JP2008220572A - Game machine - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a game machine capable of enhancing the latitude of the arrangement structure of a game ball storage tray, a game ball hitting device and a hit ball introduction path on a game board. <P>SOLUTION: Even when the game ball hitting device 8 for hitting a game ball toward the game ball introduction path of the game board 5 and the ball supply port of the game ball storage tray are separated, in hitting control by a discharge and hitting controller 93, a game ball fetch device 14 is operated, a ball feeder 10 is operated when the execution of the fetch operation of lifting the game ball to a fetched ball lifting path 13 is detected by a fetched ball detector 15, the game ball hitting device 8 is operated to hit the game ball when it is detected by a fed ball detector 12 that the game ball standing by in a fed ball standby flow path 11 where the game ball is to be replenished from the fetched ball lifting path 13 and the game ball gathering part 56 of the game board 5 is sent out to the hitting position of the game ball hitting device 8, and thus the sure fetch of the game ball and a quick hitting operation are realized. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention is arranged in a detachable manner on the front frame side, and has a game board in which a game area into which game balls flow through the launch ball introduction path is formed, and launches a game ball to the launch ball introduction path of the game board The present invention relates to a gaming machine that includes a gaming ball launching device and a gaming ball storage dish that can store gaming balls for use in gaming.

  A game machine that uses a large display device in order to enhance a production effect is widely spread among game machines that play a game ball. In order to enhance the gaming interest by the visual impact of such a display device, the game board is formed of a translucent member, and a liquid crystal display panel is disposed behind the game board and provided on the front frame. There has been proposed a gaming machine in which effect display is performed in substantially the entire game area (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2005-131329 A

  However, in the gaming machine as described in Patent Document 1, the impact of the display device is enhanced, but the original interest of the ball game is the same as before. In other words, in order to play a ball game, it is necessary to allow the game ball fired from the game ball launching device to reach the game board, so that the arrangement structure of the game ball launching device and the launch ball introduction path in the game board is limited. In addition, since it is a structure for supplying game balls from the game ball storage tray that must be placed at a position close to the player's hand to the game ball launching device, the game ball launching device and the game ball storage tray The arrangement structure of the game balls is limited, and the arrangement structure of the launch ball introduction path, the game ball launching device, and the game ball storage tray in the game board cannot be changed greatly from the conventional structure, and it should be a familiar appearance structure for the player. I had to.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a gaming machine that can increase the degree of freedom of the arrangement structure of the game ball storage tray, the game ball launching device, and the launch ball introduction path in the game board.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the invention according to claim 1 is arranged in a detachable state on the front frame side, and a game board in which a game area into which a game ball flows through a launch ball introduction path is formed, In a gaming machine comprising: a game ball launching device that launches a game ball to a launch ball introduction path of the game board; and a game ball storage dish capable of storing a game ball for use in a game, at the most downstream of the game ball storage dish A game ball launching device is arranged above a certain ball supply port, and a game board is arranged at a position where a game ball launched by the game ball launching device can reach the launching ball introduction path, to the game ball launching device A ball feeder that sends out one game ball, a feed ball detector that can detect a game ball sent to the game ball launch device by the ball feed device, and a game ball sent to the game ball launch device by the ball feed device A feed ball standby flow path for standby A take-in ball feed path that communicates with the upstream side of the feed ball standby flow path and can feed the game balls supplied from the ball supply port of the game ball storage dish, and is supplied to one from the game ball storage dish. A game ball take-in device that lifts the take-in ball lifting path toward the feed ball standby flow channel, and a take-in that can detect that the game ball has been taken in by the game ball take-in device Activating the ball detector and the game ball take-in device to move the take-in ball toward the feed ball standby flow path, lift the take-in ball feed path, and detect the take-in of the game ball by the take-in ball detector The ball feeding device is operated to send the game ball to the game ball launching device, and the game ball sent to the game ball launching device is detected by the feed ball detector. Launch a game ball with a ball launcher A launch control device that controls the game, and a ball guide unit that guides a game ball that has been launched into the game area and finished the game, and the game ball guided by the ball guide unit is sent to the feed ball standby channel It is configured to allow inflow.

  Further, the invention according to claim 2 is the gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the feed ball standby flow path includes an inclined flow lower portion that inclines downward from one side of the gaming machine to the other side of the gaming machine, The ball guiding unit is a game ball collecting unit that collects all the game balls that have been played, and derives the game balls collected by the game ball collecting cage to the external flow guide path that guides the flow down to the outside of the gaming machine. The collecting ball deriving section to be led is provided with a feeding ball replenishing port that opens at an appropriate upper surface of the inclined flow lower portion of the feeding ball standby flow path, and when the game balls are led from the collecting ball deriving section to the external flow guide path When the game balls waiting in the feed ball standby flow path have not reached the feed ball replenishment port, the game balls collected at the game ball collecting section are transferred from the feed ball replenishment port to the feed ball standby flow path. The game ball waiting in the feed ball standby flow path can be refilled. If you have reached is characterized in that so as to be led to the outside flow down guide path without flowing into the game ball collection gathered game ball in unit sends sphere replenishing port.

