JP2018110796A - Pachinko game machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a pachinko ball game machine which facilitates adjustment of a rotation angle of an operation handle even when a game is started again after stopping playing a game.SOLUTION: A pachinko ball game machine shoots pachinko balls continuously at shooting speed corresponding to a rotation angle of an operation handle. The pachinko ball game machine comprises: operation amount detection means for detecting a rotation angle of an operation handle determined by a rotation operation of a player, as a user reference value; storage means for storing the user reference value detected by the operation amount detection means; a control part for storing the user reference value in the storage means; interruption operation mode selection means for stopping and restarting a game by the operation handle; a timer for counting an interruption time in which a set game is stopped by operating the interruption operation mode selection means by the player in a game; and a drive motor for rotating the operation handle. When the player operates the interruption operation mode selection means in the interruption time for restarting a game, the operation handle is rotated to a rotation angle corresponding to the user reference value by the drive motor.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 26

Description

  The present invention relates to a pachinko ball game machine, and more particularly to a pachinko ball launch operation device for a pachinko ball game machine.

Conventionally, an operation handle of a pachinko ball game machine is biased by a spring or the like so that it automatically returns to an initial position when the player releases his / her hand. For this reason, in order for the player to continue the game, it is necessary to always hold the operation handle at a predetermined rotation angle by hand, and the hand gets tired. In addition, among players, there is a player who presses and fixes a foreign object into the gap of the operation handle in order to maintain the rotation angle of the operation handle. For this reason, the components of the operation handle may be deformed or damaged. In order to solve such problems, the following techniques are disclosed.
For example, when detecting contact with the launch lever, the rotation position can be maintained without the player's holding operation, and when contact is not detected, the pachinko machine handle is configured to release the holding after a certain time and return to the origin position. There is a mechanism (Patent Document 1).
In addition, in order to reduce power consumption, an operation amount detecting unit of the ball launching operation unit, an operation position holding unit, and a driving unit for adjusting the holding force are provided, and the supply power is adjusted during a period in which the detected operation amount is a predetermined value. There is a gaming machine to perform (Patent Document 2).

JP 2003-180971 A JP-A-2006-83502

However, the above prior art has the following problems.
The player wants to fix the rotation angle of the operation handle in order to adjust the firing strength of the pachinko ball to his favorite strength. However, if the user leaves the seat for a long time, such as a restroom / cigarette break or a lunch break, and does not operate the pachinko ball game machine, the operation handle returns to the initial position (reset by the timer). For this reason, when the game is started again, it is necessary to adjust the rotation angle of the operation handle, which is complicated. Furthermore, it is necessary for the player to launch a useless pachinko ball before it can be adjusted to his / her preferred strength, and the player suffers a disadvantage.
Further, even if the player who has resumed the game tries to accurately match the rotation angle of the operation handle with the rotation angle of the operation handle before leaving the seat, there is no reference point such as a mark, which is not easy. For this reason, depending on the player, there is a problem in that the number of balls to be played differs greatly before and after leaving the seat, which is disadvantageous.
In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a pachinko ball game machine in which the rotation angle of the operation handle can be easily adjusted even when the game is started again after the game is interrupted. To do.

The pachinko ball game machine according to the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems,
A pachinko ball game machine that continuously fires pachinko balls at a firing speed corresponding to the rotation angle of the operation handle,
An operation amount detection means for detecting a rotation angle of an operation handle determined by a player's rotation operation as a user reference value;
Storage means for storing a user reference value detected by the operation amount detection means;
A control unit for storing a user reference value in the storage unit;
Interruption operation mode selection means capable of interrupting / resuming a game with the operation handle;
A timer for counting an interruption time for interrupting a game set by operating the interruption operation mode selection means during the game by the player;
A drive motor for rotating the operation handle,
When the player resumes the game by operating the interruption operation mode selection means during the interruption time, the operation handle is rotated by the drive motor to a rotation angle corresponding to the user reference value.

According to the present invention, when the game resumed by the player, the drive motor automatically rotates the operation handle to the rotation angle before the interruption. For this reason, it is not necessary to readjust the operation handle after launching the game until the pachinko ball is launched with the strength of your choice. As a result, there is no need to launch a useless pachinko ball, and the player is not disadvantaged.
When the player resumes the game, the drive motor returns the operation handle to the rotation angle before the interruption. For this reason, pachinko balls can be launched at the same firing speed as before the game is resumed after the game is resumed, so that the number of balls played before and after the suspension is not greatly different, and the player is not disadvantaged.

