JP2014100373A - Game machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a game machine including a ball detector that prevents direct contact of game balls flowing down inside a ball passage and is repeatedly usable for a long term.SOLUTION: A game machine includes a ball detector 60 detecting entry of a game ball into a winning component arranged in a game area on a game board. The ball detector 60 includes a detector body 70 including a detection hole 75 allowing the game ball to pass, and a protecting member 80 arranged at an inflow side of the game ball in the detector body 70. The protecting member 80 is configured to include a through hole 81 that coincides with the center of the detection hole 75 of the detector body 70, and is the same as an internal diameter of the detection hole 75, or smaller than the internal diameter.

Description

  The present invention relates to a ball detector, and more particularly to a gaming machine equipped with a ball detector with improved durability against contact with a game ball.

  Conventionally, a pachinko gaming machine (hereinafter referred to as a pachinko machine) as an example of a gaming machine has a plurality of winning parts arranged on the front surface of a gaming board and a metal gaming ball taken into each winning part. A ball passage that flows down to the outside and a ball detector that is inserted into the ball passage. The ball detector passes through a detection hole provided in the ball detector. Based on, a winning of a game ball is detected.

  However, in the above-mentioned ball detector, the cover itself covering the detection coil and the circuit as a detection element for detecting the passing of the game ball is made of synthetic resin such as polycarbonate, so that it faces the detection hole of the ball detector. A ball detector mounted on a pachinko machine that has been used for a long period of time or has become unusable due to the impact of a game ball that repeatedly flows through the ball path, causing the peripheral edge (corner) of the detection hole to be scraped or cracked It was difficult to repeatedly use (reuse) for other pachinko machines.

JP 2007-127618 A

  Accordingly, the present invention provides a gaming machine equipped with a ball detector that can prevent a game ball flowing down in a ball passage from coming into direct contact and can be used over a long period of time or used repeatedly in order to solve the above-mentioned problems. The purpose is to do.

As a configuration of the present invention for solving the above problems, a gaming machine comprising a ball detector for detecting a winning of a game ball to a winning component arranged in a gaming area of a gaming board, wherein the ball detector is A detector main body having a detection hole through which the game ball can pass, and a protective member disposed on the inflow side of the game ball in the detector main body, the protective member being aligned with the center of the detection hole of the detector main body. And it was set as the structure which has the same or small diameter through-hole as the internal diameter of the said detection hole.
As another configuration, the peripheral portion of the through hole of the protection member is formed in a tapered shape that is inclined toward the inner side in the radial direction of the through hole.
The summary of the invention does not enumerate all necessary features of the present invention, and individual configurations constituting the feature group can also be the invention.

  According to the ball detector having the above-described configuration, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of scraping, cracks, and the like due to the contact of the game ball, thereby increasing the possibility of reuse.

It is an external appearance perspective view of the pachinko machine concerning this embodiment. It is a front view of a game board. It is a rear view of a game board. It is the perspective view and longitudinal cross-sectional view which expand and show a ball | bowl detector. It is the perspective view and longitudinal cross-sectional view of the bulb | ball detector which concern on other embodiment.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail through embodiments of the invention. However, the following embodiments do not limit the invention according to the claims, and all combinations of features described in the embodiments are included in the invention. It is not always essential to the solution.
In addition, in the present specification, the up / down / left / right front / rear directions refer to directions indicated by arrows in the drawings.

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a pachinko machine 10 as an example of a gaming machine, and FIG. 2 is an overall front view of a gaming board 30. The outline of the pachinko machine 10 will be described with reference to FIG.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the pachinko machine 10 according to the present embodiment is pivotally attached to a machine box 12 having a vertical rectangular shape installed in an island facility of the amusement hall, and a side portion of the machine frame 12, A main body frame 13 that can be freely opened and closed, a game board 30 that is mounted inside the main body frame 13, a glass window that is pivotally attached to the front surface of the main body frame 13 and that can be freely opened and closed, and that is provided at the center. 14A and the panel door 14 which has the saucer 16 provided under the said glass window 14A, the launching device outside the figure arrange | positioned at the lower part of the main body frame 13, and the handle | steering-wheel 17 attached to the lower part of the panel door 14 , And speakers 18 and 18 respectively provided on the left and right upper portions of the panel door 14.

As shown in FIG. 2, the game board 30 has a game area 30A that can be observed from the glass window 14A. The game area 30A is partitioned so as to be substantially circular by a guide rail 31 and a game ball regulation rail 32 for sliding the game ball launched by the launching device.
For example, an LCD, a CRT, or a rotary drum-type symbol display device 33 is attached to the center of the game board 30 through a mounting opening that opens in the front-rear direction. Around the symbol display device 33, a board decoration 34 protruding forward so as to surround the symbol display device 33 is fixed to the game board 30 by a plurality of fixing means.

