), the symbol to which any of 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9 is attached is displayed on the display control device. 45 is determined as a stop symbol. On the other hand, when “2” indicating the normal symbol is set in the symbol command (step S408), the display control device 45 stops the symbol to which any of 0, 2, 4, 6, and 8 is attached. Determine as a symbol.

  Further, in step S409, which is shifted when a negative determination is made in step S401, it is determined whether or not it is a reach. This determination is made based on the value of the reach random number counter C3 stored in the execution area of the reserved ball storage area. As described above, in the present embodiment, the reach random number counter C3 causes the final stop symbol after the occurrence of the reach to stop by shifting by one by one before and after the reach symbol, and the final stop after the occurrence of reach. “Reach other than front / rear detachment” where the symbol stops other than before and after the reach symbol and “completely disengagement” where reach does not occur are selected by lottery. For example, C3 = 0, 1 corresponds to front / rear outreach and C3 = 2 to 21 correspond to reach other than front / rear disengagement, and C3 = 22 to 238 corresponds to complete disengagement. If it is determined that it is reach (step S409: YES), the process proceeds to step S410. On the other hand, if it is determined that it is not reach (step S409: NO), that is, if it is “completely out”, a dislocation variation pattern is determined in step S415, and in FIG. “5”) is set in the symbol command, and this variation start process is terminated.

  In step S410, it is determined whether or not the front / rear reach is reached. If it is determined that the front / rear reach has been reached (step S410: YES), a deviation variation pattern is determined in step S411, and the front / rear pattern ("3" in this embodiment) is used as a symbol command in step S412. After setting, this variation start process ends. On the other hand, when it is determined that the reach is not a back-and-forth deviation (step S410: NO), that is, when the reach is other than a back-and-forth deviation, a deviation variation pattern is determined in step S413 and In the embodiment, “4”) is set as the symbol command, and this variation start process is terminated.

  When the outlier variation pattern is determined in steps S411, S413, and S415, the variation pattern is determined based on the values of the variation type counters CS1 and CS2 stored in the counter buffer of the RAM 503. And so on. Of course, the same applies to the processing in the high probability mode and the time reduction mode. Further, the symbol command in step S412, step S414, and step S416 indicates a predetermined division of the symbol that is out of the same manner as in step S405 and the like. Specifically, when “3” indicating the front / rear off symbol is set as the symbol command (step S412), the display control device 45 that has received the symbol command is stored in the front / rear outreach symbol buffer of the work RAM 523. The symbol corresponding to the front / rear detachment reach is determined as the stop symbol. When “4” indicating a symbol other than front / rear detachment is set in the symbol command (step S414), the symbol corresponding to the reach other than front / rear detachment stored in the reach symbol buffer stored in the work RAM 523 is displayed on the display control device 45. Is determined as a stop symbol. When “5” indicating a completely disconnected symbol is set in the symbol command (step S416), the display control device 45 determines the symbol corresponding to the completely disconnected symbol stored in the completely disconnected symbol buffer of the work RAM 523 as the stopped symbol. To do.

  Returning to the description of FIG. 28, if step S302 is YES, that is, if the fluctuation display is being performed, the process proceeds to step S307, where it is determined whether or not the fluctuation time has elapsed. In step S308, which is shifted when an affirmative determination is made in step S307, determination display by the special display device 43 is performed. That is, when the probability change jackpot with the transition to the high probability mode is determined, red is determined and displayed (for example, lighted only for a few seconds), and when it is the normal jackpot with the transition to the time reduction mode, the green color is determined and displayed ( For example, it is lit only for a few seconds), and when it is off, blue is determined and displayed (lights only for a few seconds). Again, such a determination display by the special display device 43 is the main display, and the display of the decorative symbols by the decorative symbol display device 42 is auxiliary. In the next step S309, a determination command for completely synchronizing the decorative pattern variation stop with the LED variation stop in the special display device 43 is set, and then this processing is terminated. On the other hand, in step S310, which is shifted when a negative determination is made in step S307, color change display (variation display) of the LED of the special display device 43 is performed. Specifically, if the current lighting color is red, the color is changed to green, blue if it is green, and red if it is blue. Thereby, the color change display (variation display) of the LED of the special display device 43 is realized at the timing of the variation processing, that is, every 4 ms.

  Next, the jackpot control process of step S206 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  In FIG. 35, in step S2101, it is determined whether or not a big hit state is occurring. Here, the determination is made by taking into account the big hit state flag described later. If it is determined that the jackpot state is in effect (step S2101: YES), the process proceeds to step S2104. On the other hand, if it is determined that the jackpot is not in a state (step S2101: NO), it is determined in step S2102 whether a jackpot has occurred. Here, the determination is made by considering the jackpot occurrence flag. If it is determined that a big hit has occurred (step S2102: YES), the process proceeds to step S2103. If it is determined that a big hit is not being made (step S2102: NO), the process is terminated.

  In step S2103, start setting processing is executed. Specifically, processing for setting a value of the maximum number of rounds (in this embodiment, “16” rounds) is performed. Thereafter, a high probability mode flag reset processing routine to be described later, a time shortening mode flag reset processing routine to be described later, a time shortening mode counter reset processing routine to be described later, a jackpot / middle flag setting processing routine to be described later, and the jackpot The generation flag reset processing routine is sequentially performed.

  The flag in the high probability mode is state determination information for determining whether or not the high probability mode is being generated. When the game mode is determined after the jackpot state ends, the high probability mode is generated. Consider the value of the flag in the high probability mode instead of the value of the flag. In the reset process, a process of resetting the value of the flag in the high probability mode once (set to “0”) is performed.

  The time reduction mode in-progress flag is state determination information for determining whether or not the time reduction mode is occurring. When the game mode is determined after the jackpot state ends, the time reduction mode is generated. Consider the value of the flag in the time reduction mode instead of the value of the flag. In the reset process, a process of resetting the value of the flag in the time reduction mode once (set to “0”) is performed.

  The time reduction mode in-counter is the number determination information for determining the duration of the time reduction mode (how many times the variable display is displayed) as in the above time reduction mode counter. It is the counter in the time reduction mode that is considered when determining the end timing. In the reset process, a process of once resetting the value of the counter in the time reduction mode (set to “0”) is performed.

  The jackpot flag is state determination information for determining whether or not a jackpot state is occurring. In this process, “1” indicating a jackpot is set as the flag value.

  In the big hit occurrence flag reset process, “0” is set as the flag value.

  Subsequently, in step S2104, opening / closing processing of the variable winning device 32 is executed. More specifically, it is determined whether 29 seconds, which is the maximum opening time of the variable winning device 32, has passed, or whether a predetermined number of 10 game balls have won the variable winning device 32, and any of these conditions is determined. When established, the variable winning device 32 is closed.

  In step S2105, it is determined whether or not the number of executed rounds has reached the preset maximum number of rounds. If a determination result indicating that the maximum number of rounds has been obtained is obtained (step S2105: YES), the process proceeds to step S2106. On the other hand, if a determination result indicating that the maximum number of rounds has not been reached is obtained (step S2105: NO), this processing is terminated as it is. That is, the opening / closing process is repeated until the number of executed rounds reaches the preset maximum number of rounds.