As an embodiment, when a change in the rotation angle of the operation handle exceeds a threshold value due to a player's rotation operation, the rotation angle after the rotation operation may be stored as the user reference value in the storage unit. Good.
According to the present embodiment, the player can finely adjust the operation handle.

In another embodiment, the drive motor may be a stepping motor used as one of components for assisting the operation handle.
According to the present embodiment, not only can the operation handle be rotated forward and backward, but also the operation handle can be assisted with a predetermined holding force to reduce fatigue of the player's hand.

As another embodiment, a display unit that displays a selection status based on the interruption operation mode selection unit may be provided.
According to the present embodiment, even a beginner can know the game method, so that a beginner player does not suffer any disadvantage.

In another embodiment, the interruption status includes at least one of the description of the interruption operation mode, the setting method of the interruption time, the display of the set interruption time, the start method of the interruption operation mode, and the remaining time of the interruption time. May be displayed.
According to the present embodiment, by specifically displaying the interruption status on the display unit, there is an effect that the player is given a sense of security and the player can easily interrupt the game.

1 is an overall perspective view showing a first embodiment of a pachinko ball gaming machine according to the present invention. It is a perspective view which shows the pachinko ball launch operation device of the pachinko ball game machine shown in FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the state which rotated the operation handle of the pachinko ball | bowl launching operation apparatus shown in FIG. 2 rightward. It is the perspective view which looked at the pachinko ball launch operation device shown in FIG. 2 from a different angle. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the pachinko ball launch operation device shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the pachinko ball launch operation device shown in FIG. 4. It is a front view of the case shown in FIG. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the case shown in FIG. 5. FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the gear unit shown in FIG. 5. FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the base shown in FIG. 9. It is the perspective view which looked at the base shown in FIG. 9 from a different angle. FIG. 3 is a front view of the pachinko ball launch operation device shown in FIG. 2. It is the XIII-XIII sectional view taken on the line shown in FIG. It is a principal part perspective view of the pachinko ball launch operation device concerning the present invention. It is front sectional drawing which shows the rotation before the operation handle of a pachinko ball launch operation device. It is front sectional drawing which shows after the rotation of the operation handle of the pachinko ball launch operation device. It is sectional drawing of the pachinko ball | bowl launching operation apparatus which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the control system of the pachinko ball game machine which concerns on this invention. It is a flowchart figure which shows the initialization process. It is a flowchart figure which shows a normal discharge process flow. It is a flowchart figure which shows fine adjustment operation processing. It is a flowchart figure which shows what is called a right-handed process flow. It is a flowchart figure which shows a temporary holding process flow. It is a flowchart figure which shows a game end process flow. It is a flowchart figure which shows a break operation mode process flow. It is a flowchart figure which shows a player cancellation processing flow. It is a graph which shows an example of the initialization process. It is a graph which shows the other example of the initialization process. It is a graph which shows another example of the initialization process.

An embodiment of a pachinko ball game machine (hereinafter referred to as “game machine”) according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings of FIGS.
As shown in FIG. 1, a pachinko ball gaming machine (hereinafter referred to as “game machine”) 1 has a pachinko ball launching operation device (hereinafter referred to as “launching operation device”) 2 disposed in the right corner thereof. In addition, the gaming machine 1 has a game board 3 arranged in the upper half of the front surface, and an upper plate 4 and a lower plate 5 arranged sequentially in the lower half of the front surface. A display unit 6 is incorporated in the game board 3, and various game information is displayed according to the presence or absence of winning. As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the firing operation device 2 includes an operation handle 50 that is rotated and operated by a player.

  When the player turns the operation handle 50 of the launch operation device 2, the pachinko ball launching device (not shown) built in the gaming machine 1 corresponds to the operation angle (turning angle) of the operation handle 50. The pachinko ball is continuously fired at a predetermined firing interval at a firing speed. The launched pachinko ball rises along the rail provided on the game board 3 and falls between a number of obstacle nails (not shown) provided on the game board 3. When the pachinko balls enter the winning opening and win a prize, a predetermined number of pachinko balls are paid out to the upper plate 4 and the lower plate 5 via a prize ball payout device (not shown).