  The invention according to claim 3 is the gaming machine according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the game ball take-in device receives the game balls supplied from the game ball storage dish one by one. It is provided with a lifting means for launching to the feed ball standby flow path via the lift path, and the game balls launched by the lifting means have flowed back down the intake ball lift path without stopping to the feed ball standby flow path In this case, a return sphere recovery flow path for guiding the return sphere to the external flow guide path is provided.

  The invention according to claim 4 is the gaming machine according to claim 1 or claim, wherein the game ball take-in device takes in the game balls supplied from the game ball storage dish one by one with the sprocket. It is provided with a lifting means for lifting to the ball lifting path, the feed ball standby flow path is full, and the game ball lifted from the take-in ball lifting path by the lifting means cannot be stopped in the feed ball standby flow path In this case, an overflow channel is provided for receiving the overflowing game ball and guiding it to the external flow guide channel.

  According to the gaming machine according to claim 1, the game ball launching device is arranged above the ball supply port that is the most downstream of the game ball storage dish, and the game ball launched by the game ball launching device is a launch ball. A game board is arranged at a position that can reach the introduction path, a ball feeding device that sends out one game ball to the game ball launching device, and a feed that can detect the game ball sent to the game ball launching device by the ball feeding device A ball detector, a feed ball standby flow path for waiting for a game ball sent out to the game ball launching device by the ball feed device, and a ball supply of the game ball storage dish communicated with the upstream side of the feed ball standby flow path A take-in ball transport path capable of transporting a game ball supplied from the mouth, and a game ball supplied to one from the game ball storage tray, toward the feed ball standby flow path, the intake ball transport path Game ball take-in device for lifting and the game ball A capture ball detector capable of detecting that a game ball has been captured by the capture device; and operating the game ball capture device to move the capture ball toward the feed ball standby flow path, The game ball launching device is operated to send out the game ball to the game ball launching device based on the fact that the game ball is detected by the fetching ball detector, and the game ball launching device is used by the feed ball detector. A launch control device for controlling the game ball to be launched by the game ball launching device based on detecting the game ball sent to the ball, and a ball for guiding the game ball that has been launched into the game area and finished the game And a game ball guided by the ball guide unit is configured to be able to flow into the feed ball standby flow path, and by appropriately setting the intake ball lift path and the feed ball standby flow path , Game balls The relative positional relationship between the stay plate and the game ball launching device can be changed with a high degree of freedom. A large display device is disposed above the game ball storage plate, and a game board is further disposed above the display device. It is possible to configure a gaming machine having an external appearance, and it is possible to realize a highly interesting ball game without impairing the convenience of the player.

  Furthermore, in the launch control by the launch control device, if one or more game balls are waiting in the feed ball standby flow path, the wait balls are sent to the ball feed device and detected by the feed ball detector. Since the launch operation by the game ball launching device is performed without waiting for the game ball supplied from the game ball storage dish to be sent to the game ball launching device via the take-in ball feed path and the feed ball standby flow path, Even if the game ball storage dish and the game ball launching device are separated, a quick launch operation can be performed. In addition, even if the game ball taken in by the game ball take-in device is not lifted up to the feed ball standby flow path, the game ball waiting in the feed ball standby flow path can be sent to the game ball launching device. There is also an advantage that the launching operation by the game ball launching device can be continued.

  In addition, when there are few game balls waiting in the feed ball standby flow path, the game balls that have been driven into the game area of the game board and finished the game can be caused to flow into the feed ball standby flow path to stand by. Therefore, the game ball can be naturally replenished to the feed ball standby channel without having to bother to refill the feed ball standby channel.

  Further, according to the gaming machine according to claim 2, the feed ball standby flow path includes an inclined flow lower portion that is inclined downward from one side of the gaming machine to the other side of the gaming machine, and the ball guiding unit A game ball assembly unit that collects all the finished game balls, and derives the game balls collected by the game ball assembly cage to the external flow guide path that guides the game balls to the outside of the game machine. A feed ball replenishment port that opens at a suitable upper surface of the inclined flow lower portion of the feed ball standby flow path is provided, and when the game ball is led out from the collective ball lead-out portion to the external flow guide path, If the waiting game ball does not reach the feed ball replenishment port, the game balls collected at the game ball gathering part can be refilled from the feed ball replenishment port to the feed ball standby flow path. If the game ball waiting in the standby channel has reached the feed ball replenishment port, The game balls collected at the joint are led to the external flow guide path without flowing into the feed ball replenishment port, so that the game balls that have finished the game are replenished to the feed ball standby channel. The game ball lifted from the take-in ball feed path can be preferentially placed in the feed ball standby flow path. Therefore, since the game balls that have been played are efficiently led out to the external flow guide path, and are cleaned and polished, the same game balls are repeatedly used in the gaming machine and the game area and the like are contaminated. Can be prevented.