  In step S2106, end setting processing is performed. More specifically, the process of saving (copying) the value of the high probability mode occurrence flag to the value of the flag in the high probability mode, and saving (copying) the value of the time reduction mode occurrence flag to the value of the flag in the time reduction mode ) And the process of saving (copying) the value of the time reduction mode counter to the value of the counter in the time reduction mode are sequentially executed, and then the value of the high probability mode occurrence flag is reset (set to “0”). ), The process of resetting the value of the time reduction mode occurrence flag (set to “0”), the process of resetting the value of the time reduction mode counter (set to “0”) are sequentially executed, and the maximum A process for resetting the set value set as the number of rounds is executed, and this process is terminated. Therefore, the game mode switching setting process after the jackpot ends is performed by the end setting process.

  Next, processing of the display control device 45 will be described. The display control device 45 that has input the variation pattern command, the symbol command, the determination command, etc. determines the display mode of the decorative symbol display device 42 based on the various commands, and displays the display mode on the decorative symbol display device 42. It is like that. More specifically, the decorative symbols are displayed for a predetermined time based on the variation pattern command. Then, a stop symbol is determined based on the symbol command and displayed. In addition, after the determination display of the special display device 43, the determination command is transmitted to the display control device 45 as described above. This determination command is transmitted between the main special display device 43 and the auxiliary decorative symbol display device 42. It is intended for complete synchronization. That is, in order to achieve complete synchronization, it is desirable to transmit the determination command as described above. However, if the configuration is such that both the main control device 261 and the display control device 45 can grasp the variation time, the determination command is transmitted. It is good also as a structure which does not transmit.

  In the present embodiment, the CPU 521 in the display control device 45 uses various counter information when displaying decorative symbols. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 30, the jackpot decorative symbol counter C5 and the left, middle and right off symbol counters CL and CM used for setting the off symbol of the left column, the middle column and the right column, respectively. , CR. The off symbol counters CL, CM, CR are configured such that register values are added using an R register (refresh register) in the CPU 521, and as a result, the numerical values change randomly.

  The jackpot decorative symbol counter C5 determines a symbol when the variation of the decorative symbol display device 42 is stopped (a jackpot symbol) in the case of a big hit. In the present embodiment, the decorative symbol display device 42 There are 5 patterns of probability variation and 5 patterns of normal. Therefore, five (0 to 4) counter values are prepared as the jackpot decorative symbol counter C5. That is, the jackpot decoration symbol counter C5 is incremented by 1 in order within a range of 0 to 4, and returns to 0 after reaching the maximum value (that is, 4). When the symbol command transmitted from the main control device 261 is “1” indicating a probability variation symbol, for example, if the counter value is zero based on a table (not shown) (a table that associates a counter value with a decorative symbol). For example, 1, 1 is 3, 3 is 2, 5 is 3, 7 is 4, and 9 is determined. Further, when the symbol command is “2” indicating the normal symbol, for example, if the counter value is 0, it may be 0 or 1 based on another table (a table for associating the counter value and the decorative symbol). For example, 2 is 2, 4 is 3, 6 is 4, 4 is 8 and so on. The jackpot decorative symbol counter C5 is periodically updated, and is read from the counter buffer at the timing when the display control device 45 receives the symbol command. In the present embodiment, the jackpot decoration symbol counter C5 is stored in the jackpot decoration symbol counter buffer of the work RAM 523. However, it is not stored in the buffer, but the counter value is referred to when the symbol command is received. You may make it do.

  The left, middle and right off symbol counters CL, CM, CR determine the stop symbol (out symbol) of the left row ornament symbol, middle row ornament symbol, right column ornament symbol when the big hit lottery is missed. Since each of the ten decorative symbols is displayed in each column, ten (0 to 9) counter values are prepared for each column. The stop symbol of the left symbol row is determined by the off symbol counter CL, the stop symbol of the middle symbol row is determined by the off symbol counter CM, and the stop symbol of the right symbol row is determined by the off symbol counter CR.

  In the present embodiment, the value of each counter CL, CM, CR is updated at random by using the value of the R register built in the CPU 521. That is, when each outlier symbol counter CL, CM, CR is updated, the lower 3 bits of the R register are added to the previous value, and when the addition result exceeds the maximum value, 10 is subtracted to determine the current value. The Each outlier symbol counter CL, CM, CR is updated so that the update times do not overlap, and the combination of these outlier symbol counters CL, CM, CR is a front / rear outreach symbol buffer of the work RAM 523, a reach symbol buffer other than front / rear out, and It is stored in one of the completely off symbol buffers.

  Here, the update process of each off symbol counter CL, CM, CR will be described in detail. This processing is executed by the display control device 45 every predetermined time such as 4 msec.

  As shown in FIG. 31, in step S501, it is determined whether or not it is time to update the left symbol row out symbol counter CL, and in step S502, it is determined whether or not it is time to update the out symbol symbol CM in the middle symbol row. . In addition, each off symbol counter CL, CM, CR of the left symbol row, the middle symbol row, and the right symbol row is configured to be sequentially updated one by one in one update process. Therefore, if the out-of-right symbol counter CR in the right symbol sequence has been updated in the previous update process, an affirmative determination is made in step S501. In addition, when the out symbol counter CL in the left symbol row has been updated in the previous update process, an affirmative determination is made in step S502. If it is time to update the left symbol sequence (YES in step S501), the process advances to step S503 to update the left symbol sequence outlier symbol counter CL. Further, if the update timing of the middle symbol sequence (YES in step S502), the process proceeds to step S504, where the middle symbol sequence outlier symbol counter CM is updated. Further, if the update timing of the right symbol sequence (both NO in steps S501 and S502), the process proceeds to step S505, and the outlier symbol counter CR of the right symbol sequence is updated. In the update of the symbol counters CL, CM, CR out of steps S503 to S505, the lower 3 bits of the R register are added to the previous counter value, and 10 is subtracted when the addition result exceeds the maximum value. The calculation result is set as the current value of the off symbol counters CL, CM, CR.

  According to the above-described CL, CM, and CR update processing, the left symbol row, middle symbol row, and right symbol row outlier symbol counters CL, CM, and CR are updated one by one in a single update process. The update times of the values do not overlap. As a result, every time the update process is executed three times, the set symbol counters CL, CM, and CR are updated for one set.

  After that, in step S506, it is determined whether or not the combination of the updated out symbol counters CL, CM, and CR is a reach symbol combination. It is determined whether or not it is a missed reach. If the off symbol counters CL, CM, and CR are combinations of front and rear outreach, the process proceeds to step S508, and the combination of out symbol symbols CL, CM, and CR at that time is stored in the front and rear outreach symbol buffer of the work RAM 523. If the out symbol counters CL, CM, CR are a combination of reach other than front / back off, the process proceeds to step S509, and the combination of the out symbol counters CL, CM, CR at that time is stored in the reach symbol buffer other than front / back out of the work RAM 523. Store.

