JP2020072904A - Game machine - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a game machine including a detector having lower possibility of damage.SOLUTION: In a circulation path where Pachinko balls circulate within a Pachinko machine, a foul ball detection switch 33 is provided to detect accumulation of Pachinko balls in an outer path. The foul ball detection switch 33 is provided at a place differing from that on a track drawn on a game area by a Pachinko ball shot from a shooting part. A sending apparatus for sending out Pachinko balls to a path at a ratio of one Pachinko ball per predetermined time stops operation for sending out Pachinko balls in detection by the foul ball detection switch 33.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 12

Description

  The present invention relates to a gaming machine for playing a game using a game medium.

  To a generally known type of game machine, for example, a launch position for launching a game medium used for a game toward a game area and a game medium for feeding the game medium to the launch section. There is a game medium feeding device of (Patent Document 1).

JP, 2003-102929, A

  In the game machine of Patent Document 1, among the game media that are launched from the launch position toward the game area by the striking force of the launching punch, the game medium that remains at the launch position without reaching the game area is a detection device (far). When it is detected by the ball sensor), only the game medium is ejected while the supply of the game medium to the launch position is temporarily stopped, so that all the game medium remaining at the launch position is launched to the game area. Was controlled as.

  However, in the gaming machine of Patent Document 1, the above-mentioned detection device (foul ball sensor) is arranged in the vicinity of the location where the launching punch applies a shock to the game medium and launches it. Therefore, there is a possibility that the game device that has been launched collides with the detection device and damages the detection device.

  The present invention has been conceived in view of such circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a gaming machine including a detection device that is less likely to be damaged.

(1) A game machine (pachinko machine 2) that shoots a game medium (pachinko ball) to a game area to play a game.
A game medium feeding device (ball passage 44) for sending the game medium to a firing position (fired position 43) for firing the game medium,
And a launching unit (hit ball hammer 42) for launching the game medium sent to the launch position by the game medium feeder to the game area at a rate of one at a predetermined time,
The game medium feeding device,
A route (ball passage 44) for guiding the game medium to the launch position,
A delivery device for delivering the game medium to the path at a rate of one during the predetermined time;
And a detection device (a foul ball detection switch 33) which is provided on the path and detects a game medium accumulated on the path,
The delivery device stops the operation of delivering the game medium when the detection device detects the game medium.

  According to such a configuration, since the detection device is arranged at a position different from the launch trajectory of the game medium launched from the launch position toward the game area, the launched game medium collides with the detection device. The possibility of damaging the detection device can be reduced.

  (2) In the game machine of (1) above, the game medium feeding device shoots the game medium in the projecting section in a state where the game medium feeding operation is stopped when the detection device detects the game medium. It is characterized in that processing is performed (S29 and S28).

  According to such a configuration, when the detection device detects that the game medium is stagnant, it is possible to shoot the stagnant game medium in a state where the feeding operation of the game medium is stopped. Therefore, the state in which the game medium is stagnant can be resolved.

(3) A game frame to which a game board including a game area where a game medium is driven to play a game can be attached,
A game medium feeding device for sending the game medium to a firing position for firing the game medium,
And a launching unit for launching the game medium sent to the launch position by the game medium feeder to the game area at a rate of one at a predetermined time,
The game medium feeding device,
A route for guiding the game medium to the launch position,
A delivery device for delivering the game medium to the path at a rate of one during the predetermined time;
A detection device which is provided on the path and detects a game medium accumulated on the path;
The delivery device stops the operation of delivering the game medium when the detection device detects the game medium.

(4) Regarding the gaming machine of (1) or the gaming frame of (3),
When the game medium accumulated in the path is detected by the detection device, the launching unit repeatedly executes an operation for launching the game medium in a state in which the sending out operation of the game medium by the sending device is stopped. To do.

It is a perspective view showing a pachinko machine with a door of a game board opened. It is a front view showing a card unit and a pachinko machine. It is a rear view showing a card unit and a pachinko machine. FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional perspective view of a region along line IV-IV in FIG. 2. It is an expansion perspective view of the area | region of the lower side of the game area of FIG. It is a perspective view showing the composition of a polisher. It is the expansion perspective view which looked at the polisher attached to the pachinko machine from the back side. FIG. 6 is an enlarged perspective view showing a state where the ball-punching hole cover is opened and the ball-punching hole is exposed. FIG. 6 is an enlarged perspective view showing a state in which the ball-punching hole cover is closed and the ball-punching hole is closed. It is a front view which shows the structure of a doffing apparatus. It is a front view which shows the structure of a launching device. It is the figure which looked at the state where the game media filled up the ball passage of the launching device from the right side of FIG. FIG. 13 is similar to FIG. 12, but shows the entrance of the game medium in the launching device. It is a rear side perspective view which shows the structure of a launching device. (A) It is a flowchart which shows one structure of a circulation path. FIG. 16B is a flowchart showing another configuration of the circulation path different from FIG. 15A. It is a block diagram showing a control circuit used for a card unit and a pachinko machine. (A) It is a flowchart which shows the flow of a series of ball movement control processing at the time of driving the pachinko machine 2 of this Embodiment. 17B is a flowchart showing the flow of the ball supply process shown in FIG. 17A in more detail. (C) It is a flow chart which shows the flow of the normal time ball circulation processing shown in FIG. 17 (a) in more detail. (D) is a flowchart showing the flow of the ball feeding process shown in FIG. 17 (a) in more detail. FIG. 18 is a flowchart showing in more detail the flow of the ball drop processing shown in FIG. It is explanatory drawing for demonstrating the various data memorize | stored in the card unit side and the pachinko machine side, and transmission / reception thereof. It is explanatory drawing explaining the outline of the command and response transmitted / received between a card unit and a pachinko machine. It is a figure which shows an example of a process by a card unit and a pachinko machine at the time of power-on. It is a figure showing an example of processing of a card unit and a pachinko machine when a card is inserted in a card unit. It is a figure which shows an example of a process of a card unit and a pachinko machine when a ball is lent from the prepaid balance of the inserted card. It is a figure which shows an example of a process of a card unit and a pachinko machine at the time of paying out a dime ball and paying out a ball. It is a figure which shows an example of a process of a card unit and a pachinko machine when returning the inserted card.

  Hereinafter, embodiments according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As a concept of the term used in the present embodiment, "gaming machine" means a gaming machine (pachinko machine or the like), a card unit, a jet counter, a card issuing device, a clearing device, a hall management device, a prize exchange device, or the like. This is a concept including all the devices installed in the game arcade, and the "gaming device" is a concept in which only the game machine is excluded from the above "gaming device".

  First, referring to FIG. 1, an enclosed circulating pachinko machine (hereinafter, abbreviated as a pachinko machine or a P machine) 2 as an example of a game machine is attached to each gaming island (not shown) arranged in a plurality in a game arcade. ing. This pachinko machine 2 encloses a pachinko ball, which is an example of a game medium, inside, and when a player operates a hit ball operation handle 13, a launch solenoid 41 included in a launching device 14 (see FIGS. 11 to 13). ) Is driven to drive the enclosed balls into the game area 27 on the front surface of the game board 26 one by one so that a game can be played. Specifically, a touch sensor is provided around the hitting ball operation handle 13, and the player's hand touches the touch sensor while the player is operating the hitting ball operation handle 13, and the player's hand touches the touch sensor. When the touch sensor detects the contact, the firing solenoid 41 is driven. In this state, the hitting ball firing momentum is adjusted according to the amount of turning operation of the hitting ball operating handle 13 by the player, and the ball is shot into the game area 27.

  The pachinko balls that are hit in the game area 27 are collected in any of the winning openings or are collected in the out opening 61 without winning. The pachinko balls that have won the winning opening and the pachinko balls that have been collected in the out opening 61 are returned again to the hitting ball firing position through the collection path (circulation path) in the pachinko machine 2. Then, when the player operates the hit ball operation handle 13, the pachinko ball at the hit ball firing position is again hit into the game area 27.

  A display 54 is provided below the game area 27 of the pachinko machine 2. The display 54 is composed of a liquid crystal display device and displays various display screens to the player.

  FIG. 2 is a member including a part of the circulation route of the game ball, which is arranged on the front (front) side inside the pachinko machine 2 with the glass door 11 opened, that is, on the back side of the glass door 11 and the display 54. FIG. 3 shows a member arranged on the back side inside the pachinko machine 2 and including a part of the circulation path of the game ball. Referring to FIG. 2, a card unit (hereinafter, also abbreviated as CU) 3 as an example of a gaming device corresponds to the pachinko machine 2 in a one-to-one correspondence with a predetermined lateral position of the pachinko machine 2. is set up. This card unit 3 is issued to a visitor card having a prepaid function which is a recording medium for games issued to general players who have not registered as a member, or to a member player who has registered as a member at the game hall. A pachinko machine that accepts membership cards, which are recording media for games played, and uses the gaming value owned by the player (for example, card balance, number of balls held, or number of balls accumulated) specified by the recorded information of those cards It has a function for elastically firing the enclosed ball, which is an example of the game medium in 2, so that a game can be played. The visitor card and membership card are IC cards.

  The card unit 3 that has received these cards has a function of converting the game value (for example, the card balance, the number of balls, or the number of accumulated balls) owned by the player specified by the record information of the card into "game ball data". Have. In the pachinko machine 2, it is possible to perform a ball game equivalent to the number of balls specified by the data of the game balls. That is, the "gaming ball data" is data indicating the number of remaining shots that can be shot. In the following description, the "gaming ball data" will be simply referred to as "gaming ball", as is the case with the accumulated or held balls.

  On the front side of the card unit 3, a bill insertion slot 302 for inserting bills, a projecting portion 305 projecting from the front of the device in the front direction of the device, a card insertion / ejection port for inserting a membership card or a visitor card. 309 and the like are provided. The member card or visitor card inserted in the card insertion / ejection slot 309 is accepted by a card reader / writer (not shown), and the information recorded on the card is read.

  On the surface of the protruding portion 305 facing the player, the display 312 and the membership card ID (also simply referred to as a card ID) recorded on the membership card when the membership card is received and the membership card An IR (Infrared) photosensitive unit 320 receives an infrared signal from a replay button 319 for performing a replay game using the number of coins specified by the ID, and a remote controller (not shown) possessed by an attendant at the game hall. An IR light receiving unit for converting the signal into an electronic signal and outputting the electronic signal is provided.

  The display 312 displays the prepaid balance (also referred to as a card balance or simply balance) recorded in the inserted game recording medium (card), but can display the number of game balls and various other information. In addition, the front surface is configured by a transparent touch panel, and various operations can be input by touching various display items displayed on the display unit of the display unit 312 with a finger.

  When the player has operated the replay button 319 and the number of balls held by the player is recorded in the inserted card, a part of the number of balls held is converted to a game ball, and the converted game ball is converted. It becomes possible to play a game with the pachinko machine 2 based on the. On the other hand, if the inserted card is a membership card, the number of balls held is not recorded, and the accumulated coins are recorded in the hall management computer, etc., part of the accumulated coins will be withdrawn and converted into game balls. Then, the game with the pachinko machine 2 becomes possible. In other words, if both the accumulated balls and the points are stored in association with the inserted card, the balls are preferentially withdrawn. In addition to the replay button 319, a dedicated ball payout button for withdrawing balls can be provided, and the replay button 319 may be a button dedicated to withdrawing coins.

  Here, the "payment" is a game medium deposited in a game hall, and is generally managed by a hall management computer or another management computer installed in the game hall.

  The "number of balls owned" is the number of game balls that the player owns as a result of the player playing a game with the gaming machine, and is the number of balls that have not been deposited in the game hall yet. That is. In general, the number of balls that a player has acquired on the day of play at a game hall is called "Jiden", and the number of balls that the player has acquired before the previous day and that has been deposited at the game hall is called "savings". Say

  The "gaming ball" is data on the number of balls that can be fired by the gaming machine. As described above, this data is generated in exchange for withdrawing the balance, balls, or accumulated balls of the prepaid card.

  The number of balls held may be managed by a management device for managing the number of balls held set in the game hall. In short, the difference between "balls" and "balls" is the number of balls deposited in the amusement hall after the operation to deposit a coin in the amusement hall has been performed, or it is still deposited in the amusement hall. The point is whether or not the number of balls is not yet reached.

  In the present embodiment, the accumulated ball data is not directly recorded on the membership card but is stored in association with the membership card number in the hall server installed in the game hall such as the management computer for the hall, and the corresponding savings ball is stored based on the membership card number. It is configured to be searchable. On the other hand, the dice are recorded directly on the card. However, the invention is not limited to this, and both may be stored in the hall server in association with the card number. In the case of the visitor card, the dice are also recorded directly on the visitor card. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the balls may be stored in the hall server in association with the card number. When the hall server is stored in association with the card number, the data stored in the hall server that can specify the time may be written on a card (membership card, visitor card) and discharged. In addition, the prepaid balance is directly written on the card (member card, visitor card) and discharged.

  The timing of storing the balls in the card (member card, visitor card) or the hall server is, for example, stored in real time every time the counting button 28 is operated and the counting process is performed. For example, when you return the card, you can store it in a batch.

  The bill inserted into the bill insertion slot 302 is taken in by a currency discriminator (not shown) to identify its authenticity and bill type.

  A ball lending button (also referred to as a lending button) 321 and a return button 322 are further provided on the front side of the card unit 3. The ball lending button 321 is a button for performing an operation (conversion operation to a game ball) for withdrawing the balance recorded in the inserted card and using it for a game by the pachinko machine 2. The return button 322 is operated when the player finishes the game, and the number of confirmed game balls at the end of the game in the inserted card (the number of held balls when the card is inserted-the number converted into game balls + counting operation) This is an operation button for storing and ejecting the number of balls possessed by (1). Note that the return button 322 may be provided in the game machine and the signal itself when the return button 322 is operated may be input to the card unit.

  With further reference to FIG. 2, below the game area 27 and the outlet 61 on the front (front) side of the pachinko machine 2, a polishing device 23 for polishing the surface of a game ball, a hole portion 66 for a surplus ball, and a surplus hole. A ball path 67, a surplus ball path outlet 68, a surplus ball stopping portion 69, and the like are arranged. The polishing device 23 is a part of the circulation route of the game ball, and the surplus ball hole portion 66, the surplus ball route 67, the surplus ball route outlet 68 and the surplus ball retention portion 69 are areas connected to the circulation route. .. These will be described in detail later.

  Referring to FIG. 3, on the back side of the pachinko machine 2, a main control board 16, a payout control board 17, a power supply device 21, a conveying screw 72, a doffing device 25, a launching device 14, etc. Are arranged, and these are surrounded by the front frame 6. The main control board 16 is provided on the game board 26 and controls the progress of the game of the pachinko machine 2. The payout control board 17 and the power supply device 21 are arranged behind the door (on the front side of the pachinko machine 2) shown in the lower left of FIG. 3, and are provided so as to be fixed to the front frame 6. The payout control board 17 manages and stores game balls. The conveying screw 72 is a part of the polishing device 23 and a part of the circulation path as described later. The conveying screw 72 conveys a game ball to be polished while circulating. The ball lifting device 25 is a device that conveys (lifts) the game balls above the pachinko machine 2, and is a part of the circulation path. The launch device 14 is disposed above the pachinko machine 2 and is a device that launches a game ball toward the game area 27 for a game. The launch device 14 is also part of the circulation path. As described above, the pachinko ball circulation path in the present embodiment basically includes the polishing device 23, the doffing device 25, and the launching device 14, and the position where the pachinko machine 2 makes one round ( For example, a path configured to return to the launch position 43) of launch device 14. In addition to the above-mentioned members, the game area 27 may be included and considered as a circulation path.

  FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional perspective view showing in detail a cross-sectional aspect of a region including the outlet 61 and the excess ball hole 66, etc., and shows a flow of the game balls out of the game region 27. In FIG. 4, the front side of the drawing (the front right side) is the front side of the pachinko machine 2. Referring to FIG. 4, among the game balls (pachinko balls) 10 that have been hit in the game area 27 for a game as described above, those that have not won a prize (called out balls) pass through the outlet 61 and are shown in the figure. It falls in the direction indicated by the arrow and reaches the filling space 63 including the ball guiding path and the like below the game area 27. The out-ball collected from this out-port 61 is detected by the out-ball detection switch 88, and the detection signal is input to the payout control unit 171 described later.

  On the other hand, a prize (referred to as a winning ball or a safe ball) that has won any of the winning openings falls along the winning ball path 62 in the direction indicated by the arrow in the figure, and reaches the filling space 63. When the polishing entrance ball detection switch 701 detects that the game has started and the pachinko balls 10 have begun to reach the filling space 63, the polishing motor 71 of the polishing device 23 constituting the circulation path starts to drive, and within the circulation path. It becomes possible to transfer pachinko balls.

