JP2014069005A - Pinball game machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a pinball game machine for allowing a player to enable the operation of an operation handle in a favorite posture.SOLUTION: A game machine 1 comprises an electric ball shooting device 13 having a power member 18 for causing a ball shooting member 17 to perform a ball shooting action; and a shooting force adjustment device 14 having an operation handle 140 to be rotated from an initial stop position, a rotation shaft 141 for transmitting the rotation, and an adjustment member 142 for changing the shooting force of the electric ball shooting device 13 by receiving the rotation. The shooting force adjustment device 14 includes rotation intermittent means 143 for alternatively switching a state between a connection state where the rotation of the operation handle 140 is transmitted to the adjustment member 142 via the rotation shaft 141 so as to change the electric ball shooting device 13 and a disconnection state where the rotation of the operation handle 140 is not transmitted so as not to change the electric ball shooting device 13 even when the operation handle 140 is rotated. When the rotation intermittent means 143 switches a state into the connection state by rotating the operation handle 140 in the disconnection means, an initial stop position is changed to be the position.

Description

  The present invention relates to a ball game machine that plays a game by driving a game ball into a game area.

An example of a ball game machine will be described for a pachinko machine.
As is well known, a pachinko machine has a fixed member (also referred to as an “outer frame”) fixedly attached to an indoor game machine installation section (also referred to as “game machine installation island”) such as a game hall, and the outside. Front member attached to the front of the frame (in principle, the side facing the player is referred to as “front” or “front” and the opposite side is referred to as “rear” or “back”) such that it can be opened and closed like a single door. The player has a game ball (generally referred to as a “pachinko ball”) that is directed toward the game area of the game board mounted on the front frame side. When entering the winning area of the game area, a plurality of game balls are released as a prize to the ball tray in front of the machine, and when the game ball does not win, the game balls are collected as an out ball to the back of the machine. Is.

  The pachinko machine is provided with an electric ball striking device for driving a game ball toward the game area of the game board, and a batting force adjusting device for adjusting the strength of the batting force of the electric ball striking device. The electric ball striking device includes a swingable hammer-shaped ball striking member for striking game balls supplied to a launch rail one by one, and a power member (for example, an electric motor, a rotating cam, and a traction device) for causing the ball striking member to perform a ball striking operation. On the other hand, the hitting force adjusting device adjusts the power member of the electric ball striking device (for example, increase / decrease of the tension of the traction spring, or the rotary solenoid of the rotary solenoid). The hitting force of the hitting ball member is adjusted by increasing or decreasing the electric resistance value.

  The striking force adjusting device is generally free to rotate from the front side to the rear side of the front frame through the base portion attached to the front lower side of the front frame and the shaft tube portion formed on the base portion in the front-rear direction. A rotating shaft, an operation handle fixed to the front end of the rotating shaft and rotatable in a forward and reverse direction within a predetermined range, and a pulley fixed to the rear end of the rotating shaft and rotatable integrally with the operation handle; A hook-like cover body fixed to the front end of the base portion and covering the operation handle, and for example, a traction spring of the electric ball striking device is expanded and contracted by a forward / reverse rotation operation of the pulley to increase / decrease the elastic force. Thus, the hitting force of the hitting ball member is changed by the reciprocating rotation of the operation handle.

JP-A-6-182029 Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 61-60983

  The operation handle of the hitting force adjusting device is stopped at a predetermined initial stop position (angle) before the game is started. When the operating handle at the initial stop position is normally grasped with the right hand and twisted clockwise, the electric ball striking device is activated and the game ball is launched into the game area. In this state, by adjusting the hitting force by appropriately increasing / decreasing the rotation angle of the operation handle, it is possible to hit the game ball at the target point in the game area.