  In the case of a combination other than the reach symbol, in step S510, it is determined whether or not the combination of the symbol symbols CL, CM, CR is a symbol combination, and if it is a symbol combination, Proceeding to step S511, the combination of the off symbol counters CL, CM, and CR at that time is stored in the off symbol buffer of the work RAM 523. If NO in both steps S506 and S510, the symbols are aligned on the left, middle, and right, that is, it corresponds to a jackpot state. In such a case, the off symbol counters CL, CM, and CR are stored in the buffer. The process is terminated without any processing.

  As described above, the display control device 45 determines a stop symbol to be displayed on the decorative symbol display device 42 based on the symbol command transmitted from the main control device 261.

  Specifically, when the symbol command transmitted from the main control device 261 is “1” indicating the probability variation symbol, for example, the big hit decoration is based on a table (not shown) (a table that associates the counter value with the ornament symbol). If the value stored in the symbol counter buffer is 0, the probability variation symbol is determined to be 1, 1 if 3, 2 if 5, 3 if 7, 4 if 9, and so on. Further, when the symbol command is “2” indicating a normal symbol, for example, the value stored in the jackpot decorative symbol counter buffer is based on another table (a table for associating the counter value and the decorative symbol). The normal symbol is determined such that 0 is 0, 0 is 1, 2 is 4, 4 is 3, 6 is 4, 4 is 8. Furthermore, when the symbol command transmitted from the main control device 261 is “3” indicating a back-and-forth out-of-front symbol, the symbol corresponding to the back-and-forth out-of-front reach stored in the work RAM 523 is used as a stop symbol. decide. When the symbol command is “4” indicating a symbol other than front / rear detachment, the symbol corresponding to the reach other than front / rear detachment stored in the reach symbol buffer stored in the work RAM 523 is determined as a stop symbol. Furthermore, when the symbol command is “5” indicating a completely unsymbolized symbol, the symbol corresponding to the completely unsymbol stored in the completely unsymbolized symbol buffer of the work RAM 523 is determined as a stop symbol.

  The display control device 45 is configured to stop the symbol change mode such as the reach type of the decorative symbols such as normal reach, super reach, and premium reach, and the final stop symbol (the middle symbol in this embodiment) based on the change pattern command. The elapsed time is determined and the decorative symbols are displayed in a variable manner. Then, the stop symbol is determined based on the symbol command, the passage of time is judged, and the stop symbol is displayed. When displaying the stop symbol, the main controller 261 sends a determination command in order to completely synchronize the change stop of the special display device 43 and the stop change of the decorative symbol display device 42. It should be noted that the determination command from main controller 261 is not necessarily required, and can be implemented with a configuration in which the determination command is not transmitted. This is because the main control device 261 and the display control device 45 can grasp the variation time, and usually complete synchronization is realized without using the determination command.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the special display device 43 directly controlled by the main control device 261 mainly performs determination display such as jackpots, and the decorative symbol display device 42 controlled by the display control device 45. Is intended to provide an auxiliary display.

  Conventionally, there has been known a fraudulent act of forcibly opening a special winning opening using a cell or the like and acquiring a ball even though it is not a big hit. In that case, it is conceivable that some signal is sent to the display control device 45 so as to make it appear as if it is a big hit even though it is not a big hit.

  On the other hand, in the present embodiment, the main control device 261 is stored in the board box 263 that is strictly sealed, and therefore, different from the display control device 45, an illegal act such as sending some illegal signal. It is difficult to illuminate the LED of the special display device 43 illegally in a jackpot of “red” or “green”. Therefore, even if the decorative symbol display device 42 can display as if it was a big hit, such an illegal act can be easily found by the lighting mode of the special display device 43.

  Next, payout control executed by the CPU 511 in the payout control device 311 will be described. For convenience of explanation, the reception interrupt process will be described first with reference to FIG. 37, and then the main process will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 37 is a flowchart showing a reception interrupt process executed by the payout control apparatus 311. The reception interrupt process is a process executed by interruption when the payout control device 311 receives a command transmitted from the main control device 261. When the payout control device 311 confirms that the command transmitted from the main control device 261 has been received, the other processing executed by the CPU 511 in the payout control device 311 is temporarily waited, and the reception interrupt process is executed. When the reception interrupt process is executed, the command transmitted from the main controller 261 in step S3001 is first stored in the command buffer 513d of the RAM 513, and the command transmitted from the main controller 261 is stored in step S3002. At this time, the command reception flag 513c is turned on, and this reception interrupt process is terminated. As described above, when a command is stored in the command buffer 513d, the storage pointer is referred to and stored in a predetermined storage area, and the next received command is stored to be stored in the next storage area. The pointer is updated.

  In the present embodiment, the reception process of the command transmitted from the main control device 261 is performed by the interrupt process executed when the command is received. For example, as illustrated in FIG. In the timer interrupt process, before the command determination process (step S1001) is performed, it is confirmed whether or not a command has been received. If a command has been received, the command is stored in the command buffer 513d of the RAM 513. The command reception flag 513c may be turned on, and if a command has not been received, the process may proceed to command determination processing. In such a case, it is confirmed whether or not a command has been received by checking a port corresponding to a command input of the input / output port 515 at predetermined intervals.

  Next, main processing of the payout control device 311 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 36 is a flowchart showing the main process of the payout control apparatus 311. This main process is started upon reset when the power is turned on.

  First, in step S901, an initial setting process associated with power-on is executed. Specifically, a predetermined value set in advance is set in the stack pointer, and an interrupt mode is set. In step S903, RAM access is permitted, and in step S904, an external interrupt vector is set.

  After that, in step S906, it is determined whether or not occurrence information of power interruption is set in the backup area 513a of the RAM 513. If the occurrence information of power interruption is set in the backup area 513a, the RAM determination value is calculated in step S907, and in step S908, whether the RAM determination value matches the RAM determination value stored when the power is turned off. No, that is, the validity of the backup is determined. The RAM determination value is, for example, a checksum value at a work area address in the RAM 513. Note that it is possible to determine the effectiveness of backup based on whether or not the keywords written in a predetermined area of the RAM 513 are correctly stored.

  If power failure occurrence information is not set in step S906, or if a backup abnormality is confirmed by a RAM determination value (checksum value, etc.) in step S908, the process proceeds to initialization processing of the RAM 513 after step S915. Transition.

  In step S915, the entire area of the RAM 513 is cleared to 0, and in step S916, the initial value of the RAM 513 is set. Thereafter, in step S917, the CPU peripheral device is initialized, and the process proceeds to step S914 to permit interruption.

  On the other hand, on the condition that the information on occurrence of power interruption is set in step S906 and the RAM judgment value (checksum value etc.) is normal in step S908, the process at the time of power recovery (when the power interruption is restored). Process). That is, in step S909, the stack pointer before power-off is restored, information on occurrence of power-off is cleared in step S910, and a payout permission flag 513b that permits payout of prize balls is cleared in step S911. In step S912, the CPU peripheral device is initialized, and in step S913, the used register is restored from the backup area 513a of the RAM 513. In step S914, an interrupt is permitted.