  In addition, according to the gaming machine according to claim 3, the game ball take-in device is configured to send the game balls supplied from the game ball storage dish one by one through the take-in ball lifting path, and the feed ball standby flow path. And when the game ball launched by the lifting means returns to and flows down the take-in ball lifting path without stopping in the waiting ball standby flow path, the return ball is guided to the external flow-down guide path. Since the return ball collection flow path leading to is provided, the game ball can be quickly lifted to the feed ball standby flow path by the game ball take-in device. In addition, because the feed ball standby flow path is full or the lifting force of the lifting means is not sufficient to reach the feed ball standby flow path, the take-in ball lift path returns to the feed ball standby flow path without stopping. The return ball that has flowed down is guided from the take-in ball lifting path to the external flow guide path via the return ball collection flow path, so that the return ball that has returned and flowed down the take-in ball lift path is lifted by the lifting means. It is possible to prevent the subsequent game ball from becoming an obstacle.

  According to the gaming machine of claim 4, the game ball take-in device is configured to lift the game balls supplied from the game ball storage dish one by one to the take-up ball feed path by a sprocket. And when the game ball lifted from the take-in ball feed path by the lifting means cannot be stopped by the feed ball standby flow path, the overflow game ball is received. Since the overflow flow path leading to the external flow guide path is provided, the game ball take-in device can surely send one game ball to the ball waiting flow path. Further, when the feed ball standby flow path is full, the overflowing game balls are guided to the external flow guide path through the overflow flow path, so that the lifting operation by the lifting means is not hindered.

  Next, an embodiment of a gaming machine according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a front side of a gaming machine 1 capable of performing a ball game. Various functions related to the game (details will be described later) are added to the gaming machine 1 shown as this embodiment, and a prepaid card (for a ball game that is sold in advance at a predetermined amount) is placed on one side of the gaming machine 1. Card lending unit (not shown) to which a card control function and a ball lending control function, etc., that make it possible to use a card that stores valuable data equivalent to currency) The game machine 1 can now play games using the game balls borrowed by the rental unit. Note that all or part of the functions of the ball lending unit may be added to the gaming machine 1 so that the gaming ball can be lent out.

  The gaming machine 1 is provided with a front frame 3 provided with various game function units on the front side of the frame-shaped main body frame 2 so as to be openable and closable, and the front frame 3 is provided with a main function of the game. The open / close frame 4 provided on the front frame so as to be openable / closable is provided with a game ball storage tray 42 for holding a transparent member 41 formed of a glass plate, a synthetic resin plate or the like and storing a game ball used for a game. The front frame 3 and the open / close frame 4 are pivotally attached on the same side. The ball storage portion of the game ball storage tray 42 provided in the opening / closing frame 4 has an inclination suitable for the game ball to naturally flow down, and the ball receiving port is provided at the most upstream side (for example, the shaft attachment side). 42a is provided with a ball supply port 42b at the most downstream part (for example, the open side which is the opposite side), and a ball rental or game prize discharged by a ball rental operation using a ball rental unit. As a result, the awarded ball enters from the ball receiving port 42a and is taken in from the ball supply port 42b to be used for games.

  FIGS. 2 and 3 show a state in which the opening / closing frame 4 is detached from the front frame 3. A game board 5 in which a substantially semicircular game area 5 a is formed is arranged at the upper rear part of the transparent member 41 held by the opening / closing frame 4, and a relatively large liquid crystal display device 6 is provided below the game board 5. Is inclined so as to face diagonally upward. That is, a player who plays a game on the gaming machine 1 can see the game board 5 and the liquid crystal display device 6 from the transparent member 41 well. In addition, a discharge ball outlet 31 is provided at a portion corresponding to the ball receiving port 42a of the game ball storage tray 42 so that a game ball discharged from a ball discharge device described later can be guided to the game ball storage tray 42. A ball take-in path 32 is provided at a portion corresponding to the ball supply port 42b of the ball storage tray 42 so that the ball can be supplied to a game ball take-in device described later.

  A game board front cover 7 is detachably attached to the front side of the game board 5 (at least the front side of the game area 5a) (see FIG. 2), so that the game ball may spill out during the ball game. By closing the front side with the game board front cover 7 so as to prevent the game ball from rolling down the game area 5 a of the game board 5. The liquid crystal display device 6 includes speakers 62 on both the left and right sides of the display panel 61. In addition to displaying images, the liquid crystal display device 6 outputs various sound effects and voices to further enhance the game effect.