  However, most players try to keep the operation handle in the position when the game ball reaches the target point, but the twisted hand at that time is the player's favorite posture, that is, the most relaxed When the posture is not possible, there is a problem that the degree of fatigue increases.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above, and an object of the present invention is to provide a ball game machine in which a player can operate an operation handle in a posture that suits his / her preference.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention
A fixing member fixedly attached to the indoor game machine installation section;
A front member which is attached to the front surface of the fixing member so as to be openable and closable and has a game area for a player to play a game;
An electric ball striking device for driving a game ball into the game area;
A striking force adjusting device for adjusting the striking force of the electric ball striking device,
The electric ball striking device is
A striking ball member that launches a game ball at the launch position toward the game area;
A power member that causes the hitting member to perform a hitting operation,
The hitting force adjusting device includes:
An operation handle disposed on the front side of the front member so as to be rotated by a predetermined angle from an initial stop position;
A rotation shaft for transmitting rotation of the operation handle to the back side of the front member;
In a ball game machine comprising an adjustment member that changes the batting force of the electric ball striking device in response to the rotation of the rotating shaft,
The hitting force adjusting device includes:
The connection state in which the rotation of the operation handle is transmitted to the adjustment member via the rotation shaft and the batting force of the electric ball striking device is changed, and the operation handle rotation is not transmitted to the adjustment member. A rotation interrupting means adapted to selectively switch between a shut-off state in which the batting force of the electric ball striking device is not changed even if the handle is turned;
When the rotation interrupting means is in the shut-off state, the initial stop position of the operation handle is changed to that position by rotating the operation handle at an arbitrary angle and switching to the connected state in that state. Provide a machine.

  In addition, as described in claim 2, the ball game machine according to claim 1, wherein the rotation interrupting means of the batting force adjusting device is a clutch provided between the operation handle and the rotation shaft. To do.

In addition, as described in claim 3, the rotation interrupting means of the batting force adjusting device includes:
A handle support member that rotatably supports the operation handle while supporting the adjustment member in a fixed manner and is also rotatably supported by the front member;
The connection state that stops the rotation of the handle support member by connecting the handle support member and the front member, and the adjustment member and the operation handle are configured to release the connection and enable the handle support member to rotate. The ball game machine according to claim 1, further comprising: a switching member for player operation that can be switched to the shut-off state that rotates integrally with the handle support member.

  In the ball ball game machine of the present invention, when the rotation interrupting means is in the cut-off state, the rotation of the operation handle is not transmitted to the adjustment member. It does n’t move. Therefore, when the rotation interrupting means is switched to the connected state in the rotation state, the adjustment member at the initial stop position and the rotated operation handle are coupled, so that the position of the rotated operation handle becomes the new initial stop position. It becomes. Therefore, by appropriately adjusting the initial stop position of the operation handle prior to the game, the player can maintain the optimum striking position of the operation handle in a favorite posture where he can relax most easily. Fatigue can be minimized.

It is a partially expanded front view which shows the principal part of a ball game machine. It is a front view of a bullet ball game machine. It is a partially expanded horizontal sectional view which shows the principal part of a bullet ball game machine. The main part of a ball game machine is shown, (a) is a partially enlarged longitudinal sectional view in which the rotation interrupting means is connected, and (b) is a partially enlarged longitudinal sectional view in which the rotation interrupting means is shut off. is there. It is a partially expanded front view which shows the principal part of the ball game machine of Embodiment 2. It is a partially expanded longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the principal part of the ball game machine of Embodiment 2.

[Embodiment 1]
Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4 by taking a pachinko machine as an example of a ball game machine as an example.

[Pachinko machine]
As shown in FIG. 2, the pachinko machine 1 includes an outer frame 2 that is squarely framed, and a front frame 3 that is attached to the front surface of the outer frame 2 so as to be openable and closable (turnable). Here, the outer frame 2 corresponds to a fixing member that is fixedly attached to a gaming machine installation island (not shown) that is an indoor gaming machine installation unit such as a game hall, and the front frame 3 is a fixing member. It corresponds to a front member attached to the front face so as to be opened and closed.

On the front surface of the front frame 3, a rotatable window portion 4 fitted with a transparent plate of glass or synthetic resin, and a front decorative member 7 having an upper ball tray 5 and a lower ball tray 6 below the window portion 4. Is attached.
A game board 8 is detachably attached to the front frame 3 at a position facing the window 4 behind the window 4. The game board 8 is formed with a game area 10 surrounded by a guide rail 9 in a substantially circular shape so that the game area 10 can be seen from the player through the window 4 of the front frame 3. It has become.
Furthermore, a launch board (not shown) is provided on the rear side of the front frame 3 so as to form a vertical surface below the game board 8 and flush with the front surface of the game board 8. A launch rail 11 is attached to the front surface of the launch substrate.

