JP2020127856A - Game machine - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a game machine performing a selective shooting between a "left shooting" and a "right shooting" at the same time when a game state is switched and thereby capable of reducing generation of waste balls as much as possible.SOLUTION: A control is made for shooting game balls toward a first game area when a first game state is being performed, and a control is made for shooting game balls toward a second game area when a second game state is being performed. Thereby, a "left shooting" or a "right shooting" is switched regardless of the operation mode of a shot ball shooting device by a player against a switching of a game state. As a consequence, it becomes possible to reduce as much as possible a situation in which game balls are undesirably shot as waste balls.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 103

Description

The present invention relates to a gaming machine that changes the strength with which a game ball is launched according to the amount of operation of a launch handle.

In a gaming machine such as a pachinko machine, a center role object is arranged in the approximate center of the game area, and a plurality of game ball detecting means such as a gate and winning means are arranged around the center role object, and the game area is operated by operating a firing handle. It is generally known that the game ball that has been driven into the upper part of the center part is configured to flow down either the left-side flow-down path on the left side of the center character or the right-side flow-down path on the right side.

In this type of gaming machine, it is advantageous for the player to either "right hit", which shoots a game ball aiming at the right downflow path side, or "left hits", which shoots a game ball aiming at the left downflow path side. Although it depends on the game state, for example, in the normal game state "left hit", in the advantageous game state that is advantageous to the player "right hit", such as with the change of the game state It is widely known that a player plays a game by switching between "left hitting" and "right hitting".

Nowadays, it has become difficult for a player to properly select "right hitting" and "left hitting" because the playability has become very complicated. For example, in spite of the game state in which the player should "hit", if the player does not notice it and hits "left" for a long time, many game balls become useless balls.

As a measure against the above, for example, by issuing a left-handing instruction notification or a right-handing instruction notification using a speaker, the player can grasp the area where the game ball should be shot, and the player can play the game ball in an unfavorable area. There is a technique capable of preventing the user from continuously hitting (Patent Document 1).

JP, 2013-223592, A

However, when the player is "right-handed" in an advantageous game state that is advantageous to the player, when the advantageous game state ends with a predetermined trigger and the game state switches to the normal game state, it is switched to "left-handed". Although a game ball must be fired, even if the method of notifying the "left hit" or "right hit" switching using a speaker is used, depending on the player, the reaction to the switching of the gaming state is delayed. , There are times when a few useless balls are fired.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and at the same time when the gaming state is switched, "left hitting" and "right hitting" are performed separately to reduce the occurrence of wasted balls as much as possible. It is an object of the present invention to provide a gaming machine capable of playing.

Means 1
A game area composed of a first game area and a second game area in which the game balls can flow down,
A game board in which the game area is defined,
A main body frame in which the game board is fitted and housed,
A door frame having a game window that is openably supported with respect to the front surface of the main body frame and has the game area of the game board facing the player when closed.
A batting ball launching device for launching a gaming ball toward the gaming area in accordance with a player's operation;
Firing control means for controlling the firing of the hitting ball firing device;
A main control board that is provided in the game board and controls game operations,
Equipped with
The main control board has a first game state control means for executing a first game state which is disadvantageous to the player, and a second game state control means for executing a second game state which is advantageous for the player. ,
The firing control means is controlled to fire a game ball with a batting force that reaches the range of the second game area for a predetermined time, triggered by the switching from the first game state to the second game state,
After the lapse of the predetermined time, the game ball is controlled to be shot in an arbitrary game area in accordance with the operation mode of the hit ball launching device by the player.

According to the configuration of the means 1, after a predetermined time has elapsed since the game ball was controlled to be shot with a hitting force that reaches the range of the second game region, the game ball can be shot to an arbitrary game region. It is possible to perform a ball hitting operation similar to that of a conventionally known gaming machine.

Means 2
A game area composed of a first game area and a second game area in which the game balls can flow down,
A game board in which the game area is defined,
There is a main body frame in which the game board is fitted and accommodated, and a game window which is openably and closably supported with respect to the front surface of the main body frame and in which the game area of the game board faces the player side when closed. And the door frame
A hitting ball launching device for launching a game ball toward the game area in accordance with a player's operation;
Firing control means for controlling the firing of the hitting ball firing device;
A main control board that is provided in the game board and controls game operations,
Equipped with
The main control board has a first game state control means for executing a first game state that is unfavorable for the player, and a second game state control means for executing a second game state that is advantageous for the player. ,
The launch control means controls to launch a game ball with a batting force that reaches within the range of the first game area when the first game state is being executed,
When the second game state is being executed, the game ball is controlled to be shot with a hitting force that reaches within the range of the second game area.

According to the configuration of the means 2, when the first game state is being executed, it is controlled to fire toward the first game area, and when the second game state is being executed, it is fired toward the second game area. By controlling so that regardless of the operation mode of the hitting ball launching device by the player with respect to the switching of the game state, "left hitting" and "right hitting" are switched, so that the game ball is shot as a dead ball, It can be reduced as much as possible.

Means 3
A game area composed of a first game area and a second game area in which the game balls can flow down,
A game board in which the game area is defined,
A main body frame in which the game board is fitted and housed,
A door frame having a game window that is openably supported with respect to the front surface of the main body frame and has the game area of the game board facing the player when closed.
A hitting ball launching device for launching a game ball toward the game area in accordance with a player's operation;
Firing control means for controlling the firing of the hitting ball firing device;
A main control board that is provided in the game board and controls game operations,
Equipped with
The main control board has a first game state control means for executing a first game state that is unfavorable for the player, and a second game state control means for executing a second game state that is advantageous for the player. ,
The firing control means is controlled to fire a game ball with a batting force that reaches the range of the first game area for a predetermined time, triggered by switching from the second game state to the first game state,
After the lapse of the predetermined time, the game ball is controlled to be shot in an arbitrary game area in accordance with the operation mode of the hit ball launching device by the player.

According to the configuration of the means 3, after a predetermined time elapses after being controlled to shoot a game ball with a hitting force that reaches within the range of the first game region, the game ball can be discharged to an arbitrary game region. It is possible to perform a ball hitting operation similar to that of a conventionally known gaming machine.

Means 4: In any one of the means 1 to 3,
Equipped with a starting port that allows entry of game balls,
The main control board and the firing control means are communicably connected,
The main control board, the lottery based on the entry of the game ball into the starting opening, the lottery, the winning determination means for performing the winning determination for the lottery result,
When the result of the hit determination is out, a first command corresponding to the execution of the first game state by the first game state control means is transmitted to the firing control means,
If the result of the hit determination is a hit, a second command corresponding to the execution of the second game state by the second game state control means is transmitted to the firing control means.

Means 5: In the configuration of Means 4,
The launch control means controls to launch a game ball with a hitting force that reaches within the range of the first game area when the first command is transmitted from the main control board, and the main control board When the second command is transmitted from, the game ball is controlled to be launched with a hitting force that reaches the range of the second game area.

Means 6: In any one of the means 1 to 5,
When the launch control means controls the game ball to be launched with a hitting force that reaches the first game area,
According to the operation mode of the batting ball launching device by the player, within the range in which the gaming ball is launched with a batting force reaching the first game area, a firing strength variable control means for variably controlling the firing strength is provided. And

According to the configuration of the means 6, even when the game ball is shot toward the first game area, for example, the game ball is shot at the leftmost side of the first game area or the left end of the top nail. You can shoot a game ball aiming between the top of the and the nail and you can adjust the launch strength

Means 7: In any one of the means 1 to 6,
Including a notification means for notifying in a predetermined notification mode,
Taking the opportunity of switching from the first gaming state to the second gaming state or from the second gaming state to the first gaming state,
Before the game ball is launched by the hitting ball launching device,
It is characterized in that the notifying means notifies to which game area the game ball is shot.

According to the configuration of the means 7, the player is given a distrust of the change in the hit ball strength by notifying the player of the change in the hit ball strength and changing the hit ball strength after making the player aware. Therefore, it is possible to prevent a decrease in interest in the game.

Means 8: In the configuration of means 7,
The notification means is a voice output means such as a speaker,
It is characterized in that which game area the game ball is shot is informed by a mode of the voice output of the voice output means.

According to the configuration of the means 8, it is possible to notify the fact before the hitting strength is changed by the voice output means such as the speaker.