Hereinafter, main game parts arranged on the game board 30 and paths of game balls will be described.
As shown in FIG. 2, the game ball that has entered the game area 30A of the game board 30 by driving the launching device is guided in the left-right direction by the board decoration 34, and a part of the game ball is arranged in the game area 30A. It is taken in the first starting part 40, the second starting part 41, and the general winning parts 43 and 44 as parts. Hereinafter, various winning components will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the first starting component 40 is disposed at the center in the left-right direction of the game area 30 </ b> A. The first starting component 40 has a winning opening with an upper opening through which a game ball flowing down the game area 30A can be taken.

A second starting component 41 is disposed below the first starting component 40. The second starting component 41 has a winning opening that can take in a game ball flowing down the game area 30A, and a pair of left and right opening / closing bodies 42 that open or close the winning opening. The opening / closing body 42 is opened and closed in the left-right direction by the operation of a solenoid (not shown) attached to the back side of the game board 30. The opening / closing body 42 makes it difficult or impossible for the game ball to win a prize in the second starting component 41 while the opening / closing body 42 is closed (in a C shape). On the other hand, the opening operation of the opening / closing body 42 is executed when a later-described normal symbol is stopped in a manner indicating “hit”, and the game ball is a second starting part during the opening operation of the opening / closing body 42 (inverted C-shaped). It becomes easy to win in 41.
A game ball taken in from each winning opening is guided to the back side of the game board 30 through a lead-out hole 51 penetrating in the front-rear direction of the game board 30 and is out of the machine by a set plate 50 described later attached to the back side of the game board 30. (See FIG. 3).

  In addition, when a game ball wins in the first starting component 40 or the second starting component 41 and is detected by ball detectors 60 and 61 disposed in a set plate 50 described later, the entire game is managed. Based on the detection signals output from the ball detectors 60 and 61, the main control device (not shown) executes, for example, a prize ball payout process for paying out three prize balls, and a jackpot lottery process with a predetermined probability. To do. Here, for example, the probability of “big hit” as a result of the jackpot lottery process is preset as 1/360, and the main control device uses a special symbol or symbol display device outside the figure based on the result of the big hit lottery process. The design change process for stopping the special design and the design for the effect is executed in such a manner that the design symbol for the effect displayed on the screen 33 is started and the result of the big hit lottery process is notified after a predetermined time has elapsed.

  After the stop of the design for the production, when the result of the big hit lottery process is “big hit”, for example, “7 / 7.7”, the same numbers and the symbols imitating the same character are arranged in a straight line It is an aspect. On the other hand, when the result of the big hit lottery process is “out of” other than “big hit”, it is an aspect in which symbols representing different numbers and characters such as “1, 3, 5” are arranged.

  When the result of the big hit lottery by the main control device is “big hit” and the stoppage is in a mode indicating that the style of the effect design after the stop is “big hit”, the big hit game start processing is executed. . In the present embodiment, the big hit game is played through the open / close door 46A of the big prize component 46 provided below the second starting part 41 or the open / close door 47A of the big prize component 47 provided on the right side of the game area 30A. This operation is performed by opening with a solenoid (not shown) disposed on the back side of the panel 30. The game balls taken into the winning opening of each of the big winning components 46 and 47 are arranged on the downstream side via the ball passages 57 and 58 provided in the set plate 50 after being detected by a ball detector (not shown). It is collected in a discharge passage outside the figure and discharged outside the machine.

In the game area 30A, in addition to the first starting component 40 and the second starting component 41 described above, a plurality of general winning components 43 and 44 and a normal symbol starting component 48 are arranged.
As shown in FIG. 2, the general winning components 43 and 44 are arranged separately on both sides in the left-right direction with the first starting component 40 and the second starting component 41 interposed therebetween. The general winning components 43 and 44 have a winning opening with an upper opening that can take in a game ball flowing down the game area 30A.

When a game ball is detected by the ball detectors 62 and 63 corresponding to the general winning components 43 and 44, the main control device executes a prize ball payout process for paying out, for example, three prize balls based on the detection signal. .
The game balls that have not been taken into the first starting part 40, the second starting part 41, or the general winning parts 43, 44 are taken into the out port 45 opened at the center bottom of the game board 30, It is collected and discharged outside the machine.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the normal symbol starting part 48 is a gate-shaped passage hole having an upper and lower opening, also called a through chucker, and is disposed on the left side of the game area 30A. A ball detector (not shown) is disposed inside the normal symbol starting part 48.