In the pachinko machine 1, when a player hits the game ball in the upper ball tray 5 into the game area 10 and enters the winning opening 12 provided in the game area 10, the prize ball (same as the game ball) Are discharged to the upper ball tray 5, while game balls that have not won the prize opening 12 are discharged (collected) to the back of the machine as out balls.
Accordingly, the pachinko machine 1 is provided with an electric ball striking device 13 for driving a game ball toward the game area 10 of the game board 8 and a batting force adjusting device 14 for adjusting the strength of the batting force of the electric ball striking device 13. .

[Electric ball striking device]
As shown in FIG. 3, the electric ball striking device 13 includes a metal base substrate 16 that is fixed by providing a space 15 between the rear surface of the front frame 3 and the rear surface of the front frame 3. 5, a ball supply device (not shown) for supplying a game ball to the launch position 11 s of the launch rail 11, a ball striking member 17 for launching a game ball supplied by the ball supply device, and a ball striking operation on the ball striking member 17 And a power member 18 to be performed.

The hitting member 17 is pivotally mounted in the space 15 between the base substrate 16 and the rear surface of the front frame 3 by a swing shaft 19 on the base substrate 16 side. An elastic hammer head 17h facing the firing position 11s is provided.
On the other hand, the power member 18 has an electric motor 18a fixed to the base substrate 16, a rotating cam 18b that rotates by the driving force of the electric motor 18a to tilt the hitting member 17, and the hitting member 17 in the hitting direction. It is comprised with the well-known combination with the traction spring (not shown) to urge.

[Strike strength adjusting device]
The striking force adjusting device 14 is disposed on the front side of the front frame 3 so as to be able to rotate at an angle within a certain range from the initial stop position, and transmits the rotation of the operation handle 140 to the back side of the front frame 3. A rotating shaft 141, an adjusting member 142 that changes the hitting force of the electric ball striking device 13 in response to the rotation of the rotating shaft 141, and a rotation interrupting means 143 (details will be described later).

[Beat force adjusting device-operation handle]
The operation handle 140 has a T-shaped lever shape, and has a round bar-like shaft portion 140a that is rotatably fitted to the distal end of the shaft tube portion 20a of the handle support member 20 attached to the front frame 3, and its shaft portion. It consists of a rod-shaped grip 140b formed at the tip of 140a in a direction perpendicular to the shaft 140a. The operation handle 140 is initially set so that the grip portion 140b is substantially horizontal as shown by the solid line in FIG. 1 when in the initial stop position before the game starts.

[Beat force adjusting device-rotating shaft]
As shown in FIGS. 3, 4A and 4B, the rotary shaft 141 is rotatably attached to the shaft tube portion 20a of the handle support member 20, and the front half is a small diameter portion 141a. A metal stepped shaft having a large-diameter portion 141b in the latter half and a resin shaft portion 141c integrally formed so as to surround the outer periphery of the large-diameter portion 141b. The operation handle 140 rotates on the small-diameter portion 141a. It is mounted in a slidable state.

[Batting force adjusting device-adjusting member]
The adjusting member 142 has a pulley 142a fixed to the rear end of the resin shaft portion 141c of the rotary shaft 141, one end wound around the pulley 142a, and the other end connected to the traction spring of the electric ball striking device 13. The wire 142b is configured to rotate the pulley 142a by the rotation of the rotating shaft 141, and to expand and contract the traction spring of the power member 18 through the wire 142b to increase or decrease the striking force of the ball striking member 17. .