Means 9: In the configuration of means 7,
The notification means is a light emitting device such as a lamp,
It is characterized in that which game area the game ball is shot is informed by a light emitting mode of the light emitting device.

According to the configuration of the means 9, it is possible to notify that the hitting intensity is changed by the light emitting device such as the lamp.

Means 10: In the configuration of Means 7,
The notifying means is a liquid crystal display device for displaying a predetermined image,
According to an image display mode of the liquid crystal display device, which game area the game ball is shot is informed.

With the configuration of the means 10, it is possible to notify the fact before the hitting strength is changed in the liquid crystal display device displaying the image.

Means 11: In any one of the means 1 to 10,
The gaming machine is characterized in that it is an enclosed ball type gaming machine that plays a game by circulating a predetermined number of gaming balls without paying out the gaming balls.

According to the configuration of the means 11, the present invention can be implemented in an enclosed ball game machine.

According to the present invention, when the first game state is being executed, it is controlled to fire toward the first game area, and when the second game state is being executed, it is controlled to fire toward the second game area. By doing so, "left hitting" and "right hitting" are switched regardless of the operation mode of the hitting ball launching device by the player in response to the switching of the game state, so that it is possible to shoot the game ball as a dead ball as much as possible. It is possible to provide a game machine that can be reduced to.

1 is a front view showing a pachinko machine according to an embodiment of the present invention and a payment machine installed in the pachinko machine. It is a front view of the gaming machine shown with the door frame removed. It is a front perspective view which shows the main body frame which comprises a pachinko machine. It is a rear perspective view which shows the main body frame which comprises a pachinko machine. It is a perspective view showing an upper launching device, a deformed sphere/magnetic sphere discharging unit, and a sphere collecting portion. It is a right view which shows an upper launching device, a ball supply route member, and a ball lifting device. It is a perspective view by the line of sight which looked up at the upper part of the game board from the front lower part of the game board which shows an upper launching device and a launch area. It is a front view which shows an upper launching device (a hammer hammer hitting position for launching). FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the upper launching device as viewed from the front left side. It is a perspective view which shows the upper launching device as seen from the rear left side. It is a perspective view which removes a ball feeding unit cover and which shows the upper launching device, as seen from the rear left side. It is a figure which shows the open state of the upper launching device in the game machine shown with the door frame removed. It is a right view which shows the longitudinal cross section of the gaming machine shown with the door frame removed. FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically showing a part of a cross-sectional perspective view taken along the line AA of FIG. 2. It is a perspective view showing a state where a joint portion with a base plate in the upper launching device and an extending portion of a panel holder in the game board are in contact with each other. It is a perspective view which shows the upper launching device from the front right side. It is a front view which shows an upper launching device (a hammer standby position for launching). It is a right view which shows an upper launching device (ball feed solenoid non-excitation, a ball feed member is a holding position and a return ball blocking position). FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the upper launching device cut along the line BB in FIG. 10 (ball feed solenoid de-excitation, ball feed member holding position and return ball blocking position). It is a perspective view which shows the ball feed member, the ball feed shaft, and the ball feed sheet metal in the ball feed device from diagonally rear. It is a right view which shows an upper launching device (ball feed solenoid excitation, a ball feed member is a supply position and an allowance position). FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the upper launching device cut along the line BB in FIG. 10 (ball feed solenoid excitation, ball feed member is in supply position and allowable position). It is sectional drawing which fractured|ruptured the main body frame in the longitudinal direction so that the upper launching device, the ball supply path member, and the ball lifting device may be shown. It is a time chart which shows the drive timing of a ball sending solenoid and a firing solenoid. It is a front perspective view of a ball outlet opening and closing unit. It is a rear perspective view of a ball outlet opening/closing unit. It is a perspective view which shows the relationship between the upper launch unit and the ball outlet opening/closing unit in a main body frame. It is an external appearance perspective view explaining a deformed sphere and a magnetic sphere discharge unit. FIG. 29 is a diagram illustrating a magnetic sphere discharging portion cover separated and turned over in FIG. 28 for explanation. FIG. 6 is a plan view of a deformed sphere/magnetic sphere discharging unit. It is a rear view of a deformed sphere/magnetic sphere discharge unit. It is a figure explaining the base plate of a deformed sphere/magnetic sphere discharge unit. FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the irregular shaped sphere/magnetic sphere discharging unit by separating it into a irregular shaped sphere discharging unit and a magnetic sphere discharging unit. It is a figure explaining the path|route which a deformed sphere and a magnetic sphere are discharged|emitted in a deformed sphere and a magnetic sphere discharge unit. It is a figure explaining the situation where a magnetic ball is separated from a circulation route and discharged. It is a figure explaining the state where the magnetic sphere reached the magnetic sphere discharge slope. It is a front left perspective view of a ball collecting part and a ball lifting device. It is a front view of a ball collecting part and a ball lifting device. It is a front view which shows the state which removed the ball polishing cartridge in a ball collection part. It is a rear perspective view showing the state where the case of the ball collecting portion and the cover of the ball lifting device are removed. It is a rear perspective view which expanded the sphere assembly part in FIG. FIG. 42 is an enlarged view of FIG. 41. It is a top view which removed the case of a sphere collection part. It is a rear perspective view which shows the state which removed the upper gearbox and the lower gearbox. It is a right view which shows the state which removed the cover of the ball lifting device. It is an enlarged view of (A) in FIG. It is a figure showing the state which decomposed|disassembled the screw. It is a perspective view showing the upper part of a ball lifting device. It is a figure which shows the fitting/non-fitting state of a screw and a fitting member. It is a left side view showing a state where a ball-polishing cartridge is mounted. It is a perspective view explaining the mechanism which fixes a ball-polishing cartridge. It is a perspective view showing a state at the time of mounting the ball polishing cartridge. It is a perspective view which shows the state where the ball-polishing cloth of the game ball and the ball-polishing cartridge is pressed. It is a left side view showing a state in which a ball and a ball polishing cloth of a ball polishing cartridge are pressed against each other. FIG. 55 is a left side view showing a state where the left side cover of the ball-polishing cartridge is removed in FIG. 54. FIG. 56 is an enlarged view of the vicinity of the ball-polishing cartridge in FIG. 55. It is a perspective view showing a state where a ball-polishing cartridge is mounted. FIG. 58 is a perspective view showing a state in which only the right outer side cover is removed for explanation in FIG. 57. FIG. 59 is an upper perspective view showing a state in which the right side cover is opened in FIG. 58. It is a perspective view of a ball-polishing cartridge. It is a front view of a ball polishing cartridge. It is a side view of a ball polishing cartridge. FIG. 63 is a side view showing a state where the left side cover is removed in FIG. 62. It is a perspective view of a ball polishing cartridge mounting portion. It is a perspective view which shows the relationship between a ball-polishing cartridge and a ball-polishing cartridge mounting part. FIG. 40 is an enlarged view of the vicinity of the ball polishing cartridge of FIG. 39. It is a side view which shows the 2nd Example in the lifting slope member. It is a perspective view which shows the 2nd Example in the lifting slope member. It is a top view which shows the state which removed the upper gearbox in the lifting device. It is a rear view which shows the state which removed the lifting part cover in the lifting device. It is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the number of inserted game balls is less than a predetermined number when the game balls are enclosed in the enclosed ball type gaming machine. It is a schematic diagram showing a state in which a predetermined number of game balls have been inserted when the game balls are enclosed in the enclosed ball type gaming machine. It is a schematic diagram showing the behavior of the game balls when the number of inserted game balls exceeds a predetermined number when the game balls are enclosed in the enclosed ball type gaming machine. It is a perspective view showing a state in which a game ball introducing member in the game panel is projected. It is a perspective view showing a state where a game ball introduction member in a game panel is stored. It is a block diagram showing a principal part in an embodiment of a main control board arranged in a sealed ball type pachinko machine. It is a block diagram which shows the principal part of the ball information control board provided in the enclosed ball type pachinko machine. It is a block diagram showing each element connected to a settlement machine. It is a flow chart which shows processing at the time of main control side power supply which main control MPU of a main control board performs. Fig. 80 is a flowchart showing a continuation of the main control-side power-on process shown in Fig. 79. It is a flowchart which shows the main control side timer interruption process which a main control MPU performs. It is a flowchart which shows the sphere information control side power-on process which the sphere information control MPU of a sphere information control board performs. 83 is a flowchart showing a continuation of the sphere information control side power-on process in FIG. 82. FIG. 84 is a flowchart illustrating a sequel to the sphere information sphere concession control side power-on process following FIG. 83. It is a flow chart which shows processing at the time of power failure of ball information control which a ball information control MPU of a ball information control board performs. It is a flow chart which shows an example of sphere information control side timer interruption processing. It is a flow chart which shows a subroutine of a ball rental processing which sphere information control MPU performs. It is a flowchart which shows the subroutine of the hit possibility determination processing which a ball information control MPU performs. It is a flow chart which shows the subroutine of the number-of-balls count processing which sphere information control MPU performs. It is a flow chart which shows a subroutine of ball sending / launch drive processing which sphere information control MPU performs. It is a continuation of the flowchart of FIG. It is a flow chart which shows the subroutine of the emitted ball detection processing which sphere information control MPU performs. It is a flow chart which shows the subroutine of the number-of-balls subtraction processing which sphere information control MPU performs. It is a flow chart which shows the subroutine of the pumping drive processing which sphere information control MPU performs. It is a flowchart which shows the subroutine of the ball clogging alerting|reporting process which sphere information control MPU performs. It is the figure which showed the cushion provided on the back side of the door frame and the following member, and the cushion receiving plate provided in the upper launching device. It is the figure which showed the positioning guide member arrange|positioned at the left side plate inner wall of a main body frame. It is a figure showing fitting of a game board in a 2nd example of a game machine. It is an example of a block diagram showing a game board and a body frame connected to a drawer connector. It is an example of a block diagram showing a game board and a body frame connected to a drawer connector. It is a figure which shows the prior art example in the signal output from a ball information control board to an external terminal board. It is a figure which shows this Example in the signal output from a ball information control board to an external terminal board. It is a front view of the gaming machine shown with the door frame removed.