  The game board 5 is detachably disposed on the front frame 3 side. For example, the game ball flows in via a launch ball introduction path 5b formed between the inner rail member 51 and the outer rail member 52. A flow direction changing member (for example, a nail or a windmill) that changes the flow direction by affecting the flow direction of various game devices (for example, a winning opening 53, a variable winning device 54, etc.) or a game ball in the game area 5a to be played. ) Are provided as appropriate. In addition, an out port 55 is provided at the most downstream portion of the game area 5 a, and game balls that have not won any winning area are taken in from the out port 55. In other words, all the game balls that have finished the game by winning in any one of the winning areas, and the games that have finished the game without winning any of the winning areas are guided to the back side of the game board 5 (details later). Describe).

  FIG. 4 shows a state in which the liquid crystal display device 6 is removed from the front frame 3. The game board holding frame 33 on which the bottom of the game board 5 is placed is provided with a game ball launching device 8, and this game The game ball launched by the ball launcher 8 reaches the game basin 5a through the launch ball introduction path 5b of the game board 5. The game ball launching device 8 has a launch position appropriately determined by attaching the mounting base 81 to the game board holding frame 33. For example, an electrical drive source 82 is located on the front side of the game board holding frame 33. An impact mechanism is provided on the back side of the game board holding frame 33.

  Next, the structure of the back side of the gaming machine 1 will be described. FIG. 5 is a rear view of the gaming machine 1, and FIG. 6 is a schematic longitudinal section of the waist. The game board 5 that is detachable with respect to the front frame 3 is mounted on the game board from the back side of the front frame 3 so that the back side of one side (for example, the axis attachment side) is locked by the game board locking member 34. The game board engaging operation member 35 is rotated at the appropriate position on the mounting frame 33, and the game board engaging operation part 35 is engaged with the back of the other side (for example, the open side) of the game board 5. By doing so, the game board 5 is fixed to the front frame 3.

  As described above, when the game board 5 is mounted and fixed at an appropriate position, the game board 5 is gathered at a substantially central position by the first inclined guide bottom 56a and the second inclined guide bottom 56b of the game ball collecting portion 56 provided on the back side of the game board 5. The played game balls (game balls that have been played) are led out to the external flow guide path 37 by the collective ball deriving unit 36 provided on the front frame 3. Note that the game balls discharged to the outside of the gaming machine 1 through the external flow guide path 38 are simply cleaned and polished and resupplied to the gaming machine 1 again.

  Further, on the back side of the gaming machine 1, a game control device 91 that performs the main control of the game, an effect ROM cartridge 62 that stores information related to the effect, a discharge that performs operation control of the game ball discharge device and the game ball discharge device 8. A launch control device 93, a power supply device 94 for generating necessary power to be supplied to each unit, an external information terminal 95 for outputting information collected in the gaming machine 1 to the outside, and the like are provided.

  The game ball launching device 8 controlled by the discharge and launch control device 93 is a game ball that is sent to one by the ball feeding device 10 and is waiting at a launch standby position (for example, at a lower position on the upper surface of the launch rail 83). By playing at the projecting portion 84 a of the projecting member 84, the game ball is vigorously launched along the launch rail 83, guided to the launch ball guide rod 38 a, and guided to the launch ball introduction path 5 b of the game board 5. It is burned. The game ball that has flowed back down the launch ball introduction path 5b without reaching the game area 5a from the launch ball introduction path 5b due to the weak launch force is collected as a foul ball from the foul ball collection basket 38b.

  The ball feeding device 10 that is driven and controlled by the discharge and firing control device 93 waits in the feed ball standby flow path 11 by controlling the swing of the ball feeding member with an electric drive source such as an electromagnetic solenoid. The game ball sent to one of the game balls launching device 8 is sent out to the launch standby position of the game ball launching device 8, and the game ball sent to the game ball launching device 8 by this ball feeding device 10 is a feed ball of a non-contact type optical sensor structure. One is detected by the detector 12. Then, the feed ball detection information by the feed ball detector 12 is supplied to the discharge and launch control device 93 and used for launch control. In addition, the detection method of the game ball by the feed ball detector 12 is not particularly limited, and may be an electrostatic induction type or a contact type. Further, the ball feeding mechanism of the ball feeding device 10 is not particularly limited, and it may be operated by a load of a game ball without using an electric drive source.

  The feed ball standby flow path 11 includes a first inclined flow lower portion 111 that is inclined downward from one side of the gaming machine 1 (for example, the open side) to the other side of the gaming machine 1 (for example, the shaft-attached side), Through a first bent portion 112 that reverses the flow direction from the most downstream position of the first inclined flow lower portion 111, a second inclined flow lower portion 113 that is inclined downward from the axially attached side of the gaming machine 1 to the open side of the gaming machine 1 is provided. And a third slant descending from the opening side of the gaming machine 1 to the pivoting side of the gaming machine 1 via the second bent portion 114 that reverses the flow direction from the most downstream position of the second inclined flowing portion 113. For example, the game ball is taken into the ball feeding device 10 from the most downstream end of the third inclined flow lower portion 115.