  However, the circulation path may be set so that the polishing entrance ball detection switch 701 starts driving as described above when the polishing entrance ball detection switch 701 detects that the pachinko ball has started to be introduced, and the circulation of the pachinko ball is disclosed. As a modified example, even if all the sensors (polishing entrance ball detection switch 701 and first filling detection sensor 75 and second filling detection sensor 40 described later) provided in the circulation path do not detect pachinko balls, The specification may be such that the pachinko balls are continuously circulated after the power is turned on.

  However, the number of pachinko balls that enter the filling space 63 (for example, pachinko balls that are thrown in from the outlet 61) may become excessive with respect to the number of game media that can be stored in the filling space 63. For example, when the filling space 63 can store 40 pachinko balls, when 40 pachinko balls enter the filling space 63, the uppermost portion 64 of the filling space 63 is filled with the pachinko balls and becomes full. It is in a state. Since the pachinko balls (41st and subsequent ones) that try to enter the filling space 63 after this state overflow from the filling space 63, they enter the excess ball hole portion 66 in front of the filling space uppermost portion 64. ..

  With reference to FIG. 5, the surplus (for example, the 41st or later) pachinko balls that have advanced toward the surplus ball hole portion 66 are connected from the surplus ball hole portion 66, and are provided in front of the filling space 63. The excess ball passage 67, which is a flow path for pachinko balls, is guided from the excess ball passage outlet 68 to the excess ball retention portion 69, and is stored in the excess ball retention portion 69. That is, the surplus ball stopping portion 69 is arranged at a predetermined position on the front side of the pachinko machine 2.

  The front portion of the door covering surface 65 is covered by an opening door provided with the indicator 54, the hit ball operation handle 13 and the like shown in FIG. 1, and the surplus ball retaining portion 69 is also opened by this opening door. Is covered. The door for opening is normally locked (locked) by a key carried by an attendant at the game hall, and cannot be unlocked by the player but can be unlocked by an attendant at the game hall. Therefore, the player cannot take out the pachinko balls stored in the surplus ball stopping portion 69 by himself, and only the staff at the game hall can take them out. A staff member at the game arcade can eject the pachinko balls stored in the surplus ball stopping portion 69 to the outside of the pachinko machine 2 by taking out the pachinko balls stored in the surplus ball stopping portion 69. For example, if the surplus ball stopping portion 69 is arranged at a position exposed when the portion where the display 54 of FIG. 1 is installed is opened, the pachinko ball is simply opened by opening the portion where the display 54 of FIG. 1 is installed. Can be taken out easily. In addition, the surplus ball stopping portion 69 may be provided on the entire surface side (player side) of the opening door.

  As shown in FIG. 5, a pachinko ball that overflows from the filled space 63 that is full and flows from the surplus ball hole portion 66 toward the surplus ball stop portion 69 uses, for example, gravity without using a driving force. It is configured to naturally flow from the surplus ball hole portion 66 toward the surplus ball stopping portion 69. Therefore, it is not necessary to additionally provide a member used as a driving force for guiding the pachinko balls toward the surplus ball retaining portion 69, and the configuration of the equipment can be simplified.

  Further, since the surplus pachinko balls guided to the surplus ball stopping part 69 can be easily taken out by an attendant of the game hall, the surplus ball stopping part 69 is used not only as a place for storing the surplus pachinko balls but also as a service ball. It can be shared as a place to store pachinko balls. Therefore, space saving can be achieved as compared with the case where the surplus ball stopping portion 69 and the service ball storage place are provided as different places.

  Further, for example, for maintenance, once the pachinko ball in the pachinko machine 2 is taken out (extracted), the power is turned on and the pachinko ball is put in the pachinko machine 2 again (for example, put in from the outlet 61). In this case, the number of balls that can be stored in the entire circulation path of the pachinko machine 2 is determined to be 40, for example, and when exactly 40 balls are supplied to the circulation path from the outlet 61. The pachinko balls in the filling space 63 are configured to be full. Then, the number of pachinko balls that exceeds 40 overflows from the filling space 63, and the flow of pachinko balls to the surplus ball stop portion 69 starts. As a result, it can be easily confirmed that the supply of the required number (40) of pachinko balls to normally circulate the pachinko balls in the circulation path of the pachinko machine 2 has been completed. In addition, since the surplus pachinko balls naturally move toward the surplus ball stopping portion 69, it is not necessary to count the number of pachinko balls accurately when they are put into the pachinko machine 2. You can put pachinko balls. Therefore, a predetermined number of pachinko balls can be easily put into the pachinko machine 2 (circulation path).

  Further, since a predetermined number of pachinko balls can be easily inserted into the pachinko machine 2 as described above, even when the projecting device 14 is above the pachinko machine 2 as in the present embodiment, for example, the launching device 14 can be used. It is possible to easily supply a specified number (for example, 40) of pachinko balls to the entire circulation route including.

  FIG. 6 shows the configuration of only the polishing device in more detail. In FIG. 6, the front side (front right side) of the figure is the front side of the pachinko machine 2. Further, FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of the polishing apparatus attached to the pachinko machine 2 as viewed from the back side of the pachinko machine. Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, the polishing device 23 mainly includes a polishing motor 71, a conveying screw 72, a polishing cassette 73, and a cassette motor 74. The polishing motor 71 is a motor for driving the polishing device (transport screw 72) to transport the pachinko balls in the polishing device 23, and is arranged behind the transport screw 72 and the like. As described above, the transport screw 72 transports the pachinko balls to be polished while circulating.

  The polishing cassette 73 is a cassette that stores polishing members. The polishing member is arranged inside the polishing cassette 73 in FIG. 6, that is, not on the back side, so that the polishing member polishes the surface of the pachinko ball. The polishing member has, for example, a buff body portion and a surface mesh portion that covers the surface of the buff body portion. The buff body is a band-shaped member formed of, for example, a sponge or other porous member, but is not limited to a sponge. For example, by polishing the surface of the ball, dirt and the like removed from the surface of the ball can be taken into the buff body. Any material that can be used can be used. The surface mesh portion is, for example, a mesh-shaped net arranged so as to cover the outer surface of the buff body portion. That is, since the surface mesh portion has a large number of holes, dirt and the like removed from the surface of the ball by polishing the surface of the ball can be taken into the inside of the buff body portion through the surface mesh portion.

  The buff body does not necessarily have to be covered with the surface mesh portion, and may have, for example, only the buff body. In this case as well, as an example, a buff main body made of a member such as paper may be used.

  The cassette motor 74 is a motor that moves a polishing member connected to the cassette motor 74 so as to circulate in the polishing cassette 73, for example, by rotation of a motor gear (not shown) provided therein. More specifically, when the cassette motor 74 is driven by the above-mentioned payout control board 17, the motor gear rotates and the polishing member moves.

  6 and 7, the conveying screw 72 of FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 is provided above the moving lower side (front side in the moving direction) of the pachinko balls conveyed thereby than in the moving upper side (rear side in the moving direction). It is installed in a tilted manner. While the polishing member is installed substantially horizontally, the conveying screw 72 is installed obliquely, so that the pachinko balls that are polished while flowing along the conveying screw 72 prevent the polishing member (surface mesh portion) from becoming dirty. This covers almost the entire width in the vertical direction of FIG. Therefore, polishing using a wider area of the surface mesh portion can be performed with high efficiency. If the transport screw 72 flows in the horizontal direction like the polishing member (surface mesh portion), the pachinko balls are also polished in the horizontal direction, so that the polishing member (surface mesh portion) moves in the vertical direction in FIG. Only a part of the area is soiled and a part of the area is exchanged without being soiled, and the utilization efficiency of the surface mesh portion is reduced. However, the conveying screw 72 may be installed horizontally with respect to the pachinko machine 2.

  The movement of the polishing member (surface mesh portion), particularly the location for polishing, and the switching of the surface for polishing, may be performed little by little at all times. However, the above-mentioned movement or switching may be performed at a time after a certain time has elapsed or after a certain number of polishings.

  8 and 9 are enlarged views of the polishing device mounted on the pachinko machine 2 as seen from the back side of the pachinko machine, as shown in FIG. Although it is covered with a cover, it is omitted in FIGS. 8 and 9 in order to make the conveying screw 72 easy to see.

  With reference to FIGS. 8 and 9, a pachinko ball moved from, for example, the filling space 63 enters the polishing start end portion 78 of the conveying screw 72 by a generally known path or the like. Here, when a pachinko ball enters the polishing start end portion 78 of the conveying screw 72 with the polishing cassette 73 set so as to face the front surface of the conveying screw 72, the pachinko ball comes to the polishing start end portion 78 and the polishing cassette. It is installed so as to be sandwiched by the polishing member in 73. Then, a pachinko ball is detected by a polishing entrance sensor (also referred to as a polishing entrance ball detection switch) 701, and the polishing motor 71 starts to drive on condition that the first filling detection sensor 75, which will be described later, does not detect the filled state of the balls. .. The drive of the polishing motor 71 is controlled by the payout control board 17 described above. When the polishing motor 71 is driven, the motor gear provided in the polishing motor 71 rotates, so that the conveying screw 72 fixed to the gear connected to the motor gear starts to rotate. In particular, when using a polishing member that moves constantly, the polishing member may also start driving as described above.

  The pachinko balls that come into contact with the rotation of the conveying screw 72 are conveyed toward the polishing end end 79 (the other end with respect to the polishing start end 78) of the conveying screw 72, and the surface thereof is polished. The member is polished to remove surface stains.

  Referring again to FIG. 7, in the vicinity of the polishing device 23 (here, the polishing end portion 79) (on the back side of the pachinko machine 2), the first filling detection sensor 75, the punching hole 76, and the punching hole are provided. Cover 77 is arranged. The first filling detection sensor 75 detects that the pachinko balls arranged in a part of the circulation path (particularly in FIG. 7, the first filling detection sensor 75 is arranged, the moving lower side of the polishing device 23) are filled. The first filling detection sensor 75 is also a sensor, and also has a function as a sensor for detecting that a pachinko ball is started to be loaded into the doffing device 25 at the start of a game. That is, the first filling detection sensor 75 detects that a pachinko ball has begun to enter the area of the first filling detection sensor 75, and the second filling detection sensor 40 does not detect the filling state of the ball. A function of starting the driving of the lifting device 25 and a function of detecting that the pachinko balls are full and stopping the driving of the polishing motor 71 so that no more pachinko balls are sent to the lower side of the movement of the polishing device 23. Is also used as.

  Conversely, from the time when the polishing motor 71 starts to drive until the first filling detection sensor 75 detects that the pachinko balls are full (while not detecting), the polishing motor 71 and the conveying screw 72. Drive the pachinko balls to move from the polishing start end 78 toward the polishing end end 79. That is, stop means for stopping the drive of the polishing motor 71 when the first filling detection sensor 75 detects that the pachinko balls are filled in the polishing device 23 is provided. Further, when the first filling detection sensor 75 detects the insertion of the pachinko balls 10, the lifting motor of the ball hoisting device 25 forming the circulation path starts to drive, and the circulation path of the ball pachinko balls is the ball hoisting device 25. Ready to be transferred to.

  It should be noted that the combined use of the above functions of the first filling detection sensor 75 is merely an example, and different sensors may be provided according to the respective functions.

  The beading hole 76 is a discharge port for discharging the pachinko balls arranged inside the circulation path to the outside of the pachinko machine 2 during maintenance, for example. Therefore, the operation of discharging the pachinko balls from the ball punching holes 76 may be performed during the normal game operation, but the operation of discharging the pachinko balls from the ball punching holes 76 is performed after the pachinko machine 2 is set to the maintenance mode. May be. For example, when the pachinko balls are discharged from the ball punching holes 76 after setting to the maintenance mode, the control for discharging the pachinko balls is performed at a higher speed than when the pachinko balls are discharged from the ball punching holes 76 during the normal game operation. As a result, the operation of ejecting the balls can be speeded up. This is because by setting the maintenance mode, the payout control unit 171 drives and controls the polishing motor 71 and the lifting motor 93 at a high speed different from that at the time of a normal game.

  Further, the beading hole cover 77 is a cover that covers the ejection port so that the pachinko balls are not ejected from the beading hole 76 during normal use, for example. For example, when a staff member of the game hall attaches and detaches the ball-drilling hole cover 77, the ball-drilling hole is opened and the ball-drilling hole 76 is opened, so that a pachinko ball can be discharged (see FIG. 8) and the ball. The punch hole cover 77 is closed and the ball punch hole cover 77 is closed, so that it is possible to freely switch between a closed state in which pachinko balls are not discharged (see FIG. 9).

  The beading hole 76 and the beading hole cover 77 are provided in the vicinity of the polishing end portion 79 of the polishing device 23. That is, the pachinko balls discharged from the beading hole 76 can have a clean surface immediately after being polished by the polishing device 23 (immediately after passing through the polishing device 23).

  By opening the beading hole cover 77, inside the pachinko machine 2 including the circulation path, the pachinko balls that are not constrained by any member naturally fall due to the action of gravity, for example, from the beading hole 76. It can be discharged to the outside of the pachinko machine 2. Since the above-mentioned pachinko balls that drop naturally are discharged without receiving any driving force, it is possible to discharge the pachinko balls more easily (in a simple method).

  However, for a pachinko ball that is mechanically constrained inside the pachinko machine 2, such as a pachinko ball that is being polished by being sandwiched between the conveying screw 72 of the polishing device 23 and the polishing member, a ball-punching operation button 19 described later is used. It is discharged from the punching hole 76 by the action of the automatic operating means (S32) which is activated by pressing.

  Here, for example, if the ball-drilling hole cover 77 is provided at the lowest point of the circulation path, when the ball-drilling hole cover 77 is opened, it is not constrained by any member, so that it naturally falls due to the action of gravity. By doing so, the number of pachinko balls that can be discharged from the punching holes 76 is further increased. Therefore, the efficiency of discharging the pachinko balls can be further increased. Therefore, it is more preferable that the beading hole 76 and the beading hole cover 77 be provided below the pachinko machine 2.

  Referring again to FIG. 7 to FIG. 9, the doffing device 25 extends vertically in a lateral direction on the back side of the pachinko machine 2 (on the right side in the figure, that is, on the left side when viewed from the front of the pachinko machine 2). Existence The pachinko balls that have moved from the polishing end portion 79 enter the doffing device 25 through a generally known path or the like.

  With reference to FIGS. 7 to 10, the doffing device 25 mainly includes a hoisting ball inlet 92, a hoisting motor 93, a hoisting screw 94, a hoisting tube 95, and a hoisting ball outlet 96. Have The pachinko balls that enter the ball-lifting device 25 from the lift-up ball inlet 92 are installed so as to be sandwiched between the lift screw 94 and the lift tube 95. Upon detection by the sensor, the hoisting motor 93 and the hoisting screw 94 start driving in the same manner as the polishing motor 71, the conveying screw 72, and the cassette motor 74 described above. Then, the pachinko balls that come into contact with the lifting screw 94 are transferred upward along the lifting screw 94, and exit from the lifting ball outlet 96 to the outside of the ball lifting device 25.

  11 to 14 show the configuration of only the launching device in more detail. In FIG. 11, the front of the figure is the front side of the pachinko machine 2, and in FIGS. 12 and 13, the front of the figure is the pachinko machine 2. It corresponds to the right side of. In FIG. 14, the front side of the figure is the back side of the pachinko machine 2.

  With reference to FIGS. 11 to 14, the launch device 14 includes a foul ball detection switch 33, a launch solenoid 41, a hitting hammer 42, a launch position 43, a ball passage 44, a launch ball inlet 46, and a ball feed solenoid. It mainly has 47, a link 48, and a fulcrum 49. In addition, a second filling detection sensor 40 is provided near the launcher 14 (on the back side). The second filling detection sensor 40 is filled with pachinko balls arranged in a part of the circulation path (particularly in FIG. 12 to FIG. 14, the second filling detection sensor 40 is arranged, the moving lower side of the doffing device 25). The second fullness detection sensor 40 is a sensor that detects that the game has been performed, and also has a function as a sensor that detects that a pachinko ball has started to be inserted into the launcher 14 when the game starts. That is, the second filling detection sensor 40 has a function of detecting that a pachinko ball has begun to enter the area of the second filling detection sensor 40 and starting driving the launching device 14 (ball feeding solenoid 47), and the pachinko ball is filled. It also has the function of stopping the driving of the lifting motor 93 and stopping the further pachinko balls from being fed to the moving lower side of the ball lifting device 25.

