JP2012130509A - Shooting device of pachinko game machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a game ball shooting device that detects illicit action performed by connecting a linear element to a game ball.SOLUTION: The game ball shooting device includes: a shooting rail for guiding game balls into a gaming area; a shooting passage for guiding game balls onto the shooting rail; a knock arm for striking the game balls out into the shooting passage; a shutter member that moves into and out of the shooting passage; a shutter sensor for detecting that the shutter member is in a position for blocking the shooting passage; and an error signal generation means which generates an error signal if no signals from the shutter sensor are output for a certain period of time. A linking mechanism is provided for linking the shutter member with the knock arm in such a way that when the knock arm is in its initial position a shutter is in a blocking position for blocking the shooting passage, and that when the knock arm is rotated to a position for striking the game balls, the shutter is in a retreat position where it is retreated from the shooting passage as the arm rotates. If there is any linear element connected to a game ball, the shutter member is prevented from being in the blocking position for a certain period of time, whereby an error signal is output.

Description

    The present invention relates to a launching device for a pachinko machine that uses a game ball to play a game.

  Generally, a pachinko machine has a special symbol display device that displays a special symbol in a game area partitioned by an outer rail and an inner rail in the game board, a display device that displays a predetermined effect, and an electronic device related to the special symbol. A special winning opening (starting opening) is provided as an opportunity for the lottery, and when a game ball launched toward the gaming area wins the specific winning opening, an electronic lottery related to a special symbol is performed, In the special symbol display device, the display of the mode in which the special symbol is changed and then stopped is performed to notify the result of the electronic lottery. When the result of the electronic lottery is a big hit, the special symbol indicating that the big win is displayed on the special symbol display device is stopped and the jackpot gaming state advantageous to the player is entered.

  The front board of the pachinko machine accommodates game balls and is attached with a tray that can be discharged to the outside. The game balls stored in the tray are supplied to the launching device one by one. It has become. Then, when the handle attached to the front board is rotated, the launching device can launch the supplied game balls one by one toward the game area with the firing strength corresponding to the amount of rotation. It has become.

  Here, among the players, a game ball tied with a long thread is supplied to the receiving tray, and the game ball is fired by a launching device and inserted into a start winning port or a normal winning port, and then left at hand. The game ball is inserted into and removed from the prize opening using the thread, and the game ball is manipulated as if the game ball has won many times. There is a person to do.

However, the current situation is that such fraudulent gaming is prevented by monitoring by a game hall employee, etc., and it is not considered to prevent it by the configuration of the pachinko machine itself. .
Although it is not a countermeasure against fraudulent acts performed on a pachinko machine as described above, in order to prevent fraud to the slot machine and the media selector of the parrot, the member illegally inserted into the media selector is cut or destroyed. Has been proposed (Patent Document 1).

JP 2006-87716 A

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a pachinko machine launching device that can detect or prevent illegal games such as string goto.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a launching device for a pachinko machine having a knock arm for launching a game ball and a launch passage for leading the launched game ball to a launch rail,
A shutter that appears and disappears in the launching passage, a shutter sensor that detects that the shutter is in a position that shields the launching passage and outputs a detection signal, an interlocking mechanism that interlocks the shutter and the knock arm, Error signal generating means for generating an error signal when the detection signal from the shutter sensor is not output for a predetermined time, and
When the knock arm is in the initial position, the interlocking mechanism is in a shielding position where the shutter shields the launch passage. When the knock arm rotates from the initial position to a position where a game ball is hit, the rotation is performed. The shutter and the knock arm are interlocked so that the shutter is in a retracted position where the shutter is retracted from the firing passage.

  By configuring in this way, the present invention, the string-like body such as a thread connected to the game ball becomes an obstacle that prevents the shutter from being positioned at the shielding position (the knock arm is the initial position) Since the detection signal from the shutter sensor is not output for a predetermined time, an illegal game can be detected.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is characterized in that the shutter is made of a flexible material.