  By connecting the uppermost part of the take-in ball feed path 13 to the most upstream side of the feed ball standby flow path 11 (end part of the first inclined flow lower part 111), the feed ball is fed from the take-in ball feed path 13 The ball channel is made to communicate so that the game ball can be supplied to the standby channel 11. The lowermost part of the take-in ball feeding path 13 is a game ball take-in device 14 that bounces upward the game ball supplied to one through the ball take-in path 32 from the ball supply port 42b of the game ball storage tray 42. The game ball which is the bullet position and is bulleted by the game ball take-in device 14 is lifted through the take-in ball feed path 13 and supplied to the feed ball standby path 11. In other words, the game ball take-in device 14 performs the take-in operation by lifting one game ball to be used for a game to the one-take-in ball feed path 13.

  The game ball take-in device 14 is, for example, a linear solenoid 141 as a lifting means that takes in game balls supplied from the game ball storage tray 42 one by one and launches them to the feed ball standby flow path 11 through the ball transfer path 13. , And a bullet portion 142 formed at the upper end of the plunger of the linear solenoid 141 launches a game ball waiting at the bullet position upward. Therefore, according to the game ball take-in device 14, the game balls supplied from the game ball storage tray 42 can be quickly sent to the ball waiting channel 11.

  In this way, when the game ball take-in device 14 is bulleted to the take-in ball lifting path 13, this is detected by the take-in ball detector 15 having a non-contact type optical sensor structure. Then, the captured sphere detection information by the captured sphere detector 15 is supplied to the discharge / emission control device 93 and used for the emission control. Note that the method of detecting a game ball by the capture ball detector 15 is not particularly limited, and may be an electrostatic induction type or a contact type.

  The take-in ball transport path 13 is divided into a lower transport path 131 that allows one game ball to pass through and an upper transport path 132 that is relatively wide. A backflow prevention member 133 is provided in a boundary region with the feeding path 132, and an upper lifting path without stopping the game ball launched by the linear solenoid 141 of the gaming ball take-in device 14 to the feeding ball standby channel 11. A return sphere recovery flow path 134 is provided for guiding the return sphere to the external flow guide path 37 when it has returned and flowed through 132.

  Therefore, the feed ball standby flow path 11 is full (a state where the game ball is waiting to the upstream end of the first inclined flow lower part), or the linear solenoid 141 as a lifting means is not sufficiently up, and the ball is in a standby state. The return ball that has returned and flowed down the upper lifting path 132 without stopping to the feed ball standby flow path 11 because it did not reach the flow path 11 hits the backflow prevention member 133 and is guided or returned to the return ball recovery path 132. Since the ball falls to the bottom of the ball collection path 132 and is guided to the external flow guide path 37 as it is, the return ball returning and flowing down the upper lifting path 132 becomes an obstacle to the subsequent game ball launched by the linear solenoid 141. Can be effectively prevented.

  The game balls to be paid out to the game ball storage tray 42 for storing the game balls taken into the game ball take-in device 14 are replenished from the replenishment mechanism of the island facility on which the game machine 1 is mounted. The game machine 1 is stored in an upper storage tank 16 provided on the upper back of the front frame 3. The game balls stored in the upper storage tank 16 are introduced into the game ball discharge device 17, and the game balls discharged by the game ball discharge device 17 as a prize ball or a rental ball are appropriately passed through the discharge ball flow bar 39. It flows down to the lower side and is discharged from the discharge ball outlet rod 31 to which the lower end of the discharge ball flow rod 39 is connected. Thus, prize balls or rental balls are paid out from the ball receiving opening 42a of the game ball storage tray 42.

  In the gaming machine 1 according to the present embodiment, the game ball launching device 8, the ball feeding device 10, and the game ball takeout are performed by the discharge launch control device 93 having a function as a launch control device that performs launch control of a game ball to be used for a game. By performing drive control of the insertion device 14, a launching operation of the game ball is realized. For example, it is necessary that the capture ball detector 15 detects one game ball (a game ball to be captured by the capture device 10 is waiting at the bullet position), and in addition, the game control device 91 Is not instructed to stop the game, and additional conditions such as the player holding the operation handle and performing a turning operation are further achieved, and the sufficient condition for starting the firing operation is satisfied Then, the discharge and launch control device 93 operates the game ball capturing device 14 to lift the capture ball toward the feed ball standby flow path 11 and lift the capture ball transport path 13, and the game ball capture device 14 plays a game. When it is detected that the taking-in operation of the ball has been completed based on the detection information of the take-in ball detector 15, the ball feeding device 10 is operated to send the game ball to the game ball launching device 8, and the game ball is played by the feed ball detector 12. To launcher 8 Detecting the issued gaming balls Ri based on (the game ball is fed to the firing stand-by position of the game ball launching device 8), to fire the game ball with the game ball launching device 8. That is, when one game ball is taken in by the game ball take-in device 14 (lifted from the take-in ball feed path 13 toward the feed ball standby flow path 11), the game ball is launched in conjunction with this take-in operation. The game ball is fired by the device 8.