  When the game ball passes through the normal symbol starting component 48, it is detected by a ball detector disposed therein, and a detection signal is output to the main controller. Based on the output signal from the ball detector, the main control device executes a predetermined lottery relating to whether or not the opening / closing operation of the opening / closing body 42 constituting the second starting component 41 is possible. If the result of the predetermined lottery is “winning”, the opening / closing body 42 is opened by driving a solenoid (not shown), and the game ball can win the second starting component 41.

Next, the structure on the back side of the game board 30 will be described. FIG. 3 is a rear view of the game board 30.
In the figure, an opening 50A corresponds to the mounting opening of the game board 30 and is a portion from which the rear part of the symbol display device 33 protrudes. Further, on one side of the opening 50A, an unillustrated prize ball for guiding prize balls and rental balls discharged from an unillustrated ball tank and a prize ball payout device provided at the upper part of the game board 30 to the tray 16 is provided. A payout structure and a ball punching structure for discharging game balls staying inside the ball tank and the prize ball payout device to the outside of the pachinko machine 10 are arranged.

  As shown in the figure, a set board 50 is disposed below the game board 30. The set plate 50 as a winning ball guiding chamber is a shallow box-shaped body molded from, for example, acrylic resin or ABS resin. The set board 50 is attached so as to cover the back surface of the game board 30 through a plurality of screw holes provided in the periphery, and covers the entire winning components arranged on the game board 30. Inside the set board 50, a plurality of ball passages 52 to 55 are provided for guiding the game balls taken in through the winning components to the downstream side, and the plurality of ball passages 52 to 55 are provided in the game area 30A. Are provided with a plurality of ball detectors 60 to 63 for detecting game balls taken into a plurality of winning components.

For example, when a game ball is taken in from the winning opening of the first starting component 40, the game ball passes through the lead-out hole 51 and is guided to the back side of the game board 30 and guided downward by the ball passage 52. The ball passage 52 is a passage through which the game ball guided to the lead-out hole 51 flows down, and extends meandering so as to avoid the out port 45 located below.
Further, a sphere detector 60 described later is disposed in the middle of the sphere passage 52. The sphere detector 60 is inserted into the sphere passage 52 so that the hole axis of a circular detection hole 75 opened in the detector main body 70 described later faces in the vertical direction (see FIG. 4). That is, the game balls taken into the first starting component 40 are detected by the ball detector 60 arranged on the back surface of the game board 30 and then collected in a discharge passage outside the figure arranged on the downstream side. Discharged outside the machine.

Further, when the game ball is taken in from the winning opening of the second starting component 41 during the opening operation of the opening / closing body 42, the game ball passes through the lead-out hole 51 and is guided to the back side of the game board 30, and the ball path 53 is guided downwards. The ball passage 53 is a passage through which the game ball guided to the lead-out hole 51 flows down, and extends meandering so as to avoid the out port 45 located below.
A sphere detector 61 is disposed in the middle of the sphere passage 53. The sphere detector 61 is inserted into the sphere passage 53 so that the hole axis of the circular detection hole 75 established in the detector main body 70 faces the vertical direction (see FIG. 4). That is, the game ball taken into the second starting component 41 is detected by the ball detector 61 provided on the back surface of the game board 30 in the middle of flowing down in the ball passage 53, and then arranged on the downstream side. It is collected in a discharge passage outside the figure and discharged outside the machine.

Further, when the game ball is taken in from the winning slot of the general winning component 43 or the general winning component 44, the gaming ball is guided to the back side of the game board 30 through the outlet holes 51; Is guided downward by a ball passage 54 corresponding to, or a ball passage 55 corresponding to the general winning component 44. The ball passages 54 and 55 are passages for causing the game ball guided to the lead-out hole 51 to flow downward, and extend while meandering to the center in the left-right direction.
Further, ball detectors 62 and 63 are disposed in the middle of the ball passages 54 and 55. The sphere detectors 62 and 63 are inserted into the sphere passages 54 and 55 so that the hole axis of the circular detection hole 75 provided in the detector main body 70 faces the vertical direction (see FIG. 4). That is, the game balls taken into the general winning components 43 and 44 are detected by the ball detectors 62 and 63 disposed on the back surface of the game board 30 in the middle of the ball passages 54 and 55, and then arranged downstream. They are collected in a discharge passage outside the figure and discharged outside the machine.