  With this configuration, when the string-like body such as a thread connected to the game ball is operated to generate a tension in the string-like body, the flexible shutter member is deformed by the tension. And since the detection signal from a shutter sensor will not be output, an unauthorized game can be detected reliably.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the pachinko machine which detects correctly the illegal game performed by connecting a string-like body to a game ball can be provided.

1 is a front view of a pachinko machine according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The state figure which opened the front door of the pachinko machine concerning the 1st example of an embodiment of the present invention. The front view in the state where the knock arm of the launcher of the present invention is in the initial position. FIG. 4 is a perspective view from the front upper side of the launching device shown in FIG. 3. The front view in the state in which the knock arm of the launcher of this invention exists in a hitting ball position. FIG. 6 is a perspective view from the front upper side of the launching device shown in FIG. 5. Explanatory drawing (front view) at the time of performing the illegal game of a thread with the launcher of this invention. Explanatory drawing (perspective view) in the case of performing illegal game of thread goto in the launching device of the present invention Explanatory drawing (front view) of the shutter part at the time of performing the illegal game of a thread with the launcher of this invention. Explanatory drawing (front view) of the shutter part which concerns on the 2nd Example of this invention.

Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
In the following description, it is referred to as upstream and downstream along the movement of the game ball.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a pachinko machine P according to an embodiment of the present invention is vertically rectangular machine frame 1 installed in an island facility of a game arcade, and can be opened and closed in a door shape on the machine frame 1. A front frame 2 attached to the front frame 2, a game board 3 housed inside the front frame 2, an upper door 4 and a lower door (also referred to as a front board) 6 attached to the front surface of the front frame 2 so as to be openable and closable, A glass door 10 having a large opening 8 formed at the center of the upper door is provided, and the front board 6 is provided with a tray 5 for accommodating a game ball, a handle 7 and the like.

  Furthermore, the tray 5 attached to the front board 6 not only accommodates the game balls thrown by the player, but can also accommodate the game balls paid out as prize balls from a prize ball payout device (not shown). It has become. Further, the game balls accommodated in the tray 5 are supplied one by one to a launching device 30 provided below the game board 3 by a game ball supply device (not shown). When the handle 6 is turned, the launching device 30 can launch the game ball with a launch intensity corresponding to the turning amount.

The game ball fired by the launching device 30 is thrown into the game area 14 on the downstream side through the guide passage 13 formed by the guide rail composed of the outer rail 11 and the inner rail 12, and is placed in the game area 14. When the winning prize opening 15 is won, a game ball sensor (not shown) arranged in the starting prize opening 15 detects the winning of the game ball, and an electronic lottery is performed to start a game. In addition, a predetermined number of award balls are also paid out.
Further, even if a winning is made in the normal winning opening 16 arranged in the game area 14, a pre-set prize ball is paid out in the normal winning opening.

As shown in FIGS. 3 to 6, the launching device 30 that launches the game ball has a hook portion 31 a that hits the game ball a at the tip, and a knock arm 31 that rotates about a rotation shaft 31 b, A launching passage 35 for leading the ball a to the guide passage 13 composed of the guide rails 11 and 12, a launching platform 35a disposed on the upstream side of the launching passage 35, and the launching platform 35a. And a stopper 35b for supporting the game balls a supplied one by one at a predetermined position on the launch pad 35a.
The knock arm 31 is configured to reciprocate and rotate in parallel with the board surface around a rotation shaft 31b provided perpendicular to the board surface, and a collar 31a is driven by a drive source such as a rotary solenoid (not shown). The initial position (the position shown in FIGS. 3 and 4) retracted from the launch passage 35 is changed to the position (the position shown in FIGS. 5 and 6) where the game ball a supported on the launch table 35a is hit. It is configured.

The launch passage 35 is provided with a shutter 33 on the downstream side of the position at which the game ball a is hit, for shielding or opening the launch passage 35 by appearing in and out of the launch passage 35. .
The variation in which the shutter 33 is blocked or opened by the shutter 33 is configured to be synchronized with the variation between the initial position of the knock arm 31 and the position at which the game ball is hit. This will be described below.