  As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the firing operation device 2 is generally composed of a case 10, a gear unit 20, a wiring board 40, an operation handle 50, and a cover 60.

As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the case 10 includes a cylindrical case main body 11 and a hemispherical shell-shaped receiving portion 12 integrally formed on one end side of the case main body 11.
The case main body 11 has an internal space in which a gear unit 20 (to be described later) can be accommodated, and a boss portion 13 for screwing the gear unit 20 (to be described later) is provided on the inner peripheral surface thereof.
The receiving portion 12 has an internal space in which a wiring board 40 described later can be accommodated, and a boss portion 14 for screwing a cover 60 described later is provided on the inner peripheral surface thereof. A notch groove 14 a for engaging a fixing ring 46 described later is formed at the tip of the boss portion 14. Further, the receiving portion 12 is provided with a support rib 15 formed in an annular shape so as to connect the boss portion 14. The receiving portion 12 is provided with a mounting hole 16 for inserting a ball stop switch 17 described later. The ball stop switch 17 inserted through the mounting hole 16 is prevented from coming off by an E-ring 18.

  As shown in FIG. 9, the gear unit 20 includes a base 21, a drive motor 23, a position sensor 25 including a variable resistor, a touch sensor 28, a connecting shaft 30, a connecting large gear 32, and a connecting small gear. 33.

  As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the base 21 has a substantially elliptical shape that can be stored in the case body 11 of the case 10. The base 21 includes a shaft hole 22a through which the rotation shaft 23a of the drive motor 23 is inserted, a shaft hole 22b through which the rotation shaft 25a of the position sensor 25 is inserted, and a shaft hole 22c through which the connection shaft 30 is inserted. Is provided. In addition, the base 21 has a recess 21a that accommodates the touch sensor 28 at a position adjacent to the shaft hole 22c.

As shown in FIG. 9, a rotating shaft 23a of a driving motor 23 is inserted into the shaft hole 22a, and a driving gear 24 is fixed to a tip portion of the rotating shaft 23a.
A rotation shaft 25a of a position sensor 25 is inserted into the shaft hole 22b, and the position sensor 25 is prevented from being detached by a nut 26. A position gear 27 is fixed to the tip of the rotating shaft 25a.
The connecting shaft 30 is inserted into the shaft hole 22c, and one end of the connecting shaft 30 is prevented from coming off by the E-ring 31 (FIG. 6). A connecting large gear 32 and a connecting small gear 33 that are integrally formed are inserted into the connecting shaft 30 at the other end. A connecting projection 35 is provided on the outer surface of the connecting large gear 32 so as to protrude on the same axis as the connecting shaft 30. A substantially cross-shaped engaging groove 36 is formed at the distal end of the connecting projection 35. The connecting projection 35 is secured to the connecting shaft 30 with a pin 34. The large connecting gear 32 meshes with the drive gear 24 at a gear ratio of 2: 1, and the small connecting gear 33 meshes with the position gear 27 at a gear ratio of 1: 1.
Further, a touch sensor 28 is accommodated in the recess 21 a of the base 21. The touch sensor 28 is electrically connected to a connector 44b of the wiring board 40 to be described later via a conduction harness 29.

Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, in the gear unit 20, when the player rotates an operation handle 50 described later, the connecting projection 35 rotates. For this reason, the drive gear 24 which meshes with the connection large gear 32 rotates, and the drive motor 23 rotates. At the same time, the position gear 27 meshing with the connecting small gear 33 rotates, the position sensor 25 (variable resistor) rotates, and the resistance value changes.
Conversely, when the drive motor 23 rotates, the drive gear 24 rotates, and the large connecting gear 32 and the connecting protrusion 35 rotate. For this reason, the connection small gear 33 rotates simultaneously with the operation handle 50 mentioned later rotating. As a result, the rotation shaft 25a of the position sensor 25 rotates through the position gear 27, and the resistance value changes.

Note that the gear unit 20 according to this embodiment does not have a one-to-one gear ratio between the small connecting gear 33 and the position gear 27 as in the first embodiment described above. For example, the second embodiment shown in FIG. You may change to 3 to 2 like a form.
According to the second embodiment, there is an advantage that fine adjustment can be performed even if the rotation angle of the connecting shaft 30, that is, the rotation angle of the operation handle 50 is limited. For example, even if the rotation angle of the operation handle 50 is 120 degrees, the rotation angle of the rotation shaft of the position sensor 25 is 180 degrees, and adjustment with higher accuracy is possible.