[Outline of gaming machines]
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The pachinko machine 1 (enclosed ball type game machine) according to the present embodiment can be installed in the current island facility in the hall (pachinko game hall), and the contents of the game are the same as those of known pachinko machines. However, it is a game machine that does not use the ball supply mechanism or the ball discharge mechanism of the island facility. That is, in the enclosed ball-type pachinko machine 1 according to the present embodiment, a predetermined number of game balls formed of a non-magnetic material (for example, stainless steel) are housed in the game machine, and the predetermined number of game balls are played by the launch device. The game ball is preloaded in the game machine so that the game ball is collected by shooting the game ball after the game is finished and the game ball is guided to the launching device and circulated and used. It is like this. Then, it becomes possible to shoot the game balls corresponding to the number of game balls (data of the number of balls held) based on the data of the number of lent balls input from the storage medium such as a card through the settlement system or the like, and the game balls are discharged. Then, the data of the number of held balls is subtracted corresponding to the number of game balls shot.

In addition, when the launched game ball wins the prize hole in the game area and a prize ball (game ball) is generated, the actual game ball is not paid out and the number of prize balls is recorded in the number of balls held. Is added. Moreover, when the data of the number of possessed balls becomes "0", the game balls cannot be fired. In this state, based on the data of the amount of money stored in the storage medium such as the card, the data of the stored balls, etc., when the numerical value (the number of lent balls) is added to the data of the number of balls held, the game ball can be launched again. Becomes Further, the game balls that have been launched are collected in the game machine, sent to the launch position again, and circulated in the game machine. That is, the pachinko machine 1 according to the present embodiment is an enclosed ball-type game machine that collects the game balls shot in the game area and supplies them to the game again.

First, the main body frame 2 (FIG. 3) and the door frame 3 (FIG. 1) that configure the pachinko machine 1 of the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4. The pachinko machine 1 of FIG. 1 is provided with a settlement machine 4 as an external device.

The pachinko machine 1 has an outer frame 1a (FIG. 12) configured in a rectangular frame shape and installed in the island facility on the side of the hall, and an openable and closable shaft supported by the outer frame 1a and a game board 5 (FIG. 2). A main body frame 2 that can be mounted, and a door frame 3 that is rotatably supported by the main body frame 2 are provided.
1 At a position lower than the main body frame 2 and the door frame 3, a decorative cover 6 is attached to the front surface of the outer frame 1a, and the door frame 3 and the decorative cover 6 completely close the front surface of the outer frame 1a. It is like this. Further, the outer frame 1a, the main body frame 2, and the door frame 3 are arranged so that their upper ends are substantially aligned, and the main body frame 2 is rotatable by a hinge 7 (FIG. 3) provided on the left side of the outer frame 1a. The body frame 2 is pivotally supported, and the body frame 2 is opened by moving the right side of the body frame 2 to the front side with respect to the outer frame 1a. The door frame 3 is rotatably attached to the main body frame 2 with a pin, and is opened by moving the right side of the door frame 3 to the front side.

[Door frame 3]
The door frame 3 is provided with a game window 9 in which a player can visually recognize a game area 8 into which a game ball of the game board 5 is driven, and a game window 8 arranged below the game window 9 and operated by the player. It has a hit ball handle 10 for hitting a game ball. A transparent plate 11 is attached to the game window 9 so as to cover the front surface (game area 8) of the game board 5 mounted on the main body frame 2 side with the door frame 3 closed with respect to the main body frame 2. Has been. The hitting ball handle 10 drives a firing solenoid 13 (see FIG. 5) of a hitting ball launching device (referred to as an upper launching device 12) mounted on the upper left side of the main body frame 2 based on a turning operation of a player, A game ball is driven into the game area 8. The ball hitting handle 10 has a micro switch (not shown) which is turned on when it is rotated, and a firing stop switch and the ball hitting handle 10 which is turned off when the micro switch is pressed while the micro switch is turned on. A touch switch for detecting the contact of the player with the ball hitting handle 10 is provided through the conductive plating provided on the outer peripheral surface of the. The upper launch device 12 will be described later.

It should be noted that the door frame 3 and the main body frame 2 are opened with respect to the main body frame 2 by inserting a key into a key device arranged in the lower right corner of the door frame 3 and rotating the key device to one side. You can do it.

[Touch panel 14]
The door frame 3 is provided with a horizontally long touch panel portion 14 in a lower portion of the game window 9 (a portion corresponding to the upper plate of a well-known pachinko machine of a non-enclosed ball type). On the touch panel unit 14, the remaining number, the number of balls held in the gaming machine, and the number of end balls are displayed.

Here, the remaining number is a value corresponding to the amount of money stored in the card used by the settlement machine 4, and the player's ball count is lent to the player by lending the ball. It is the total of the number of balls and the number of prize balls that the player has acquired as a result of playing the game.

On the touch panel unit 14, a ball lending button as a ball lending command input means that can be operated by the player and a settlement button as a settlement command input means that can be operated by the player are displayed. The ball lending button is an instruction for lending a ball for playing a game. In addition, the settlement button is a button for finishing the pachinko game and instructing settlement.

Further, the touch panel unit 14 further displays an edge number display button as an edge number display command input means that can be operated by the player. Here, the number of end balls is the number of surplus balls when the number of balls possessed by the player is divided by the number of balls corresponding to one special prize when exchanging prizes. The touch panel unit 14 can also display a message such as "Do you hit only the edge ball?" when the edge number display button is instructed to display the edge number. A dialogue question type message is displayed together with the edge number display button, and a YES button and a NO button for the player to make a selection input for responding either yes or no are displayed.

[Body frame 2]
The main body frame 2 has a box-like shape having a frame-shaped fitting frame 15 and a peripheral wall portion 16 so that the main frame 2 can fit exactly in the rectangular frame-shaped outer frame 1a (FIGS. 3 and 4). The fitting frame 15 has a rectangular accommodation opening 17 for fitting and accommodating the game board 5 on the front side thereof. A projecting wall 18 projecting inward is integrally formed at the back of the accommodation opening 17 (FIGS. 3 and 12). The back is closed with a back cover. When the door frame 3 is closed with respect to the main body frame 2, the front surface (game area 8) of the game board 5 housed in the main body frame 2 can be seen through the game window 9 of the door frame 3.

A deformed sphere/magnetic sphere discharging unit accommodating portion 19 is formed below the accommodating opening 17, and a deformed sphere/magnetic sphere discharging unit 20 is disposed in the deformed sphere/magnetic sphere discharging unit accommodating portion 19. .. Then, as will be described later, the discharge ball receiving box 234 for storing the deformed spheres and magnetic balls having a smaller diameter than the regular game spheres discharged from the deformed sphere/magnetic sphere discharge unit 20 is of the gaming machine. It can be attached and removed from the front.