First, the configuration of the shutter 33 will be described.
The shutter 33 includes a tip end portion 33b that protrudes and appears in the launch passage 35, a tip extension portion 33b ′ that extends from one side of the tip portion 33b, and the launch passage 35 on the opposite side of the tip portion 33b. And a shutter drive shaft 33a ′ provided at the base end portion 33a located outside.
The tip 33b of the shutter 33 protrudes and descends into the inside of the launch passage 35 from the lower slit 35d provided on the floor surface of the launch passage 35, and the tip 33b is located at a position where the shutter 33 shields the launch passage 35. Is in a position where it enters the launch passage 35 and closes the launch passage 35, and in a position where the shutter 33 opens the launch passage 35, the game is started upstream with the tip 33b retracted from the launch passage 35. It is configured to be in a position that does not interfere with the passage of the sphere a.

On the other hand, the tip extension portion 33b ′ extending from one side portion of the tip portion 33b is positioned in a side slit 35f provided in the vertical direction on one side portion of the launch passage 35 as shown in FIG. In a position where the shutter 33 shields the launch passage 35, the shutter 33 is configured to project outside the launch passage 35 from an upper slit 35 c provided on the ceiling surface of the launch passage 35.
Therefore, in the position where the shutter 33 shields the launch passage 35, the passage of the game ball a is blocked and the game ball a does not enter the guide rails 11 and 12, and the shutter 33 opens the launch passage 35. The tip 33b and the tip extension 33b ′ are configured not to obstruct the passage of the game ball a fired upstream.

Then, in order to detect that the shutter 33 is in a position where the shutter 33 is shielded, a shutter sensor 34 that detects a tip extension 33b ′ protruding from the upper slit 35c to the outside of the discharge passage 35 is provided outside the discharge passage 35. Are provided at predetermined positions.
The shutter sensor 34 is composed of, for example, a pair of opposed photosensors, and the tip extension portion 33b ′ detects the tip extension portion 33b ′ by blocking the optical path of the pair of photosensors. It is configured to be able to.
Therefore, it can be detected from the output from the shutter sensor 34 that the shutter 33 is in a position where the shutter 35 is shielded.

Next, the interlocking mechanism between the shutter 33 and the knock arm will be described.
The shutter drive shaft 33 a on the base end side of the shutter 33 is engaged with the knock arm 31 via the link lever 32.
The link lever 32 has a link rotation shaft 32b that is pivotally supported by the main body in a direction perpendicular to the game board surface at a substantially central portion thereof, and rotates in parallel with the game board surface around the link rotation shaft 32b. It is configured to be possible.
Further, long holes 32a and 32c are provided at respective end portions of the link lever 32. One long hole 32a is provided in the knock arm 31 and slides in the long hole 32a while linking the link lever. A link lever drive shaft 31c for rotating the shaft 32 is fitted. The shutter drive shaft 33a is fitted in the other long hole 32c.
Therefore, when the knock arm 31 is driven by a drive source (not shown) such as a rotary solenoid, the link lever drive shaft 31c is also driven, and the link lever 32 is rotated about the link rotation shaft 32b accordingly. As the lever 32 rotates, the shutter drive shaft 33 a ′ is interlocked, and the shutter 33 is driven to a position where the shutter 35 is shielded or opened.

In this way, the link lever drive shaft 31c and one end of the link lever 32 are connected, and the other end of the link lever 32 and the shutter drive shaft 33a ′ are connected, so that the knock arm 31 and the shutter 33 are interlocked. The mechanism is configured.
By this interlocking mechanism, when the knock arm 31 is in the initial position, the shutter 33 is in the shielding position where the firing passage 35 is shielded, and the knock arm 31 hits the game ball a from the initial position (by a driving source not shown). When the shutter 33 is rotated to the position, the shutter 33 and the knock arm 31 are driven synchronously so that the shutter 33 moves to the open position where the shutter 33 is retracted from the firing passage 35 in conjunction with the rotation.