  Conversely speaking, from the start of the pumping motor 93 until the second filling detection sensor 40 detects that the pachinko balls are full in the ball pumping device 25 (while it is not detected), By driving the lifting motor 93, the pachinko balls move the ball lifting device 25 upward.

  The dual function of the second charge detection sensor 40 is also merely an example, and different sensors may be provided according to the respective functions.

  Further, the drive control of the polishing motor 71 and the lifting motor 93 is performed irrespective of the presence or absence of the detection of the balls by the sensors (polishing entrance ball detection switch 701, first filling detection sensor 75) on the ball movement superior side in each. It is also possible to perform control so that driving is started when the ball fullness state is no longer detected by the ball moving lower side sensor (first fullness detection sensor 75, second fullness detection sensor 40).

  When the second filling detection sensor 40 detects that the pachinko balls are full in the ball hoisting device 25, the driving of the hoisting motor 93 is stopped and further pachinko balls are moved to the lower side of the ball hoisting device 25. It will not be sent. That is, the second filling detection sensor 40 is provided with a stopping means for stopping the driving of the lifting motor 93 when the doffing device 25 detects that the pachinko balls are full. Further, when the second filling detection sensor 40 detects the insertion of the pachinko balls 10, the circulation path becomes a state in which the pachinko balls can be transferred to the launching device 14.

  The launch position 43 corresponds to an exit from the launching device 14 for launching a pachinko ball to the launch ball inlet 46. The ball passage 44 is a pachinko ball passage that passes through the inside of the launcher 14 from the launch ball inlet 46 to the launch position 43.

  The ball feeding solenoid 47 is a solenoid for carrying the pachinko balls in the ball passage 44 toward the firing position 43. The link 48 and the fulcrum 49 are members that control the transportation of the pachinko balls in the ball passage 44, and have the same function as the transportation screw 72 in the polishing device 23, for example. Specifically, when the ball feed solenoid 47 starts to be driven by the payout control board 17, the link 48 is attracted to the ball feed solenoid 47 by the excitation of the ball feed solenoid (solenoid coil) 47. As a result, the link 48 rotates about the fulcrum 49. The link 48 stops the fluidization of the subsequent pachinko balls as shown in FIG. 12 when the ball feed solenoid 47 is not attracted, but when the ball feed solenoid 47 is attracted, the link 48 swings upward. The pachinko balls are allowed to flow down, and only one pachinko ball is conveyed toward the moving lower side of the ball passage 44. The link 48 has a mode in which one pachinko ball on the moving side enters the site when the site in contact with the pachinko ball is sucked. By repeating excitation and de-excitation of the ball feeding solenoid 47, one by one It works like sending out a pachinko ball.

  A fired ball detection switch 99 is provided on the slightly downstream side of the link 48 on the ball falling side. When one ball is sent out by the swing of the link 48, the shot ball detection switch 99 momentarily becomes a non-detected state, and the detection signal is input to the payout control unit 171, and it is determined that one ball has been shot.

  The firing solenoid 41 is a solenoid that drives the pachinko balls from the firing position 43 toward the game area 27, and the hitting hammer 42 is a hammer that strikes the pachinko balls to fire the pachinko balls. The ball striking hammer 42 is an arm-shaped member having a rotating shaft 51 and a coil suction portion 52, and when the arm moves around the rotating shaft 51, a striking force is given to the pachinko ball to give it a game area. Fire it at 27. Specifically, when the firing solenoid 41 (solenoid coil) is excited, the hitting hammer 42 attracts the coil suction portion 52 formed on the arm around the rotation axis 51 to the excitation area in the solenoid coil. A reciprocating motion such as being driven or being returned to its original position by the restoring force of a spring (not shown) by deenergizing the solenoid coil occurs, and the reciprocating motion is used to shoot a pachinko ball. The intensity of the pachinko ball firing is adjusted by a variable resistor whose resistance value changes depending on the amount of rotation of the ball striking handle 13.

  The foul ball detection switch 33 is provided in the middle of the path of the ball passage 44 and is a switch for detecting a state in which the pachinko balls are accumulated in the ball passage 44 and are stagnant. When the foul ball detection switch 33 detects that the pachinko balls in the middle of the path of the ball passage 44 are not fired and are stagnant, the feeding operation in which the pachinko balls are conveyed toward the moving side of the ball passage 44 is detected. The game is stopped, and an operation of shooting a pachinko ball from the shooting position 43 to the game area 27 is performed. Specifically, for example, while the pachinko ball firing operation is repeated three times (three pachinko balls are fired from the firing position 43), the excitation of the ball feeding solenoid 47 is stopped and the pachinko ball ball passage 44. The flow down to is blocked by the link 48, and only the ejection (launch) of the balls from the ball passage 44 is performed. In this way, the pachinko balls existing in the ball passage 44 are prevented from becoming excessive.

  Here, the hitting ball firing operation of the hitting ball hammer 42 and the pachinko ball conveying operation to the firing position 43 of the ball feeding solenoid 47 are independently performed by time control. That is, the operation of the hitting hammer 42 to shoot a pachinko ball and the operation of the ball feeding solenoid 47 to carry a pachinko ball to the firing position 43 are controlled so as to have the same speed (one in 0.6 seconds). ing.

  If the foul ball detection switch 33 is on the trajectory (launch trajectory) in the game area 27 of the pachinko ball fired at the firing position 43 (including the vicinity of the firing position 43), the foul ball detection switch 33 is fired. There is a possibility that the pachinko ball or the hit ball hammer 42 may be damaged by the impact. However, as in the present embodiment, the foul ball detection switch 33 is provided at a location (ball passage 44) different from the launch trajectory of the pachinko ball launched at the launch position 43. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of damage caused by hitting a pachinko ball.

  In the present embodiment, the doffing device 25 as described above is arranged as a mechanism separate from the polishing device 23. Therefore, as compared with the case where the doffing device 25 and the polishing device 23 are formed as an integrated mechanism, the degree of freedom in arranging the doffing device 25 and the polishing device 23 inside the pachinko machine 2 is increased. be able to.

  For example, referring to FIG. 15A, in the pachinko machine 2 of the present embodiment, as described above, the pachinko balls collected from below the game area 27 (for example, the outlet 61) are processed by the polishing device 23. After being polished, it is conveyed to the upper side of the pachinko machine 2 by the ball hoisting device 25 and is again fired from the firing position 43 to the game area 27 through the ball passage 44 of the firing device 14 above the pachinko machine 2. It may have a route. However, referring to FIG. 15B, for example, a pachinko ball collected from below the game area 27 (for example, the outlet 61) is first conveyed to the upper side of the pachinko machine 2 by the doffing device 25, and then, After being polished by the polishing device 23, it may have a circulation path of being fired again from the firing position 43 to the game area 27 through the ball passage 44 of the firing device 14 above the pachinko machine 2.

  Since the doffing and feeding device 25 and the polishing device 23 are separate mechanisms in this way, the order in the circulation path of the doffing and feeding device 25, the polishing device 23, and the ball passage 44 (launching device 14), and the doffing The degree of freedom in arranging the feeding device 25, the polishing device 23, and the ball passage 44 inside the pachinko machine 2 can be increased.

  In the ball circulation movement control in the circulation path in the present embodiment (specifically, the normal ball circulation processing in S12 described later), the movement speed of the pachinko balls is higher on the side closer to the movement of the pachinko balls in the circulation path. .. Specifically, for example, in the case of the pachinko machine 2 having the circulation path of FIG. 15A, the speed at which the pachinko balls are conveyed by the conveyor screw 72 in the polishing device 23 is the highest, and the pachinko machine 25 is pumped in the ball hoisting device 25. The speed conveyed by the screw 94 is next, and the speed conveyed in the ball passage 44 is the slowest. Further, for example, in the case of the pachinko machine 2 having the circulation route of FIG. 15B, the speed at which the ball is lifted by the lifting screw 94 in the ball lifting device 25 is the highest, and the ball 72 is transferred by the carrying screw 72 in the polishing device 23. The speed to be carried is next, and the speed to be carried in the ball passage 44 is the slowest.

  In this way, the pachinko ball on the moving lower side of the circulation path, especially the launch standby ball whose flow down is regulated by the link 48, can be caught up by the pachinko ball on the succeeding moving side. For example, when two balls pass through the link 48 and are supplied to the firing position at the same time during the game, the number of balls waiting to be fired is reduced by one from that amount, but the second full charge is detected immediately. Since the sensor 40 does not detect the fullness of the balls and the lifting motor 93 operates to lift the balls at a speed faster than the normal ball feeding speed and supply the balls to the link 48, a ball waiting to be launched. The deficiency condition of is solved and the proper number of waiting balls can be maintained. Further, when the first filling detection sensor 75 no longer detects the filled state of the balls due to the balls being unloaded at a speed higher than the normal ball feeding speed, the polishing motor 71 operates to cause the ball to be fed at a speed higher than the normal ball feeding speed. Since the balls are ground and delivered at a high speed, the lack of balls at the entrance of the bead lifting device 25 is eliminated.

  However, in order to prevent the pachinko balls on the moving side of the circulation path from being excessively filled, when the first filling detection sensor 75 and the second filling detection sensor 40 detect the filling state of the pachinko balls, the stop means ( By S17 and S20), the adjacent device is stopped on the side of the better movement. By doing so, it is possible to prevent the pachinko balls from being excessively filled.

  FIG. 16 is a block diagram showing the configurations of the card unit 3 and the pachinko machine 2. An outline of control circuits for the card unit 3 and the pachinko machine 2 will be described with reference to FIG.

  The card unit 3 is provided with a CU control unit 323 composed of a microcomputer or the like. The CU control unit 323 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) as a control center, a ROM (Read Only Memory) that stores programs and control data for operating the CPU, and a RAM (functioning as a work area of the CPU). Random Access Memory), an input / output interface for maintaining signal integrity with peripheral devices, etc.

  The CU control unit 323 is provided with an external communication unit (not shown) for communicating with a hall management computer and a hall server (not shown) for security management, and payout control of the pachinko machine 2. A security board 325 is provided for communicating with the board 17 while ensuring security. The card unit 3 is provided with a connection portion (not shown) to the pachinko machine 2 side, and the pachinko machine 2 is provided with a connection portion (not shown) to the card unit 3 side. These connecting portions are composed of, for example, connectors.

  The security board 325 on the CU side and the payout control board 17 on the P stand side are communicably connected via this connector and the connection wiring. The security board 325 is provided with a communication control IC 325a for controlling communication between the security board 325 and the payout control board 17, and a security chip (SC) 325b for monitoring the security of the pachinko machine 2. Further, the SC 325b includes a fraud detecting unit 1325, and the fraud detecting unit 1325 performs fraud detection by monitoring the game ball addition request information notified from the CU control unit 323 to the P unit 2, and performs key management at the time of fraud detection. Notify the server (not shown). Also, the setting value (constant) for fraud detection is notified from the key management server as board control information.

  The currency discriminator discriminates the authenticity and type of the bill, and the discrimination result signal is input to the CU control unit 323. When the IR photosensitive unit 320 receives the infrared light emitted from the remote controller carried by the attendant at the game arcade, the received light signal is input to the CU control unit 323. The card reader / writer reads the record information of the inserted card, the read information is input to the CU control unit 323, and the CU control unit 323 sends to the card reader / writer the data to be written to the inserted card. When transmitted, the card reader / writer writes the data in the inserted card.

  The CU control unit 323 manages and stores the balls of the player when the player is playing the game. Data such as the balance or the number of game balls is output from the CU control unit 323 to the display control unit 350, and converted into display data by the display control unit 350. The display data converted by the display control unit 350 is output to the display 312, and the output display data is displayed on the display 312. When the player operates the touch panel provided on the surface of the display 312, the operation signal is input to the CU control unit 323 via the display control unit 350. When the player operates the ball lending button 321, the operation signal is input to the CU control unit 323. The ball lending button 321 is not limited to the configuration provided in the CU 3, and may be provided in the P stand 2 to input an operation signal to the CU control unit 323. When the player operates the replay button 319, the operation signal is input to the CU control unit 323. When the player operates the return button 322, the operation signal is input to the CU control unit 323.

  The pachinko machine 2 has a main control board 16 that controls the progress of the game of the pachinko machine 2, a payout control board 17 that manages and stores game balls, and a drive solenoid 41 that is controlled based on a command from the payout control board 17. The firing control board 31 and the variable display device 278 are provided.

  As described above, the main control board 16 is provided on the game board 26. A game control microcomputer, which is a main control unit 161, is mounted on the main control board 16. The gaming machine control microcomputer includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) as a control center, a ROM (Read Only Memory) that stores programs and control data for operating the CPU, and a RAM (functioning as a work area of the CPU). Random Access Memory), an input / output interface for maintaining signal integrity with peripheral devices, etc. The main controller 161 is connected to the winning sensor 162 and the radio wave sensor 163 provided on the game board 26. The game board 26 is further provided with a display control board (production control board) for controlling the variable display device 278 and the like.

  The payout control board 17 is provided on the front frame 6 (game frame). On the payout control board 17, a payout control microcomputer that is a payout control unit 171 is mounted.

  The payout control microcomputer includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) as a control center, a ROM (Read Only Memory) that stores programs and control data for operating the CPU, and a RAM (functioning as a work area of the CPU). Random Access Memory), an input / output interface for maintaining signal integrity with peripheral devices, etc.

  In addition, the payout control board 17 is provided with a ball drop operation button 19 (automatic operation means). The ball drop operation button 19 is, for example, mechanically restrained by the polishing device 23 or the like when the pachinko balls are discharged from the ball drop hole 76 (ball drop hole cover 77) and the surplus ball stop portion 69 described above. A drive source (specifically, a polishing motor 71, a pumping device) for discharging a pachinko ball that cannot be discharged by the automatic flow-down from the ball-drilling hole 76 simply by opening the ball-drilling hole cover 77 This is a button for automatically operating the motor 93, the ball feed solenoid 47, and the firing solenoid 41).

  Further, for the payout control board 17, a launch ball detection switch (not shown), a polishing entrance ball detection switch 701, a foul ball detection switch 33, a lifting motor 93, a polishing motor 71, a ball feeding solenoid 47, a first filling detection sensor. 75, the second filling detection sensor 40, the counting button 28, and the radio wave sensor 173 are provided in an electrically connected state. The radio wave sensor 173 is for detecting an illegal act of illegally transmitting a radio wave.

  The detection signal of the radio wave sensor 173 is input to the payout control unit 171 through an input port (not shown) of the payout control board 17.

  However, if an illegal radio wave is generated, the number of game balls will not be subtracted no matter how many balls are shot. The radio wave sensor 173 detects such illegality caused by radio waves. Here, there is a possibility that the launch ball detection switch may be a target of fraud by radio waves. In other words, when the balls that have actually been launched are collected and detected by the launch ball detection switch, there is a discrepancy in the number of the launched balls and the collected balls (out balls), and an abnormality is detected and "fire / OUT The fraud detection information of “the number of unmatched balls” is transmitted from the P machine 2 to the CU 3. However, by sending an illegal radio wave to this launching ball detection switch to make it undetectable, there is a disadvantage that the fraudulent detection information of the “firing / OUT inconsistent ball number” is not transmitted from the P stand 2 to the CU 3. .. In the present embodiment, since the radio wave sensor 173 also detects an illegal radio wave transmitted to such a launch ball detection switch, the above-mentioned inconvenience can be prevented.

  Further, a shot ball detection switch 99 is provided slightly on the ball moving side better than the ball feed solenoid 47 (see FIGS. 12 and 13), and each time a single pachinko ball is detected by the shot ball detection switch 99. Then, the payout control unit 171 subtracts "1" from the number of game balls. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 19, the subtraction ball number counter is incremented by "1" and updated, and the game ball number is decremented by "1".

  As another modification of subtracting and updating the number of game balls by "1", there is also a method of using the foul ball detection switch 33. Originally, the foul ball detection switch 33 detects the full foul ball when the foul ball is full in the ball passage 44, as described later. In this case, the foul ball detection switch 33 outputs a continuous detection signal instead of an instantaneous pulse signal, and the payout control unit 171 that has received the continuous detection signal detects that the foul ball is in the ball passage 44. When it is determined that it is full, YES is determined in S26 of FIG. 17D described later. On the other hand, when the ball feeding solenoid 47 is excited once, one pachinko ball flows down the ball passage 44, and when the passing ball is detected by the foul ball detection switch 33, an instantaneous pulse signal is detected. It is output from the switch 33. The payout control unit 171 that has received the instantaneous pulse signal may control the subtraction ball number counter by adding “1” and update it, and may also control the game ball number by adding “1” (see FIG. 19). ..