FIG. 23 is a cross-sectional view in which the main frame is broken in the vertical direction to show the upper launching device, the ball supply path member, and the ball lifting device. As shown in FIGS. 3, 5, 6, and 23, the body frame 2 is provided with an upper launching device 12, a ball collecting portion 21, a ball lifting device 22, and a ball supply path member 24. The sphere collecting portion 21 is a portion for receiving the game sphere that has passed through the irregular-shaped sphere/magnetic sphere discharging unit 20, and guiding it to the base of the sphere lifting device 22 (FIG. 5), and is provided with a sphere polishing device and the like.

A hitting ball launching device 29 for launching a game ball toward the game area 8 is arranged at the front part and one side part (left part) of the upper part of the main body frame 2 (FIGS. 3 and 23). Further, the ball feeding device 28 for feeding the game balls, which are arrayed and stored in the guiding passage (ball feeding guiding trough 69, which will be described later, see FIG. 11) one by one, to the firing position of the hitting ball launching device 29. Is arranged so as to overlap in the front-rear direction with respect to the rear (FIGS. 6 and 23). In the present embodiment, the hitting ball launching device 29 and the ball feeding device 28 form an upper launching device 12 as an upper launching unit.

The ball lifting device 22 uses a screw 25 driven by a ball lifting motor 150 (see FIG. 24) in this embodiment, and the game balls that reach the base part are separated from each other by the rotation of the screw 25. After being opened, it is lifted to the upper part of the main body frame 2 from below. The ball lifting device 22 is attached to the rear surface of the main body frame 2 behind the upper launching device 12, and the upper end of the ball lifting device 22 is arranged above the ball feeding device 28 (FIG. 3, FIG. 3). 4, FIG. 23).

Between the upper end of the ball lifting device 22 and the upper part of the upper launching device 12, a ball supply in the front-rear direction for sending the game balls lifted by the ball lifting device 22 to the ball feeding device 28 from above. A route member 24 is provided (FIGS. 3, 4, and 23). In addition, in the present embodiment, the ball supply path member 24 is formed at the upper end of the ball lifting device 22 and is provided with a gentle downward inclination toward the front, so that the pumped game balls are moved from the upper side to the front side. It is composed of a ball sending gutter 23 to be sent out, and a lifting communication gutter 65 which is formed in the upper rear part of the upper launching device 12, is connected to the ball sending gutter 23, and is provided with a gentle downward slope toward the front. The game balls that have been pumped by the ball lifting device 22 are sent to the ball sending gutter 23. The ball delivery gutter 23 of the ball supply path member 24 is provided with a launch standby ball detection switch 26 for detecting the presence or absence of a game ball flowing down the ball delivery gutter 23 (see FIG. 6).

[Upper launch device]
FIG. 8 is a front view showing the upper launching device, and FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing the upper launching device as viewed from the front left side. 10 is a perspective view showing the upper launching device as viewed from the rear left side, and FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing the upper launching device as viewed from the rear left side with the ball feeding unit cover removed.

12 is a diagram showing an open state of the upper launching device in the gaming machine shown with the door frame removed, and FIG. 13 is a right side view showing a vertical section of the gaming machine shown with the door frame removed. FIG. 14 is a diagram schematically showing a part of the cross-sectional perspective view taken along the line AA of FIG. 2. FIG. 15 is a perspective view showing a state in which the joint portion with the base plate in the upper launcher and the protruding portion of the panel holder in the game board are in contact with each other.

The upper launching device 12 receives a metal plate-shaped base plate 39 for mounting and fixing the upper launching device 12 to the main body frame 2 and a game ball reaching from the ball supply path member 24, and launches the hitting ball launching device 29. A ball feeding device 28 that reliably sends the game balls one by one with a ball feeding solenoid 31 (FIG. 11) and a ball feeding member 32 to a hitting ball firing position of a hammer 30 (FIG. 8), and shoots the game ball toward the game area 8. And a hitting ball launching device 29 (see FIGS. 8 to 11).

The ball feeding device 28 receives the game ball that arrives from the ball supply path member 24 (FIG. 6), and moves the game ball 1 ball with the ball feeding member 32 to the firing position of the firing hammer 30 (FIG. 8) of the hitting ball launching device 29. It is a device for surely sending each.

As shown in FIG. 9, the hitting ball launching device 29 includes a launching hammer 30, a launching solenoid 13, a rail member 33, a launching stopper 34, a return stopper 35, a launching ball confirmation switch 36, an upper launching device hinge 37 and a launching port. 38. These members are attached to a base plate 39 (metal plate in this embodiment) as a substrate. The firing port 38 is formed so as to face the tip of the firing hammer 30, and the rail member 33 is attached to this portion. The rail member 33 is a member that holds, by the rail portion 332, one game ball sent to the launch position (hit position) by the ball sending member 32. The game ball shot by the launch hammer 30 is shot from the launch port 38 to the game area 8.

The launch ball confirmation switch 36 is arranged with respect to the rail portion 332 of the rail member 33, detects the presence or absence of a game ball hit by the launch hammer 30, and the detection of the game ball by the launch ball confirmation switch 36 is not detected. By switching, it is detected that one gaming ball has been launched by the launching hammer 30.

As shown in FIG. 5, the circulation route of the game sphere includes the deformed sphere/magnetic sphere discharge unit 20, the sphere collecting portion 21, the sphere lifting device 22, the sphere supply route member 24, the upper launch device 12, and the game area 8. It is through. The game ball shot from the upper launch device 12 to the launch region 40 (FIG. 7) of the game region 8 flows down from the upper part to the lower part of the game region, and passes through the winning port 41 or the out port 42 and the deformed sphere/magnetic ball discharging unit 20. Return to.

[Game board]
The game board 5 is attached to the fitting frame 15 of the main body frame 2. In this embodiment, the game board 5 has a structure in which the transparent panel plate 44 is attached to the panel holder 43, and the front component member 45 is attached to the front surface of the panel holder 43 to fix the transparent panel plate 44 (FIG. 12). There is no equivalent to the conventional inner rail in this game board 5, and the upper part of the inner peripheral surface of the front component member 45 is used as the game ball running surface 46 (FIG. 7).

The electrical connection of the game board 5 to the main body frame 2 will be described with reference to FIG. 99. Mechanical and electrical connection between the game board 5 and the main body frame 2 is performed by connection with a drawer connector. The game board 5 is provided with a game board side main drawer connector and a game board side auxiliary drawer connector, and the main body frame 2 is provided with a main body frame side main drawer connector and a main body frame side auxiliary drawer connector. There is. By inserting the game board 5 into the main body frame 2, the game board side main drawer connector and the main body frame side main drawer connector, the game board side auxiliary drawer connector and the main body frame side auxiliary drawer connector are connected, and the game board 5 And the body frame 2 are mechanically connected and at the same time electrically connected. Thereby, it becomes possible to perform electrical communication between the game board 5 and the main body frame 2.

A notch 47 (FIG. 12) is formed in the upper left corner of the game board 5 in accordance with the form of the upper launching device 12. The notch 47 extends from the front component member 45 to a part of the transparent panel plate 44 in the game area 8. The opening 38 of the upper launching device 12 faces the cutout portion of the transparent panel plate 44, and as shown in FIG. 7, the vicinity of the opening 38 along the game ball running surface 46 above from the opening 38. The game area 8 is a launch area 40. Therefore, the game ball shot by the launch hammer 30 of the upper launcher 12 is guided to the game ball running surface 46 of the front component 45 in the launch area 40.

In the game area 8 of the present embodiment, a large number of obstacle nails (not shown) and various winning holes such as winning holes are provided, and a predetermined number of prize balls are given according to winning in the various winning holes. It is like this. Since this embodiment is an enclosed ball type gaming machine, "1" is subtracted from the data of the number of balls held in response to the driving of one game ball, while the number of prize balls corresponding to the prizes at the various winning openings. Is added to the ball count data, and the ball count corresponding to this is displayed on the touch panel unit 14.