In addition, there is an error signal generating means for outputting an error signal when the detection signal from the shutter sensor 34 is not output for a predetermined time even though the launching device 30 is operating.
Since the launching device 30 in the present embodiment normally launches the game ball a at a rate of 0.6 per second, as described above, the launching device 30 is synchronized with the launch in the normal gaming state. In addition, a detection signal is output from the shutter sensor 34 every 0.6 seconds. Alternatively, when the game state is not set, a detection signal is always output.
However, when the signal from the shutter sensor 34 is not output for a predetermined time (in this embodiment, about 1 to 2 seconds) even though the launching device 30 is operating, the error signal generating means An error signal is output.

The operation of launching the game ball a with the above configuration will be described.
The game balls a are supplied one by one from the tray 7 to the launch pad 35a by a game ball supply device (not shown), and held at a predetermined position on the launch pad 35a by a stopper 35b. Here, when the knock arm 31 is driven by a drive source (not shown) such as a rotary solenoid, the hook 31a removes the game ball a supported on the launch pad 35a from the initial position retracted from the launch passage 35. The game ball a is struck in the direction of the guide rails 11 and 12 in the launch passage 35 by the rushing operation.
At this time, the shutter 33 that has shielded the launch passage 35 is moved to the retracted position (open position) by the interlocking mechanism as the knock arm 31 is driven, so that the game ball launched in the direction of the guide rails 11 and 12 a passes through the guide passage 13 and is carried to the gaming area as it is.
Subsequently, when the knock arm 31 that has launched the game ball a returns to the initial position to hit the next game ball a, the shutter 33 also returns to the shielding position in conjunction with the return operation. The detection signal from 34 is output.
As described above, in the normal gaming state, the detection signal from the shutter sensor 34 is regularly output in conjunction with the driving of the launching device 30. Further, when the launching device 30 is not driven and not in the gaming state, the shutter 33 is always in the shielding position, so that the detection signal from the shutter sensor 34 is always output.

Here, a case where an illegal game is played using an illegal ball in which one end of a thin string-like body b is fixed to the game ball a will be described with reference to FIGS.
Even if such an illegal ball is supplied to the receiving tray 7 with the other end of the string-like body b secured by the player, the game ball supply device keeps one end of the string-like body b fixed to the launch pad. 35a is supplied. Further, when the game ball is launched by the knock arm 31, it is thrown into the game area 14 from the launch passage 35 through the guide passage 13 with the string-like body b attached, and won at the start winning opening 15 or the normal winning opening 16. It becomes possible to make it.
Fortunately, when the winning holes 15 and 16 are won, the other end side of the string-like body b fixed to the illegal ball is left at the hand of the unauthorized player, so that the string-like body b left at the hand is pulled. When the game ball a won in the winning openings 15 and 16 is inserted / removed by loosening the game ball a, it becomes possible to operate the game ball a as if it was won, and illegally obtaining a winning ball or playing a game Can be started.

However, when such an insertion / removal operation is performed, tension is applied to the string-like body b, so that the string-like body b with high tension exists in the firing passage 35.
However, according to the present invention, when the string-like body b with such tension is present in the firing passage 35, a load due to the tension is applied to the tip 33b of the shutter 33, and the shutter 33 cannot be closed (that is, Will not return to the occlusion position).
Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the tension due to the string-like body b acts on the tip 33 b of the shutter 33, so that the shutter 33 does not return to the shielding position.
Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 9, even when only a relatively small tension is generated at the distal end portion 33b of the shutter 33, the distal end portion 33b of the shutter 33 is completely at the shielding position due to the presence of the string-like body b with a high tension. It will not return.
Therefore, if the shutter sensor 34 is arranged so that the shutter sensor 34 detects the tip extension portion 33b ′ only when the shutter 33 is completely closed, the signal from the shutter sensor 34 is not output anyway.
For this reason, since the shutter 33 is prevented from being in the shielding position for a predetermined time, the detection signal from the shutter sensor 34 is not output for the predetermined time.