  In this way, by making the game ball take-in operation by the game ball take-in device 14 and the game ball launch operation by the game ball launch device 8 independent and linked by the control of the discharge launch control device 93, Unlike the prior art, there is no need to place the game ball storage tray 42 and the game ball launching device 8 close to each other, and the flow path structure of the take-in ball feed path 13 and the feed ball standby flow path 11. Is appropriately set, the relative positional relationship between the game ball storage tray 42 and the game ball launching device 8 can be changed with a high degree of freedom, and the large liquid crystal display device 6 is disposed above the game ball storage tray 42. It is possible to configure the appearance of the gaming machine 1 in which the gaming board 5 is provided on the upper side of the liquid crystal display device 6, and a highly interesting ball game can be performed without impairing the convenience of the player. realizable.

  Further, when the discharge control is performed by the discharge and firing control device 93, one or more game balls are waiting in the feed ball standby flow path 11 (at least one game is at the lower end of the third inclined flow lower part 115 which is the most downstream of the flow path). If the ball is waiting), the waiting ball is sent to the ball feeding device 10 and detected by the feeding ball detector 12, so that the game ball supplied from the game ball storage tray 42 is taken in and the ball feeding path 13. Since the game ball launching device 8 performs the launching operation without waiting for the game ball launching device 8 to be sent through the feed ball standby flow path 11, the game ball storage dish 42 and the game ball launching device 8 are separated from each other. However, a quick launch operation can be performed. In addition, even when the game ball taken in by the game ball take-in device 8 is not lifted up to the feed ball standby channel 11, the game ball waiting in the feed ball standby channel 11 is used as the game ball launching device 8. Therefore, there is an advantage that the launching operation by the game ball launching device 8 can be continued.

  However, when there is no game ball waiting in the feed ball standby flow path 11 (for example, at the time of shipment of the gaming machine 1 or immediately after maintenance when all the game balls are extracted and performed maintenance work) If the game ball taken in by the ball take-in device 14 does not reach the ball feed device 10 via the take-in ball lifting path 13 and the feed ball standby flow path 11, the launch operation by the game ball launching device 8 is not performed, and the game I can't make a good game progress. In such a case, it is cumbersome to replenish the game balls that bother to open the front frame 3 and make the feed ball standby flow path 11 stand by.

  Therefore, in the gaming machine 1 according to the present embodiment, the game ball that has been driven into the game area 5a of the game board 5 and finished the game is configured to be able to flow into the feed ball standby flow path 11, thereby bothering the send ball. Even if the waiting ball 11 is not refilled with a game ball, the feeding ball waiting channel 11 can be naturally refilled with a game ball.

  Specifically, a feed ball replenishing port 111a having an upper surface opened at a portion (generally, a position below the out port 55) where the first inclined flow lower portion 111 of the feed ball standby flow path 11 intersects with the collecting ball deriving portion 36 is provided, When a game ball (for example, a safe ball PS won at the winning opening 53 or an out ball PO collected from the out opening 55) is led out from the collective ball deriving unit 36 to the external flow guide path 37, When the game balls waiting in the feed ball standby flow path 11 have not reached the feed ball replenishment port 111a (see FIG. 7A), the game balls collected in the game ball collecting unit 56 are The feed ball standby channel 11 can be refilled from the feed ball replenishment port 111a.

  Therefore, if the game ball launching device 8 is operated to play a game in a long time, the game ball is naturally replenished to the feed ball standby flow path 11 and a quick launch operation is possible. Further, even if it is necessary to replenish game balls in the feed ball standby flow path 11 immediately, there is no need to work with the heavy front frame 3 opened, and the open / close frame 4 is opened and the game board front cover 7 is opened. The game ball can be efficiently replenished to the feed ball standby flow path 11 simply by inserting the game ball from the front surface of the game board 5 into the winning opening 53 or the out port 55.

  The game balls collected from the out port 55 fall toward the feeding ball replenishing port 111a with a relatively high probability, but the safe ball PS that has won the winning port 53 or the like is directed to the feeding ball replenishing port 111a. There is also a possibility that it will be sent directly to the external flow guide part 37. This is because the safe ball PS won in the winning hole 53 or the like is collected on the back side of the game board 5, so that the depth of the game ball assembly 56 is slightly wider than the feed ball replenishment port 111 a of the feed ball standby channel 11. This is because it has been set (see FIG. 6). Therefore, a guide protrusion 36a is provided at the upper rear edge of the collective sphere lead-out portion 36, and the safe sphere PS flowing down behind the upper position of the feed ball replenishment port 111a is efficiently fed to the feed ball replenishment port 111a. I was guided to.