  4A is an enlarged perspective view showing the sphere detector 60, and FIG. 4B is a longitudinal sectional view of the sphere detector 60. Hereinafter, the details of the sphere detector 60 provided corresponding to the first starting component 40 will be described with reference to FIG. Since the sphere detectors 60 to 63 have the same configuration except for the position where they are attached, the sphere detector 60 will be described as a representative, and the description of the sphere detectors 61 to 63 will be omitted.

The spherical detector 60 is a plate-like member having a substantially horizontally long rectangular shape in plan view, and includes a detector main body 70 and a protective member 80 attached to the detector main body 70. The detector body 70 is an electronic component in which a detection coil and a circuit board (not shown) are incorporated. In addition, a detection hole 75 having a diameter larger than that of the game ball is opened in the first half of the detector main body 70.
The detection hole 75 includes a sphere inflow side surface 70A that faces the upstream side when the sphere detector 60 is disposed in each of the above-described sphere passages 52 to 55, and the sphere detector 60 includes each sphere described above. When disposed in the passages 52 to 55, the detection coil is circular when it passes between the ball outflow side surfaces 70B facing the downstream side and the game ball passes through the detection hole 75. The detection signal resulting from the impedance change is output. Further, a pair of notches 76; 76 that protrude from the side surface 70E toward the center in the left-right direction is formed on the side surface 70E in the left-right direction of the detector body 70. The pair of notches 76; 76 are portions that engage with attachment projections 83; 83 of the protection member 80 described later.

  The ball detection signal output from the detector main body 70 is not shown in the figure by a plurality of signal lines 73 extending from a connector 72 projecting from the rear end surface 70F of the detector main body 70 via a wiring board incorporated therein. Is output to the main controller.

  Next, the protection member 80 attached to the above-described detector body 70 will be described. As shown in the figure, the protective member 80 is a thin plate material having a horizontally long rectangular shape substantially corresponding to the shape of the sphere inflow side surface 70A, for example, a metal such as copper, iron, aluminum, or an alloy containing these metals. Alternatively, it is formed of a soft or hard synthetic resin. If the protective member 80 is made of a conductive material, it functions as a shield that mitigates the effects of unauthorized radio waves that can be irradiated from the outside or static electricity generated from other electronic components, etc. This is preferable because it can be prevented.

  A circular through hole 81 corresponding to the detection hole 75 of the detector main body 70 is opened in the front half of the protection member 80 when mounted. As shown in FIG. 4B, the peripheral edge 82 that borders the circular through-hole 81 is formed as a tapered surface that gradually decreases in diameter from the upper side to the lower side, and the game that flows in from the upstream side. The sphere can be easily taken into the through hole 81 smoothly.

Further, the inner diameter D2 of the through hole 81 of the protection member 80 is set to be slightly smaller than the inner diameter D1 of the detection hole 75 of the detector main body 70, although it is larger than the diameter D3 of the game ball. That is, the relationship between the inner diameter D1, the inner diameter D2, and the diameter D3 of the game ball is D1>D2> D3.
When the protective member 80 is appropriately positioned on the spherical inflow side surface 70A of the detector main body 70 and the through hole 81 of the protective member 80 is superimposed on the upper portion of the detector main body 70, a circular detection hole is formed. Since the peripheral edge 77 bordering 75 is covered with the protective member 80, it is possible to reliably prevent the game ball flowing in from the upstream side from coming into direct contact with the peripheral edge 77. It becomes possible to prevent the occurrence of easy shaving and cracking. Here, “appropriate positioning” is a state in which the center of the through hole 81 and the center of the detection hole 75 coincide with each other.
The relationship of D1> D2 may be D1 = D2. In this case, the through hole 81 of the protection member 80 and the detection hole 75 of the detector main body 70 coincide with each other in the vertical direction, but the game ball flowing from the upstream side is formed in a tapered shape of the protection member 80. Therefore, it is possible to sufficiently prevent the game ball from coming into direct contact with the peripheral edge 77 of the detection hole 75.

A pair of attachment projections 83; 83 project downward from the surface of the protection member 80 that faces the above-described ball inflow side surface 70 </ b> A. The attachment protrusion 83; 83 has an outer shape that engages with the notch 76; 76 formed in the detector body 70, and aligns the attachment protrusion 83; 83 with respect to the notch 76; 76. By attaching the protection member 80 from above the detector main body 70, the position of the through hole 81 with respect to the detection hole 75 is appropriately positioned, and the peripheral edge 77 of the detection hole 75 is protected by the protection member 80. The method of engaging the detector main body 70 and the protection member 80 is not limited to the notches 76; 76 and the attachment pieces 83; 83, and the protection member 80 can be appropriately attached to the detector main body 70. It doesn't matter what type it is.
Further, the detector main body 70 and the protection member 80 may be directly joined with an adhesive or the like without adopting the engagement means.

