JP2013226171A - Game machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a game machine which is capable of removing, from a game ball passage, dust and liquid that infiltrate from an upper tray into a game ball passage, and which is capable of reducing the size of a ball extraction device.SOLUTION: A game ball passage 21 has a pair of side wall parts 22 that are arranged with a space slightly wider than the diameter of a game ball. In the lower end of the pair of side wall parts 22, there is a rail-shaped member 23 projecting from the inner side face of the side wall part 22 to the opposite side wall part 22. The rail-shaped member 23 supports, at two points, the game balls flowing down in a line in the game ball passage 21. An interval of a pair of rail-shaped members 23 is opened, wherein dust and liquid infiltrating from an upper tray side can be removed by making them fall downward. A ball extraction device 31 makes a part of one rail-shaped member 23 freely retractable from one side wall part 22 as a retractable member 32. While the retractable member 32 is retracted into one side wall part 22, a game ball can be extracted from the ball extraction device 31.

Description

  The present invention relates to a game machine including a game ball passage for supplying a game ball to a game ball launching device that launches a game ball toward a game area, and a ball extraction device that extracts the game ball from the game ball passage.

In a gaming machine (a bullet ball gaming machine) using a gaming ball such as a pachinko gaming machine, a game is played by causing the gaming ball to flow down to the gaming area.
Therefore, a pachinko gaming machine or the like includes a game ball launching device that launches a game ball so that the game ball flows down into the game area. A game ball is automatically supplied to the game ball launcher. This game ball launching apparatus is configured to sequentially launch game balls at substantially predetermined intervals while there are game balls that can be fired based on a player's launch operation.

  In addition, the pachinko gaming machine is configured such that a gaming ball as a winning ball is paid out when the gaming ball wins a winning opening, and the paid-out gaming ball projects forward from the lower part of the front of the pachinko gaming machine. It is paid out to the upper plate provided. As described above, the upper plate is capable of storing game balls that are paid out as prize balls or game balls that are paid out as rental balls, and has a container shape that is open at the top and has a relatively shallow bottom.

  The upper plate is provided with an inflow portion into which the above-mentioned paid game balls flow in, and when many game balls are paid out and the upper plate is almost full, the game balls are moved from the inflow portion side to the lower plate. There is an overflow outlet that overflows.

In addition, a supply path for supplying the game ball to the game ball launcher is connected to the upper plate. This supply path is provided with a game ball path that causes the game balls to flow down in a row to the rectifier that supplies the game balls one by one to the game ball launcher after the game balls are aligned in a row.
Further, the game ball passage is provided with a ball extraction device for extracting the game ball, and the game ball on the upstream side of the ball extraction device of the game ball passage can be extracted and discharged to the lower plate. Yes. This ball extraction device is, for example, for sequentially collecting game balls in the supply path and game balls flowing in from the upstream side when a game in a gaming machine is to be stopped.
The lower plate is a container-like member that is provided below the upper plate and is open at the top so that a game ball can be stored, has an opening that can be opened and closed at the bottom, and is placed below the game ball Can be discharged. In addition, game balls that do not reach the game area or have returned from the game area in spite of being fired by the game ball launching device are discharged to the lower plate.
As the ball extraction device, for example, a device in which a game ball is supplied to the game ball launching device side while the ball is extracted has been proposed (for example, see Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent No. 3811725

By the way, since the upper plate stores the game ball in a state where the upper side is opened, the player sometimes drops, for example, cigarette ash or spills a drink. In this case, the liquid such as a drink flows to the game ball path side which is inclined downward to flow down the game ball, wets the bottom surface of the game ball path, or the sugar content contained in the liquid is concentrated. It will be sticky and may hinder the flow of game balls.
In addition, dust such as ash may contaminate the game ball or the passage, and may interfere with the flow of the game ball when combined with the liquid described above.

  In addition, the game machine has a path for supplying a game ball as a prize ball to the upper plate, various control boards and relay boards, a liquid crystal display as a variable display device for displaying a variable display game, etc. A collection path of game balls discharged through the mouth and the out mouth, a game ball launching device, a game ball dispensing device, and the like are arranged in a limited space, and it is difficult to clean the inside of the game ball passage.