  After the interruption is permitted in step S914, it is determined in the process of step S922 whether power-off occurrence information is set in the backup area 513a. Here, if the information on occurrence of power supply interruption is set, the power supply is cut off, and therefore, the process after step S923 is performed as a power failure process at the time of power supply interruption. In the power failure process, first, the generation of each interrupt process is prohibited in step S923, and a command determination process described later is executed in the next step S924. Thereafter, the contents of each register used by the CPU 511 are saved in the stack area in step S925, the stack pointer value is stored in the backup area 513a in step S926, the RAM determination value is calculated in step S927, and the backup area 513a is stored. In step S928, RAM access is prohibited, and the infinite loop is continued until the power supply is completely shut down and processing cannot be executed. Here, the RAM determination value is, for example, a checksum value in the stack area and work area to be backed up in the RAM 513.

  In the process of step S922, the occurrence information of the power interruption is confirmed after the process performed when the power is turned on. Therefore, the amount of data stored in the backup area 513a of the RAM 513 is smaller than that in the middle of each process. Less and can be easily memorized. Further, when returning to the state before power-off, since the amount of data stored in the backup area 513a is small, it can be easily restored and the processing load of the payout control device 311 can be reduced. .

  Next, timer interruption processing of the payout control device 311 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. This timer interrupt process is started periodically (in this embodiment, at a cycle of 2 msec).

  In the timer interrupt process, first, a command from the main control device 261 is acquired, and a determination process for the command is performed (step S1001). This command determination process will be described below with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 39 is a flowchart showing command determination processing performed by the payout control device 311. In the command determination process (steps S924 and S1001), first, it is determined whether or not the command reception flag 513c is turned on in step S1301. The command reception flag 513c is turned on when a command transmitted from the main control device 261 is received in the above-described reception interrupt process (see FIG. 37).

  If it is determined in step S1301 that the command reception flag 513c is off, a new command has not been received from the main controller 261, and thus this process is terminated. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S1301 that the command reception flag 513c is on, the received command is read from the RAM 513 in step S1302, and the command reception flag 513c is turned off in step S1303. By turning off the command reception flag 513c in step S1303, the processing in steps S1302 to S1311 can be skipped until a new command is received, so that the control of the payout control device 311 can be reduced.

  The type of command read from the RAM 513 is determined in the processing of steps S1304 to S1306. In step S1304, it is determined whether or not the command transmitted from the main control device 261 is a payout initialization command. In step S1305, it is determined whether or not it is a payout return command. In step S1306, it is determined whether the command is a prize ball command. It is determined whether or not.

  If the command transmitted from the main controller 261 is a payout initialization command, it is determined in step S1307 whether or not the payout permission flag 513b has already been turned on. If the payout permission flag 513b has been turned off, the power is turned on. Since the initialization of the RAM 513 is sometimes instructed by the main controller 261, the work area (area) other than the stack area of the RAM 513 is cleared to 0 in step S1308, and the initial value of the RAM 513 is set in step S1309. To do. Thereafter, in step S1311, the payout permission flag 513b is turned on, and the payout permission for the prize ball is set.

  As described above, the main controller 261 performs initialization processing of the RAM 503 after transmitting the payout initialization command, and the payout control device 311 initializes processing of the RAM 513 after receiving the payout initialization command. Therefore, the timing at which the RAM 503 is initialized and the timing at which the RAM 513 is initialized are substantially at the same time. Therefore, even if the payout control device 311 receives a command transmitted from the main control device 261 due to a shift in the initialization timing, the RAM 513 is initialized, and control corresponding to the received command cannot be performed. The occurrence of adverse effects can be prevented. In addition, since the payout permission flag 513b is turned on after the RAM 513 is initialized, it is possible to reliably set the payout allowance for prize balls.

  On the other hand, if the payout permission flag 513b has already been turned on in step S1307, the command determination process is terminated without clearing the work area of the RAM 513 and the initialization process of the RAM 513. That is, the process in step S1307 prohibits the RAM 513 from being initialized while the payout permission flag 513b is set. The payout initialization command is transmitted only when the RAM erase switch 323 is turned on when the power is turned on. Therefore, the payout initialization command is not received when the payout permission flag 513b is turned on. It is conceivable that the payout control device 311 has recognized the payout initialization command due to the influence of noise or the like. Therefore, if the work area of the RAM 513 is cleared (step S1308) and the initial value setting of the RAM 513 (step S1309) is executed in a state where the payout permission flag 513b is turned on, the payout is not made when a prize ball remains. However, the RAM 513 is prevented from being initialized while the payout permission flag 513b is turned on, so that the player is prevented from being lost. it can.

  Further, if the command transmitted from the main control device 261 is a payout return command (step S1304: NO, step S1305: YES), the main control device 261 and the payout control device 311 return to the state before the power shut-off. In order to permit the payout of the prize ball, the payout permission flag 513b is turned on in step S1311. That is, when there is information on occurrence of power interruption and the main control device 261 and the payout control device 311 return to the state before the power interruption, the payout of the prize ball is permitted. When the payout permission flag 513b is turned on in the process of step S1311, the process based on the command stored in the predetermined storage area of the command buffer 513d is completed, so that the read pointer corresponds to the next storage area. Updated to pointer.

  Further, if the command transmitted from the main control device 261 is a prize ball command (step S1305: NO, step S1306: YES), the received prize ball number is stored in the total payout number storage area A0 in step S1310. In addition, the payout permission flag 513b is turned on in step S1311 in order to allow the payout of the winning ball to be stored. In addition, when a winning ball command is received, the payout permission is immediately set, so that the winning ball can be paid out early for winning. When the payout permission flag 513b is turned on in the process of step S1311, the process based on the command stored in the predetermined storage area of the command buffer 513d is completed, so that the read pointer corresponds to the next storage area. Updated to pointer.

  The command transmitted from the main controller 261 is not a payout initialization command (step S1304: NO), is not a payout return command (step S1305: NO), and is not a prize ball command (step S1306: NO), The command determination process is terminated without turning on the payout permission flag 513b.

  Returning to the flowchart of FIG. When the command determination process ends, it is determined in step S1002 whether or not the payout permission flag 513b is turned on in the command determination process. Here, if the payout permission flag 513b is not turned on, this processing is ended as it is. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the payout of the winning ball before the command is transmitted from the main control device 261.

  On the other hand, if an affirmative determination is made in step S1002, launch permission is set for launch control device 312 in step S1003.

  In step S1004, a state return process is executed. More specifically, when the status return switch 321 is checked and it is determined that there is an operation, various error status determination flags to be described later are reset. Therefore, when the state return switch 321 is pressed after the error is resolved, the normal state is restored. For example, after a payout error state occurs, if a store clerk at the game hall collects excess derivation and performs maintenance, and then the state return switch 321 is pressed, the value of the payout error flag indicates that the payout error is not displayed. It is reset to “0” indicating the occurrence state, and the normal state is restored. At the same time, the number of remaining spheres and the number of excessively derived spheres stored in the remaining ball number counter buffers CB1 to CB4 and the excessively derived sphere number counter buffers KB1 to KB4 are also reset to “0”. Of course, it is possible to perform reset processing of various error state determination flags and counter values by depressing the RAM erase switch 323. In this case, it is advantageous for the player stored in the main controller 261. Even information is deleted. For example, the value “1” of the high probability mode flag indicating that the high probability mode is being generated is reset to “0”, and after returning, the high probability mode is not generated. Therefore, it is more preferable that the various error state determination flags and counter values can be reset only on the payout control device 311 side as in the present embodiment.