[Batting force adjusting device-rotation intermittent means]
The rotation interrupting means 143 is a clutch provided between the operation handle 140 and the rotating shaft 141.
That is, the rotation interrupting means 143 has, for example, triangular, square, and trapezoidal claws 143a, 143b projecting radially on the end faces of a pair of opposing disks, and the claws 143a, 143b mesh with each other to rotate in the axial direction. It is a known meshing clutch that transmits In the first embodiment, the claws 143a and 143b protrude from the front end surface of the resin shaft portion 141c of the rotating shaft 141 and the rear end surface of the shaft portion 140a of the operation handle 140, respectively. On the other hand, a cylindrical hole-shaped spring chamber 143c is formed around the small-diameter portion 141a of the rotating shaft 141 inside the shaft portion 140a of the operation handle 140, and the rear end portion of the spring chamber 143c and the small-diameter portion 141a. The coil spring 143e is loaded in a compressed state between the receiving plate 143d fixed to the tip of the coil. Accordingly, the operation handle 140 is biased toward the resin shaft portion 141c of the rotating shaft 141 by the elasticity of the coil spring 143e, and the claws 143a and 143b are reliably engaged with each other by the biasing.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4A, the hitting force adjusting device 14 configured as described above is generally provided with a claw 143 a of the shaft portion 140 a of the operation handle 140 and a claw of the resin shaft portion 141 c of the rotating shaft 141. 143b is in a connected state in which the coil spring 143e is engaged, so that the rotation of the operation handle 140 is transmitted to the adjusting member 142 via the rotating shaft 141. On the other hand, in this connected state, on the contrary, the rotation of the pulley 142a of the adjusting member 142 is transmitted to the operation handle 140 via the rotating shaft 141, so that the elasticity of the traction spring that urges the hitting member 17 in the hitting direction is The operation handle 140 acts on the operation handle 140 via the rotation shaft 141, and the operation handle 140 is in the initial stop position shown by the solid line in FIG.

In this state, when the grip portion 140b of the operation handle 140 is gripped in a so-called forward manner with the back of the right hand, for example, first, a touch sensor (not shown) detects the player, the electric ball striking device 13 is activated, and the game ball is A game area 10 is launched. When the rotation angle of the operation handle 140 is appropriately increased or decreased from that state, the rotation of the operation handle 140 is transmitted to the pulley 142a of the adjustment member 142 via the rotation shaft 141, and the rotation of the pulley 142a is transmitted via the wire 142b. The traction spring is extended and contracted by being transmitted to the traction spring of the power member 18. As a result, the hitting force of the hitting ball member 17 is adjusted, and the game ball can be shot at the target point in the game area 10.
Further, when the player releases his / her hand from the operation handle 140, the touch sensor detects it and the electric ball striking device 13 stops, and the pulley 142a is rotated by the elasticity of the traction spring for biasing the ball striking member 17. The operation handle 140 automatically returns to the initial stop position shown by the solid line in FIG.

Next, a case where the initial stop position of the operation handle 140 is changed will be described.
First, as shown in FIG. 4B, the operation handle 140 at the initial stop position is pulled toward the player side against the bias of the coil spring 143e, and the claws 143a and 143b are separated from each other to turn off the rotation interrupting means 143. Switch to. When the rotation interrupting means 143 is cut off in this way, the operation handle 140 idles on the small diameter portion 141a and the rotation is not transmitted to the pulley 142a of the adjustment member 142. Therefore, the operation handle 140 in FIG. Thus, the adjustment member 142 does not move from the initial stop position even if it is rotated by an arbitrary amount. Therefore, when the operation handle 140 is slid on the small-diameter portion 141a of the rotating shaft 141 in the rotated state to engage the claws 143a and 143b, and the rotation interrupting means 143 is switched to the connected state, the initial stop is performed. Since the adjustment member 142 in the position and the rotated operation handle 140 are connected, the position of the rotated operation handle 140 becomes a new initial stop position.
In this way, the player can hold the optimal batting position of the operation handle 140 in a favorite posture that he can most relax by appropriately adjusting the initial stop position of the operation handle 140 prior to the game. Arm fatigue due to games can be minimized.
If a scale indicating a rotation angle with respect to the initial stop position is provided on one or both of the front frame 3 side (for example, the front end surface of the shaft tube portion 20a) and the operation handle 140, the initial stop of the operation handle 140 is performed. The position can be easily changed and reset.

[Embodiment 2]
5 and 6 show a pachinko machine 1 according to the second embodiment. The second embodiment and the first embodiment are mainly different from those described below, and the second embodiment not described below is substantially the same as the first embodiment.