In addition, as described above, various members are arranged in the gaming machine, so that there is no room for space, and it is desired to downsize the members arranged in the gaming machine.
For example, it is desired to reduce the space occupied by the above-described ball sampling device. In addition, the ball extraction device, including the device of the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, when extracting the ball, it is necessary to basically move the member for extracting the ball more than the diameter of the game ball (for example, 11 mm), In addition to the installation space, the ball extraction device requires at least a space required for the movement operation of the member for extracting the ball as a dedicated space.

  Also, as one of the fraudulent acts, instead of playing game balls borrowed at a game store, bring in game balls from the outside, play illegally with this game ball, count the illegally brought game balls, and exchange prizes May be done. In this case, when playing with a fraudulent game ball that has been brought in, a fraud that increases the winning rate to various winning openings using a ball having a smaller diameter than the normal game ball (hereinafter referred to as a small ball) is performed. There is. It should be noted that the difference in diameter between the small sphere and the normal game ball is not so large so that the diameter of the small sphere is not readily apparent when compared with the normal game ball.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and is capable of removing dust and other dust and liquid entering the game ball passage from the upper plate from the game ball passage, and is a space exclusively used for the ball extraction device including operations. An object of the present invention is to provide a gaming machine that can be miniaturized.

In order to solve the above-described problems, the gaming machine of the present invention extracts a game ball from the game ball passage, and a game ball passage that supplies the game balls in a line to a launching device that launches the game balls into the game area. In a gaming machine comprising a ball sampling device for
The game ball passage includes a pair of rail-like members that flow down while supporting the game ball at two points, and the pair of rail-like members are substantially constant shorter than the diameter of the game ball along the path of the game ball passage. And is inclined downward toward the supply direction of the game balls, and the space between these rail-shaped members is opened,
In the ball extraction device, a part of at least one of the rail-shaped members is movably provided in a direction away from the other rail-shaped member, whereby the distance between the pair of rail-shaped members is smaller than the diameter of the game ball. And an interval larger than the diameter of the game ball.

In addition, the game ball passage includes a pair of side wall portions arranged on the left and right sides with a gap slightly wider than the diameter of the game ball,
The rail-shaped member is provided to project from the lower part of each inner side surface of the pair of side wall portions facing each other toward the inner side surface facing each other,
The ball extraction device is a member separate from the rail-shaped member, with a part on the terminal side of the rail-shaped member as the part of the rail-shaped member of one of the pair of side wall portions. By making the in / out member and the in / out member freely in / out with respect to the inner surface of the side wall portion, the distance between the pair of rail-like members is smaller than the diameter of the game ball, and the diameter of the game ball It can be changed between these intervals,
When the in / out member protrudes from the inner surface of one of the side wall portions, the game ball is supported by the pair of rail-like members including the in / out member,
It is preferable that the game ball can be extracted by dropping the game ball to the lower side of the game ball passage when the projecting member is immersed on the inner side surface of the one side wall portion.

  According to the present invention, the game ball passage for allowing the game ball to flow down from the upper plate side to the game ball launching device side is composed of a pair of rail-shaped members and the space between these rail-shaped members is opened. Even if dust, liquid, or the like enters from the side, it is possible to prevent the game ball passage from becoming dirty by dropping them down.

  Here, if there is a bottom plate in the game ball passage, it will not only be difficult to remove dust and liquids such as dust, but if a ball extraction device is provided in the game ball passage, for example, the bottom plate will be larger than the diameter of the game ball. An opening / closing member capable of opening and closing the opening is provided. In this case, it is common to open and close the opening by sliding the opening and closing member along the surface direction of the upper surface of the bottom plate, and the amount of movement of the opening and closing member when opening the opening from closed is If the diameter of the game ball is exceeded, the space occupied by the ball sampling device is increased.