  In this way, the foul ball detection switch 33 is configured to detect a pachinko ball that passes through the ball passage 44 in order to subtract the number of game balls, and to detect a foul ball that fills the ball passage 44 and detect both. It may be configured as a dual-purpose switch.

  From the main control board 16 to the payout control board 17, main control chip ID, winning hole information, round information, connection confirmation signal, winning prize detection signal, starting winning hole winning information, error information, number of times symbols are confirmed, big hit information, manufacturer specific The jackpot information is sent.

  The main control chip ID (also referred to as a main chip ID) is a chip ID recorded on the main control board 16 of the pachinko machine 2, and is transmitted to the payout control board 17 when the power of the pachinko machine 2 is turned on. Information. The winning hole information is information including the type of winning hole (starting winning hole, normal winning hole, large winning hole) and the number of winning balls (the number of payout balls when a game ball enters the winning hole). It is transmitted to the payout control board 17 when the power of the machine 2 is turned on. The round information is information on the number of rounds when a big hit occurs, and is transmitted to the payout control board 17 when the pachinko machine 2 is powered on.

  The connection confirmation signal is a signal for confirming that the main control board 16 and the payout control board 17 are connected, and a signal of a predetermined voltage is constantly supplied from the main control board 16 to the payout control board 17. Therefore, the payout control board 17 is configured to control the operation under the condition that the payout control board 17 receives the predetermined voltage signal. The winning detection signal is a detection signal of a pachinko ball that has won a winning opening other than the starting winning opening. Upon receipt of this detection signal, the payout control board 17 controls to add the number of balls to be given to one winning ball to the number of game balls and the number of added balls. This will be described later in detail.

  The starting winning opening winning information is information indicating that a pachinko ball has won in either the starting winning opening 1 or the starting winning opening 2. The error information is information for notifying the payout control board 17 of that when an error occurs while the main control board 16 is performing the game control.

  The number of times of symbol determination is the information of the symbol determined as the display result of the variable display device with respect to the winning of each starting winning opening.

  The big hit information is information indicating that a big hit has occurred, and its details include common big hit information indicating a big hit common to each maker and maker-specific big hit information indicating a big hit unique to a maker. The common jackpot information is a jackpot commonly adopted by each gaming machine maker, such as a 15-round jackpot, and if the jackpot causes a jackpot change, the jackpot information is included and accompanied by the jackpot. If a time saving state (a control state that shortens the variable display time of the variable display device) occurs, the time saving information is included. The maker-specific jackpot is a jackpot state adopted only by a certain game machine maker, such as a sudden change (sudden change).

  A health check command and a prize ball number acceptance command are transmitted from the payout control board 17 to the main control board 16. The health check command is a command for checking whether or not the main control board 16 is operating normally. The prize ball number acceptance command is a command indicating that the number of added balls has been accepted.

  The out ball collected from the out opening 61 is detected by the out ball detection switch 88 (see FIG. 4), and the out ball detection signal is input to the payout controller 171. The out-ball detection switch 88 is arranged on the better side of the pachinko ball movement than the surplus-ball path 67 for guiding the surplus balls from the filling space 63 to the surplus-ball stopping portion 69.

  A detection signal is input from the polishing entrance ball detection switch 701 to the payout control board 17. The payout control board 17 to which this detection signal is input subtracts and updates the number of playing balls (the number of floating balls floating in the game area 27) as described later. A shooting ball detection signal is input to the payout control board 17 from the shooting ball detection switch. The payout control board 17 to which the shot ball detection signal is input subtracts and updates the number of balls in the game.

  The security board 325 of the card unit 3 and the payout control board 17 of the pachinko machine 2 are electrically connected, and a recovery request, a recovery detail request, and a communication start from the security board 325 to the payout control board 17 as described later. Various commands such as a request, a communication end request, a status information request, a card insertion notification, a card return notification, and a communication test request are transmitted.

  The recovery request is a command for requesting the pachinko machine 2 to notify the recovery information, as will be described later. Upon receipt of the recovery request, the payout control board 17 notifies the card unit 3 of the recovery information of the pachinko machine 2. The recovery detail request is a command that requests the pachinko machine 2 to notify the recovery detailed information. The payout control board 17 receives the recovery detail request and notifies the card unit 3 of the recovery detail information of the pachinko machine 2. The communication start request is a command that requests the pachinko machine 2 to start communication. The payout control board 17 receives the communication start request and responds to the card unit 3 with the communication start. The communication end request is a command that requests the pachinko machine 2 to end communication. The payout control board 17 responds to the card unit 3 with the completion of communication in response to the request for completion of communication.

  The status information request is a command that requests the pachinko machine 2 to notify the status information. Upon receipt of the status information request, the payout control board 17 notifies the card unit 3 of the status information of the pachinko machine 2. The card insertion notification is a command that notifies the pachinko machine 2 that a card has been inserted. Upon receipt of the card insertion notice, the payout control board 17 responds to the card unit 3 that the card has been inserted. The card return notification is a command that notifies the pachinko machine 2 that the card has been returned. Upon receipt of the card return notice, the payout control board 17 makes a response to the card unit 3 that the card has been returned. The communication test request is a command that notifies the pachinko machine 2 of test data. The payout control board 17 responds to the card unit 3 with test data in response to the communication test request.

  Various responses such as a recovery response, a recovery detail response, a communication start response, a communication end response, a status information response, a card insertion response, a card return response, and a communication test response are transmitted from the payout control board 17 to the security board 325.

  The front frame 6 (game frame) is provided with a firing control board 31 and a firing solenoid 41. The launch control board 31 emits a launch solenoid 41 excitation output to drive the launch solenoid 41 when an input signal of a touch ring that detects that the player is touching the hit ball operation handle 25 is input.

  A discharge control signal and a discharge permission signal are output from the payout control board 17 to the discharge control board 31. The firing control board 31 that has received it outputs a signal for exciting the firing solenoid 41. As a result, the pachinko balls are in a state of being shot and ejected to the game area 27.

  A display 54 is provided on the front frame 6 (game frame). The display 54 receives the display data from the display controller 350 of the card unit 3 and displays the display screen. As described above, in the present embodiment, the display unit 54 on the P stand side is configured to be controlled by the CU side, but instead of this, the display control of the display unit 54 on the P stand side is performed. A display control substrate may be provided. In this case, the display control board controls the display of the display 54 based on the command from the payout controller 171. Although not shown in FIG. 16, the detection signal of the out-ball detection switch 88 and the detection signal of the shot-ball detection switch 99 are input to the payout controller 171.

  Next, a flow of a series of ball movement control processing at the time of driving the pachinko machine 2 having the configuration (circulation path) described above will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 17 and 18. With reference to FIG. 17 (a), the process of moving (circulating) a pachinko ball inside the pachinko machine 2 (circulation path) includes a ball supply process (S1), a normal time ball circulation process (S2), and a ball feeding process. This is performed by periodically performing (S3) and the punching process (S4). Here, the required time for performing one step from S1 to S4 is 2 msec, for example.

  FIG. 17B is a flowchart showing a subroutine program of the ball supply process shown in S1 of FIG. 17A. With reference to FIG. 17 (b), the presence / absence of stored balls in the circulation path is determined in S10. The stored balls here mean, for example, pachinko balls that are stored in the filling space 63 shown in FIG. 4 and the like and circulate through the circulation path described above (for example, 40 pieces can be stored as described above). If none of the stored balls have entered the circulation path (YES in FIG. 10), it is determined that the operation has not yet started, and the subroutine program is immediately terminated without performing ball supply and ball circulation processing. Specifically, the fact that the stored balls do not enter the circulation path (YES in S10) detects that, for example, neither the first filling detection sensor 75 nor the second filling detection sensor 40 contains pachinko balls. It can be judged by things.

  If a pachinko ball is thrown into the circulation path from the outlet 61 and the pachinko ball is detected by the polishing entrance ball detection switch 701, NO is determined in S10, and the control proceeds to S11. That is, from the state in which the stored balls have not entered the circulation path at all (YES in S10), the supplied pachinko balls are detected by the polishing entrance ball detection switch 701, and the insertion of the pachinko balls in the circulation path has started. Is recognized, control proceeds to S12, and normal ball circulation processing is performed. The determination of YES in S11 is made when the staff member of the game hall inserts a pachinko ball from the outlet 61 to supply balls. On the other hand, when the polishing entrance ball detection switch 701 does not detect a pachinko ball (NO in FIG. 11), the subroutine program ends immediately without performing the ball circulation processing in the normal time.

  By the normal time ball circulation processing in S12, for example, the balls thrown in through the outlet 61 are circulated and conveyed in the circulation path and supplied to the position before the link 48.

  The above description of FIG. 17 (b) is a program applied to the pachinko machine 2 of the specification in which the pachinko ball detection switch 701 detects the pachinko ball to start circulation of the pachinko ball in the circulation path. Even if neither the first filling detection sensor 75 nor the second filling detection sensor 40 detects a pachinko ball, as long as the pachinko machine 2 is powered on, the polishing motor 71 and the lifting motor 93 are provided. When and drive start, steps S10 and S11 are unnecessary.

  In addition, when performing ball replenishment, instead of throwing in the balls from the above-mentioned outlet 61, the balls may be thrown from, for example, a winning opening provided in the game area 27.

  In the work for supplying the balls, as described above, the pachinko balls in the filling space 63 are full when exactly 40 balls have been supplied in the circulation path. Then, the number of pachinko balls that exceeds 40 overflows from the filling space 63, and the flow of pachinko balls to the surplus ball stop portion 69 starts. As a result, it can be easily confirmed that the supply of the required number (40) of the pachinko balls to normally circulate the pachinko balls in the circulation path of the pachinko machine 2 has been completed. In other words, by replenishing the balls, the balls will be filled in the circulation path in a situation where a game can be played immediately, and by continuing to replenish the balls (insert the balls from the outlet etc.) until the surplus balls are generated If continued, the proper amount of balls (40 balls) will be filled in the circulation path, which is advantageous in that replenishment work is easy and easy to understand.

  In addition, compared to the case where a pachinko ball is thrown in from the winning port to replenish the balls, the out port is larger than the winning port, so there is an advantage that the pachinko balls can be thrown easily and the ball can be replenished easily.

  FIG. 17C is a flowchart showing a subroutine program of the normal time ball circulation processing shown in S2 of FIG. 17A. Referring to FIG. 17 (c), it is determined in S15 whether the first filling detection sensor 75 is ON. As described above, in the first filling detection sensor 75 shown in FIG. 7, the pachinko balls sent from the polishing device 23 toward the doffing device 25 bridge the polishing device 23 and the doffing device 25. It turns on when the vicinity is full (YES in S15). The filling here occurs when the replenishment of pachinko balls in the circulation device is advanced by the ball replenishment processing shown in FIG. 17B (S1 in FIG. 17A). Specifically, instead of the instantaneous pulse signal output from the first filling detection sensor 75 at the time of detecting the passage of a pachinko ball, the pachinko ball remains at the detection position of the first filling detection sensor 75 for a predetermined time (for example, 1 second). ) When the ball detection signal is continuously output, YES is determined in S15. The same applies to the YES determination in S18 and the YES determination in S26 described below. As a result of the determination of YES in S15, the control proceeds to S17, and the polishing motor 71 is stopped. As a result, the conveyance of the pachinko balls to the moving lower side of the polishing device 23 is stopped, and the pachinko balls on the lower side move exclusively, so that the filling of the pachinko balls on the moving lower side of the polishing device 23 is eliminated. Control proceeds. However, when the first filling detection sensor 75 still does not detect the filling of the pachinko balls (NO in S15), the control proceeds to S16 and the polishing motor 71 is driven (the driving is continued).

  Next, in S18, it is determined whether or not the second filling detection sensor 40 is ON. As described above, the second filling detection sensor 40 is used when the pachinko balls sent from the doffing device 25 toward the launching device 14 are filled near the region bridging the doffing device 25 and the launching device 14. Is turned on (YES in S18). The filling here occurs when the replenishment of pachinko balls in the circulation device is advanced by the ball replenishment processing shown in FIG. 17B (S1 in FIG. 17A). As a result, the control advances to S20, and the lifting motor 93 stops. As a result, the conveyance of the pachinko balls to the moving lower side of the ball lifting device 25 is stopped, and the pachinko balls on the lower side move exclusively, so that the pachinko balls on the moving lower side of the ball lifting device 25 are filled. Control proceeds in the direction of eliminating it. However, when the second filling detection sensor 40 still does not detect the filling of the pachinko balls (NO in S18), the control proceeds to S19 and the lifting motor 93 is driven (the driving is continued).

  When the pachinko balls are filled in the circulation path by the subroutine program shown in FIG. 17 (c), the movement from the moving side of the pachinko ball is temporarily stopped (by the stopping means) to move the pachinko ball on the moving side to the lower side. The cycle of devoting itself to the transfer, and sending out the pachinko balls from the moving side again when the filling of the pachinko balls on the moving side is cleared is repeated.

  The ball feeding solenoid 47 may be excited once after the normal ball circulation processing of S12 is performed in the above-described ball supply processing, and only one ball may be supplied to the firing position. Then, a ball is shot into the game area 27 from the moment when the player operates the hit ball operation handle 13.

  Further, as described above, since the moving side of the circulation path on the moving side is faster than the moving side of the pachinko balls, even if the number of pachinko balls on the moving side is temporarily insufficient, Since it is possible to secure the state in which the player can always shoot from the upper hand side toward the game area 27, it is possible to eliminate the state where the pachinko balls are insufficient on the moving lower hand side.

  The above normal ball circulation processing is the ball circulation processing during the normal game in which the player is hitting the ball in S2 of FIG. 17A, and the ball circulation path during the ball replenishment in S12 of FIG. 17B. It is also used for processing to spread the inside.

  FIG. 17D is a flowchart showing a subroutine program of the ball feeding process shown in S3 of FIG. 17A. Referring to FIG. 17 (d), in the ball feeding process, it is first determined in S25 whether or not the firing operation is detected. Specifically, this is a step of determining whether or not there is a pachinko ball firing operation from the firing position 43 to the game area 27.

  As described above, when a metal plate-shaped sensor called a touch sensor, which is provided around the hitting ball operation handle 13 shown in FIG. 1, touches the player's hand, the pachinko machine 2 detects a firing operation (YES in S25). ), The control proceeds to S26, and it is determined whether or not the foul ball detection switch 33 (see FIG. 12) detects a ball. Normally, the foul balls do not stagnate in the ball passage 44 (see FIG. 12), a NO determination is made in S26, the ball feed solenoid 47 is drive-controlled in S27, and the balls pass through the ball passage 44 to the ball firing position. Is supplied to. The supplied pachinko balls are fired in the game area 27 by driving (exciting) the firing solenoid 41 in S28.

  On the other hand, if the pachinko machine 2 does not detect the firing operation without touching the player's hand in S25 (NO in S25), the subroutine program is terminated without the firing solenoid 41 being driven. In this case, the pachinko balls in the ball passage 44 are not transferred.

  The ball may not be fired for some reason, such as when the ball firing force is extremely weak, and may remain at the ball firing position. If a certain number of the remaining foul balls have accumulated, the foul balls will be in the ball passage 44. A foul ball that has stagnated and is stagnant is detected by the foul ball detection switch 33, and a YES determination is made in S26. Then, the driving of the ball feeding solenoid 47 is stopped, and while a predetermined number (for example, 3) of pachinko balls are fired from the firing position 43, an operation of firing the pachinko balls exclusively from the firing position 43 to the game area 27 is performed. (S29). However, it may be the time when the number of pachinko balls other than three is fired from the firing position 43. In this way, the control proceeds in such a direction that the pachinko balls are completely filled in the ball passage 44. After the operation of firing the pachinko balls exclusively from the firing position 43 to the game area 27 is performed, the firing solenoid 41 is controlled again to be in a drivable state (S28).

  However, in S27 and S28, the ball feed solenoid 47 and the firing solenoid 41 are controlled so that they can be driven every 2 msec which is the program cycle of FIG. 17A. The pachinko balls are fired from the firing position 43 to the game area 27 by the drive of, for example, about every 600 msec, but may be a longer time period or a shorter time period. That is, when the firing solenoid 41 is normally driven, the pachinko balls are fired from the firing device 14 to the game area 27 at a rate of 100 times per minute. As described above, the launching device 14 conveys the pachinko balls toward the launch position 43 and launches the pachinko balls from the launch position 43 by the joint work of S27 and S28. The drive of the firing solenoid 41 in S28 while the excitation of the ball feeding solenoid 47 is stopped in S29 is also performed, for example, about every 600 msec, but a longer time period may be used, or a shorter time period. May be

  The timing for driving (exciting) the firing solenoid 41 in S26 may actually be provided with a predetermined time difference from the timing for driving (exciting) the ball feeding solenoid 47 in S28. Specifically, after the ball feeding solenoid 47 drives the pachinko balls to be fed, the firing solenoid 41 is driven (excited) with a delay of the time required for the pachinko balls to reach the firing position 43.