  Thereafter, in step S1005, setting of the lower pan full state or the lower pan full tank release state is executed in accordance with the change in the state of the lower pan 15. In other words, the full state of the lower plate 15 is determined based on the presence or absence of a detection signal from the lower plate full switch 15a. When the lower plate is full, the value of the lower plate full flag is set to “1”. If the lower pan is not full, the value of the lower pan full flag is set to “0”. Whether or not the lower plate full tank error state has occurred is determined based on the lower plate full tank flag value.

  In step S1006, setting of a tank ball absence state or a tank ball absence release state is executed according to a change in the state of the tank ball. That is, it is determined whether or not there is no tank ball based on the presence or absence of a detection signal from the ball break detection switch 357a. If there is no tank ball, the value of the tank ball no flag is set to "1". If there is no tank ball, the value of the tank ball no flag is set to “0”. Whether or not the lower pan full tank error state has occurred is determined based on the tank ball absence flag value. Note that the tank ball-free state is a state in which there is no game ball on the case rail 357 and the ball-out detection switch 357a is turned off as described above due to occurrence of a ball clogging in the tank 355 and the tank rail 356. It is. In other words, although there is no tank ball state, a ball clogging actually occurs in the tank 355, and even when a game ball exists in the tank 355, a case where no game ball exists in the case rail 357 is included in this state.

  Thereafter, an error output process is performed in step S1007. More specifically, in consideration of the values of various error discriminating flags such as the lower pan full flag, an error signal corresponding to the error state is transmitted to the main controller 261 when an error state has occurred. .

  In step S1008, display processing related to the excessively derived ball number display units D1 to D4 is executed. Thereby, in the case of a payout error state, that is, the payout of the game ball in the corresponding lane is made despite the value of the payout number stored in any of the first to fourth lane payout number storage areas A1 to A4 being 0. If it is detected, the excessively derived ball number is displayed in the corresponding excessively derived ball number display units D1 to D4 based on the excessively derived ball number stored in the excessively derived ball number counter buffers KB1 to KB4. Is displayed.

  Thereafter, in step S1009, a payout number setting process is performed. The function of the payout number setting process particularly constitutes the payout number setting means in the present embodiment. In detail, as shown in FIG. 40, first, in step S1401, it is determined whether an error state other than the payout error state (for example, a full plate error state) is occurring based on the values of various error state determination flags. To do. Here, if an affirmative determination is made, that is, if any error state other than the payout error state has occurred, this processing is terminated as it is. On the other hand, if a negative determination is made, it is determined in step S1402 whether or not a ball rental signal (payout signal) is received from the ball rental operation unit 120. If a negative determination is made here, the process proceeds to step S1404. On the other hand, if an affirmative determination is made here, in step S1403, the number of balls lent (the number of payouts) corresponding to the rented signal is added to the total number of payouts stored in the total payout number storage area A0 and stored. The process proceeds to step S1404.

  In step S1404, it is determined whether or not the total payout number stored in the total payout number storage area A0 is zero. If an affirmative determination is made here, it is assumed that there is no gaming ball (prize ball or rental ball) to be paid out, and this processing is terminated as it is.

  On the other hand, if a negative determination is made in step S1404, is the value of a first lane payout error flag F1 described later in step S1405 “1” indicating that a payout error state has occurred in the first lane? Determine whether or not. If a negative determination is made here, 1 is added to the value of the first lane payout number storage area A1 in step S1406, 1 is subtracted from the value of the total payout number in the total payout number storage area A0 in step S1407, The process proceeds to step S1409.

  On the other hand, if an affirmative determination is made in step S1405, in step S1408, the value of the remaining sphere number in the first lane remaining ball number counter buffer CB1 is added to the value of the total payout number storage area A0, and the process proceeds to step S1409. .

  In step S1409, it is determined whether or not the value of the total payout number stored in the total payout number storage area A0 is zero. If an affirmative determination is made here, this processing is terminated as it is.

  On the other hand, if a negative determination is made in step S1409, is the value of a second lane payout error flag F2 described later in step S1410 “1” indicating that a payout error state has occurred in the second lane? Determine whether or not. If a negative determination is made here, 1 is added to the value of the second lane payout number storage area A2 in step S1411, and 1 is subtracted from the value of the total payout number in the total payout number storage area A0 in step S1412. The process proceeds to step S1414.

  On the other hand, if an affirmative determination is made in step S1410, the value of the remaining sphere number in the second lane remaining ball number counter buffer CB2 is added to the value of the total payout number storage area A0 in step S1413, and the process proceeds to step S1414. .

  In step S1414, it is determined whether or not the value of the total payout number stored in the total payout number storage area A0 is zero. If an affirmative determination is made here, this processing is terminated as it is.

  On the other hand, if a negative determination is made in step S1414, is the value of a third lane payout error flag F3 described later in step S1415 “1” indicating that a payout error state has occurred in the third lane? Determine whether or not. If a negative determination is made here, 1 is added to the value of the third lane payout number storage area A3 in step S1416, and 1 is subtracted from the value of the total payout number in the total payout number storage area A0 in step S1417. The process proceeds to step S1419.

  On the other hand, if an affirmative determination is made in step S1415, the value of the remaining sphere number in the third lane remaining ball number counter buffer CB3 is added to the value of the total payout number storage area A0 in step S1418, and the process proceeds to step S1419. .

  In step S1419, it is determined whether or not the value of the total payout number stored in the total payout number storage area A0 is zero. If an affirmative determination is made here, this processing is terminated as it is.

  On the other hand, if a negative determination is made in step S1419, is the value of a fourth lane payout error flag F4 (to be described later) in step S1420 “1” indicating that a payout error state has occurred in the fourth lane? Determine whether or not. If a negative determination is made here, 1 is added to the value of the fourth lane payout number storage area A4 in step S1421, and 1 is subtracted from the value of the total payout number in the total payout number storage area A0 in step S1422. The process proceeds to step S1423.

  On the other hand, if an affirmative determination is made in step S1420, the value of the remaining number of spheres in the fourth lane remaining ball number counter buffer CB4 is added to the value of the total payout number storage area A0 in step S1423, and the process proceeds to step S1423. .

  In step S1423, it is determined whether or not the value of the total payout number stored in the total payout number storage area A0 is zero. If an affirmative determination is made here, this processing is terminated as it is. On the other hand, if a negative determination is made here, the process returns to step S1405.

  By performing the series of processes, the total payout number stored in the total payout number storage area A0 is allocated and set in each of the lane payout number storage areas A1 to A4. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The number of payouts allocated and set in each lane payout number storage area A1 to A4 indicates which lane is in a payout error state, and the total number stored in the total payout number storage area A0. It may be determined in advance by a table according to the value of the number of payouts. For example, when all the lanes are normal without a payout error state to be described later and the value of the total payout number in the total payout number storage area A0 is “15”, the first to third lane payout number storage area A1. “4” is added to the value of the payout number of A3 to be stored, and “3” is added to the value of the payout number in the fourth lane payout number storage area A4 and stored. For example, when the first lane is in a payout error state and the value of the total payout number in the total payout number storage area A0 is “15”, the second to fourth lane payout number storage area A2 "5" is added to the value of the number of payouts of ~ A4 and stored. For example, when the second and third lanes are in a payout error state and the value of the total payout number in the total payout number storage area A0 is “15”, the first and fourth lane payout numbers are stored. “8” and “7” are added to the value of the number of payouts in areas A1 and A4, respectively, and stored.