  As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the wiring board 40 has a front shape that can be stored in the receiving portion 12 of the case 10. The wiring board 40 has an outer peripheral edge portion that can be placed on the support rib 15 of the case 10, and a shaft hole 40a is provided at the center thereof. Further, the wiring board 40 is provided with a notch 40b at the outer peripheral edge thereof. The wiring board 40 is surface-mounted with a tactile switch 41, a start point detection sensor 42 made up of a transmissive photosensor, and an end point detection sensor 43 made up of a transmissive photosensor on its outward surface. The tactile switch 41 is located on the axis of the ball stop switch 17 and can be operated by the ball stop switch 17. The start point detection sensor 42 and the end point detection sensor 43 are arranged on the same circumference. The wiring board 40 has a connector 44a mounted on its outward surface, and connectors 44b and 44c mounted on its inward surface. The connector 44a is electrically connected to an operation handle 50 described later via a conduction harness 29. Further, the connector 44b is electrically connected to the touch sensor 28 through the conduction harness 29 as described above. The connector 44c supplies power to the start point detection sensor 42, the end point detection sensor 43, and the tactile switch 41. Further, the connector 44c outputs output signals of the position sensor 25, the touch sensor 28, the start point detection sensor 42, the end point detection sensor 43, and the tactile switch 41.

  The wiring board 40 is positioned by engaging the notch 40 b with the boss 14 of the case 10 and placing the outer peripheral edge on the support rib 15. Then, an annular fixing ring 46 is engaged with the notch groove 14 a of the boss portion 14. Further, the ball stop switch 17 is inserted from the mounting hole 16 of the case 10 through the curved portion 48 of the fixing ring 46 and is prevented from coming off by the E ring 18. Thereby, the tactile switch 41 can be operated by the ball stop switch 17 (FIG. 15). Next, the wiring board 40 is fixed to the case 10 by fixing a cover 60 (described later) with screws 63 through the screw holes 47 of the fixing ring 46.

The operation handle 50 has an annular shape that can be rotatably fitted to the receiving portion 12 of the case 10, and a pair of operation ribs 51 are provided on the outer peripheral surface thereof so as to form an obtuse angle. Further, the operation handle 50 has an operation tongue piece 53 formed by forming a substantially C-shaped groove 52 on the inner peripheral surface thereof. An operation shaft 54 projects from the center of the inward surface (FIG. 6) of the operation tongue 53. A substantially cross-shaped engaging portion 55 is formed on the distal end surface of the operation shaft 54. Further, the operation handle 50 is formed with a light shielding plate 56 on a concentric circle centering on the operation shaft 54 in the inward surface of the operation tongue 53. The light shielding plate 56 is for turning on and off the start point detection sensor 42 and the end point detection sensor 43.
Then, the engaging portion 55 of the operating handle 50 is engaged with the engaging groove 36 of the connecting protrusion 35 of the connecting large gear 32, and the operating handle 50 is fitted to the receiving portion 12 of the case 10 to rotate. Supported as possible.

As shown in FIG. 5, the cover 60 has a front shape that can cover the opening of the operation handle 50, and its outward surface bulges outward. Further, the cover 60 is provided with triangular assembly marks 61 on the outer surface thereof. Further, as shown in FIG. 6, the cover 60 has three bosses 62 protruding from the outer peripheral edge of the inward surface. The three boss portions 62 are provided at positions corresponding to the boss portions 14 provided on the receiving portion 12 of the case 10.
The cover 60 is fixed to the case 10 by fitting the cover 60 into the opening of the operation handle 50 and screwing the screw 63 toward the cover 60 from the case 10 side. For this reason, the operation handle 50 is rotatably supported without dropping from the case 10.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 14, when the operation handle 50 is rotated, the operation shaft 54 and the connection protrusion 35 are rotated, whereby the connection shaft 30 is rotated. At the same time, the connecting large gear 32 rotates the drive gear 24 and rotates the drive motor 23. Further, the connecting small gear 33 rotates the position gear 27, and the resistance value of the position sensor 25 changes.
On the contrary, when the drive motor 23 rotates, the connecting large gear 32 rotates through the drive gear 24, and the operation handle 50 rotates. At the same time, the connecting small gear 33 is also rotated and the position gear 27 is rotated, whereby the resistance value of the position sensor 25 is changed.