  When the pachinko balls are filled in the ball passage 44 by the above subroutine program of FIG. 17 (d), the movement from the moving side of the ball is temporarily stopped and the moving side is devoted to firing the pachinko ball. When the pachinko balls on the inferior side are filled up, the cycle of moving again and sending out the pachinko balls from the inferior side is repeated.

  As described above, the determination in S26 is YES when the ball detection signal is continuously output from the foul ball detection switch 33 for a predetermined time (for example, 1 second). Further, the ball may be detected so as to be detected at a timing that avoids the timing at which the ball sent by the excitation of the ball feeding solenoid 47 passes the ball detection position of the foul ball detection switch 33.

  As a specific control method, for example, a time (arrival time) when a pachinko ball sent out in accordance with the excitation of the ball feed solenoid 47 flows down the ball passage 44 and reaches the ball detection position of the foul ball detection switch 33. ) Is stored in the payout control unit 171 at the manufacturing stage of the P unit 2, and the timer starts counting with the excitation of the ball feed solenoid 47, and the measured value of the timer reaches a value near the arrival time (for example, the arrival time). When the time is not ± 0.1 seconds), the foul ball detection switch 33 is controlled to detect a ball. Then, when the measured value of the timer does not reach a value near the arrival time (for example, arrival time ± 0.1 seconds), the ball detection operation is performed by the foul ball detection switch 33, and the detection signal with a ball is paid out. When input to the unit 171, the payout control unit 171 determines that there is a foul ball.

  FIG. 18 is a flow chart showing a subroutine program of the punching process shown in S4 of FIG. 17 (a). The ball punching process is a process of ejecting the pachinko balls inside the pachinko machine 2 to the outside from the ball punching hole 76 of FIG. 7 described above, for example, by pressing the ball punching operation button 19 of FIG. 16 described above.

  Referring to FIG. 18, if the ball-punching operation button (ball-punching operation button 19 in FIG. 16) is not operated (NO in S30), the subroutine program is terminated as it is, but if the ball-punching operation button is operated ( (YES in S30), the time required for the ball removing process (for example, 25 seconds) is set inside the pachinko machine 2 (S31). Then, the polishing motor 71, the hoisting motor 93, the ball feeding solenoid 47, and the firing solenoid 41 in the circulation path are driven (S32), and the pachinko balls mechanically restrained by each of these devices are directed toward the punching hole 76. Be transported. The operation of S32 ends if the timer set in S31 times out (S33, S34), but is repeated until the time out.

  However, instead of presetting the time for performing the ball drop operation as in S31, for example, until all the pachinko balls in the pachinko machine 2 are discharged (for example, the first filling detection sensor 75 does not detect the ball for 3 seconds). The operation of S32 may be repeated until the state is reached. By doing so, it is possible to reliably discharge all the pachinko balls.

  Further, for example, a pachinko ball that overflows from the filling space uppermost portion 64 and enters the surplus ball retaining portion 69 on the front surface side of the pachinko machine 2 may be discharged along with the ball removing process. Specifically, a ball-punching passage for guiding the balls of the surplus-ball retaining portion 69 into the circulation path is provided, and the ball-punching passage is normally closed by a shutter. The shutter is opened to guide the balls in the surplus ball stopping portion 69 into the ring path and eject the balls.

  As a method of determining whether or not all the pachinko balls in the pachinko machine 2 are discharged, instead of not detecting the balls from the first filling detection sensor 75 for a predetermined time (for example, 3 seconds), another detection sensor (detection switch) It may be determined from the detection signal of. In that case, it is necessary to consider the period until all the polishing movements of the balls by the polishing device 23 are completed to complete the ball removing process.

  The drive control by S32 in the punching process of FIG. 18 is the same drive control (drive control at the same speed) as the normal game in which the player is playing. However, the speed may be increased during the ball removing process. As described above, during normal game operation, because one shot is fired every 0.6 seconds, the circulating movement speed of the pachinko balls in the circulation path cannot be made higher than the firing speed. However, when the game is not being played, such as in maintenance mode, it is not restricted to the firing speed of one shot every 0.6 seconds, so the circulation speed of the pachinko balls in the circulation path is controlled to be faster than in the normal game. It is also possible to perform the ball-punching processing at high speed. Specifically, during the ball punching process of FIG. 18, the driving speeds of the polishing motor 71, the hoisting motor 93, the ball feeding solenoid 47, and the firing solenoid 41 in S32 are rotated at a higher speed than during the normal game operation. .. This makes it possible to improve the efficiency of the ball removing process.

  It should be noted that the coin removal process of FIG. 18 may be controlled to be executed on the condition that the game is not being played by the player. As a method for the payout control unit 171 to determine the state where no game is being played, specifically, for example, the state where the firing solenoid 41 is not operating for a long time (for example, 1 minute) (not excited) Alternatively, the payout control unit 171 determines based on the state where the number of game balls is zero.

  Next, FIG. 19 is a schematic diagram showing main data among various data stored on the card unit 3 side and the pachinko machine 2 side and a transmission / reception mode thereof. With reference to FIG. 19, main ones of various data stored on the card unit 3 side (CU side) and the pachinko machine 2 side (P machine side) and their transmission / reception modes will be described.

  In the present embodiment, the variation of the number of game balls is calculated on the P unit 2 side to store and manage the current latest number of game balls. The CU3 side also calculates and stores the current number of game balls, but the number of game balls is based on the information transmitted from the P unit 2 side. On the other hand, the number of balls held (number of cards held), the number of balls stored, and the card balance (balance) are managed and stored on the CU3 side.

  FIG. 19 shows the storage data of the RAM provided in the CU control unit 323 on the CU 3 side and the storage data of the RAM mounted on the payout control board 17 on the P stand 2 side. First, when the power supply is started in a state where the P stand 2 (pachinko machine 2) and the CU 3 (card unit 3) are installed in the game hall and electrically connected for the first time, the payout control board on the P stand 2 side The main control board 16 sends the main chip ID (main control chip ID) 17, the main chip ID is sent to the CU 3 side, and the payout chip ID (payout chip ID stored in the payout control board 17 itself (payout) is issued. Control chip ID) to the CU3 side.

  The CU3 side stores the transmitted main chip ID and payout chip ID. Next, the connection time, that is, the data of the time when the CU3 side and the P unit 2 side are connected and the communication is started is transmitted from the CU3 side to the P unit 2 side, and the transmitted connection time is transmitted on the P unit 2 side. Memorize

  In this state, three pieces of information of the main chip ID, the payout chip ID, and the connection time identified on the CU3 side are stored on the CU3 side and the P stand 2 side. When the power is turned on thereafter, the three pieces of information, that is, the main chip ID, the payout chip ID, and the previous connection time data are transmitted from the P stand 2 side to the CU 3 side.

  On the CU3 side, the transmitted data is collated with the already stored data to determine whether or not the same P unit 2 as the previous one is connected. The connection time data is new connection time data when communication between the CU3 side and the P unit 2 side is started each time the power is turned on, and the new connection time data is transmitted from the CU 3 side to the P unit 2 side. The time data will be stored on the P stand 2 side.

  Also, every time a command and a response are transmitted on the CU 3 side and the P unit 2 side, the serial number is incremented and updated by "1", and the serial number is stored on the CU 3 side and the P unit 2 side. This serial number is a communication number for checking whether or not the number is updated every time data is transmitted and received between the CU 3 and the P stand 2, and whether communication is properly performed. The final serial number is the last updated number of the updated communication numbers.

  A specific mode of backup of serial numbers in the CU 3 and the P unit 2 in the present embodiment will be described. The CU 3 backs up and stores the serial number transmitted to the P unit 2 by a command, and when the serial number from the P unit 2 is received next, the serial number stored in the backup is rewritten to the received serial number and stored. Then, when the next command is transmitted, the serial number stored in the backup is updated by incrementing by 1 and transmitted to the P unit 2, and the transmitted serial number is stored in the backup. The CU3 repeats such processing.

  Similarly, in the P unit 2, the serial number received from the CU 3 by the command is backed up and stored, and when the response is transmitted from the P unit 2 to the CU 3 next, the backed up serial number is updated by 1 and transmitted. Store the sent serial number as a backup. When the next response is received, the serial number stored in the backup is rewritten to the received serial number and stored. The P stand 2 repeats such processing.

  For example, a certain command is transmitted from the CU 3 side to the P unit 2 side, and the serial number n at that time is transmitted, and the P unit 2 side stores the transmitted serial number n. When the response is returned from the P unit 2 side to the CU 3 side, the stored serial number n plus 1 (n + 1) is also transmitted. On the CU3 side, since the returned serial number n + 1 is incremented by 1 from the already stored serial number n, it is determined that the data communication is normally performed, and when the next command is sent, the serial number is incremented by 1 and n + 2 is set. Send the serial number to the P stand 2 side.

  The latest game machine information (game machine information being counted) is transmitted from the P machine 2 side to the CU 3 side. The latest gaming machine information is stored in the latest gaming machine information storage area of the RAM of the payout controller 171 (see FIG. 16) on the P machine 2 side. Specifically, the information on the addition ball number counter, the information on the subtraction ball number counter, and the information on the counting ball number counter are included. The number of game balls is not included in the latest game table information, and is transmitted from the P machine 2 side to the CU 3 side as a count value of the game ball number counter as described later.

  Information of these counters is collectively transmitted to the CU side as a response. The addition ball number counter is a counter that counts the number of addition balls. The addition balls are the sum of “the number of prize balls × the number of winning balls” and the “number of back balls”. The back balls are foul balls. That is, the additional balls indicate the number that the additional ball counter should add to the game balls. The subtraction ball number counter is a counter for counting the subtraction ball number. The subtraction ball is the “number of shot balls”. That is, it is the number of balls detected by the output change of the ball raising switch (upper) 41a from on to off. The "number of subtracted balls" does not include the "number of counted balls". The counting ball number counter is a counter that counts the counting ball number. The counting ball is "the number of balls converted from game balls to holding balls by counting operation".

  For example, when a pachinko ball hit in the game area 27 wins and the winning information is transmitted from the main control board 16 to the payout control board 17, the addition ball to which the gaming ball should be added based on the winning information. The added ball number counter counts the number, and the value of the added ball number counter (added ball number) is transmitted from the P stand 2 side to the CU 3 side. Further, the subtraction ball number counter counts the number of shot balls as the subtraction ball number based on the output change of the ball raising switch (upper) 41a from ON to OFF due to the pachinko balls being fired in the game area 27, The value of the subtraction ball number counter (the subtraction ball number) is transmitted from the P stand 2 side to the CU 3 side.

  Alternatively, the payout control unit 171 counts the number of game balls as the number of counting balls by pressing the counting button 28, and transmits the value of the counting ball number counter (the number of counting balls) from the P unit 2 side to the CU 3 side.

  On the P machine 2 side, each time the values of the addition ball number counter, the subtraction ball number counter, and the counting ball number counter are transmitted to the CU 3 side, these count values are stored in the previous gaming machine information storage area (RAM of the payout controller 171). Etc.) is stored (rewritten) as backup data, and the values of the addition ball number counter, the subtraction ball number counter, and the counting ball number counter as the latest game machine information are cleared to 0 (excluding the game ball number counter). In the present embodiment, “clear” has the same meaning as “initialization”.

  As a result, the data of the number of added balls, the number of subtracted balls, and the number of counted balls, which is the game table information transmitted to the CU3 side immediately before, is backed up in the storage area of the last game table information (the game table information transmitted immediately before). It is stored as data. When the latest gaming machine information is not transmitted from the P machine 2 side to the CU 3 side, this backup data is not only the value of each counter this time at the time of the next transmission, but also the value of each previous counter that has not been transmitted. Is also to be able to send.

  In addition, the payout control board 17 updates the value of the game ball number counter in response to the occurrence of a prize, the firing of a ball, the occurrence of a back ball, and the generation of a counting ball (conversion from a gaming ball to a holding ball), The value of the updated game ball number counter is transmitted to the CU 3 side as the number of game balls.

  On the CU3 side, the total data storage area in the RAM is the number of game balls, the number of card balls (also simply called ball number), the number of balls accumulated, the balance, the total number of added balls (total number of added balls), and the total subtraction. The number of balls (cumulative number of subtracted balls) and the number of balls held when the card is inserted are stored. The number of balls held is the number of balls added by subtracting the number of held balls paid out (the number of balls converted from the number of held balls to the number of game balls) from the number of held balls when inserting the card and adding the number of counting balls. In other words, the number of balls held by the card is the number of balls held by the player at the present time.

  Based on the value (added ball number) of the added ball number counter transmitted from the P machine 2 side, the total added ball number is added to update the ball number. Further, the total number of subtracted balls is subtracted based on the value of the number-of-reduced-balls counter (the number of subtracted balls) transmitted from the P unit 2 side to update the number of balls. Further, the number of card balls is added and updated based on the value of the counting ball number counter transmitted from the P machine 2. In this way, the CU 3 can manage the latest information by updating the total number of added balls, the total number of subtracted balls, and the number of cards held by the latest game machine information transmitted from the P machine 2 one by one. It will be possible.

  As shown in the figure, the CU 3 has an area for storing game balls, and also receives a count value of the game ball number counter (also referred to as game ball number or game ball total number information) from the P base 2 side. The CU 3 updates the area for storing game balls according to the following procedure. That is, the CU 3 stores the value based on the value of the added ball number counter (the number of added balls), the value of the subtracted ball number counter (the number of subtracted balls), and the value of the counted ball number counter transmitted from the P unit side. While updating the number of playing balls, it is determined whether or not the count value of the playing ball number counter transmitted from the P machine side at the same timing and the updated number of playing balls match. If they match, the game is allowed to continue, but if they do not match, control to shift to an error state is performed.

  As a result, for example, an error notification is given by the abnormality notification lamp or the display 312, or an error notification signal indicating that an error has occurred is transmitted to the hall management computer or hall server (in this case, hall management). The computer or the hall server may notify the error). As a result, a predetermined notification is given to prompt the personnel to artificially respond.

  Instead of shifting to the error state and stopping the game, the number of game balls stored on the CU3 side is replaced with the count value of the game ball number counter transmitted from the P unit 2 side. Good. Alternatively, instead of this, the average value of the number of game balls managed on the CU 3 side and the number of game balls stored on the P stand 2 side may be corrected.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the number of game balls is also stored in the CU3 side, but it is determined whether or not the number of game balls matches the number of game balls managed and stored on the P unit 2 side. (CU3 side function). Therefore, even if a situation occurs in which the number of game balls stored on the P unit 2 side does not match the number of game balls stored on the CU 3 side due to misconduct or other circumstances, that fact can be checked. Although the determination function is provided on the CU3 side here, for example, the number of game balls stored on the CU3 side and the P unit 2 side are stored by the hall server or the hall management computer connected to the CU3. It is also possible to receive the number of game balls being played and determine whether the two match.

  As shown in FIG. 19, the CU 3 stores a storage area for storing the number of cards held and the number of stored balls, a storage area for storing the card balance of the received (inserted) card, and the total number of added balls (the number of added balls). It further has a storage area for storing the total number), the total number of subtracted balls (total number of subtracted balls), and the number of balls held when the card is inserted. The CU control unit 323 (see FIG. 16) stores the stored coins in response to an input requesting the use of the accumulated coins (for example, a pressing input of a replay button 319 provided in the CU3 (however, when no balls are held)). A predetermined number of coins is subtracted from the area.

  The CU control unit 323 (see FIG. 16) inputs to request the use of balls (for example, pressing input of the replay button 319 provided in the CU 3 when balls are held (when balls are held)). The predetermined number of balls are subtracted from the storage area for storing balls. Further, the CU control unit 323 (see FIG. 16) subtracts a predetermined value from the storage area for storing the card balance in response to an input requesting the use of the card balance (for example, pressing input of the ball lending button 321).

  When the player performs an operation to deduct the value from the gaming value owned by the player (for example, the prepaid balance, the number of balls held, or the number of accumulated coins), the number of balls deducted from the game ball The number of balls to be added to the number counter is transmitted from the CU 3 side to the P stand 2 side. In response to this, on the P machine 2 side, the game ball number counter is incremented and updated.