On the other hand, in the present invention, since the space between the pair of rail-shaped members is open, it is possible to open a space larger than the diameter of the game ball by slightly widening the space between the rail-shaped members. As a result, the game ball can be dropped to the lower side of the game ball passage.
From the above, the amount of movement of a part of the rail-shaped member (intrusion member) in the ball extraction device in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the rail-shaped member can be made considerably shorter than the diameter of the game ball. . Moreover, it is possible to make the length along the longitudinal direction of a part of the rail-shaped member to be moved shorter than the diameter of the game ball.
For these reasons, it is possible to reduce the size of the exclusive space including the operation of the ball extraction device that extracts the game ball from the game ball passage.

  In addition, if the distance between the rail-shaped members is larger than the diameter of the small balls used for fraud and smaller than the diameter of the regular game ball, the small balls used for the fraudulent action are separated between the pair of rail-shaped members. It can not be supported by and falls downward. Therefore, the small balls are not sent from the game ball passage to the game ball launching device, and the small balls for cheating can be prevented from being launched into the game area.

  Further, by providing the pair of rail-shaped members so as to protrude from the lower portions of the inner surfaces facing each other of the pair of side wall portions disposed on the left and right sides, the inner surfaces facing each other, The game ball can be prevented from falling off, and the game ball passage of the present invention can be easily provided by simply replacing the bottom plate portion with a pair of rail-like members, compared to the structure of the conventional game ball passage.

1 is a perspective view showing a gaming machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is the perspective view which opened the glass door of the said gaming machine and exposed the game board. It is a perspective view which shows the game ball channel | path and the ball extraction device provided in this game ball channel | path. (A) is sectional drawing which shows a game ball path, (b) is sectional drawing which shows a ball sampling device, (c) is sectional drawing which shows a ball sampling device, (d) is a game of a comparative example It is sectional drawing which shows a spherical passage, (e) is sectional drawing which shows the ball extraction apparatus of a comparative example, (f) is sectional drawing which shows the ball extraction apparatus of a comparative example.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the pachinko gaming machine (game machine) of this embodiment has a vertically long rectangular machine frame 1 installed in an island facility of a game shop, and a door shape on the machine frame 1 A front frame 2 that can be freely opened and closed, a game board 3 (shown in FIG. 2) housed in the front frame 2, and a door that can be freely opened and closed on the front surface of the front frame 2, with a large opening 5 at the center. The glass door 4 is formed, a transparent double glass plate 6 attached to the opening 5 of the glass door 4, and the double glass plate 6 on the front surface of the glass door 4 is provided under the game. An upper plate 7 for storing the ball and a lower plate 8 for storing the game ball overflowing from the upper plate 7 and temporarily storing the game ball, and in FIG. 1, in the vicinity of the lower right corner of the front of the gaming machine And a firing operation device (handle) 9. Further, in FIG. 1, an operation unit 10 that performs a lending payout operation or the like is provided on the right side of the upper plate 7.
In addition, a storage tank 20 that stores game balls to be paid out to the upper plate 7 is provided at the upper part of the front frame 2.

  As shown in FIG. 2, a game area 12 surrounded by a substantially circular guide rail 15 is provided on the surface of the game board 3. On the left side of the game area 12 of the game board 3 in FIG. 2, a game ball guide path 13 for guiding the launched game ball to the game area 12 is provided in an arc shape along the guide rail 15. A game ball launching device 14 that launches a game ball toward the game ball guiding path 13 is provided below the game ball guiding path 13.

The game ball launching device 14 is provided with a rectifier (not shown) that supplies the game balls one by one toward the launch position for launching the game balls.
The upper plate 7 supplies the stored game balls to the rectifying device of the game ball launching device 14, and the upper plate 7 is used for causing the game balls to flow down toward the game ball launching device 14 side. Supply path is connected.

The supply path includes an alignment unit (not shown) for aligning the game balls flowing out from the upper plate 7 in a line, and a game ball path 21 for flowing the game balls aligned in the alignment part to the game ball launching device 14 side. (Shown in FIG. 3).
From the above, the game balls that have flowed out from the upper plate 7 to the supply path are aligned in a line and then passed through the game ball passage 21 to the rectifier of the game ball launching device 14. The game balls that have reached the rectifier are sent one by one from the rectifier to the launch positions of the game balls, and are launched by the game ball launcher 14 from the lower end side to the upper end side of the game ball guiding path 13. The game ball launched into the game ball guiding path 13 flows into the game area 12 from the upper left side to the right side of the game area 12 in FIG.