[Electric ball striking device]
The electric ball striking device 13 includes a base substrate 16 located on the lower rear side of the front frame 3 shown in FIG. 3, a ball striking member 17 that launches a game ball from the firing position 11 s of the firing rail 11, and the ball striking member 17 performs a ball striking operation. As shown in FIG. 5, the power member 18 is formed by a rotary solenoid 18 c that is directly connected to the swing shaft 19 of the ball striking member 17 and attached to the base substrate 16. ing.

  In the electric ball striking device 13, the ball striking member 17 is in the tilted position as indicated by the broken line in FIG. 5 in a state where no voltage is applied to the rotary solenoid 18c. When a voltage is applied to the rotary solenoid 18c in this state, the hammer head 17h is instantly turned upright as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 5, and the rotation causes the hammer head 17h to move to the game ball at the launch position 11s of the launch rail 11. The game ball is launched toward the guide rail 9 by the impact.

[Strike strength adjusting device]
The striking force adjusting device 14 according to the second embodiment is such that the operation handle 140 is a disk shape and has a finger-hanging piece 140c protruding from the outer periphery. The rotating shaft 141 is a metal round shaft, the front end of which is integrally fixed to the center of the disk of the operation handle 140. On the other hand, the rotating shaft 141 is rotatable on the shaft tube portion 20a of the handle support member 20 on the front frame 3 side. So that it can rotate integrally with the operation handle 140. The adjusting member 142 is a variable resistor 142c capable of changing a pulsed voltage value applied to the rotary solenoid 18c. The adjusting member 142 is fixedly supported by the handle support member 20, and the rear side of the rotating shaft 141 is fixed. It is connected to the end.

The hitting force adjusting device 14 configured as described above arbitrarily changes the voltage value applied to the rotary solenoid 18c by grasping and rotating the operation handle 140, and thus the hitting force of the hitting ball member 17 is freely set. Can be adjusted to.
The operation handle 140 receives an urging force of a spring (not shown) built in the variable resistor 142c via the rotating shaft 141, and automatically returns to the initial stop position by the urging force.

[Batting force adjusting device-rotation intermittent means]
The rotation interrupting means 143 according to the second embodiment can be switched by selectively attaching the handle support member 20 to the front frame 3 and selectively rotating / fixing the handle support member 20 with respect to the front frame 3. It is comprised by the switching member 143f.

[Rotation interrupting means-handle support member]
As shown in FIG. 6, the handle support member 20 includes a lateral cup-shaped base 20 c that is rotatably supported by the front frame 3 by loosely fitting the cylindrical base 20 b in the circular hole 21 of the front frame 3. And a hook-shaped cover body 20d attached to the base portion 20c, and a gear-type engaging portion 143g projecting in a flange shape at a position on the outer periphery of the base portion 20c and in contact with the front surface of the front frame 3. A disc-shaped operation handle 140 is disposed between the base portion 20c and the bowl-shaped cover body 20d, and the rotary shaft 141 is passed through the shaft tube portion 20a provided inside the base portion 20c, so that the operation handle 140 is rotated. It is possible to support. Note that the variable resistor 142c as the adjusting member 142 is fixedly supported inside the cylindrical base portion 20b of the base portion 20c.

[Rotation interrupting means-switching member]
As shown in FIG. 6, the switching member 143f has a central shaft 143h at the lower end and has one or more claws 143i engageable with the engaging portion 143g of the handle support member 20 at the upper end. A moving plate is mounted on a recess 22 formed in front of the front frame 3 and directly below the circular hole 21 so as to be swingable around the central axis 143h as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. A claw 143i at the upper end is urged by a spring material (not shown) so as to be able to engage with the engaging portion 143g of the handle support member 20.

[Rotating intermittent means-connection status]
The connection state of the rotation interrupting means 143 of the second embodiment is the state of the solid line in FIG. 6 in which the claw 143i of the switching member 143f is engaged with the engaging portion 143g of the handle support member 20, and in this connection state, the switching member 143f Since the handle support member 20 and the front frame 3 are connected via each other, the handle support member 20 does not rotate with respect to the front frame 3. When the operating handle 140 is rotated in this connected state, the rotating shaft 141 rotates integrally with the operating handle 140, while the variable resistor 142 c is fixedly supported by the handle supporting member 20. The rotation is transmitted to the variable resistor 142c, and the hitting force of the electric hitting device 13 is changed.