  Returning to FIG. 38, in step S1010, a ball dispensing unit / solenoid control process is performed. The function of the ball payout unit / solenoid control processing particularly constitutes the payout control means in the present embodiment. In the ball dispensing unit / solenoid control process in step S1010, the solenoid control process for each lane shown in FIG. 41 is performed for all lanes. More specifically, first in step S1501, it is determined whether an error state other than the payout error state is occurring based on the values of various error state determination flags. If an affirmative determination is made, that is, if any error state other than the payout error state has occurred, the process advances to step S1504. On the other hand, if a negative determination is made, in step S1502, it is determined whether or not the value of the number of payouts stored in the payout number storage areas A1 to A4 of the corresponding lane is zero.

  If a positive determination is made in step S1502, that is, if there is no game ball to be paid out in the corresponding lane, the process proceeds to step S1504. On the other hand, if a negative determination is made, that is, if there is a game ball to be paid out, the process proceeds to step S1503.

  In step S1503, excitation setting processing of the solenoid 435 (436) is performed. Specifically, the value of the solenoid control flag is set to “1”. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S1505. The solenoid control flag is a flag for determining the control state of the solenoid 435 (436).

  On the other hand, in step S1504, a non-excitation setting process for the solenoid 435 (436) is performed. Specifically, the value of the solenoid control flag is set to “0”. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S1505.

  In step S1505, a control signal is output to the solenoid 435 (436) based on the value of the solenoid control flag. Specifically, when the value of the solenoid control flag is “1”, an ON signal is output to the solenoid 435 (436) so as to bring the solenoid 435 (436) into an excited state. On the other hand, when the value of the solenoid control flag is “0”, an OFF signal is output to the solenoid 435 (436) so that the solenoid 435 (436) is de-energized, that is, the output of the ON signal is stopped. To do.

  Returning to FIG. 38, in step S1011 a payout counting process is performed. In the payout counting process in step S1011, the payout counting process for each lane shown in FIG. 42 is performed for all lanes. More specifically, first, in step S1601, the ball detection sensor 464 determines whether or not a game ball is detected in the corresponding lane. If a negative determination is made here, this processing is terminated as it is. On the other hand, if an affirmative determination is made, it is determined in step S1602 whether the value of the number of payouts stored in the corresponding lane payout number storage areas A1 to A4 is zero.

  If an affirmative determination is made in step S1602, that is, if there is no game ball to be paid out in the corresponding lane, the process proceeds to step S1606. On the other hand, when a negative determination is made, that is, when there is a game ball to be paid out, the process proceeds to step S1603.

  In step S1603, a subtraction process is performed in which 1 is subtracted from the number of payouts stored in the corresponding lane payout number storage areas A1 to A4, and this process ends. The function of this subtraction processing particularly constitutes the subtraction counting means in this embodiment. Further, the payout ball number counting means in this embodiment is constituted by the function of the subtraction process in step S1603.

  In the subsequent step S1604, 1 is added to the value of the remaining sphere count counters CT1 to CT4 of the corresponding lane, and the value (number of remaining spheres) is stored in the corresponding remaining sphere counter buffers CB1 to CB4 in step S1605.

  On the other hand, in step S1606, the value of the payout error flag of the corresponding lane is set to “1” indicating the occurrence of a payout error state, and then this process ends. In the present embodiment, the first lane payout error flag F1 corresponding to the first lane, the second lane payout error flag F2 corresponding to the second lane, the third lane payout error flag F3 corresponding to the third lane, and the fourth lane. A fourth lane payout error flag F4 corresponding to is set. Based on the values of these payout error flags F1 to F4, it is determined whether or not a payout error state has occurred in each lane.

  Returning to FIG. 38, the derived ball number counting process is performed in step S1012. The function of this processing and the above-described excessively derived ball number counting counters CE1 to CE4 constitute the derived ball number counting means and the excessively derived ball number calculating means in this embodiment. In the derived ball number counting process in step S1012, the derived ball number counting process for each lane shown in FIG. 43 is performed for all lanes. As shown in FIG. 43, first, in step S1701, it is determined whether or not a game ball is detected by the proximity sensor 721 of the corresponding lane. If a negative determination is made here, this processing is terminated as it is. On the other hand, if an affirmative determination is made, it is determined in step S1702 whether the value of the remaining sphere number stored in the remaining sphere number counter buffers CB1 to CB4 of the corresponding lane is zero.

  If a negative determination is made in step S1702, that is, if there is a remaining ball, the process proceeds to step S1703. On the other hand, when a positive determination is made, that is, when a derived ball is detected even though there is no game ball to be derived, the process proceeds to step S1705.

  In step S1703, 1 is subtracted from the value of the remaining sphere count counters CT1 to CT4 of the corresponding lane, and the value (number of remaining spheres) is stored in the corresponding remaining sphere count counter buffers CB1 to CB4 in step S1704. Thereafter, this process is terminated.

  On the other hand, in step S1705, 1 is added to the values of the excessively derived ball count counters CE1 to CE4 of the corresponding lane, and the value (excess derived ball count) is added in step S1706 to the excessively derived ball count counter buffer of the corresponding lane. Store in KB1 to KB4. Thereafter, this process is terminated.

  Returning to FIG. 38, in step S1013, a paying-off unit / solenoid control process is performed. This function of the dispensing rod unit / solenoid control processing particularly constitutes the blocking control means in the present embodiment. In the payout dredge unit / solenoid control process in step S1013, the solenoid control process for each lane shown in FIG. 44 is performed for all lanes. More specifically, first, in step S1801, based on the value of the corresponding lane payout error flags F1 to F4, it is determined whether or not a payout error state as a specific abnormal state is occurring in the corresponding lane. Therefore, the function of the processing in step S1801 constitutes an abnormality determination unit in this embodiment. If an affirmative determination is made, that is, if a payout error state has occurred, the process moves to step S1802. On the other hand, if a negative determination is made, the process proceeds to step S1803.

  In step S1802, excitation setting processing of the solenoid 732 is performed. Specifically, the value of the solenoid control flag is set to “1”. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S1804. The solenoid control flag is a flag for determining the control state of the solenoid 732.

  On the other hand, in step S1803, a non-excitation setting process for the solenoid 732 is performed. Specifically, the value of the solenoid control flag is set to “0”. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S1804.

  In step S1804, a control signal is output to the solenoid 732 based on the value of the solenoid control flag. Specifically, when the value of the solenoid control flag is “1”, an ON signal is output to the solenoid 732 so that the solenoid 732 is in an excited state. On the other hand, when the value of the solenoid control flag is “0”, an OFF signal is output to the solenoid 732, that is, the output of the ON signal is stopped in order to put the solenoid 732 in a non-excited state.