  On the other hand, when the game balls waiting in the feed ball standby flow path 11 reach the feed ball replenishment port 111a (see FIG. 7B), the games collected by the game ball gathering unit 56 Even if the ball flows down toward the feeding ball replenishing port 111a, it is bounced by the game ball waiting at the feeding ball replenishing port 111a, and is led to the external flow guide path 37 without flowing into the feeding ball replenishing port 111a. . Thereby, the game balls PS and PO which have finished the game are replenished to the feed ball standby flow path 11 in preference to the game balls lifted from the take-in ball transport path 13 rather than being replenished to the feed ball standby flow path 11. Can wait.

  In other words, the game balls PS and PO that have finished the game are efficiently led out to the external flow guide path 37 and cleaned and polished in the island facility, so that the same game ball is repeatedly stored in the gaming machine 1. It is possible to prevent the game area and the like from becoming dirty by being recycled. Therefore, there is no need to take out and clean and polish the game balls that are encapsulated periodically, unlike the conventional encapsulated ball game machines that circulate and use the game balls enclosed in the machine. There is an advantage that maintenance is not required.

  In the present embodiment, all the game balls PS and PO that have been driven into the game area 5a of the game board 5 and finished the game are sent to the collective ball deriving unit 36 at a time. Either a ball guiding unit that guides only the winning balls that have won the winning area to the collective ball deriving unit 36, or a ball guiding unit that guides only the out balls collected from the out port 55 to the collective ball deriving unit 36, Only the game ball guided from the ball guiding part may be replenished to the feed ball standby flow path 11 from the feed ball replenishment port 111a.

  In the above-described first embodiment, as an operation for taking in the game ball supplied from the game ball storage tray 42, a lifting means that performs bullet firing by the linear solenoid 141 is applied, and a return ball is collected in accordance with this lifting means. Although the structure of the feed ball pumping path 13 provided with the flow path 133 is adopted, it is not limited to this. The game ball take-in device 14 ′ in the gaming machine 1 ′ according to the second embodiment shown in FIG. 8 takes in the game balls supplied from the game ball storage tray 42 one by one by the sprocket 143 and aligns the ball feed path 13 ′. It is provided with a lifting means for lifting the game ball to the feed ball standby flow path 11 by sending it to the lifting unit 135. In the gaming machine 1 ′ shown in FIG. 2, the same components as those of the gaming machine 1 according to the first embodiment described above are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted.

  Further, in the gaming machine 1 ′ according to the present embodiment, as with the gaming machine 1 according to the first embodiment, if the gaming ball is made to wait in advance in the feed ball standby flow path 11, a quick launching operation can be performed. Even when the game ball is not waiting in the feed ball standby flow path 11, the game ball lifted from the take-in ball feed path 13 ′ by the game ball take-in device 14 ′ is downstream of the feed ball standby flow path 11. When the game ball is sent out to the game ball launching device 8 by the ball feeding device 10, the launching operation can be performed. Furthermore, if the game balls waiting in the feed ball standby flow path 11 have not reached the feed ball replenishment port 111a, the game balls gathered by the game ball collecting unit 56 after the game is finished are efficiently fed to the feed ball replenishment port. Since it flows into 111a, a game ball can be replenished to the sending ball waiting flow path 11 if a game is performed for a while.

  The sprocket 143 has a hollow ball receiving recess 143b formed at a predetermined angle on the circumferential surface of a rotating body having a rotation shaft 143a rotated in a fixed direction by an electric drive source such as a stepping motor (not shown). It is formed continuously. In the waiting state where the game ball supplied to one from the ball supply port 42b of the game ball storage tray 42 via the ball intake path 32 is fitted in the ball receiving recess 143b of the sprocket 143, this game The ball is detected by the ball detector 15, but when the sprocket 143 is rotated and sent to the alignment lift 135, the game ball is not detected by the ball detector 15, so that the game ball is captured. Can be determined. When the sprocket 145 rotates by a predetermined angle and one game ball is taken in, the subsequent game ball fits into the ball receiving recess 143b of the sprocket 145 and enters a stand-by state.

  It is assumed that game balls are preliminarily filled in the alignment / lifting section 135 of the take-in ball transfer path 13 ′, and when one game ball is transferred as the sprocket 145 is rotated, the alignment / lifting is performed. The game ball located at the uppermost part of the part 135 is discharged from the take-in ball discharge part 136 to the uppermost stream part of the feed ball standby flow path 11 (inclined upper end part of the first inclined flow lower part 111), and the feed ball standby flow path 11 If the ball is not full, the game ball discharged from the take-in ball discharge unit 136 remains in the feed ball standby flow path 11 as it is. In other words, in the present embodiment, one game ball can be surely addressed to the feed ball standby flow path 11 by the game ball take-in device 14 ′.

  On the other hand, if the feed ball standby flow path 11 is full and the game balls discharged from the take-in ball discharge section 136 cannot be stopped by the feed ball standby flow path 11 as they are, the overflow game balls flow from the overflow port 137 into the overflow flow. It flows down to the path 138 and is guided to the external flow guide path 37. That is, when the feed ball standby flow path 11 is full, the overflowing game balls are guided to the external flow guide path 37 via the overflow flow path 138, so that the game balls filled in the alignment and transport unit 135 are It is possible to avoid such a problem that the game ball take-in device 14 'breaks down due to the high load applied to the electric drive source due to the inability to send the ball to the feed ball standby flow path 11.