[Rotation interrupting means-shut off state]
The shutoff state of the rotation interrupting means 143 of the second embodiment is the state of the two-dot chain line in FIG. 6 in which the switching member 143f is pushed into the recess 22 with, for example, a fingertip from the above connected state. In this shutoff state, the switching member 143f Since the claw 143i is disengaged from the engaging portion 143g of the handle support member 20 and the connection between the handle support member 20 and the front frame 3 is released, the handle support member 20 can rotate within the circular hole 21 of the front frame 3. . When the operation handle 140 is rotated in this state, not only the rotating shaft 141 but also the handle support member 20 and the variable resistor 142c fixed to the handle support member 20 are rotated together. Therefore, since the rotation of the operation handle 140 is not substantially transmitted to the variable resistor 142c, even if the operation handle 140 is turned, the hitting force of the electric ball striking device 13 is not changed.

  Since the pachinko machine 1 according to the second embodiment is configured as described above, the switching member 143f is pushed into the recess 22 in a state where the operation handle 140 is at the initial stop position in FIG. The handle support member 20 is rotated together with the operation handle 140 in the shut-off state, and the pressing of the switching member 143f is released in the rotated state to switch the rotation interrupting means 143 to the connected state. Then, the position of the rotated operation handle 140 becomes a new initial stop position.

Although the present invention has been described above with respect to Embodiments 1 and 2, of course, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, Embodiments 1 and 2 have been described by taking a pachinko machine as an example, but other than that, the invention can be applied to all ball game machines that use a game ball such as a sparrow ball machine and an arrange ball machine.
Further, the operation handle 140 and the handle support member 20 of the first and second embodiments are merely examples. For example, the operation handle 140 of the first embodiment and the operation handle 140 of the second embodiment are mutually replaced, or other operation handles 140 are other than that. It is also possible to use the handle support member 20.

1 ... Pachinko machine (ball game machine)
2. Outer frame (fixing member)
3. Front frame (front member)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Game area | region 11s ... Launch position 13 ... Electric hitting device 14 ... Hitting force adjustment device 140 ... Operation handle 141 ... Rotating shaft 142 ... Adjustment member 143 ... Rotation intermittent means 143f ... Switching member 17 ... Hitting member 18 ... Power member 20 ... Handle support member

Claims (3)

A fixing member fixedly attached to the indoor game machine installation section;
A front member which is attached to the front surface of the fixing member so as to be openable and closable and has a game area for a player to play a game;
An electric ball striking device for driving a game ball into the game area;
A striking force adjusting device for adjusting the striking force of the electric ball striking device,
The electric ball striking device is
A striking ball member that launches a game ball at the launch position toward the game area;
A power member that causes the hitting member to perform a hitting operation,
The hitting force adjusting device includes:
An operation handle disposed on the front side of the front member so as to be rotated by a predetermined angle from an initial stop position;
A rotation shaft for transmitting rotation of the operation handle to the back side of the front member;
In a ball game machine comprising an adjustment member that changes the batting force of the electric ball striking device in response to the rotation of the rotating shaft,
The hitting force adjusting device includes:
The connection state in which the rotation of the operation handle is transmitted to the adjustment member via the rotation shaft and the batting force of the electric ball striking device is changed, and the operation handle rotation is not transmitted to the adjustment member. A rotation interrupting means adapted to selectively switch between a shut-off state in which the batting force of the electric ball striking device is not changed even if the handle is turned;
When the rotation interrupting means is in the cut-off state, the initial stop position of the operation handle is changed to the position by rotating the operation handle at an arbitrary angle and switching to the connected state in that state. A ball game machine characterized by that.   2. The ball game machine according to claim 1, wherein the rotation interrupting means of the batting force adjusting device is a clutch provided between the operation handle and the rotating shaft. The rotation intermittent means of the batting force adjusting device is:
A handle support member that rotatably supports the operation handle while supporting the adjustment member in a fixed manner and is also rotatably supported by the front member;
The connection state that stops the rotation of the handle support member by connecting the handle support member and the front member, and the adjustment member and the operation handle are configured to release the connection and enable the handle support member to rotate. The ball game machine according to claim 1, further comprising: a switching member for player operation that can be switched to the shut-off state that rotates integrally with the handle support member.

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