Further, the game ball passage 21 is inclined so that a game ball flows from the left side to the right side in FIG. 3, the left end is connected to the upper plate 7 side, and the right end is connected to the rectifier side. It has come to be.
Further, in the game ball passage 21, the flow path of the game ball is bent (substantially at right angles in the present embodiment) on the terminal side as will be described later, and the bent portion has an arc shape so that the game ball flows down smoothly. Is formed. The flow direction of the game ball before turning in the game ball passage 21 is the direction along the board surface of the game board 3, and the flow direction of the game ball after turning is a direction from the front to the back of the gaming machine. Yes.

In addition, a ball extraction device 31 for extracting a game ball from the game ball passage 21 is provided at the end side end portion of the game ball passage 21.
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4A, the game ball passage 21 includes a pair of side wall portions 22 arranged on the left and right sides including the bent portion. The side wall portion 22 is plate-shaped, and its vertical width is slightly longer than the diameter of the game ball, for example, is several tens of percent longer than the diameter of the game ball.

  Further, the side wall portion 22 extends back and forth along the game ball passage 21. Rail-like members 23 projecting toward the opposed inner side surfaces are provided at the lower ends of the opposed inner side surfaces of the pair of side wall portions 22.

  That is, a pair of rail-like members 23 are provided on the left and right sides of the side wall portion 22 of the game ball passage 21. The side wall part 22 and the rail-like member 23 are resin members molded integrally. The left side wall portion 22 and the rail-like member 23, and the right side wall portion 22 and the rail-like member 23 may be provided as separate members, and may be supported by other members. These members may be formed integrally with other members. For example, the bridge material spanned at predetermined intervals between the lower end portions or the upper end portions of the left and right side wall portions 22, and the left and right side wall portions 22 and the rail-like member 23 may be integrally formed.

  The pair of rail-like members 23 project from the left and right side wall portions 22 toward the opposing side wall portions 22, thereby bending the lower end portions of the left and right side wall portions 22 toward the inside (perpendicularly). Shape).

  Moreover, the distance between the front-end | tip parts which go to the inner surface of the side wall part 22 which a pair of rail-shaped member 23 opposes is a thing narrower than the diameter of a game ball. For example, the distance between the pair of rail-shaped members 23 is preferably shorter than the diameter of the game ball and longer than 2/3 of the diameter of the game ball. If the distance between the rail-like members 23 is equal to or greater than the diameter of the game ball, the game ball will fall, and if it is smaller than 2/3 of the diameter of the game ball, it will be difficult to reduce the size of the ball extraction device described later. In addition, the game ball flows down in a state where it is supported at two points by the pair of rail-like members 23, but becomes unstable if the interval between the two points to be supported is short. It is preferable that the interval between the shaped members is wider than 2/3 of the diameter of the game ball.

  Further, the space between the rail-like members 23 is open. Although another member may be provided below the game ball passage 21, it is necessary to be separated downward so as not to block the section between the pair of rail-like members 23. Moreover, it is preferable that the space | interval of the rail-shaped members 23 is longer than the diameter of the above-mentioned small ball used for fraud, and shorter than a normal game ball.

  The rail-like member 23 has a substantially rectangular cross-sectional shape, and the upper surface and the lower surface thereof are substantially horizontal. In the cross section of the rail-like member 23 in the direction orthogonal to the flow-down direction, the upper side corresponding to the upper surface and the lower side corresponding to the lower surface are horizontal, but in order to flow the game ball as described later, The upper surface and the lower surface of the rail-like member 23 are inclined downward in the direction in which the game ball flows down. The inclination angle is 5 degrees or more with respect to the horizontal, for example, in this embodiment, the inclination angle is 7 degrees with respect to the horizontal.