  In the game system according to the present embodiment, on the other hand, it is possible to accept the so-called wagon service order of deducting the game value owned by the player and exchanging it for a drink or the like. However, the wagon service is restricted for playing balls, and you can only receive the wagon service for holding balls. This is an image that a conventional enclosed-type pachinko machine equipped with a counter for each unit prohibits the uncounted balls remaining on the plate from being used for wagon service.

  Therefore, in the present embodiment, when the number of balls held is less than the number of balls corresponding to the desired menu of the wagon service when the operation for performing the wagon service is executed, the player is prompted to perform the counting operation. Has been done. At that time, when the player performs a counting operation, the number of counting balls based on the operation is transmitted from the P unit 2 side to the CU 3 side. On the CU3 side, upon receipt of this, the number of game balls is subtracted, and the number of card balls is added to update.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 20, an outline of commands and responses transmitted and received between the card unit (CU) 3 and the pachinko machine (P unit) 2 will be described.

  FIG. 20 shows the transmission direction, whether the data to be transmitted is a command or a response, the name of the transmission information and its outline.

  First, the command named recovery request is transmitted from the CU 3 to the P unit 2. This recovery request command requests the P units 2 for recovery information. A response called a recovery response is transmitted from the P unit 2 to the CU 3. The response of this recovery response notifies the CU 3 of the recovery information.

  A command named recovery detail request is transmitted from the CU 3 to the P unit 2. The recovery detail request command requests the P units 2 for recovery detail information. The P unit 2 sends a response named recovery detailed response to the CU 3. The response of this recovery detail response notifies the CU 3 of recovery detail information. The recovery detail request and the recovery detail response are transmitted and received only when executing the recovery process. Specifically, the CU 3 sends the recovery detail request command to the P unit 2 only when the CU 3 that has received the recovery response determines to execute the recovery process based on the information of the recovery response. This will be described in detail later. The recovery process needs to be executed when a power failure occurs in the CU 3 and the P stand 2 and a communication line break is detected. In the present embodiment, the recovery process is executed even when the power is turned on at the start of business in the amusement hall, but is not executed when the power is turned on at the start of business, and power failure occurs in the CU 3 and the P unit 2. Then, it may be controlled to be executed when a communication line disconnection is detected.

  A command for requesting communication start is transmitted from the CU 3 to the P unit 2. This communication start request command requests the P unit 2 to start communication. The response of the communication start response is transmitted from the P unit 2 to the CU 3. The response of the communication start response is a response to the communication start to the CU 3.

  A command for requesting communication end is transmitted from the CU 3 to the P unit 2. This communication end request command requests the P unit 2 to end communication. A response of a communication end response is transmitted from the P unit 2 to the CU 3. The response of the communication end response is a response to the CU 3 that the communication is ended.

  A command for requesting state information is transmitted from the CU 3 to the P unit 2. This status information request command requests the status of the CU 3 to the P unit 2. The CU 3 uses this command to periodically check the state of the P stand 2. The status information request command includes the number of balls to be added from the CU side to the P side shown in FIG.

  A response of status information response is transmitted from the P unit 2 to the CU 3. The response of this status information response notifies the CU 3 of the information and status of the P unit 2. The response of the information response includes the latest gaming machine information and the number of gaming balls shown in FIG.

  A card insertion notification command is transmitted from the CU 3 to the P unit 2. This card insertion notification command notifies the P stand 2 of card insertion. A response of a card insertion response is transmitted from the P unit 2 to the CU 3. The response of this card insertion response is a response to the CU 3 that the card has been inserted.

  The command of the card return notification is transmitted from the CU 3 to the P unit 2. This card return notification command notifies the P unit 2 of the card return. A response of a card return response is transmitted from the P machine 2 to the CU 3. The response of this card return response is a response of the card return to the CU 3.

  A command for a communication test request is transmitted from the CU 3 to the P unit 2. The communication test request command notifies the P unit 2 of the test data. A response of the communication test response is transmitted from the P unit 2 to the CU 3. The response of the card return response is a response of the test data to the CU 3.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 21, the processing of the connection sequence when the power is turned on will be described. The process of the connection sequence in FIG. 21 is a process executed when communication is resumed after the communication between the CU 3 and the P unit 2 is normally completed. Specifically, it is executed when communication is resumed after the power supply of the CU 3 is turned off in the standby state where the card is not inserted. A typical example is a case in which one day of business ends at a game arcade, the power is turned off, and the power is turned on at the start of business the next day.

  First, turn on the power. When the power is turned on, the P platform 2 stops the firing solenoid 41 to stop the game and then starts the communication. After that, the authentication sequence is started, and the information including the main chip ID and the payout chip ID is transmitted from the P stand 2 to the CU 3. The CU 3 transmits the received main chip ID and payout chip ID to a higher-level management server to inquire whether the main chip ID and payout chip ID are properly registered and have the result returned. .. If it is registered properly, the authentication result will be proper.

  After the authentication sequence, the CU 3 sends a recovery request to the P unit 2. That is, the CU 3 requests the P unit 2 to transmit the recovery information.

  In response to the command of the received recovery request, the P unit 2 receiving it returns the recovery information backed up inside the P unit 2 (specifically, the payout control board 17) to the CU 3 as a response (recovery response). ).

  The recovery information includes the last transmission serial number of the last time, the card ID of the previously inserted card, and the last card insertion time.

  Upon receiving the recovery response, the CU 3 determines whether or not the previously inserted card ID and the previous card insertion time of the recovery information match the stored card ID and card insertion time. When the card ID and the card insertion time match, the CU 3 transmits a recovery detail request to the P unit 2. That is, the CU 3 transmits the recovery data to the P unit 2. This recovery data includes the last transmitted serial number and the number of added balls. When the power is turned on and the card is not yet inserted in the CU3, the card ID = 0 and the card insertion time = 0 on both the CU3 side and the P stand 2 side.

  In response to this, the P unit 2 executes the recovery process based on the received recovery data, and returns the recovery data backed up inside the P unit 2 (specifically, the payout control board 17) to the CU 3 as a response. (Recovery detailed response).

  The recovery data includes previous game table information, previous game information, latest game table information, and latest game information.

  The CU 3 which has received this recovery detail response starts the recovery process from that point. This recovery process is a process for recovering the mutual data consistency between the CU 3 and the P unit 2, and is executed not only when the power is turned on, but also when a trouble occurs and recovery is performed. Is executed.

  The CU 3 counts up the serial number each time a command such as a recovery request is transmitted. However, it does not count up when the command is retransmitted. When the P unit 2 receives a command with the same serial number as the previously received serial number, it determines that a communication failure has occurred and the CU 3 has retransmitted the command. The CU 3 backs up the serial number when transmitting the command. Every time the P unit 2 transmits a response corresponding to the received command, it increments the serial number. However, it does not count up when the response is retransmitted. When the CU 3 receives the response having the same serial number as the previously received serial number, the CU 3 determines that the communication failure has occurred and the P unit 2 has retransmitted the response. The P unit 2 backs up the serial number when transmitting the response.

  After the authentication sequence is completed, the CU 3 sends a recovery request command to the P unit 2 with the serial number set to “n”. The P stand 2 counts up the serial number and returns the response of the recovery response to the CU 3 as “n + 1”. Further, the CU 3 transmits a recovery detail request command to the P unit 2 with the serial number as “n + 2”. The P stand 2 counts up the serial number and returns the response of the recovery detailed response to the CU 3 as “n + 3”.

  After that, the CU 3 counts up the serial number and sets it to “n + 4”, and transmits a command of a communication start request (recovery clear ON) to the P unit 2. The P unit 2 receives this and clears the recovery data. Then, the P stand 2 counts up the serial number and sets it to "n + 5", and returns the response of the communication start response to the CU 3. The CU3 receives it and clears the recovery data. After that, the command for requesting the status information and the response for the status information response are transmitted and received between the CU 3 and the P unit 2.

  The CU 3 transmits a command for requesting status information of serial number = n + 6 to the P unit 2. In response to this, the P machine 2 backs up the number of game balls, the number of added balls, the number of subtracted balls, the number of symbols stopped, the number of winning prizes, and the data of the game table state. In addition, the P stand 2 clears the values of the respective counters of the number of added balls, the number of subtracted balls, the number of symbols stopped, and the number of winning prizes to zero. Then, the P unit 2 returns a response of the status information response with the serial number = n + 7 to the CU 3.

  Upon receiving the response, the CU 3 backs up the data on the number of game balls, the number of added balls, the number of subtracted balls, the number of symbol stops, each winning number, and the game table state based on the state information response. The breakdown of the number of added balls is “number of prize balls × number of prizes” and “number of back balls”. The breakdown of the number of subtracted balls is “the number of shot balls”.

  After that, the CU 3 transmits a command for requesting status information of serial number = n + 8 to the P unit 2, and the P unit 2 returns a response of status information response of serial number = n + 9 to the CU 3. The P stand 2 backs up the above-mentioned data and clears the above-mentioned counter each time the response of the status information response is transmitted. Further, the CU 3 backs up the above-mentioned data every time the response of the status information response is received.

  The processing of the CU 3 and the P stand 2 when a card is inserted will be described with reference to FIG. First, the CU 3 transmits a status information request command including serial number = n and card insertion status = OFF to the P stand 2 before card insertion. In response to this, the P unit 2 sends back a response of the status information response including the serial number = n + 1 and the game prohibition to the CU 3.

  After that, in the CU 3, when the card is inserted, the card reader / writer outputs a command signal for loading the card, and the card reader / writer reads the information recorded in the loaded card and receives the read information. A card insertion process, such as, is executed.

  The CU 3 is in a card information inquiry state for a predetermined period after the card is inserted. This is in the process of inquiring about the adequacy of the inserted card, whether it is a member card registered at the amusement hall, or the ball server, the accumulated ball, the card balance, etc., by inquiring to the hall server for authentication. This means that it is in the process of displaying the information on the display 312 and displaying it on the display 54 on the P stand 2 side.

  While the CU3 does not authenticate the inserted card while the display 312 indicates that the inserted card is being inquired, the CU3 sends a status information request including serial number = n + 2 and card insertion status = OFF. The command is transmitted to the P unit 2. In response to this, the P unit 2 returns a response of a status information response including the serial number = n + 3 and the game prohibition to the CU3. The display 54 on the P stand 2 side is subjected to display control by the display control unit 350 of the CU 3, and a display indicating that a card inquiry is being made is displayed.

  After that, when the inserted card is authenticated, the CU 3 transmits a card insertion notification command including the serial number = n + 4, the card ID, and the card insertion time to the P unit 2. In response to this, the P stand 2 backs up the received card ID and card insertion time data in the RAM of the payout control unit 171, and returns a card insertion response including the serial number = n + 5 to the CU3. Also in the CU 3, the card ID of the inserted card is stored in the RAM or the like of the CU control unit 323.

  In response to this, the CU 3 sends a status information request command including serial number = n + 6 and card insertion status = ON to the P base 2, thereby notifying the P base 2 of the status that the card is being inserted. Upon receiving the notification that the card is being inserted, the P machine 2 permits the game, and returns a response of the state information response including the serial number = n + 7 and the game permission to the CU 3.

  While the card is being inserted, the CU 3 transmits a status information request command including serial number = n + 8 and card insertion status = ON to the P unit 2, and the P unit 2 sends a status information response including the serial number = n + 9 and game permission. Reply to CU3.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 23, a process for lending a game ball from the prepaid balance of the inserted card will be described. That is, a process for consuming the prepaid balance recorded in the inserted card will be described. In the processing of FIG. 23, the current number of game balls is "50". First, the CU 3 transmits a status information request command including a serial number = n and a game ball addition request = OFF to the P unit 2. In response to this, the P console 2 returns a response of the status information response including the serial number = n + 1 and the number of game balls = 50 to the CU3.

  After that, when the player performs the lending operation (ball lending operation) by pressing the "lending" button once, the CU 3 lends 500 yen, that is, 125 balls. When the ball lending button (lending button) 321 is pressed, the CU 3 confirms the prepaid consumption of 500 yen, and the number of game balls = 50 (the number of game balls before update) +125 (the number of added balls) = 175. Back up your data. In this way, the balance consumption is fixed by the CU 3 side alone when the lending operation is performed. After that, CU3 is in the addition display. During this addition display, the display 54 displays that 125 coins have been deducted from the balance and are being added to the game balls.

  Next, the CU 3 transmits a command of a status information request including the serial number = n + 2, the game ball addition request = ON, and the number of added balls = 125 to the P unit 2. In response, the P unit 2 updates the number of game balls to the number of game balls = 50 (current number of game balls) +125 (number of additional balls) = 175, serial number = n + 3, number of additional balls = 175, game balls The response of the status information response including the addition result = OK is returned to the CU3.

  After that, the CU 3 transmits a command of a state information request including the serial number = n + 4 and the game ball addition request = OFF to the P unit 2, and the P unit 2 sends the state information response including the serial number = n + 5 and the number of added balls = 175. The response is sent back to CU3.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 24, a process of paying out the ball and paying out the accumulated amount of coins and re-playing will be described. In FIG. 24, the initial number of game balls is "50". In the replay processing in FIG. 24, first, the CU 3 transmits a command of a state information request including a serial number = n and a game ball addition request = OFF to the P unit 2. In response to this, the P console 2 returns a response of the status information response including the serial number = n + 1 and the number of game balls = 50 to the CU3.

  After that, when the player presses the replay button 319 in the state where there are balls or accumulated balls, the CU3 confirms the consumption of 125 balls from the balls or accumulated balls, updates the number of balls, and Data of number = 50 (number of game balls before update) +125 (number of added balls) = 175 is backed up. In this way, the consumption of balls or accumulated balls is determined by the CU 3 side alone when the operation of pressing the replay button 319 is performed. If both balls and accumulated balls exist, ball consumption is prioritized.

  In place of the control for preferentially consuming the balls, a ball replay button and a ball replay button are provided, and the player can select and operate either the ball consumption or the ball consumption by selecting and operating. You may do it. That is, the re-play button is used to obtain a game ball (game point) from a game ball (stored medal) and a game ball (game point) to obtain a game ball (game point) from a held ball (game point). It may be configured with two buttons (ball holding) and replay button. Further, a ball holding button payout button may be provided in the CU3, and the ball holding ball payout button may be pressed to convert the ball holding ball (points) into a game ball (game point).

  After that, the CU 3 makes the addition display of the game balls, and transmits a command of the state information request including the serial number = n + 2, the game ball addition request = ON, and the number of added balls = 125 to the P unit 2. In response, the P unit 2 updates the number of game balls to the number of game balls = 50 (current number of game balls) +125 (number of additional balls) = 175, serial number = n + 3, number of additional balls = 175, game balls The response of the status information response including the addition result = OK is returned to the CU3.

  Note that the CU 3 indicates that the addition of game balls is being displayed by displaying on the display 54 that 125 balls have been withdrawn from the owned or accumulated balls and added to the game balls.

  After that, the CU 3 transmits a command of a state information request including the serial number = n + 4 and the game ball addition request = OFF to the P unit 2, and the P unit 2 sends the state information response including the serial number = n + 5 and the number of added balls = 175. The response is sent back to CU3.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 25, a return process of a membership card, a card with general balance, and a card with general balls will be described. In FIG. 25, the number of balls possessed by the inserted recording medium (membership card or the like) is “0” and the initial number of game balls is “200”. First, the CU 3 transmits a status information request command including serial number = n and counting ball reception = OFF to the P unit 2. In response to this, the P console 2 returns a response of the status information response including serial number = n + 1, number of game balls = 200, number of counting balls = 0, and counting = OFF to the CU3.

  After that, the player presses the counting button 28 for a long time (holds down the button for 1 second or more) to convert the game balls into balls. By long-pressing the counting button 28, 100 of the number of game balls is counted during one command / response period (200 ms) and counted as a counting ball. When the initial number of game balls is "200", the number of game balls is "100" and the number of counting balls is "100" during one command / response period.

  However, in the count display performed by the display device 54, the number of game balls and the number of count balls are not instantly changed to such numbers, but the number of game balls is gradually counted and decreased, and it is interlocked with this. As a result, the production is gradually increased. Therefore, until the count display is completed, the number of game points and the number of points on the display on the display 54 do not match the number of game balls and the number of points on the memory of the CU side and the P side.

  However, instead of such control, the count status (conversion status) of the points on the display and the actual conversion processing of the data may be synchronized. In this case, since the data counting process (conversion process) can be completed immediately, the counting display (conversion display) synchronized therewith also ends immediately. In this case, it may not be possible to sufficiently notify the player that the data has been counted. Therefore, while displaying the count, the display may be switched to the display "counting is completed" in the middle thereof. Further, in that case, the card return operation may be activated from the stage when the display of “counting is completed” is started.