As described above, when the detection signal from the shutter sensor 34 is not output for a predetermined time, an error signal is output from the error signal generating means. It is possible to detect whether any inconvenience has occurred in itself.
Therefore, the game store can eliminate fraudulent games by inspecting the game table on which such an error signal is output.

In the second embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 10, the shutter 33 is formed of a flexible material except for the shutter drive shaft 33a ′. Further, when the shutter 33 is in the shielding position, the tip 33b of the shutter 33 is configured to protrude from the upper slit 35c of the launch passage 35 to the outside of the launch passage 35, and the shutter sensor 34 detects the tip 33b. It is arranged at the position to do.
Further, as omitted in FIG. 10, the interlocking mechanism between the shutter 33 and the knock arm 31 is the same as that in the first embodiment.

In the case of such a configuration, as shown in FIG. 10, when a tension is applied to the string-like body b due to an illegal game, a load due to the tension is applied to the tip 33 b of the shutter 33, and the tip 33 b of the shutter 33 is downstream. (Thus, the flexible material needs to be a material that can be bent relatively easily by such tension).
In such a state, the tip 33b of the shutter 33 is out of the position of the upper slit 35c and does not protrude out of the firing passage 35.
Therefore, a signal from the shutter sensor 34 is not output for a predetermined time, and an error signal from the error signal generating means is generated.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the technical idea of the invention described in the claims. Examples of modifications include the following.

  (1) In the above-described first embodiment, a configuration including a cutter member can be added to the shutter tip portion 33b. When the unauthorized player continues the unauthorized operation, the same part of the string-like body b comes into contact with the cutter member and is cut at the contact part.

(2) In the above-described embodiment, the present invention is applied to a launching device of a type that launches the game ball a obliquely upward. It can also be applied to a type of launcher.

(3) The shutter sensor 34 is not limited to an optical sensor, and other sensors and switches can be used as long as the tip 33b and the tip extension 33b 'of the shutter 33 can be reliably detected.

(4) As a mechanism for interlocking the shutter 33 and the knock arm 31, not only the above-described method using the link lever 32 but also other methods including a cam and a cam floor can be appropriately employed.

(5) About the predetermined time, it is possible to appropriately set the game ball launch interval time or more of the launching device 30. However, if a too short time is set, a trouble (for example, a game once launched) If a ball is returned to the launcher without being thrown into the game area, a trouble such as a collision with the next game ball will occur.) Inconvenience occurs. A few seconds is appropriate.
Alternatively, when a short time is set, it is also effective to generate a warning by detecting that such an error signal is frequently output.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 3 Game board 4 Glass door 6 Handle 7 Saucepan 11, 12 Guide rail 13 Guide passage 14 Game area | region 15,16 Prize opening 30 Launching device 31 Knock arm 31a Eave part 31c Link lever drive shaft 32 Link lever 32a, c Long hole 32b Link Rotating shaft 33 Shutter 33a 'Shutter drive shaft 33b Tip portion 33b' Tip extension 34 Shutter sensor 35 Launch path 35a Launch platform 35b Stopper 35c Upper slit 35d Lower slit 35f Side slit a Game ball b String-like body

Claims (2)

A pachinko machine launching device having a knock arm for launching a game ball and a launch passage for leading the launched game ball to a guide rail,
A shutter that appears and disappears in the launching passage, a shutter sensor that detects that the shutter is in a position that shields the launching passage and outputs a detection signal, an interlocking mechanism that interlocks the shutter and the knock arm, Error signal generating means for generating an error signal when the detection signal from the shutter sensor is not output for a predetermined time, and
When the knock arm is in the initial position, the interlocking mechanism is in a shielding position where the shutter shields the launch passage. When the knock arm rotates from the initial position to a position where a game ball is hit, the rotation is performed. The pachinko machine launching apparatus is characterized in that the shutter and the knock arm are interlocked so that the shutter is in a retracted position where the shutter is retracted from the launch passage.   The launcher according to claim 1, wherein the shutter is made of a flexible material.

Images