As shown in FIG. 103, a large number of obstacle nails (not shown) are provided in the game area 8 in a predetermined gauge arrangement, and a gate 506 is provided at an appropriate position on the way. A center accessory 502 is arranged at a substantially central position of the game area 8, and the model of the gaming machine, the game concept, etc. are characterized by the design of the center accessory 502. A first starting opening 503 into which a game ball can enter is arranged in the lower center of the game area 8, and the lottery related to the winning is performed by entering the game ball. In addition, a second starting port 504 is provided at a substantially central position on the right side of the game area 8, and it is possible to enter a game ball by rotating the blades in response to a predetermined condition. .. Furthermore, an attacker device 505 is arranged in the lower right part of the game area 8, and a lottery related to a win is performed when the player has entered the first start opening 503 and the second start opening 504, and a win determination is made. If the result is true, the opening/closing operation is performed, and when the game ball enters, the player is provided with a profit.

In the game area 8 in this embodiment, the driving area of the game ball is divided into left and right, and in order to win the winning opening 504, the game ball is launched from the center of the game area 8 to the left side (downflow path A) (so-called left). In order to hit the attacker device 505, it is necessary to shoot a game ball to the right of the center of the game area 8 (downflow path B) (so-called right hit).
The prize for the attacker device 505 is won by a lottery that is triggered by winning a game ball in the first starting opening 503, and a gaming state that is advantageous to the player (for example, a jackpot gaming state, a probability variation state, etc.). Since it becomes possible only after that, during the normal game that is not in the advantageous game state, the game ball is shot toward the downflow route A.

The center accessory 502 is composed of a frame-shaped ornament as a whole, and a warp passage is formed along with a warp entrance (not shown) at the upper edge portion or the left edge portion thereof, and the game flows down along the game board surface. When the ball enters the warp entrance, the game ball is taken inside the center accessory 502 through the warp passage.

Inside the center accessory 502, a ball receiving rack (also referred to as a stage) is formed at its lower edge portion, and the ball receiving rack has a certain depth in the front-rear direction. The game ball taken in through the warp passage is discharged inside the center accessory 502 and guided to the ball receiving rack. The ball receiving rack rolls a game ball on its upper surface and gives various changes to the movement to add fun to the game.

A ball guiding path is formed at the center of the lower edge of the center accessory 502, and an entrance (not shown) to the ball guiding path is formed on the upper surface of the ball receiving rack. The game ball dropped from the ball receiving rack to the entrance of the ball guideway is guided downward through the ball guideway as it is.

On the other hand, the exit of the ball guide path 95 is open toward the front, and the game ball released from this exit falls almost directly below. In the game area 8, a starting opening 504 is arranged below the ball guiding path 95, and when a game ball enters the first starting opening 503, a starting winning prize in the big hit lottery is obtained.

Further, in the game area 8, an attacker device 505 is arranged at a position to the right of the first starting opening 503, and the opening/closing member 99 is opened and closed to open and close the special winning opening. When a game ball is won in the special winning opening, a predetermined game ball is paid to the player on the data.

Since the attacker device 505 is arranged on the right side of the center, in the normal game state, the left side of the center of the game area 8 (the left downflow route A so that many game balls are won in the first starting opening 503). ), it is preferable to shoot a game ball. On the other hand, when a specific game state (advantageous game state) is reached, it is possible to win the attacker device 505, and thus the right side of the center of the game area 8 ( It is preferable to aim a game ball near the right side of the game area 8 (so-called "right hitting") so as to win a lot of game balls to the attacker device 505 arranged on the rightward flow path B). Therefore, the player can change the way of hitting the game ball by operating the operation handle between the normal time and the specific game state, and the original interest of the game machine can be improved.

Also, since it is an enclosed ball type pachinko machine, prize balls are not paid out, and the number of outgoing balls, the number of incoming balls, the number of differential balls, the number of balls held, etc. are not the actual number of game balls, but the numerical values on the data. That is, the number of game balls actually used is only a limited number (for example, 50 or 75) that is circulated and used, and the number of balls held is, for example, the number of game balls that are shot in the game area 8. From the number of shot balls counted and counted, the number of collected balls that are detected by counting the game balls that have been launched and collected in the game area 8, the number of prize balls when winning, the number of balls lent from the hall side, etc. The number of incoming balls, the number of outgoing balls, the number of differential balls, and the number of possessed balls can be obtained.

That is, as long as there is no trouble such as opening the door frame 3 and the game balls going out, the number of shot balls=the number of collected balls. Then, the number of balls entered = the number of balls collected = the number of balls launched, the number of balls released = the number of prize balls (integrated value) = the number of balls entered-the number of balls lent (the number of replay balls) + the number of balls held, and the number of balls held = loan Number of balls (or number of balls replayed) + number of balls-number of balls entered, number of balls-number of balls entered = number of balls difference, number of balls held = number of balls lent (or number of balls replayed) + number of balls difference Becomes In this way, the game by the pachinko machine 1 is completely performed as the numerical value on the data, and there is no error caused by spilling the game ball or leaving the game ball on the lower plate or the upper plate, It will be possible to manage reliably in integer units. It should be noted that the structure of the upper launching device 12, which will be described later, basically causes no foul ball.

Further, in the above embodiment, the front component member 45, the panel holder and the transparent panel plate 44 are formed as separate members, but they are integrated by, for example, adhesive bonding, or integrally formed to form one member. You can also In this way, when the transparent panel plate 44 is integrally formed with the front component member 45, the panel holder 43, and the like, the front component member 45 and the panel holder 43 have the notch 47 in the game board 5. It is possible to prevent structural weakening of these members due to cutting of the frame structure (the four sides are connected).

16 is a perspective view showing the upper launching device as viewed from the front right side, FIG. 17 is a front view showing the upper launching device (launch hammer standby position), and FIG. 18 is a right side view showing the upper launching device. Is.

[Striking ball launcher 29]
The hitting ball launching device 29 is capable of driving the game ball supplied from the ball feeding device 28 into the game area 8 of the game board 5 with the strength according to the rotating operation of the ball hitting handle 10. The hitting ball launching device 29 includes a launching solenoid 13 mounted on a rear surface of an upper portion of a base plate 39 so that a rotary drive shaft 60 projects forward, and a launching hammer 30 fixed to the rotary drive shaft 60 of the launching solenoid 13 so as to be integrally rotatable. A mallet 61 fixed to the tip of the firing hammer 30, a rail member 33 attached to the front surface of the base plate 39 with a predetermined position on the movement path of the mallet 61 as the firing position, The starting stopper 34 for controlling the hammer 61 from rotating counterclockwise relative to the hitting position at which the stopped game ball can be hit, and the waiting position (initial position) in the turning operation of the shooting hammer 30. A stopper 35 at the time of return to regulate to, a launch ball confirmation switch 36 for detecting the presence or absence of the game ball staying at the launch position, a hinge 37 for the upper launching device, and a launch opening facing the game area 8. And a mouth 38 (see FIGS. 8, 9, 16, and 18 ).

Although not shown in detail, the firing solenoid 13 of the hitting ball launching device 29 is configured such that the rotary drive shaft 60 reciprocally rotates at a strength (speed) corresponding to the rotational operation angle of the hitting handle 10. The firing hammer 30 of the hitting ball launching device 29 has a fixed portion 301 fixed to the rotary drive shaft 60 of the firing solenoid 13, and a gentle arc extending from the fixed portion 301, and the tip end thereof is on the axis of the rotary drive shaft 60. On the other hand, a rod portion 302 facing the normal direction and having a mallet tip 61 fixed at its tip, and a stopper extending toward the opposite side of the rod portion 302 with the fixed portion 301 interposed therebetween and capable of contacting the stopper 34 during firing. And a contact portion 303. The stopper abutment portion 303 of the firing hammer 30 abuts the stopper 34 at the time of firing, thereby restricting rotation in the counterclockwise direction in front view (see FIG. 8 ).

Further, a ball supply port 63 formed in a ball feeding unit base (described later) of the ball feeding device 28 is arranged immediately above the rail member 33 of the hitting ball launching device 29. The rail member 33 retains one gaming ball sent from the ball supply port 63 by the ball feeding operation of the ball feeding member 32 of the ball feeding device 28 described later at the launch position.

The rail member 33 is formed by bending a metal plate, and includes a mounting plate portion 331 that is mounted and fixed to the base plate 39, and a rail portion 332 that is bent from the mounting plate portion 331 toward the front. And (see FIG. 8). The rail portion 332 for setting the firing position has a substantially L-shape that is inclined to the left by 45 degrees in a front view, and has a left rail plate 333 forming the left side of the rail portion 332 and a right side of the rail portion 332. And a right rail plate 334 that forms a frame (see FIG. 8). The left rail plate 333 is formed with a through hole 335 through which the mallet tip 61 passes when the firing hammer 30 is hit (see FIGS. 9 and 21).

As shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, when viewed from the front direction, the portion from the center in the vertical direction to the lower end of the right side portion of the hitting ball launching device 29 of the upper launching device 12 is exposed and arranged facing the game area 8. ing. As shown in FIGS. 8 and 16, a launch port decoration member 64 is disposed on the right side of the front surface of the base plate 39, and the launch port decoration member 64 is attached to the base plate 39 and a ball feeding unit base 67 described later. ing.

As shown in FIG. 7, FIG. 8 and FIG. 16, the launch port decoration member 64 is arranged so that the right side surface portion and the lower side surface portion are exposed to face the game area 8, and therefore the right side of the launch port decoration member 64. The surface portion and the lower side surface portion are formed on a ball entry prevention wall 51 that prevents a game ball hit in the game area 8 from entering the inside of the hit ball launching device 29. The launch port 38 is formed on a ball entry prevention wall 51 on the right side surface of the launch port decoration member 64. The ball entry prevention wall 51 surrounds the launch port 38, and is substantially flush with the rear end surface of the game area 8. It is shaped like an arch that stands up toward the front.

As will be understood with reference to FIGS. 8 and 16, the launching port 38 is located diagonally above and to the right with respect to the rail portion 332. As understood from FIG. 8 and FIG. 17, the distance between the rail portion 332 (launching position) and the launching port 38 is short (about twice the diameter of the game ball P), and thus the launch distance is short, It is possible to surely hit the launched game ball into the game area 8 without generating a foul ball.

The launch ball confirmation switch 36 detects the presence or absence of the game ball staying at the launch position, and the game ball at the launch position is driven by the launch hammer 30 and is not detected. By switching to, it is configured to detect that one gaming ball has been launched by the launch hammer 30.

The launch ball confirmation switch 36 is composed of a transmissive photosensor, and a light projecting section and a light receiving section are arranged so as to straddle the rail section 332, which sets the launch position, in the front-rear direction. The launch ball confirmation switch 36 is supported by the photo bracket 361 and is disposed at the launch position. The photo bracket 361 is attached and fixed to the lower portion of the front surface of the base plate 39.

The hitting ball launching device 29 is provided with a stopper cover 62 that covers the front surface of the launching stopper 34 that can regulate the pivotal end of the launching hammer 30 toward the ball hitting position, and a position apart from the hitting ball position of the launching hammer 30. A return stopper 35 for restricting the turning end (the turning end in the clockwise direction when viewed from the front) is provided. The surfaces of the stoppers 34, 35 are covered with rubber, so that the impact when the firing hammer 30 abuts can be absorbed and the generation of noise due to abutment can be suppressed. ..

In addition, in the hit ball launching device 29, the launch solenoid 13 is driven by a ball information control unit, which will be described later, with a driving strength corresponding to the rotating operation of the hit ball handle 10, and the ball feeding device 28 feeds the ball. With respect to the drive timing of the solenoid 31, it can be driven so as to perform a ball striking operation at a drive timing described later (see FIG. 24). Specifically, in the ball feeding device 28 that supplies the game ball to the hitting ball launching device 29, when the ball sending solenoid 31 is driven (ON), the game ball received by the ball sending member 32 is sent to the hitting ball launching device 29, and the state is maintained. When the driving of the ball feeding solenoid 31 is released (OFF), the ball feeding member 32 receives the game ball.

In the hitting ball launching device 29, when the hitting ball handle 10 is launched, the firing solenoid 13 is repeatedly energized and disconnected with a voltage according to the manipulated value. By this excitation/non-excitation of the firing solenoid 13, the firing hammer 30 is rotated from the initial position (FIG. 17) in the firing direction (counterclockwise direction) to the firing position, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 17. After the stopped game ball is hit by the mallet 61 (FIG. 8), the shooting operation is repeated by rotating clockwise and returning to the initial position.

Further, the hitting ball launching device 29 has a configuration in which the hitting strength of the shooting hammer 30 at the time of shooting the game ball is switched between the normal game state (first game state) and the advantageous game state (second game state). There is.

In addition, the normal gaming state means a gaming state (first gaming state) which is not won at least when the attacker device 505 is operated. In addition, the advantageous gaming state means a gaming state (second gaming state) that is won at least when the attacker device 505 is operated.
Normally, in order for the player to receive the prize ball, it is necessary to give the game ball to the attacker device 505, but in the normal game state, the attacker device 505 does not operate, so the game ball is won to the attacker device 505. I can't. Therefore, when the normal game state is being executed, even if the game ball is shot toward the rightward flow path B, all of the game balls will enter the out port 42. In order to win the game ball to the attacker device 505, the game ball is shot to the leftward flow path A, and the lottery related to the winning is executed when the first starting opening 503 is won, and the result of the winning determination is a win. Need to be After the result of the winning/judgment determination is successful, a game ball is launched in the rightward flow path B, so that it is possible to win the attacker device 505.

Conventionally, in the case of a gaming machine that switches the launch position of the game ball depending on the game state and plays a game, the player appropriately selects “right hit” and “left hit” according to the game state at that time and hits the ball. The handle 10 has to be operated. However, for example, if the player does not notice it and hits "right" for a long time in spite of the game state where "left hit" is required, a lot of game balls will enter the outlet 42 and be launched. There is a risk that the game balls will be lost and the interest in the game will be reduced.
Also, when the player is "right-handed" in an advantageous game state that is advantageous to the player, when the advantageous game state ends with a predetermined trigger and the game state switches to the normal game state, it is switched to "left-handed". It is necessary to shoot a game ball, but as a means to inform the player of the change in the game state, there is, for example, a means for notifying the switch between "left hit" and "right hit" using a speaker. However, depending on the player, the reaction to the switching of the game state may be delayed, and several dead balls may be shot.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, in this embodiment, at the same time when the game state is switched, the "left hit" and "right hit" are automatically divided. The details will be described below.
In the normal game state, a left hitting command (first command) for driving the launching hammer 30 with a hitting force that reaches the leftward downflow path A from the main control board 100, which will be described later, to the ball information control board 110. When the player turns the hit ball handle 10 regardless of the amount of turning of the hit ball handle 10 on condition that the ball is output, the game ball is shot toward the leftward flow path A (left hit state). Further, in the advantageous game state, a right hitting command (second command) for driving the launching hammer 30 with a hitting force that reaches the rightward flow path B of the game ball is a ball information control board from the main control board 100 described later. If the player turns the hitting ball handle 10 regardless of the amount of turning of the hitting ball handle 10 on condition that the ball is output to 110, the game ball is shot toward the rightward flow path B (right hitting state). It is like this. As a result, even if the player does not adjust the amount of rotation of the hit ball handle 10 according to the change in the game state, the game ball is shot to the left downflow route A in the normal game state and to the right downflow route B in the advantageous game state. Since the striking strength is automatically switched as described above, the player does not need to adjust the turning amount of the striking handle 10 by his/her own operation. As a result, the game state changes as in the conventional case, and the useless ball generated in the time lag from the notification that it is necessary to switch between left hitting and right hitting until the player adjusts the hit ball handle, It can be reduced as much as possible.

Further, before the hitting strength of the game ball changes according to the change of the game state, the fact is notified to the player. Immediately before the strength of the hit ball changes, the speaker notifies the player such as "switch to right hit", "switches to left hit", and so on. It is possible to prevent a decrease in interest in the game without giving the player distrust of the change.
The notification means for switching the strength of the hit ball is not limited to the speaker, and may be, for example, a message notification using a liquid crystal display device, a notification by light emission using a decorative lamp on the game board surface, or a vibration of the hit ball handle 10 or the like. Then, various methods may be selected, such as vibration notification for notifying switching between “left-handed” and “right-handed”.

As described above, when the normal game state is being executed, it is controlled so that it is fired (left-handed) with a striking force that reaches the left downflow route A, and when the advantageous game state is being executed, it is moved to the right downflow route. By controlling to launch (right hit) with the hitting force that arrives, "left hit" and "right hit" are switched regardless of the player's adjustment of the turning of the hit ball handle in response to the switching of the game state, so that it is regarded as a dead ball. It is possible to reduce the situation of shooting a game ball as much as possible.