  Immediately after the operation of pressing and holding the counting button 28 is performed, the CU 3 transmits a status information request command including serial number = n + 2 and counting ball reception = OFF to the P unit 2.

  In response, the P unit 2 notifies the CU 3 of the state of the number of game balls = 100 and the number of count balls = 100, so that the serial number = n + 3, the number of game balls = 100, the number of count balls = 100, and counting = The response of the status information response including ON is returned to CU3. Upon receiving the response of the status information response, the CU 3 adds the counted number of balls (100) to the number of held balls (0) to update the number of owned balls = 100, and the number of game balls = 200 (game ball before update) Number) −100 (number of counting balls) = 100 is backed up.

  Further, upon receiving the response of the status information response, the CU 3 continues the display for counting the previous 100 game balls and further performs the display for counting 100 further game balls. After that, the CU 3 transmits a status information request command including serial number = n + 4 and counting ball reception = ON to the P unit 2. The counting ball reception = ON is to notify the P unit 2 of the receipt of the counting balls in response to the response of the previous status information response.

  In order to notify the state of the number of game balls = 0, the number of count balls = 100 to the CU 3, the P stand 2 which is pressing the count button 28 for a long time has a serial number = n + 5, the number of game balls = 0, the number of count balls = 100, The response of the status information response including “counting = ON” is returned to CU3. Upon receiving the response of the status information response, the CU 3 adds the counted number of balls (100) to the number of held balls (100) to update the number of held balls = 200, and the number of game balls = 100 (game ball before update) Number) −100 (number of counting balls) = 0 is backed up.

  Further, upon receiving the response of the status information response, the CU 3 continues the display for counting the previous 100 game balls and further performs the display for counting 100 further game balls.

  When the count display progresses, the number of game balls on the display on the display 54 also becomes zero eventually. The player confirms that the number of game balls has reached 0, and releases the counting button 28. By releasing the counting button 28, the operation of converting the game balls into balls is completed.

  After that, the player performs an operation of pressing the return button 322. The CU 3 transmits a card return notification command including the serial number = n + 6 to the P unit 2 when the player presses the return button 322. In response to this, the P stand 2 returns a response of a card return response including the serial number = n + 7, the card ID held in the payout control board 17 and the card insertion time to the CU 3.

  In response to this, the CU 3 compares the returned card ID and card insertion time with the card ID and card insertion time backed up and stored at the time of card insertion, and determines whether the two match. .. On the condition that they match, the card inserted in the card insertion / eject port 309 is returned to the player. At that time, the CU 3 transmits the card ID of the card and the data of the number of balls held to the hall server, and the hole server stores the data of the number of balls held in association with the card ID of the card. If they do not match, an error is determined and error processing is executed. As this error processing, for example, the control of prohibiting the return of the card according to the return operation is performed to hold the card inside the CU 3, or the writing processing of the ball in the card is prohibited. Further, the error notification lamp or the like is used to notify an error, and the hall server is notified of the occurrence of an error. It should be noted that when returning the card, the hall server may control so that the data of the number of balls held is recorded and discharged onto the card instead of storing the data of the number of balls held in association with the card ID of the card. Good.

  After that, the CU 3 transmits a status information request command including serial number = n + 8 and card insertion status = OFF to the P unit 2. When the P stand 2 receives the status information response including the card insertion status = OFF, it clears the card ID and the card insertion time data stored in the payout control board 17. In response to this, the P console 2 returns a response of the status information response including serial number = n + 9, number of game balls = 0, number of counting balls = 0, and counting = OFF to the CU3.

  In the sequence shown in FIG. 25, the control for transmitting the number of counting balls in the status information response from the P stand 2 to the CU 3 immediately after the counting button 28 is pressed is shown, but instead of this, the counting button 28 In the status information response immediately after is pressed, data indicating that the counting operation has been performed (for example, counting = ON) is transmitted without transmitting the number of counting balls, and it is possible to accept the count from the CU3. The condition information response including the number of counting balls may be controlled to be transmitted to the CU 3 on condition that the condition information request including the indicated data (for example, counting response = ON) is returned.

<Modifications and characteristic points>
Next, the modified examples and characteristic points of the present embodiment described above will be listed.

  (1) In the present embodiment, the game points are added by consuming the card frequency. Alternatively, the game points are added by consuming the accumulated balls (saving medals). That is, the card frequency or the accumulated coins are converted into game points. On the other hand, the card frequency and the accumulated balls are not converted into the points (counting balls, counting medals). However, the card frequency and the accumulated coins may be once converted into points.

  (2) In the present embodiment, the game point is converted into a holding point by the counting operation. The conversion rate in this case is 1: 1. However, the conversion rate for conversion may be other than 1: 1. For example, when 100 game points are converted, 97 points obtained by subtracting 3 points from the game points may be converted to points. Alternatively, the points may be converted into a number of game balls obtained by multiplying the points by a predetermined ratio of less than 100%.

  (3) The recording medium for recording the points that can be specified may be a mobile terminal such as a smartphone. In this case, the communication unit for communicating with the mobile terminal is provided in the CU, and the mobile terminal is held over the communication unit so that the CU recognizes the ID stored in the mobile terminal. The game can be played by the procedure as described. On the other hand, at the end of the game, the mobile terminal is again held over the communication unit so that the score at the end of the game is added to the score of the player through the ID.

  (4) The operation means for counting the game points may be provided on the CU side. The operation means in that case may be displayed on the touch panel, or may be configured by a physical switch.

  (5) When there is an uncounted game point when the card return operation is performed, it is desirable to display a message prompting the counting on the display unit on the P unit or CU side. However, instead of such a configuration, when there is an uncounted game point when a card return operation is performed, the count display is automatically started, and the display on the P unit or CU side displays, It may be notified that automatic counting is started because there are uncounted game points remaining, or in addition to this, that the card will be returned after the automatic counting is completed.

  Alternatively, when there is an uncounted game point when the card return operation is performed, it is determined that the player may temporarily leave the seat, and the display (CU side or P stand side) A message confirming whether or not the user is temporarily away may be displayed. Further, the display device may be configured with a touch panel so that the player can input a response to the message. Further, if the response input is the end of the game, a message prompting the counting operation is displayed. On the other hand, if the response input is temporarily leaving the seat, the card may be once ejected while the card ID is stored in the CU side, the P stand side, or both. After that, when the card with the same ID is inserted, the game is restarted from the original state.

  (6) The counting time from the start of counting operation to the completion of counting display is when the game point is less than the first reference value and when the game point exceeds the first reference value, with respect to the game point. The increase rate of the counting time may be reduced. As a result, it is possible to prevent an excessively long time until the completion of counting due to an increase in the number of game points, even though the effect of counting display as if counting real balls can be achieved. Further, when the game points exceed a certain reference value, all the counting times may be the same. Alternatively, the same counting time may be uniformly adopted regardless of the number of game points without setting a reference value.

  (7) When performing ball replenishment, instead of the processes shown in S10 and S11 of FIG. 17B, by operating the ball drop operation button 19, the normal time ball circulation process of S12 is started to be executed. You may control. In the case of this ball replenishment, it is necessary to operate the ball drop operation button 19 with the ball drop hole cover 77 attached and the ball drop hole 76 closed.

  (8) As the counting operation means for counting the game balls, it may be possible to employ one that exerts a counting function when operated a predetermined number of times twice or more. This can prevent erroneous operation. Further, in this case, the one-time operation may exert other functions different from the counting function. For example, if there is no operation for a predetermined time (for example, within 1 second) after one operation, a function for turning on a lamp for calling a clerk is displayed to allow 2 seconds within 1 second from one operation. It is also conceivable that the counting function is exerted when the second operation is detected.

  (9) When the counting operation button is operated for less than a predetermined time (short-time operation), for example, the first number of balls is counted, while when operated for a predetermined time or more (long-time operation), the first operation is performed according to the operation time. It is desirable to control so that the number of first balls larger than the number of one balls is counted. For example, it is conceivable that a short-time operation counts 100 balls, while a long-time operation counts a predetermined number exceeding 100 balls, for example, 200 or 400 balls. Further, the number of game points to be counted may be controlled to be different depending on the long press time of the counting operation button. For example, it is conceivable that a long press for 1 second will start counting 100 balls, and if a long press for 5 seconds continues, all the remaining balls will be counted. Alternatively, the predetermined number may be counted by one operation and all the remaining balls may be controlled by the fifth operation.

  (10) (A) Since no more than "predetermined number of game points" are stored, even if the counting operation is performed, the game points are not counted, and a notification to that effect is given. Further, (B) when the game points are stored until the stored game points reach the "predetermined number", it is controlled so that further counting is not possible and that is notified. Is desirable. The predetermined score in the two cases (A) and (B), that is, the reference value, may be the same or different.

  (11) If a counting operation is performed during the firing of balls, it is desirable to control the counting operation to be invalid if the number of game balls at that time is less than or equal to a reference value. However, further, even when the number of game balls when the counting operation is detected during the ball shooting exceeds the reference value, the number of balls counted by one counting operation is set to a predetermined number. In this case, when the value obtained by subtracting the predetermined number from the number of game balls when the counting operation is detected is less than the reference value, the counting operation may be invalidated.

  In addition, in order to invalidate the counting operation during the game, it is desirable to judge whether or not the game is in progress based on whether or not the ball firing operation is detected. Instead of or in addition to this, whether or not the number of balls in the game (floating balls floating in the game area 27) is 0 (not in the game) (in the game), the game is executed. You may make it determine whether it is in the middle. In addition, it is also possible to determine whether or not the variable display device is changing, whether or not it is a big hit, whether or not the attacker is open, and whether or not a game is being performed.

  Further, when the S operation is applied as a game machine and the counting operation during the game is invalidated, the "during game" is, for example, a period from when the reels 2L, 2C, and 2R start to stop until they stop. .. Alternatively, it is a period from the detection of the start operation to the stop of the reels 2L, 2C, 2R.

  (12) Regardless of whether or not it is a big hit, when the number of game balls is larger than a predetermined number, a display prompting a counting operation may be displayed.

  Also, if the counting operation is not detected within a predetermined time after the display prompting the counting operation is performed, the game ball may be forcibly stopped from firing, and the firing may not be forcibly stopped. You can

  (13) Referring to FIG. 19, the P units are provided with a counting ball number counter for temporarily storing the counted balls (balls held), but are not provided with a counter for storing the cumulative value of the counting balls. .. However, a counting ball cumulative storage counter that stores the cumulative value of counting balls may be provided on the P side. Further, the CU side is provided with an area for storing card balls (counting balls). In this area, if the inserted card itself has recorded balls, the card holding The current number of balls owned by the player, including balls, is stored. Therefore, the number of counting balls counted by the player in this game cannot be specified only in this area. Therefore, an area for storing the number of counting balls counted by the player in this game may be further provided on the CU side. In this case, the CU adds the dice balls to the area based on the information on the number of counting balls sent from the P units after the game is started, and when the dice balls are converted into the gaming balls, the area is removed from the area. Subtract your ball.

  (14) The display prompting the counting operation may be a display such as "A game ball remains, so please count and return it", or display a counting button 28 on the screen. The display may be blinking.

  (15) When the number of game balls is equal to or more than a predetermined number (3,000 or more), control is performed so that "control for performing a display prompting a counting operation on a display" is executed as "predetermined notification control". Is desirable. Here, "prompt for counting operation" means, for example, a message that says "Please count the game because the number of game balls has reached the upper limit," or simply a message that "counting is required." It may be. Further, the “predetermined notification control” may be control of outputting a notification sound prompting the counting operation from the speaker. Further, the "notification" may be not only "notification for prompting counting operation" but merely "notifying that the number of game balls has reached the upper limit" (not notification for prompting counting operation). ..

  Further, when the game point is equal to or higher than a predetermined first reference value (3000 balls or more), "predetermined notification control" is performed, and then the game point is set to a second reference value that is larger than the first reference value. When the game point is reached, it may be controlled to be in a game-disabled state, and may be controlled to allow the game (not to prohibit firing) until the game point reaches the second reference value from the first reference value. In the case where the gaming machine is a slot machine, the game-disabled state can be realized by controlling the start lever so that the reel does not start rotating or the bet number setting is invalidated.

  (16) When the game using the game points is being performed (while the balls are being fired), the counting operation is not activated unless there are more than a predetermined number of game points (for example, 250 points). It is desirable to do. Here, the predetermined score is not limited to 250, and any score may be used as long as it is 1 or more. However, if too few points are set, such as one point, problems occur when the firing timing and the counting timing occur almost at the same time. Alternatively, if the counting operation is detected while the number of points is equal to or less than a predetermined number (for example, 10 or less) and the firing is continued, five points are left for firing and the remaining points are counted. It may be controlled to.

  In addition, when it is detected that the player has stopped the ball firing operation, the player has noticed that the counting operation has been invalidated because there are no more than a certain number of game points remaining, and it is invalidated first. The counting operation may be enabled to automatically start the counting operation. That is, in this case, the player who notices that the counting operation has been invalidated only has to stop the shooting operation, and does not have to perform the counting operation again.

  (17) In order to change the number of game points converted in one operation according to the time for which the counting button is held down, for example, when pressing and holding (for example, continuous operation for 1 second or more) While all are counted, only 200 balls may be counted during a short press (for example, continuous operation of less than 1 second). However, in this case, when the remaining number of game balls is small, for example, when the number is less than 200, it is desirable that all the game balls be counted by operating the counting button.

  (18) In the case where the number of points counted by one short press operation of the counting button is made different according to the remaining number of game points, for example, the following can be considered. For example, when the game points are less than 200 points, all the game points are counted by one short pressing operation of the counting button. When the game points are 200 or more and less than 1000, 200 points are counted by one short press operation. When the game points are 1000 or more and less than 5000, 1000 points are counted by one short press operation. When the game points are 5000 or more and less than 10000, 2000 points are counted by one short press operation. When the game points are 10,000 or more, 2500 points are counted by one short press operation. The above numerical values are specific examples and can be set as appropriate.

  (19) When counting game balls (game points) and converting the points, not only the count display but also the control of outputting the count sound from the speaker may be performed. Further, when counting the game points, it is conceivable that an image is displayed such that the balls drop one by one from the ball storage tray to the counter.

  (20) Timing of performing conversion display (displaying how game balls are counted and the number of balls held is increasing) for converting game points into points based on counting operation, and subtracting game points from the data However, the timing for performing the operation of adding points can be various. The calculation may be executed after the conversion display is completed. For that purpose, the counting data may be transmitted from the gaming machine to the CU after the conversion display is completed. It should be noted that such a modification can be similarly applied to the case where the points are converted into the game points.

  (21) In the present embodiment, in the communication between the CU and the gaming machine, a command-response system is adopted in which the CU is the primary station and the gaming machine is the secondary station, but the primary station and the secondary station The relationship with may be reversed. Alternatively, instead of adopting such a communication system having a master-slave relationship, a system may be adopted in which both sides transmit data to the other party when a request for communication occurs.

  (22) In FIG. 19, the game balls (game points) are stored on both the game machine side and the CU side, but the game balls (game points) are stored only on the game machine side and stored on the CU side. You may not. On the other hand, the card balls (points) are stored only on the CU side, but may be stored on the gaming machine side. In particular, the game balls (game points) are stored only on the gaming machine side, while the card balls (points) are stored only on the CU side, even if the division of roles for data storage management is made clear. Good.

  (23) The count display and various notifications performed on the display 54 may be similarly performed on the display 312.

  (24) In CU3, the stored number of game balls is updated based on the value of the added ball number counter (the number of added balls) and the value of the subtracted ball number counter (the number of subtracted balls) transmitted from the P unit side. Then, when the number of game balls stored is subtracted based on the value of the counting ball number counter transmitted from the P side, if the value of the number of game balls becomes negative, an error (abnormal) determination is made. However, error processing may be performed. As a specific example of the error processing, an error notification is given by an abnormality notification lamp or the like, or an error notification signal indicating that an error has occurred is transmitted to the hall management computer or the hall server (in this case, the hall management computer). Or the hall server may notify the error).

  (25) When a lending operation or a conversion operation (lending operation) from a point (ball holding) to a game point (ball) is detected, the game point may be incremented by one point, In order to shorten the waiting time of the player, it may be displayed so as to count up by a plurality of points (for example, 25 points equivalent to 100 yen). Further, conversely, when the game point counting operation is executed, it may be displayed such that the number of owned points is incremented by a plurality of points. Further, the number of units when counting up the game points or the score points may be set from a plurality of types. It is conceivable to use touch panels of P or S display devices for the setting.