Next, a control system of the gaming machine 1 will be described. FIG. 18 is a control block diagram of the gaming machine 1.
The gaming machine 1 includes a control unit 70 mounted on a sub board (not shown), a main CPU 72 mounted on the main board, and the launch operation device 2. The control unit 70 includes a motor drive circuit 71 and an operation control unit 80. The motor drive circuit 71 controls the drive motor 23 that is a drive unit of the firing operation device 2. In addition, the main CPU 72 outputs lottery information such as a right-handed signal to the operation control unit 80.

The operation control unit 80 includes a display control unit 81 that controls the display unit (LCD) 6, a launch control unit 82 that controls the pachinko ball launching device 73, a timer unit 83, an arithmetic processing unit 84, and a storage unit 85. It is equipped with.
The signal output from the operation control unit 80 is output to the drive motor 23 via the motor drive circuit 71 to control the drive motor 23. As the drive motor 23, it is preferable to use a stepping motor that can not only rotate forward and reverse but also maintain a predetermined rotation angle with a predetermined holding force, but of course other drive means may be used. is there.
The arithmetic processing unit 84 converts the minimum resistance value and the maximum resistance value detected by the position sensor 5 into a predetermined minimum value and maximum value, respectively, and corrects them. The obtained minimum value and maximum value are output to the pachinko ball launching device 73 via the launch control unit 82, and the pachinko ball launching device 73 launches the pachinko ball based on this output.
Of course, the control unit 70 may be arranged in the gaming machine 1 or in the firing operation device 2.

The firing operation device 2 includes the drive motor 23, the position sensor 25, the touch sensor 28, and the ball stop switch 17 described above.
The drive motor 23 is a drive unit that can be used not only for normal rotation and reverse rotation of the operation handle, but also for maintaining the operation handle 50 at a predetermined angle with a predetermined holding force.
The position sensor 25 is, for example, a variable resistor, and is an operation amount detection unit that detects the rotation angle of the operation handle 50 as a resistance value and outputs it to the operation control unit 80.
The touch sensor 28 is a contact detection unit that detects whether or not the player is touching the firing operation device 2. Then, the touch sensor 28 outputs whether or not the player is touching the operation control unit 80 as an ON / OFF signal.
The ball stop switch 17 is a firing instruction detection unit that outputs a firing signal / a firing stop signal to the pachinko ball launching device 73 via the operation control unit 80 by pushing the tactile switch 41 and turning it on / off.

Next, operation signal generation and output processing by the firing operation device 2 will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. 19 to 26.
First, the initialization (output correction) processing of the operation handle 50 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In S1, the gaming machine 1 is turned on, and in S2, it is determined whether or not the “start point” detection sensor 42 is on. If not, the drive motor 23 is reversed in S3 and the process returns to S2. If it is on, the drive motor 23 is rotated forward in S4. Next, in S5, it is determined whether or not the “starting point” detection sensor 42 is off. If it is not off, the process returns to S4 to rotate the drive motor 23 forward, and if it is off, In S6, “α” is acquired using the output value of the position sensor 25 as the start point detection value.
Next, in S7, the drive motor 23 is rotated forward, and in S8, it is determined whether or not the “end point” detection sensor 43 is turned on. If not, the process returns to S7 and the drive motor 23 is rotated forward. If it is on, “β” is acquired in S9 using the output value of the position sensor 25 as the end point detection value. In S10, the control unit 70 corrects the starting point detection value “α” to the minimum value determined by the gaming machine 1, corrects the end point detection value “β” to the maximum value determined by the gaming machine 1, and the pachinko ball launching device 73 Output. Next, in S11, the drive motor 23 is reversed, and in S12, it is determined whether or not the “start point” detection sensor is turned on. If not, the process returns to S11, and if it is turned on, the process waits for S13. Go to the state.

  As the above-described correction mode, for example, as shown in FIG. 27, the correction value may be linear with different inclination angles with respect to the actual measurement value. Further, as shown in FIG. 28, the correction value may be corrected so as to be non-linear with respect to the actual measurement value. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 29, the correction value for the actual measurement value may be linear with the same inclination angle. In short, it is preferable to correct so as to match the player's preference.