Further, depending on the player, the hitting strength of the game ball may be automatically switched, and it may be frustrating that the player cannot shoot the game ball as he or she desires, which may reduce the interest in the game. Therefore, the player may be allowed to select whether or not to change the hitting strength according to the change in the game state.

Further, the hitting ball strength is automatically switched only for a predetermined time after the game state is switched, and after the predetermined time has elapsed, the automatic adjustment of the change in the hitting ball strength is released, and the operation mode of the hitting ball handle 10 by the player. According to the above, the game ball may be shot on an arbitrary flow-down path. For example, when the game state is switched from the normal game state to the advantageous game state, the game ball is automatically launched with a hit ball strength reaching the right downflow route B, and when a predetermined time (for example, 5 to 10 seconds) elapses, the hit ball strength is changed. The switching control is released, and it becomes possible to shoot a game ball with an arbitrary strength. Depending on the player, the strength of the hit ball is always set, and if the player hits the game ball in the designated downflow route, the player may feel that he or she is being hit rather than being hit. However, after the game state has been switched, when a predetermined time has passed, the automatic adjustment of the change in the hitting ball strength is canceled, and the game ball can be launched in an arbitrary downflow route, so the above-mentioned rudder is eliminated. Is possible.

Also, for example, even in the left-handed state in which the game ball is fired toward the leftward flow path A, the game ball is fired by aiming at the leftmost side of the game board surface (so-called choro hit), and mainly the nails. If the shooting intensity is such that the game ball is aimed at between the left end and the top of the mountain nail (so-called buzzing), or the game ball flows down the leftward flow path A, depending on the amount of rotation of the handle device 10. , The firing intensity can be adjusted.

Next, the game operation of the above-described embodiment will be described.
First, in the normal game state, when the player operates the hit ball handle 10, the game ball is controlled so as to be launched into the leftward flow path A, and the game ball flows down the left side of the game area 8. .. When the game ball enters the first starting opening 503, the lottery related to the winning is performed by the main control board 100 described later. When the result of the lottery is a win, the main control board 100 outputs a jackpot information output signal to the ball information control board 110, and a normal game state (first game state) and an advantageous game state (second game state) , And the game state becomes the advantageous game state.

When the gaming state becomes the advantageous gaming state, the player is informed that the gaming ball is launched with a hitting force that reaches the rightward flow path B using the liquid crystal display device, the lamp, the speaker, etc., and then the main control The jackpot information output signal is output from the board 100 to the ball information control board 110, and the game ball is controlled to be launched with a hitting force that reaches the rightward flow path B on condition that the jackpot game state is entered. During the big hit game, it becomes possible to enter the game ball into the attacker device 505 below the rightward flow path B. By entering the game ball into the attacker device 505 during the big hit game state, the player can receive a predetermined profit. Further, during the advantageous game state, when a game ball is entered into the gate 506 arranged on the game board 5, a lottery is conducted as to whether or not the second starting opening 504 is opened/closed, and the lottery is won. Then, the second starting opening 504 is opened and closed, and the game ball can enter the second starting opening.

In addition, in addition to the jackpot information output signal from the main control board 100 to the ball information control board 110, if the probability variation information output signal is output, after the jackpot gaming state, the second starting port 504 is Opening and closing operations result in a probability varying state in which the probability of a game ball entering the starting opening 504 increases. In that state, if the game ball is put into the second starting opening 504, the lottery related to the win is performed, so that even if the jackpot game state is finished, the game ball is continuously launched to the right downflow route B. Controlled.

When the jackpot gaming state ends or the probability variation state ends, it becomes impossible to enter the game ball into the attacker device 505 or the second starting opening 504, so the game is performed using a liquid crystal display device, a lamp, a speaker, or the like. The player is informed that the ball is launched with a hitting force that reaches the rightward downflow route B, and then, from the main control board 100 to the ball information control board 110, with the hitting force that the game ball reaches the rightward downflow route B. When the command for controlling the game ball to be launched is output, the game ball is launched in the rightward flow path B.

[Ball feeder 28]
Next, the ball feeding device 28 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the ball feeding device 28 is mainly configured as a unit, and has a lifting communication having a ball inlet 66 connected to the front end of the ball feeding trough 23 of the ball feeding path member 24 shown in FIG. A gutter 65 and a ball feed port 63 which is connected to the lift communication gutter 65 and has a ball supply port 63 for supplying the game ball that has entered from the lift communication gutter 65 to the hitting ball launching device 29, and which is open to the rear. A unit base 67, a ball feed unit cover 68 that closes the rear end of the ball feed unit base 67 and is open to the front, a ball feed solenoid 31 disposed below the ball feed unit base 67, and a ball feed solenoid 31. And a ball feeding member 32 that simultaneously realizes a ball feeding operation and a return ball blocking operation described later.

The lifting communication gutter 65 is gently inclined downward from the rear end where the ball inlet 66 is formed toward the front end. The ball feeding unit base 67 is attached to the left side portion of the rear surface of the base plate 39, the front end of the lifting communication gutter 65 is connected to the upper right portion, and is connected to the front end of the lifting communication gutter 65 in rear view. From the right side of the upper part to the center in the up-down direction, a gentle downward slope is applied to the left in the left-right direction, and a ball feed guide trough 69 bent downward in the middle and the lower end of the ball feed guide trough 69. And a ball supply port 63 penetrating in the front-rear direction (see FIG. 11).

Further, on the rear surface of the ball feed unit cover 68 facing the upper side of the ball supply port 63 below the bent portion of the ball feed guide trough 69, the game ball waiting in the ball feed guide trough 69 is provided. A launch standby ball detection switch 70 for detecting the presence or absence is provided (see FIG. 10). The launch standby ball detection switch 70 is composed of a flat type proximity switch that detects a game ball as a metal body by changing the impedance of the detection coil of the high frequency oscillation circuit.

The ball feeding solenoid 31 of the present embodiment is composed of an electromagnet, and is disposed below the ball feeding unit base 67 in a posture in which a suction portion that exhibits a suction function by excitation is directed downward. The ball feeding member 32 is arranged below the ball feeding unit base 67 adjacent to the left side of the ball feeding solenoid 31. The ball feed member 32 in the present embodiment is a permissible position that allows the ball to pass therethrough without interfering with the ball hit from the launch position by the ball hitting operation of the ball hitting launcher 29 by the excitation/non-excitation of the ball feed solenoid 31. And a return ball blocking portion that is movable between a return ball blocking position that blocks the entry of a return ball that returns from the game area 8 to the launch port 38.

[Ball feed member 32]
The ball feeding member 32 will be described below. 18 is a right side view showing the upper launching device 12 (the sphere feed solenoid 31 is not excited, and the sphere feed member 32 is in the holding position and the return sphere blocking position), and FIG. 19 is an arrow B in FIG. FIG. 20 is a cross-sectional view of the upper launching device 12 shown broken along line B (the ball feeding solenoid 31 is de-energized, and the ball feeding member 32 assumes the holding position and the returning ball blocking position), and FIG. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the ball feeding member 32, the ball feeding shaft, and the ball feeding sheet metal in FIG.

21 is a right side view showing the upper launching device 12 (the ball feed solenoid 31 is excited, and the ball feed member takes the supply position and the allowable position), and FIG. 22 is a view taken along the line BB of FIG. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the upper launching device broken by a line (the sphere feed solenoid 31 is excited, and the sphere feed member 32 is in a supply position and an allowable position).

As shown in FIG. 20, a shaft hole 75 is formed in the left-right direction in the middle of the ball feeding member 32 in the up-down direction. The ball feed shaft 76 is inserted into the shaft hole 75 with both ends protruding, and both ends of the ball feed shaft 76 in the left-right direction are supported by the ball feed unit base 67. As a result, the ball feeding member 32 is supported rotatably in the front-rear direction about the ball feeding shaft 76.

Further, an arm portion 77 is formed so as to extend rearward in the middle of the ball feeding member 32, and an operation extending downward of the ball feeding solenoid 31 is formed at a lower end of the arm portion 77 as shown in FIG. A rod portion 72 is formed, a sheet metal housing portion 73 is formed in the operating rod portion 72, and a ball feed sheet metal 71 made of a metal material attracted by a magnet is housed in the sheet metal housing portion 73.

Immediately below the sheet metal accommodating portion 73, there is formed a sheet metal locking claw 78 that protrudes rearward to prevent the ball feed sheet metal 71 from falling off. The ball feed sheet metal 71 is prevented from falling off the sheet metal housing portion 73.