  (26) When the counting operation is executed, the holding point may be acceleratedly counted up when a predetermined time elapses after the counting of the holding point is started. Alternatively, a speed-up button for accelerating the count display may be displayed on the display of the touch panel on the CU side or the gaming machine side, and the acceleration count display may be performed by detecting the operation thereof. By performing the accelerated counting display of the holding points in this way, it is possible to shorten the waiting time of the player when counting a large number of playing points.

  (27) A touch sensor may be provided on the hitting ball operation handle to invalidate the counting operation while the touch sensor detects that the player holds the hitting ball operation handle. The invalidation of the counting operation means that the counting operation is detected, but the counting operation based on the detection output is not executed, or the counting operation itself is not detected. Alternatively, if the player does not invalidate the counting operation just by touching the ball-striking operation handle, and if the counting operation is invalid even when the ball-striking operation handle is rotated to such an extent that a drive pulse for ball firing is output. Good.

  In these cases, when a counting operation is detected, a message "Please release the handle" may be displayed on the display of the gaming machine or CU. Alternatively, when the counting operation button is displayed as an icon on the screen of the touch panel, the counting operation button may be grayed out to notify the player that the operation is impossible.

  (28) At least one or all of the ball lending button, the return button, the replay button, and the counting button may be provided on the gaming machine side or the CU side. Further, it is conceivable that the button is displayed on the display device on the gaming machine side or the CU side described as the touch panel type display device.

  (29) The sequence control shown in FIGS. 21 to 25 is not limited to the transmission / reception sequence between the control devices in the gaming machine single unit such as the CU 3 and the P stand 2, especially regarding the process regarding security. It may be applied to a transmission / reception sequence between a plurality of gaming devices such as the CU 3, the P stand 2, the jet counter, and the POS terminal.

  (30) In the above-described embodiment, the identity of the player is determined by the card ID. However, instead of or in addition to this, the identity of the player can be identified by the fingerprint, the retina, or other biomass of the player. You may make a distinction.

  (31) In the above-described embodiment, the number of game balls and the number of game points are directly added when a prize is generated, but instead, a point is added when a prize is generated and the added points are added. May be controlled to add the number of game balls and the number of game points.

  (32) In the above-described embodiment, the value deducted in the case of deducting the value within the range of the valuable value (prepaid balance, balls held, and accumulated balls) owned by the player and adding the deduction corresponding game points. Although a game point having the same value as is added is shown, instead, for example, control may be performed so as to add a game point which is smaller by an amount equivalent to the consumption tax to the value actually withdrawn.

  (33) In the above-described embodiment, the authentication is performed by using various authentication keys, but the authentication may be performed by using, for example, an ID for authentication instead of the various authentication keys.

  (34) The above-mentioned indicators 54, 510 may be configured with a touch panel. Further, the information received in the above-mentioned S351 and S362 is not limited to that described in the above-mentioned embodiment, and what kind of information is output from the gaming machine to the CU3 is displayed on the gaming machine. The touch panels of the devices 54 and 510 may be touch-operated to allow input setting.

  (35) In the above-described embodiment, the gaming machine “prescribes that the game unit (CU) has the gaming point as the holding point, provided that the conversion process for all the gaming points is completed (gaming point = 0). Processing (processing that accepts the card at the prize exchange machine and consumes the points specified by the card to enable the prize exchange, insert the card discharged from the CU into another CU connected to another gaming machine) The recording medium processing operation (the card return operation (operation of the return button 322)) for performing the CU processing for the subsequent use ”is included.

  Here, the validating means is, for example, "a means for confirming the game point 0 on the P-side and transmitting a card discharge operation permission ON to the CU", or "a game when a card return notification is received from the CU. A means for determining whether or not the number of balls = 0, and in the case of 0, validating the card return by returning a card return response to the CU, and further, "a game is performed by performing a counting operation or the like. The number of balls = 0, and as a result, means for satisfying the condition for validating the card return is included.

<Various configurations included in the embodiment>
(1-1) An enclosed game machine (pachinko machine 2) that performs a game using a game medium (pachinko ball) enclosed inside,
A circulation path (a circulation path including the polishing device 23, the doffing device 25, and the emission device 14) for collecting the game medium used for the game and circulating it again to a position that can be used for the game (launching position 43). When,
A polishing device (polishing device 23) provided in the middle of the circulation path for polishing the game medium circulating in the circulation path;
A pumping device (ball pumping device 25) for pumping the game medium in the circulation path,
And a launching device (launching device 14) for launching a game medium to the game area (game area 27) in the circulation path,
The launch device is
A game medium feeding device (ball feeding solenoid 47 and ball passage 44) for feeding the game medium to a firing position for firing the game medium,
And a launching unit (hit ball hammer 42) for launching the game medium sent to the launch position by the game medium feeder to the game area,
The polishing device and the lifting device are separate mechanisms (FIG. 7),
The moving speed of each game medium in the polishing device, the hoisting device, and the game medium feeding device, which are arranged in the circulation path, is determined by the moving side of the game medium in the circulation path (the progress of the game medium in the circulation path). The rear side in the direction) is characterized by being faster.

  According to such a configuration, the game medium on the moving side of the circulation path catches up with the game medium on the moving side of the circulation path, so that the game medium is easily filled on the moving side of the circulation path. Therefore, when you want to start a game by launching a game medium from the launch position to the game area, there is no game medium at the launch position, and it is possible to suppress the occurrence of a situation where the game start must wait until the game medium reaches the launch position. However, it is possible to maintain a state where it can be fired at any time. Moreover, since the polishing device and the lifting device are constituted by separate mechanisms, the polishing device and the lifting device can be separately arranged, and the enclosed game has a high degree of freedom in the arrangement of each device. Machine can be provided.

(1-2) In the enclosed game machine according to (1-1) above, a detection unit that detects that the game media arranged in each of the polishing device, the hoisting device, and the game medium feeder is full ( A first filling detection sensor 75, a second filling detection sensor 40),
Stopping means (S17) for stopping an adjacent device on the moving side of the device detected as being filled by the detecting means (a region behind the second filling detection sensor 40 in the traveling direction of the game medium in the circulation path). , S20) are further provided.

  According to such a configuration, when the moving lower side of the circulation route is filled with the game medium, the game medium on the moving upper side of the circulation route is stopped, so that the game medium becomes excessive from the moving upper side to the moving lower side. It is possible to suppress the supply.

  (1-3) In the enclosed game machine according to (1-1) or (1-2), the circulation path includes the polishing device, the hoisting device, and the game medium feeding device from the moving side. It is characterized by being arranged in order (FIG. 3).

  According to such a configuration, the polishing medium can be arranged at a relatively low position in order to polish the game medium before it is pumped by the pumping device.

  (1-4) In the enclosed game machine according to (1-1) or (1-2) above, the circulation path includes the lifting device, the polishing device, and the game medium feeding device from the moving hand side. It is characterized by being arranged in order.

  According to such a configuration, the game medium after being pumped upward by the lifting device is polished, so that the polishing device can be arranged at a relatively high position.

(2-1) A game machine (pachinko machine 2) that shoots a game medium (pachinko ball) to a game area to play a game.
A game medium feeding device (ball passage 44) for sending the game medium to a firing position (fired position 43) for firing the game medium,
And a launching unit (hit ball hammer 42) for launching the game medium sent to the launch position by the game medium feeder to a game area,
The game medium feeding device,
A route (ball passage 44) for guiding the game medium to the launch position,
Including a detection device (foul ball detection switch 33) for detecting that the game medium is accumulated in the path,
The detection device is provided at a location (ball passage 44) different from the launch trajectory of the game medium launched by the launch unit (the trajectory drawn by the pachinko ball from the launch position 43 in the game area 27).
The game medium feeding operation is stopped when detected by the detection device (S29).

  According to such a configuration, since the detection device is arranged at a position different from the launch trajectory of the game medium launched from the launch position toward the game area, the launched game medium collides with the detection device. The possibility of damaging the detection device can be reduced.

  (2-2) In the game machine of (2-1), in the game medium feeding device, the game medium feeding device stops the game medium feeding operation when the detection device detects the game medium in the launching unit. It is characterized in that a process of ejecting the medium is performed (S29 and S28).

  According to such a configuration, when the detection device detects that the game medium is stagnant, it is possible to shoot the stagnant game medium in a state where the feeding operation of the game medium is stopped. Therefore, the state in which the game medium is stagnant can be resolved.

(3-1) An enclosed game machine (pachinko machine 2) that performs a game using a game medium (pachinko ball) enclosed inside,
A circulation path (a game area 27, a polishing device 23, a doffing device 25, a launching device 14) for collecting the game medium used for the game and circulating it again to a position (launching position 43) that can be used for the game again. Circulation path including),
A first storage portion (filling space 63) for storing a game medium, which is provided at an intermediate position of the circulation path,
When the game media enclosed in the circulation path is in excess of the number of game media that can be stored in the first storage unit, a second storage unit (excess ball retention) that stores excess game media. Section 69) and
The second storage portion is arranged at a predetermined position on the front surface side of the enclosed game machine,
Further comprising a guide path (surplus ball path 67) for guiding the surplus game medium to the second storage portion,
It is characterized in that the game medium guided to the second storage portion can be taken out to the outside (it can be taken out by unlocking and opening the opening door).

  With such a configuration, the surplus game medium is guided to the second storage unit via the guide path and is stored in the second storage unit. If this second storage part is taken out, it becomes possible for the second storage part to share the part for storing the surplus game medium and the part for storing the game medium used as a service ball, so that the enclosed type Space saving can be realized in the gaming machine. Further, since the second storage portion is arranged at a predetermined position on the front surface side of the enclosed game machine, it becomes easy for the staff at the game hall to take out the excess game medium to the outside.

  (3-2) In the enclosed game machine according to (3-1), the game medium guided to the second storage section cannot be taken out by a player.

  With such a configuration, it is possible to reduce the possibility that the game medium in the enclosed game machine is stolen.

  (3-3) In the enclosed game machine according to (3-1) or (3-2), the guide path is the first storage with the first storage section filled with a game medium. It is characterized in that the surplus game medium further supplied to the section is allowed to flow down naturally.

  According to such a configuration, since the surplus game medium naturally flows toward the second storage portion due to gravity without using a driving force, it is not necessary to additionally provide a driving mechanism, and the configuration of the equipment is further improved. Can be simplified.

(4-1) An enclosed game machine (pachinko machine 2) that performs a game using a game medium (pachinko ball) enclosed inside,
A launching device (launching device 14) for launching the game medium at the launching position (launching position 43) to the game area,
A circulation path (a circulation path including a game area 27, a polishing device 23, a doffing device 25, and a launching device 14) for collecting the game medium ejected to the game region and circulating it to the launch position again.
Using the driving force of the drive source (polishing motor 71, lifting motor 93, bead feeding solenoid 47, firing solenoid 41), a circulation moving means (polishing device 23, doffing) for circulatingly moving the game medium in the circulation path. A feeder 25, a ball passage 44),
A discharge port (ball weed hole 76) for discharging the game medium in the circulation path,
A cover member (ball-drilling hole cover 77) that closes the discharge port and is in a closed state;
An automatic actuation means (S32) for automatically actuating the drive source and the launching device based on operation detection for extracting a game medium,
The game medium is extracted from the discharge port by operating the drive source and the launching device by the automatic operating means in a state where the cover member is not closed (see FIG. 8). ..

  According to such a configuration, a part of the game medium in the circulation path is not automatically discharged even if the cover member that has blocked the discharge port is not in the closed state. By using the operating means, all can be easily discharged from the discharge port to the outside of the enclosed game machine. Therefore, the game medium can be easily discharged from the game machine.

  (4-2) In the enclosed game machine according to (4-1), the cover member is provided at the lowest point of the circulation path.

  According to such a configuration, the game medium in the circulation path can be naturally dropped by gravity and can be discharged from the discharge port to the outside of the enclosed game machine. Therefore, the game medium can be ejected from the game machine more easily.

(4-3) In the enclosed game machine according to (4-1) or (4-2), the circulation moving means includes a polishing device (polishing device 23) for polishing while moving the game medium,
The discharge port discharges the game medium in the circulation path immediately after passing through the polishing device (FIGS. 8 and 9).

  According to such a configuration, it is possible to discharge the game medium immediately after being polished, in which dirt and the like hardly adhere to the surface.

(5-1) An enclosed game machine (pachinko machine 2) that performs a game using a game medium (pachinko ball) enclosed inside,
A launching device (launching device 14) for launching the game medium at the launching position (launching position 43) to the game area,
A circulation path (a circulation path including a game area 27, a polishing device 23, a doffing device 25, and a launching device 14) for collecting the game medium discharged to the game region and circulating it to the launch position again.
A circulation moving means (polishing device 23, ball hoisting device 25, ball passage 44) for circulatingly moving the game medium in the circulation path by using the driving force of the driving source,
An input port (for example, an outlet 61) for inputting a game medium into the circulation path,
It is characterized by comprising an automatic actuating means (S12) for automatically actuating the drive source when a game medium is loaded into the slot while no game medium is present in the circulation path.

  According to such a configuration, the game medium input from the input port can be automatically spread by the automatic operating means over almost the entire circulation path in a shorter time.

(5-2) An outlet is provided in the game area for collecting a game medium that has been launched into the game area and does not enter any prize area and returns it to the circulation path.
The input port is the out port.

  By setting the route through which the game medium is loaded into the circulation route from the outlet, it is possible to more easily load the game medium into the circulation route.

  (5-3) In the enclosed game machine according to (5-1) or (5-2), the game medium is supplied to the launch position of the launch device (the normal ball circulation process of S12 is performed. After that, the ball feeding solenoid 47 may be excited once to supply only one ball to the firing position).

  According to such a configuration, when the player wants to start the game by launching the game medium from the launch position to the game area, the game medium does not exist at the launch position, and the game start is waited until the game medium reaches the launch position. It is possible to suppress the occurrence of a power situation and maintain a state that can be fired at any time.

  (5-4) In the enclosed game machine according to any one of (5-1) to (5-3), the game medium enclosed in the circulation path is relative to the number of game media that can be stored in the circulation path. When there is an excess state, the game machine further has a guide route (surplus ball route 67) capable of discharging the excess game medium from the circulation route to the outside.

  According to such a configuration, since the surplus game medium is discharged from the circulation path to the outside, it is possible to randomly insert the game medium without counting the number when inserting the game medium into the circulation path.

  (5-5) In the enclosed game machine according to any one of (5-1) to (5-3) above, the circulation path is further connected to the circulation path in a state where the circulation path is filled with a game medium. The surplus game media supplied are allowed to flow down naturally.

  According to such a configuration, since the surplus game medium naturally flows toward the outside of the circulation path by gravity without using a driving force, it is not necessary to provide an additional driving mechanism, and the structure of the facility can be simplified. Can be

  The embodiments disclosed this time are to be considered as illustrative in all points and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is shown not by the above description but by the claims, and is intended to include meanings equivalent to the claims and all modifications within the scope.

  2 Pachinko machine, 3 card unit, 6 front frame, 11 glass door, 13 ball hitting handle, 14 launching device, 16 main control board, 17 payout control board, 19 ball punching operation button, 21 power supply device, 23 polishing device, 25 Ball lifting device, 26 game board, 27 game area, 40 second filling detection sensor, 41 firing solenoid, 42 ball hitting hammer, 43 firing position, 44 ball passage, 46 firing ball inlet, 47 ball feeding solenoid, 48 link, 49 Fulcrum, 51 rotation axis, 52 coil suction part, 54 indicator, 61 out port, 62 winning ball path, 63 filling space, 64 top filling space, 66 surplus ball hole, 67 surplus ball path, 68 surplus Ball path outlet, 69 surplus ball stop, 71 polishing motor, 72 transfer screw, 73 polishing cassette, 74 cassette motor , 75 1st filling detection sensor, 76 ball-drilling hole, 77 ball-drilling hole cover, 78 polishing start end, 79 polishing end, 92 lift-up ball inlet, 93 lift-up motor, 94 lift-up screw, 95 lift-up Sending tube, 96 lift-up ball outlet, 701 polishing entrance ball detection switch.

Claims (1)

A gaming machine for playing a game by launching a game medium to a game area,
A game medium feeding device for sending the game medium to a firing position for firing the game medium,
And a launching unit for launching the game medium sent to the launch position by the game medium feeder to the game area at a rate of one at a predetermined time,
The game medium feeding device,
A route for guiding the game medium to the launch position,
A delivery device for delivering the game medium to the path at a rate of one during the predetermined time;
A detection device which is provided on the path and detects a game medium accumulated on the path;
A gaming machine, wherein the delivery device stops the operation of delivering the game medium when the detection device detects.