In addition, the upper corner of the tip of the rail-like member 23 has an obliquely chamfered shape. Note that the chamfered portion may be rounded with an arc shape in cross section.
Moreover, the left and right side wall portions 22 and the rail-like member 23 are provided so as to be inclined downward in the flow-down direction of the game balls. In addition, the left and right rail-like members 23 have substantially the same height position at the facing portions.

  In addition, the bent portions of the side wall portion 22 and the rail-like member 23 do not bend completely at a right angle, but the outer side wall portion 22 and the inner side wall portion 22 of the bent portion have a substantially ¼ circle. It is formed to be curved. Further, the center of the radius of curvature of the curved portion is the same for the inner side wall portion 22 and the outer side wall portion 22.

  The ball extraction device 31 is configured such that a part included in the ball extraction device 31 of the rail-like member 23 of the one side wall portion 22 is a retractable member 32 which is a separate member. Further, the projecting / retracting member 32 is movable between a state in which the front end portion protrudes with respect to the inner side surface of the one side wall portion 22 facing the other side wall portion 22 and a state in which it has been sunk.

3 and 4 (b) and 4 (c), the base end portion of the protruding and retracting member 32 is formed to have a large vertical dimension with respect to the distal end portion, and protrudes upward with respect to the distal end portion. It has a shape.
The shape of the tip portion of the in / out member is basically the same as that of the rail-like member 23, and the length along the flow-down direction of the game ball is approximately the diameter of the game ball.
In addition, the in / out member 32 is supported by a member supporting the game ball passage 21 or a member associated therewith so as to be slidable in a direction perpendicular to the flow-down direction of the game ball. Further, the range of movement of the in / out member 32 is also restricted by the member supporting the game ball passage 21 or a member associated therewith. Note that the member that supports the sliding member 32 so as to be slidable may be any member as long as it has a structure that supports the protruding member 32 so that it can be guided in the moving direction within the moving range.

  As shown in FIGS. 4B and 4C, the movement range of the protruding / extracting member 32 is the same length as the protruding length of the protruding / extracting member 32 from the inner surface of the side wall portion 22 of the rail-shaped member 23. Only between the position protruding from the inner side surface of the side wall portion 22 and the position where the end surface of the tip / end member 32 is substantially the same (on the same plane) as the inner side surface of the side wall portion.

  In this range of movement of the in / out member 32, the distance between the tip of the in / out member 32 and the tip of the rail-like member facing it is from the distance between the rail-like members shorter than the diameter of the game ball described above. It is possible to change within a range up to a distance equal to or greater than the diameter (for example, a distance slightly longer than the diameter).

  Therefore, in the ball extraction device 31, as shown in FIG. 4B, the game ball flowing down the game ball passage 21 can be supported in a state in which the protruding and retracting member 32 protrudes from the inner side surface of the side wall portion 22. As shown in FIG. 4C, the game ball can be dropped at the position of the ball extraction device 31 in a state in which the protruding and retracting member 32 is immersed in the inner surface of the side wall portion 22.

At this time, the amount of movement of the in / out member 32 is, for example, substantially equal to the protruding length from the inner surface of the side wall portion 22 of the in / out member 32 in the state of most protruding from the side wall portion 22.
The minimum amount of movement of the in / out member 32 is between the above-described interval between the pair of rail-like members 23 or between the protruding in-and-out member 32 and the other rail-like member 23 that are substantially the same as the above-described interval. Is a length obtained by subtracting the distance from the diameter of the game ball, and basically the amount of movement of the in / out member 32 is shorter than the diameter of the game ball.

  FIG. 4 (d) shows a game ball passage including a bottom plate 53 between the left and right side walls 52, 52 as a comparative example, and FIGS. 4, (e), and (f) show a ball extraction in this game ball passage. In this example, the ball sampling device of this comparative example has a movable bottom plate 54 that is a separate member from the bottom plate 53 of the game ball passage. The movable bottom plate 54 has the same shape as that of the bottom plate 53 in the portion between the side walls 52, 52.

Moreover, the part arrange | positioned outside the one side wall part 52 of the movable baseplate 54 is thicker than the part arrange | positioned between a pair of side wall parts 52, and has a shape which protrudes upwards. The movable bottom plate 54 is supported so as to be movable in a direction orthogonal to the flow-down direction of the game ball, like the retractable member 32.
The amount of movement of the movable bottom plate 54 is a distance greater than the diameter of the game ball in order to drop the game ball from the game ball passage.