Next, the normal firing process flow will be described with reference to FIG.
It is determined whether or not the touch sensor is on in S14 from the standby state in S13. If it is not on, it is determined that the player has not touched the firing operation device 2, and the process returns to the standby state of S13. If it is on, it can be determined that the player is touching the firing operation device 2, and it is determined in S15 whether or not the output of the position sensor 25 has increased by ΔR or more. If the output does not increase by ΔR or more, it is determined that the player does not intentionally operate the operation handle 50, and only the hand shake is transmitted, and the process returns to S14. On the other hand, if the output has increased by ΔR or more, it is considered that the player has started the game, so the process proceeds to S16. In S <b> 16, the control unit 70 rotates the drive motor 23 in the normal direction and assists the rotation operation of the operation handle 50. Next, when the output of the position sensor 25 reaches the specified value Rs in S17, the drive motor 23 is stopped and the assist of the turning operation to the player is stopped. Then, the fine adjustment operation of S18 is performed, and the process proceeds to state A (during launch) of S22.

FIG. 21 is a flowchart of the fine adjustment operation process flow.
That is, in S19, the operation load is increased by excitation of the drive motor 23 to assist the player. Thereby, not only can the labor for holding the operation handle 50 at a predetermined rotation angle be reduced, but also an erroneous operation of the operation handle 50 can be prevented and fine adjustment of the operation handle 50 can be facilitated.
In S20, it is determined whether or not the player is operating the operation handle 50, that is, whether or not the output has changed by ΔR or more. If the output has not changed by ΔR or more, the process returns to S20. If the output has changed by ΔR or more, it is determined that the player is operating, and the output of the position sensor 25 is sent to the user in S21. Store as the reference value RU, and proceed to state A of S22 (during pachinko ball firing). For this reason, the player can finely adjust the operation handle 50 to the optimum position by his / her own turning operation in accordance with the variation in the operation characteristics of the gaming machine 1, the position of the obstacle nail, and the player's preference.
The user reference value RU is a numerical value serving as a reference for holding the operation handle 50 at a predetermined rotation angle during the game. For this reason, even if the player releases his hand from the operation handle 50, the player can maintain the operation handle at a desired rotation angle.
The user reference value RU is a numerical value that serves as a reference for returning the operation handle to the rotation angle before the interruption when the game is resumed after the game is interrupted as will be described later, for example, to take a break. As a result, the player does not suffer the disadvantage that the number of balls to be played differs greatly before and after the interruption.
Note that the user reference value RU is not a fixed numerical value, but a numerical value that can change based on the player's intention. Further, the user reference value RU may be used only when either holding the rotation angle of the operation handle 50 or when resuming after the interruption.

FIG. 22 is a flowchart showing a so-called right-handed processing flow. Here, right hit means that when a big hit is made, the operation handle 50 is rotated to the maximum in order to put the pachinko ball into an attacker (not shown) in the right corner of the game board 3, and the pachinko ball is placed in the right corner. How to strike to concentrate.
The process proceeds from S22 state A (pachinko ball is being fired) to S23, and it is determined whether or not a right-handed signal is issued. If no right-handed signal has been issued, the process returns to S22. If the right-handed signal is output, the drive motor 23 is rotated forward in S24 to assist the rotation operation of the operation handle 50. When the output value of the position sensor 25 reaches the specified value Rr in S25, the drive motor 23 is stopped, and a right-handed game is performed in S26. Thereby, even if the beginner does not know the game method and does not perform “right-handed”, the control unit 70 rotates the drive motor 23 forward to a position suitable for right-handed based on the right-handed signal from the main CPU 72, The operation handle is forcibly rotated 50 to assist. For this reason, even a beginner unfamiliar with the right-handed gaming method will not be disadvantaged.
Next, in S27, it is determined whether or not a right-handed end signal is output. If a right-handed end signal is not output, the process returns to S26 to continue the right-handed game. On the other hand, if the right end signal is output, the drive motor 23 is reversed in S28 to assist the rotation operation of the operation handle 50. In S29, when the output of the position sensor 25 reaches the user reference value RU, the drive motor 23 is stopped, and a pachinko ball can be launched at a position before starting the right-handed game. Furthermore, after performing the above-described fine adjustment operation again in S18, the process returns to the state A of S22 (during pachinko ball launching).