  With the above configuration, when a payout error state occurs in which a game ball exceeding the number of balls to be paid out is detected by the ball detection sensor 464 in a predetermined lane, the switching member 731 is driven and the lane (lead-out paths 706a to 706d) is driven. Is closed. As a result, in the lane where the payout error state has occurred, the game balls led out from the payout device 358 are guided from the lead-out passages 706a to 706d to the second lead-out passage 710 via the communication portion 734, and eventually the island facilities of the game hall It is discharged to a predetermined discharge part. That is, the derivation of the game balls to the upper plate 19 and the lower plate 15 is stopped. Accordingly, if the stopping mechanism 408, 409 or the like does not operate normally and the flicker 433, 434 does not return to the position where the game ball is stopped, the game ball continues to flow down, and the store staff in the game hall can respond. When it is delayed, it is possible to prevent a problem that the derivation of the game balls to the upper plate 19 and the lower plate 15 does not stop. As a result, it is possible to reduce the risk that the game hall side will incur losses due to excessive derivation of game balls that should not be performed. Note that if the flow of the game ball is forcibly stopped, a large load is applied to the switching member 731 and may cause a failure. However, in this embodiment, the flow path of the game ball is changed to change the upper plate 19. Such a malfunction is unlikely to occur because the structure prevents the game ball from being led out to the lower tray 15.

  In addition, in the present embodiment, the number of game balls to be paid out is individually grasped for each lane, and the payout in each lane is individually controlled. When a payout error state occurs in a predetermined lane, Is configured to block only the derivation of game balls in the lane. Accordingly, since the payout can be normally performed from other lanes, even when a payout error state occurs in a predetermined lane, the game can be continuously performed.

  In the present embodiment, the payout basket unit 359 located on the downstream side of the payout device 358 is configured to prevent the game balls from being led out to the upper plate 19 and the lower plate 15. Therefore, the number of game balls led out to the upper plate 19 and the lower plate 15 when a payout error state occurs can be reduced as much as possible. Note that if the payout device 358 (ball payout unit 400) is provided with a mechanism for preventing the withdrawal of the game ball, the structure of the payout device 358 may be complicated, but in this embodiment, it is relatively simple. With the configuration, the derivation of the game ball can be prevented.

  Further, by providing the excessively derived ball number counting counters CE1 to CE4 and the excessively derived ball number counter buffers KB1 to KB4, when the payout error state that should not be paid out should occur, the upper plate 19 and the lower plate 15 are returned. The number of derived excessively derived balls can be grasped, and it is also possible to collect the corresponding game balls based on the number of balls displayed in the excessively derived number-of-balls display sections D1 to D4.

  Further, by providing the remaining ball number counting counters CT1 to CT4 and the remaining ball number counter buffers CB1 to CB4, it is determined that only the number of excessively derived game balls paid out exceeding the number of balls to be paid out is in a payout error state. It becomes possible to grasp as an inappropriate number of balls derived at the time of the occurrence of. For example, when the proximity sensor 721 has not detected immediately after the start of the control for preventing the derivation of the game balls, but all the game balls to be paid out are detected thereafter, that is, all the game balls to be paid out to the remaining balls are If it is included, the remaining ball becomes 0, and if more game balls are derived, the number of balls is displayed in the excessive derived ball number display portions D1 to D4. . Then, the store clerk at the game hall can see this and collect the excess derived amount.

  On the other hand, when a payout error state occurs in a predetermined lane and control for preventing the derivation of game balls is started, all of the derived game balls are detected, that is, any of the closed derivation paths 706a to 706d. Even if no remaining ball actually remains in the game, if the value stored in the remaining ball number counter buffers CB1 to CB4 is a value indicating the presence of the remaining ball, the game for the number of remaining balls The ball is paid out from other lanes. Therefore, it is possible to prevent a problem that a game ball to be paid out to a player remains as a remaining ball without being paid out.

  In addition, a payout device 358 is provided which is connected to a plurality of ball payout units 400 that can individually pay out game balls. Therefore, if a failure occurs in some of the ball dispensing units 400, only the defective ball dispensing unit 400 needs to be replaced. As a result, an increase in replacement cost can be suppressed.

  As mentioned above, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment at all, and it cannot be overemphasized that it can implement with a various form, unless it deviates from the meaning of this invention.

  (A) The mechanism for preventing the derivation of the game ball is not limited to the payout unit 359 but may be configured to be provided in another place such as the payout device 358 (ball payout unit 400).

  (B) The remaining ball count counters CT1 to CT4 and the remaining ball count counter buffers CB1 to CB4 may be omitted. However, in this case, since only the number of game balls derived after the start of the control for preventing the derivation of game balls can be grasped, there is a possibility that the game balls to be paid out may be collected. Is more preferable.

  (C) In the above embodiment, the number of balls to be paid out is counted by subtraction processing for subtracting the detected number of balls from the number of payouts stored in the number-of-payout storage areas A0 to A4. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and an additional counting means (counting counter or the like) for counting the number of balls to be paid out may be provided separately. In this case, the number of balls to be paid out is counted by adding the number of balls to be paid out normally. In such a configuration, the number of payouts is stored by storing the number of balls corresponding to the payout signal as a target value in a predetermined storage area as target value storage means provided separately from the payout number storage areas A0 to A4. The number of payouts (number of balls to be paid out) to be stored in the storage areas A0 to A4 can be calculated from the difference between the target value and the added value counted by a count counter or the like. In such a configuration, both (the added value and the target value) are reset when the added value such as the count counter reaches the previously stored target value.

  (D) The payout device 358 (ball payout unit 400) in the above embodiment is configured such that the flickers 433 and 434 are driven by the solenoids 435 and 436, but the configuration of the payout device 358 is not limited to this. Absent. For example, the restraining member may be configured to reciprocate by a drive motor.

  (E) In the above embodiment, when determining the payout error state, it is configured to determine whether or not the value of the payout number stored in the payout number storage areas A1 to A4 is 0. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The control state of the solenoid 435 (436) may be determined based on the value of the solenoid control flag. That is, when the solenoid 435 (436) is in an inoperative state (the value of the solenoid control flag is 0) and when a game ball is detected, it is determined that a payout error state has occurred. In this case, the function of this process constitutes a control state determination unit.

  (F) In the above-described embodiment, the derived ball number counting process in step S1012 is always performed. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and may be performed only after the occurrence of a payout error state.

  (G) The notifying means for notifying the error state is not limited to the error display lamp 106 of the above embodiment, but may be other means such as a speaker.

  (H) In the above embodiment, a payout device 358 in which two ball payout units 400 of two 1-units are assembled is adopted, but the configuration of the payout device 358 is not limited to this. For example, you may employ | adopt the structure which assembled | attached four 1-unit ball paying units.

  (I) You may implement as a pachinko machine etc. of a different type from the said embodiment. In addition to pachinko machines, the present invention can also be implemented as various game machines such as an arrangement ball machine or a sparrow ball similar to it.