Therefore, the moving amount of the retracting member 32 can be made considerably shorter than the moving amount of the moving bottom plate 54 of the comparative example.
The movement of the in / out member 32 needs to be operable by the player from the front side of the gaming machine. For example, a slide lever (not shown) is provided on the front side of the gaming machine. And the retracting member 32 needs to be retracted by the slide lever.

  In the game ball passage of this gaming machine, the space between the pair of rail-like members 23 is open, so even if dust such as liquid or dust enters from the upper plate 7 side, Can be dropped down. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the game ball passage 21 from being soiled, to prevent the game ball from flowing down due to the soil, and to facilitate maintenance of the game ball passage 21.

  Further, if the distance between the rail-like members 23 is shorter than the diameter of the normal game ball and longer than the small ball diameter used for fraud, the small ball flows down the game ball passage 21 to play the game ball. It does not reach the launching device 14 and falls downward from the game ball passage 21. For example, by making this fallen game ball flow down to the lower plate, the small ball can be made unusable and collected in the lower plate.

  In addition, in the ball sampling device, the amount of movement of the member that moves when the ball is extracted can be considerably reduced compared to the conventional one, so that the ball sampling device is miniaturized based on this and the space efficiency in the gaming machine is improved. be able to.

  In addition, although the length along the flow-down direction of the game ball of the in / out member 32 is substantially the same as the diameter of the game ball, the game ball is a sphere, so that the width of the left and right is wide only in the center portion. The length can be made shorter than the diameter of the game ball, although it depends on the distance between the in / out member 32 and the other rail-like member 23. By shortening the length of the in / out member 32, it is possible to reduce the size of the member that supports the in / out member 32 in a movable manner and to reduce the size of the member that operates the movement of the in / out member 32.

  As mentioned above, although embodiment which applied the invention made by this inventor was described, this invention is not limited by the description and drawing which make a part of indication of this invention by this embodiment. That is, it should be added that other embodiments, examples, operation techniques, and the like made by those skilled in the art based on this embodiment are all included in the scope of the present invention.

3 game board 12 game area 14 game ball launching device 21 game ball passage 22 side wall 23 rail-like member 31 ball extraction device 32 retracting member (part of one rail-like member)

Claims (2)

In a gaming machine comprising a game ball passage for supplying game balls in a line to a launching device that launches game balls into a game area, and a ball extraction device for extracting the game balls from the game ball passage.
The game ball passage includes a pair of rail-like members that flow down while supporting the game ball at two points, and the pair of rail-like members are substantially constant shorter than the diameter of the game ball along the path of the game ball passage. And is inclined downward toward the supply direction of the game balls, and the space between these rail-shaped members is opened,
In the ball extraction device, a part of at least one of the rail-shaped members is movably provided in a direction away from the other rail-shaped member, whereby the distance between the pair of rail-shaped members is smaller than the diameter of the game ball. And a game machine characterized in that it can be changed between an interval greater than the diameter of the game ball. The game ball passage includes a pair of side wall portions arranged on the left and right sides with a gap slightly wider than the diameter of the game ball,
The rail-shaped member is provided to project from the lower part of each inner side surface of the pair of side wall portions facing each other toward the inner side surface facing each other,
The ball extraction device is a member separate from the rail-shaped member, with a part on the terminal side of the rail-shaped member as the part of the rail-shaped member of one of the pair of side wall portions. By making the in / out member and the in / out member freely in / out with respect to the inner surface of the side wall portion, the distance between the pair of rail-like members is smaller than the diameter of the game ball, and the diameter of the game ball It can be changed between these intervals,
When the in / out member protrudes from the inner surface of one of the side wall portions, the game ball is supported by the pair of rail-like members including the in / out member,
The game ball is allowed to be extracted by dropping the game ball to the lower side of the game ball passage when the projecting member sinks to the inner surface side of one of the side wall portions. The gaming machine according to 1.

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