FIG. 23 is a flowchart showing a temporary holding process flow.
The process proceeds from state A (pachinko ball is being fired) of S22 to S23, and it is determined whether or not the touch sensor 28 has detected an off signal. The fact that the off signal has not been detected means that the player has not released his / her hand from the operation handle 50, so the process returns to S22 and maintains the state A (pachinko ball is being fired). If an off signal is detected, it means that the player has released his / her hand from the operation handle 50, and thus the pachinko ball firing is stopped in S24. Next, the output of the position sensor 25 is held at the user reference value RU in S25, and the holding timer is started in S26 while maintaining the rotation angle of the operation handle 50. Next, in S27, it is determined whether or not the touch sensor 28 has detected an on signal. If an on signal has been detected, it is determined as “temporary interruption” and the process returns to state A in S22. If the ON signal is not detected, it is determined in S28 whether or not the holding timer has elapsed T1 time. If not, the process returns to S27. It is determined that the game is not ended, and a game end process is performed in S29.

FIG. 24 is a flowchart showing a game end processing flow.
In the game end process in S29, the reverse rotation of the drive motor 23 is started in S30, and the rotational speed is gradually increased. Thereby, the player is notified that the game is to be ended, and the gaming machine 1 is rendered high-quality. Then, in S31, it is determined whether or not the touch sensor 28 detects an ON signal. If the ON signal is output, the drive motor 23 is turned on until the output of the position sensor 25 reaches the user reference value RU in S32. Driven and proceeds to state A (pachinko ball firing) of S22. If no ON signal is output, it is determined in S33 whether or not the “start point” detection sensor 42 has detected an ON signal. If not, the process returns to S30. , Go to S34. In S34, the rotation of the drive motor 23 is stopped, and in S35, the mode selection timer is started. Next, LCD display A is performed in S36, and the process proceeds to S37. As the LCD display A, for example, the display unit 6 may display a method for shifting to a break operation mode, which will be described later, the remaining time of the mode selection timer, the player's game result (for example, the number of balls played), and the like. Conceivable.
In S37, it is determined whether or not the ball stop switch 17 is turned on. If the ball stop switch 17 is turned on before the time T2 of the mode selection timer elapses, it proceeds to a rest operation mode in S50 described later, and is not turned on. If so, the process proceeds to S38. In S38, it is determined whether or not the time T2 of the mode selection timer has elapsed. If not, the process returns to S37. If it has elapsed, the user reference value RU of the position sensor 25 is determined in S39. Is cleared and the process proceeds to the standby state of S13.

FIG. 25 is a flowchart showing a flow of the break operation mode process. The break operation mode process is a process for responding to a long interruption such as a meal break or a toilet break. Then, when the game is played again after the break, this is a process for automatically returning the operation handle 50 to the rotation angle before the break without the player operating and adjusting the operation handle 50.
A break operation mode is started in S50, a time setting timer is started in S51, and LCD display B is performed in S52. As the LCD display B, for example, the description and characteristics of the break operation mode, the setting method and starting method of the break timer, the display of the set time of the break timer, the remaining time of the time setting timer, and the like are displayed on the display unit 6. In S53, it is determined whether or not the ball stop switch 17 is turned on. If the ball stop switch 17 is not turned on, it is determined whether or not the time T3 of the time setting timer has elapsed in S54. If not, the process returns to S53, and if it has elapsed, In S55, the user reference value RU of the position sensor 25 is cleared, and the process returns to the standby state in S13. If the ball stop switch 17 is turned on in S53, the setting of the break time (T4) is increased in S56 (for example, the ball stop switch 17 can be adjusted by one click to plus 10 minutes and a maximum of 60 minutes). . Next, in S57, it is determined whether or not the “end point” detection sensor 43 has detected. If not detected, the process returns to S53, and if detected, it is determined that the player has rotated the operation handle 50 to the maximum, and the player is resting. For this reason, a break timer is started in S58, and LCD display C is performed in S59. As the LCD display C, for example, the remaining time of the break time, the return method from the break operation mode, the player's game result (for example, the number of balls played), the description of the gaming machine, and the like are displayed on the display unit 6. Then, in S60, it is determined whether or not the ball stop switch is turned on. If it is turned on, the drive motor 23 is reversed in S61 to assist the player's turning operation. Next, the drive motor 23 is stopped when the output of the position sensor 25 reaches the user reference value RU in S62. For this reason, even if there is no player operation, the operation handle 50 automatically returns to the rotation angle before the interruption. Next, the fine adjustment operation of S19 is performed, and the process proceeds again to S22 of the state A to be in the state A in which a pachinko ball is being launched.
If the ball stop switch is not turned on in S60, it is determined in S63 whether or not the break timer time T4 has elapsed. If not, the process returns to S60. On the other hand, if the time T4 of the break timer has elapsed, it is regarded that the game is abandoned, the user reference value RU of the position sensor 25 is cleared in S64, the clerk cancels in S65, and the process returns to the standby state in S13.