  As described above, according to the ball detector 60 according to the above-described embodiment, since the peripheral edge 77 of the detection hole 75 opened in the detector main body 70 is covered with the protection member 80, the game ball is detected by the detector main body. 70, in other words, it does not directly collide with the peripheral edge 77 of the detection hole 75 which is likely to be scraped or cracked by direct contact, and the durability against the inflow of game balls to the ball detector 60 can be improved. Since the durability of the sphere detector 60 is improved, the sphere detector 60 can be used over a long period of time or can be repeatedly used (reused).

FIG. 5 is a perspective view and a longitudinal sectional view showing different forms of the protection member attached to the detector main body 70. The protection member 90 in this embodiment is different from the above embodiment in that only the vicinity of the peripheral edge 77 of the detection hole 75 is protected. As shown in FIG. 5A, the protective member 90 has a circular shape larger in diameter than the detection hole 75 of the ball ejector main body 70 protruding toward the upstream side from the ball inflow side surface 70A of the detector main body 70 at the time of mounting. It is a member, and is formed of a material such as a metal, an alloy, or a synthetic resin, like the protective member 80. A circular through hole 91 corresponding to the detection hole 75 of the detector main body 70 is opened in the central portion of the protection member 90 in a state of being attached to the detector main body 70.
The peripheral edge 92 that borders the circular through-hole 91 is formed as a tapered surface that gradually decreases in diameter from the upper side to the lower side, like the protection member 80, and the game ball that flows in from the upstream side passes therethrough. It becomes easy to be smoothly taken in with respect to the hole 91.

As shown in FIG. 5B, the inner diameter D2 of the through hole 91 established in the protection member 90 is larger than the diameter D3 of the game ball, similar to the protection member 80 described above. The diameter is set to be slightly smaller than the inner diameter D1 of the 70 detection holes 75. That is, the relationship between the inner diameter D1, the inner diameter D2, and the diameter D3 of the game ball is D1>D2> D3.
As in the above-described embodiment, the relationship D1> D2 may be D1 = D2. In this case, the through hole 91 of the protection member 90 and the detection hole 75 of the detector main body 70 coincide with each other in the vertical direction, but the game ball flowing from the upstream side is formed in a tapered shape of the protection member 90. Therefore, it is possible to sufficiently prevent the game ball from coming into direct contact with the peripheral edge 77 of the detection hole 75.

Thus, even when the protective member 90 is attached only to the vicinity of the peripheral edge 77 of the detection hole 75 in the detector main body 70, the peripheral edge 77 that borders the detection hole 75 is covered with the protective member 90. Thus, it is possible to reliably prevent the game ball flowing in from the upstream side from coming into direct contact with the peripheral edge portion 77, and to prevent the occurrence of scraping and cracks that are likely to occur in the peripheral edge portion 77.
In addition, since the protective member 90 is attached only in the vicinity of the peripheral edge 77, the area of the protective member 90 that covers the detector main body 70 can be minimized, and the use of the material when forming the protective member 90 is used. The amount can be reduced.

Although the present invention has been described through various embodiments, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and those skilled in the art can make various changes and improvements by combining the embodiments. Is obvious. Further, it is apparent from the scope of the claims that the embodiments added with such various changes and improvements can be included in the technical scope of the present invention.
For example, in this embodiment, the ball detector 60 in which the protection members 80 and 90 are attached to the detector main body 70 in the ball passages 52 to 55 of the first starting component 40, the second starting component 41, and the general winning components 43 and 44. The detector main body inserted in the special winning components 46 and 47 and the normal symbol starting component 48 may have the same configuration.

10 Pachinko machines, 30 game boards, 40 first starting parts, 41 second starting parts,
43,44 General winning parts, 48 Regular design starting parts,
50 set plates, 51 outlet holes, 52, 53, 54, 55 ball passages,
60, 61, 62, 63 Sphere detector, 70 detector body, 75 detection hole,
80, 90 Protection member.

Claims (2)

A gaming machine comprising a ball detector for detecting a winning of a game ball to a winning part arranged in a gaming area of a gaming board,
The sphere detector is
A detector body having a detection hole through which the game ball can pass;
A protective member disposed on the inflow side of the game ball in the detector body,
The gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the protection member has a through hole that coincides with the center of the detection hole and has the same inner diameter as the detection hole or a smaller diameter than the inner diameter of the detection hole.   The gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein a peripheral edge portion of the through hole is formed in a tapered shape inclined toward a radially inner side of the through hole.

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