  Further, the present invention may be implemented as a gaming machine of a type in which a slot machine and a pachinko machine are fused (particularly, a gaming machine with a slot machine specification that uses a gaming ball as a gaming medium). As a more detailed mode example, “After an identification information string (symbol array; for example, a reel with a symbol, a rotating body such as a belt) including a plurality of identification information is variably displayed (for example, rotation of the reel or the like) Variable display means (for example, a rotating unit such as a reel unit) for confirming and stopping display of the identification information string is provided, and the change of the identification information is started due to the operation of the start operation means (for example, the start lever). A special advantage that is advantageous to the player when the change of the identification information is stopped due to the operation of the means (for example, a stop button) or when a predetermined time elapses and the identification information is displayed side by side in a specific manner at the time of the stop. A throwing device configured to generate a gaming state (such as a bonus game), and further provided with a ball tray (top plate, etc.) and performing a loading process for taking a game ball from the ball tray; In a dispensing device that performs payout of game ball, constituting the game machine "and the like so that the operations of the starter operation means by the game ball is turned is enabled by the closing device. In the case of this type of gaming machine, for example, when the identification information is displayed side by side in a predetermined manner on the variable display means, a payout signal is output from the predetermined control means (main control device or the like) to the payout number setting means. . The payout amount setting means sets the payout number of game balls corresponding to the payout signal based on the input of the payout signal.

It is a front view which shows the pachinko machine in one embodiment. It is a perspective view which shows the pachinko machine of the state which open | released the inner frame and the front frame set. It is a front view which shows the inner frame etc. in the state which open | released the front frame set. It is a front view which shows the structure of a game board. It is a rear view which shows the structure of a pachinko machine. It is a rear view which shows the structure of an inner frame and a game board. It is a perspective view which shows the back surface structure of an inner frame. It is a perspective view which shows the structure of a 1st control board unit. It is a perspective view which shows the structure of a 2nd control board unit. It is a front view which shows the structure of a back pack unit. It is a perspective view of a payout mechanism part. It is a front perspective view of a dispensing device. It is a rear perspective view of a ball dispensing unit. It is sectional drawing which shows the structure of a ball paying unit. It is sectional drawing which shows the structure of a ball paying unit. It is sectional drawing which shows the structure of a ball paying unit. It is a disassembled perspective view of a ball dispensing unit. It is sectional drawing which shows the structure of a ball | bowl detection sensor. (A) is a figure which shows the structure of an operation lever, (b) is a figure which shows the connection structure of an operation lever and a connection bar. It is a disassembled perspective view of a pay-off basket unit. It is the KK sectional view taken on the line KK in FIG. It is the KK sectional view taken on the line KK in FIG. It is a block diagram which shows the main electrical structures of a pachinko machine. It is explanatory drawing which shows the outline | summary of the various counters used for game control. It is a flowchart which shows the main process by the main controller. It is a flowchart which shows a normal process. It is a flowchart which shows an external output process. It is a flowchart which shows a fluctuation process. It is a flowchart which shows a fluctuation | variation start process. It is explanatory drawing which shows the outline | summary of the various counters used for the determination of a decoration design. It is a flowchart which shows the update process of an off symbol counter. It is a flowchart which shows a timer interruption process. It is a flowchart which shows a start winning process. It is a flowchart which shows a NMI interruption process. It is a flowchart which shows a jackpot control process. It is a flowchart which shows the main process of the payout control apparatus. It is a flowchart which shows a reception interruption process. It is a flowchart which shows a timer interruption process. It is a flowchart which shows a command determination process. It is a flowchart which shows payout number setting processing. It is a flowchart which shows the solenoid control process for every lane. It is a flowchart which shows the payout counting process for every lane. It is a flowchart which shows the derived ball number counting process for every lane. It is a flowchart which shows the solenoid control process for every lane. It is explanatory drawing which shows the outline | summary of the various storage area relevant to payout control etc., a count counter, and a counter buffer.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Pachinko machine as a game machine, 311 ... Payout number setting means, payout control means, abnormality discrimination means, blocking control means, derived ball number counting means, payout ball number counting means, 352 ... payout mechanism , 358 ... Dispensing device, 359 ... Dispensing bowl unit, 400 ... Ball dispensing unit, 407 ... First ball passage, 408 ... First stopping mechanism constituting dispensing means, 409 ... Second ball passage, 410 ... Discharging means Second stopping mechanism to be configured, 419, 420... Dispensing passage portion constituting the discharging ball passage, 433, 434 ... Flicker as a stopping member, 435, 436 ... Solenoid as stopping member driving means, 464 ... Discharging ball detecting means. Sphere detection sensor to be configured, 701... Main body, 702... Channel switching mechanism, 706a, 706b, 706c, 706d. 09: First lead passage constituting the lead guide passage, 710 ... Second lead passage constituting the discharge ball passage, 721 ... Proximity sensor constituting lead ball detection means, 731 ... Switching member as a blocking member, 732 ... Blocking Solenoids as member driving means, A0 to A4 ... payout number storage area constituting payout number storage means, CT1 to CT4 ... remaining ball count counter constituting remaining ball count counting means, CE1 to CE4 ... excess derived ball count Counter, CB1 to CB4... Remaining ball number counter buffer, KB1 to KB4... Derived ball number counter buffer constituting deriving ball number storage means.

Claims (1)

A payout ball passage through which the game ball can flow under its own weight; a stop member capable of stopping the flow of the game ball in the payout ball passage; and a stop member driving means for driving the stop member; With a plurality of payout means for paying out game balls by retreating from the payout ball passage and releasing the restraint of the game balls,
A ball storage means capable of storing a game ball on the front side facing the player;
A plurality of derivation guide passages corresponding to the respective payout means for guiding the game balls paid out from the payout means to the ball storage means;
The number of game balls to be paid out in each payout means, the payout number storage means capable of individually storing corresponding to each payout means,
Based on the input of a predetermined payout signal, a payout number setting means for setting the number of balls to be paid out according to the payout signal in the payout number storage means according to each payout means;
A payout ball detecting means for detecting game balls to be paid out from each payout means at a position where each stop member of the plurality of payout means stops the flow of the game ball or downstream thereof, and
Based on the detection result of the payout ball detection means, payout ball number counting means for individually counting the number of game balls paid out from each payout means,
When the remaining number of balls to be paid out corresponding to a predetermined payout means among the plurality of payout means is 1 or more, a control member driving means of the payout means is operated to cause the game ball to flow down. When the remaining number of balls to be paid out corresponding to a predetermined payout means among the plurality of payout means is 0, the flow of the game ball is stopped by disabling the stop member driving means of the payout means. A payout control means for performing control;
An abnormality determination means for individually determining whether or not a specific abnormal state in which the number of balls exceeding the number of balls to be paid out has been detected has occurred, corresponding to each of the payout means;
A blocking member provided corresponding to each of the payout means on the downstream side of the position where the payout ball detection means detects the game ball, and capable of preventing the game ball from being led out to the ball storage means;
Blocking member driving means for individually driving the blocking members;
Blocking control for controlling the blocking member driving means and performing control for blocking the derivation of the game ball from the payout means in which the specific abnormal state has occurred to the ball storing means when at least the specific abnormal state occurs And a game machine.

Images