FIG. 26 is a flowchart showing a player cancel processing flow.
According to the present invention, by assisting the operation handle 50 with the drive motor 23, it is possible to prevent the disadvantage of beginners unfamiliar with games. However, some skilled players may feel that this is an excessive intervention in the game, and there is a risk that the taste of the skilled player will decrease. For this reason, it is necessary to provide a player cancellation processing flow for reducing the excitation load of the drive motor in order to avoid the above-described adverse effects.
The process proceeds from S70 being assisted by the drive motor 23 to S71, and it is determined whether or not the output of the position sensor has changed by ΔR or more. If it has not changed, it is considered that the player does not want to change and holds the operation handle 50 strongly. For this reason, it skips to SS73. In skipped S73, the rotation of the drive motor 23 is stopped. In S76, the excitation of the drive motor 23 is released, the operation load is reduced, and the player can hold the operation handle 50 with its own holding force. Return to state A (while the pachinko ball is being fired). On the other hand, if the output of the position sensor 25 has changed by ΔR or more in S71, it is determined in S72 whether or not the change amount of the position sensor 25 is within the specified range Rt. If the change amount is not within the specified range Rt, it is considered that the operation amount of the player does not match the operation amount by the operation assist. In this case, it is determined that the player holds the operation handle strongly and does not desire assistance by the drive motor 23, and the process proceeds to S73 described above. If the change amount of the position sensor 25 is within the specified range Rt, the assist operation by the drive motor is continued in S74, and the assist operation is completed in S75.

  Of course, the launch operation device according to the present invention can be applied to other game machines.

1 Pachinko ball game machine (game machine)
2 Pachinko ball launch operation device (launch operation device)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 3 Game board 10 Case 11 Case main body 12 Receiving part 16 Mounting hole 17 Ball stop switch 20 Gear unit 21 Base 21
23 drive motor 24 drive gear 25 position sensor (operation amount detection means)
27 position gear 28 touch sensor 30 connecting shaft 32 connecting large gear 33 connecting small gear 40 wiring board 41 tactile switch 42 starting point detection sensor (starting point detecting means)
43 End point detection sensor (end point detection means)
46 Fixing ring 50 Operation handle 51 Operation rib 53 Operation tongue 54 Operation shaft 56 Shading plate 60 Cover 61 Assembly mark 62 Boss part 63 Screw α Start point detection value β End point detection value

Claims (5)

A pachinko ball game machine that continuously fires pachinko balls at a firing speed corresponding to the rotation angle of the operation handle,
An operation amount detection means for detecting a rotation angle of an operation handle determined by a player's rotation operation as a user reference value;
Storage means for storing a user reference value detected by the operation amount detection means;
A control unit for storing a user reference value in the storage unit;
Interruption operation mode selection means capable of interrupting / resuming a game with the operation handle;
A timer for counting an interruption time for interrupting a game set by operating the interruption operation mode selection means during the game by the player;
A drive motor for rotating the operation handle,
When the player resumes the game by operating the interruption operation mode selection means during the interruption time, the operation handle is rotated by the drive motor to a rotation angle corresponding to the user reference value. Pachinko ball game machine.   The rotation angle after the rotation operation is stored in the storage unit as the user reference value when the change in the rotation angle of the operation handle exceeds a threshold value due to the rotation operation of the player. The pachinko ball game machine according to 1.   The pachinko ball game machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the drive motor is a stepping motor used as one of components for assisting the operation handle.   The pachinko ball game machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a display unit that displays an interruption status when the interruption operation mode selection means is operated to interrupt the game.   As the interruption status, at least one of a description of the interruption operation mode, a setting method of the interruption time, a display of the set interruption time, a start method of the interruption operation mode, and a remaining time of the interruption time are displayed. The pachinko ball game machine according to claim 4.

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