  Although the present invention has been specifically described above based on the embodiments, it should be considered that the embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative and are not limited to the disclosed technology. That is, the technical scope of the present invention should not be construed restrictively based on the description in the above-described embodiment, but should be construed in accordance with the description of the scope of claims, and the description of the scope of claims. All modifications within the scope of the claims and the equivalent technology are included.

1 is a front perspective view of a gaming machine according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is a front side perspective view of the state which removed the opening-and-closing frame. FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of the game board with a front cover removed in FIG. 2. It is a front side perspective view of the state which removed the liquid crystal display device in FIG. It is a rear view of the gaming machine according to the first embodiment. It is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view of the waist | hip | lumbar part in the gaming machine which concerns on 1st Embodiment. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of a game ball replenishment operation to a feed ball standby flow path. It is a rear view of the gaming machine according to the second embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Game machine 3 Front frame 36 Collecting ball derivation | leading-out part 37 External flow guide part 42 Game ball storage tray 42b Ball supply tray 5 Game board 5a Game area 5b Launching ball introduction path 56 Game ball assembly part 8 Game ball launching device 93 Discharge discharge control Device 10 Ball feeding device 11 Ball feeding standby flow channel 12 Ball feeding ball detector 13 Ball taking-in ball feeding path 14 Game ball taking-in device 15 Ball-in-ball detector

Claims (4)

A game board which is arranged in a detachable state on the front frame side and has a game area into which a game ball flows through a launch ball introduction path, and a game ball launch which launches a game ball to the launch ball introduction path of the game board In a gaming machine comprising an apparatus and a game ball storage dish capable of storing a game ball for use in a game,
A game ball launching device is arranged above the ball supply port which is the most downstream of the game ball storage dish, and the game board is placed at a position where the game ball launched by the game ball launching device can reach the launch ball introduction path. Place and
A ball feeder that sends out one game ball to the game ball launcher;
A feed ball detector capable of detecting a game ball sent to the game ball launch device by the ball feed device;
A feed ball standby flow path for waiting for a game ball sent to the game ball launching device by the ball feed device;
An intake ball transport path that communicates with the upstream side of the feed ball standby flow path and is capable of lifting the game balls supplied from the ball supply port of the game ball storage tray;
A game ball take-in device that lifts the take-in ball feed path toward the feed ball standby flow path for one game ball supplied from the game ball storage dish,
A capture ball detector capable of detecting that a game ball has been captured by the game ball capture device;
Based on operating the game ball take-in device to move the take-in ball toward the feed ball standby flow path, lift the take-in ball feed path, and detect the take-in of the game ball with the take-in ball detector The game ball launching device is operated to send out a game ball to the game ball launching device, and the game ball launching device detects the game ball sent to the game ball launching device by the feed ball detector. A launch control device that controls to fire a ball;
A ball guiding section for guiding a game ball that has been launched into the game area and finished the game;
With
A gaming machine configured such that a gaming ball guided by the ball guiding section can flow into the feed ball standby flow path. The feed ball standby flow path includes an inclined flow lower portion inclined downward from one side of the gaming machine to the other side of the gaming machine,
The ball guiding unit is a game ball collecting unit that collects all game balls that have been played,
The collective sphere deriving unit for deriving the game balls collected by the game ball collecting cage and guiding them to the external flow guide path for guiding the flow down to the outside of the gaming machine is provided at an appropriate upper surface of the inclined flow lower part of the feed ball standby flow path. A feed ball replenishing port that opens,
When the game balls are led out from the collective ball deriving section to the external flow guide path, if the game balls waiting in the ball feed ball standby flow path have not reached the feed ball replenishment port, The game balls collected at the club can be replenished from the feed ball replenishment port to the feed ball standby channel, but when the game balls waiting in the feed ball standby channel have reached the feed ball replenishment port 2. The gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the gaming balls collected at the gaming ball collecting section are led to the external flow guide path without flowing into the feeding ball replenishment port. The game ball take-in device includes a lifting means for launching the game balls supplied from the game ball storage tray one by one to the feed ball standby flow path through the take-up ball lift path,
When the game ball launched by the lifting means returns to and flows down the take-in ball lifting path without stopping to the feeding ball standby flow path, a return ball recovery flow path for guiding the return ball to the external flow-down guide path is provided. The gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the gaming machine is provided. The game ball take-in device includes a lifting means for lifting game balls supplied from the game ball storage tray one by one to the take-in ball lifting path by a sprocket,
When the feed ball standby flow path is full and the game balls lifted from the take-in ball transport path by the lifting means cannot be stopped by the feed ball standby flow path, the overflow game balls are received and the external flow is stopped. The gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein an overflow flow path leading to the guide path is provided.

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