As shown in FIG. 20, a latching protrusion 79 is formed at the end of the operating rod 72, and one end of the tension spring 52 shown in FIG. 19 is latched to the latching protrusion 79. Further, the other end of the tension spring 52 is hooked on a spring locking portion 53 formed on the lower bottom surface of the ball feeding unit base 67, as shown in FIG.

Further, as shown in FIG. 20, a roof-shaped sphere feed portion 74 is formed above the shaft hole 75 of the sphere feed member 32 toward the lower edge of the sphere supply port 63 integrally with the sphere feed member 32. There is. The ball feeding portion 74 is formed in a mountain shape in which the center of the upper surface rises upward, and extends toward the front from the center, that is, in the lower end of the ball feeding guide trough 69 in FIG. A ball feed guide surface 80 that is inclined toward the lower edge and an arc convex toward the rear from the center, that is, toward the ball feed unit cover 68 that closes the rear end of the ball feed guide trough 69 in FIG. And a sphere holding surface 81 that is inclined downwardly. Further, a hanging piece 82 hanging downward is formed at the rear end of the ball holding surface 81 of the ball feeding portion 74.

Further, the upper portion of the ball feeding member 32 in the up-down direction penetrates the ball feeding unit base 67 toward the front, and as shown in FIGS. 18, 20, and 21, the rail portion 332 (launching position) in a side view. A return frame blocking portion 83 having a rectangular frame shape extending toward the ball hitting path is formed, and a ball hitting opening 85 having a rectangular opening is formed in the center of the return ball blocking portion 83.

As shown in FIGS. 16 to 17, the frame-shaped return ball blocking portion 83 formed integrally with the ball feeding member 32 is disposed adjacent to the firing port 38 in the firing position direction. In addition, a ball stopper portion 84 is formed on the front side of the frame of the return ball blocking portion 83 on the firing position direction side, the bottom portion of which extends horizontally toward the rail portion 332 in a triangular shape. The ball stopping portion 84 is arranged in front of the ball feeding portion 74 and facing the ball feeding portion 74 at intervals above the firing position.

Further, on the ball feed unit cover 68, a ball guide protrusion 54 having a V-shaped vertical cross section is formed toward the front at a position facing the ball supply port 63 behind the ball supply port 63. In addition, a front guide surface 55 facing the sphere supply port 63 and having an arcuate concave shape is formed on the upper portion of the sphere guide protrusion 54 facing forward. The lower part of the ball guide protrusion 54 is formed to be convexly curved rearward, and in the space below the lower part of the ball guide protrusion 54, the front and rear direction of the ball feed member 32 with the ball feed shaft 76 as the center of rotation. In the pivoting operation, the ball feeding portion 74 can be retracted. A stopper piece 56 is formed at the lower end of the ball guide protrusion 54 so as to protrude forward.

[Ball feeding operation of the ball feeding member 32 and return ball blocking operation]
The ball feeding operation and the return ball blocking operation by the ball feeding member 32 of the ball feeding device 28 configured as described above will be described. When the ball feeding solenoid 31 is in the non-excited state, it is hooked on the hooking projection 79 at the end of the operating rod 72 of the ball feeding member 32 and the spring locking portion 53 formed on the bottom bottom surface of the ball feeding unit base 67. Due to the tensile force of the tension spring 52 that is stopped, the lower end portion of the ball feeding member 32 is in a posture of being pulled toward the ball feeding unit base 67.

As shown in FIG. 18, in a normal state (when the ball feeding solenoid 31 is in a non-excited state), the ball feeding member 32 has a rectangular frame-shaped return ball in a rotation posture with the ball feeding shaft 76 as a rotation center. The blocking portion 83 takes a posture inclining rearward, and in the side view seen from the game area 8, that is, in the hitting path from the launching position of the hitting ball launching device 29 to the launching opening 38, the launching opening 38 is immediately launched. At the position on the position direction side, the portion of the return ball blocking portion 83 located in front of the frame is in a posture intersecting with the launch port 38, and in the ball hitting path, the hit ball passing port 85 is located relative to the launch port 38. Is a position displaced rearward, and the ball cannot pass through the hitting ball passage opening 85 in the hitting path. That is, the return ball blocking portion 83 takes the return ball blocking position that blocks the entry of the return ball returning from the game area 8 to the launch port 38 in this posture.

After the hit ball is fired, the return ball blocking unit 83 takes the return ball blocking position, and thus the return ball blocking unit 83 blocks the game ball shot in the game area 8 from entering the launch port 38 as a return ball. Since the return ball can be blocked, it is possible to prevent the return ball from deteriorating the interest in the game.

Further, as shown in FIG. 19, in the normal state (when the ball feeding solenoid 31 is in the non-excited state), the ball feeding member 32 has the ball holding surface 81 of the ball feeding portion 74 with the ball guide protrusion of the ball feeding unit cover 68. In the rotation posture in which the hanging piece 82 formed at the lower end of the ball feeding portion 74 comes into contact with the stopper piece 56 and moves back to the space below the portion 54, and the ball feeding shaft 76 of the ball feeding member 32 is the rotation center. , The holding position in the ball feeding operation is restricted.

In the holding position, the ball feed guide surface 80 of the ball feed portion 74 is located in front of the lower end of the front guide surface 55 of the ball guide protrusion 54, and is located on the extension line in the tangential direction of the front guide surface 55. Further, the ball stopper 84 approaches the ball supply port 63, the game ball P1 is fitted in the gap between the lower end of the ball supply port 63 and the ball stopper 84, and the game ball P1 remains. Becomes

[Excitation of ball feed solenoid 31]
When excited by energizing the ball feed solenoid 31, the ball feed sheet metal 71 is attracted upward by the electromagnet function, and the operating rod 72 of the ball feed member 32 moves upward against the tensile force of the tension spring 52. The ball feed member 32 rotates counterclockwise in FIG. 19 about the ball feed shaft 76, and as shown in FIGS. 21 and 22, the ball feed member 32 causes the ball feed member 32 to pass the supply position and the hit ball in the ball feed operation. Move to the allowable position.

As a result, the ball stopper 84 moves forward from the position close to the ball supply port 63, and at the same time, the ball feeder 74 moves forward to send the game ball P1 remaining in the holding position to the launch position (FIG. 22). reference).

As shown in FIG. 21, when the ball feeding solenoid 31 is in the excited state, the rectangular frame-shaped return ball blocking portion 83 takes an upright posture in a rotating posture with the ball feeding shaft 76 as the rotation center, and the game area 8 in the side view, that is, at the position on the side of the launch path immediately from the launch opening 38 in the launch path from the launch position of the ball launching device 29 to the launch opening 38, with respect to the launch opening 38 in the strike path. The hitting ball passing port 85 is located at the same position, and is a position that allows the ball to pass through the hitting ball passing port 85 in the hitting path. That is, in this posture, the return ball blocking unit 83 takes a permissible position that allows the ball to pass therethrough without interfering with the ball hit from the launch position.

As shown in FIG. 22, when the ball feed solenoid 31 is in the excited state, the ball holding surface 81 of the ball feed portion 74 is located in front of the ball guide protrusion 54 of the ball feed unit cover 68 at the supply position in the ball feed operation. Then, the succeeding game ball P2 is fitted into the gap between the upper end of the ball supply port 63 and the ball holding surface 81 of the ball feeding portion 74, and the succeeding game ball P2 remains in the state. By the ball feeding operation described above, the ball feeding member 32 feeds the game balls lined up and stored in the ball feeding guide trough 69 one by one to the firing position of the hitting ball launching device 29.

Further, FIG. 24 is a time chart showing the drive timings of the ball feeding solenoid 31 and the firing solenoid 13. The firing solenoid 13 is turned on at the time point A when the ball feed solenoid 31 is turned on, and the ball feed solenoid 31 is turned off at the time point B after the firing solenoid 13 is turned on. The firing solenoid 13 is turned off when a period C has elapsed since the solenoid 31 was turned off.

In this embodiment, the period A is 300 ms, the period B is 30 ms, and the period C is 50 ms. When the ball feeding solenoid 31 is turned on, the ball feeding member 32 brings the launching ball to the launch position (rail portion 332). That is, the launch ball confirmation switch 36 detects the launch ball. In the present embodiment, it is determined that there is a launch ball when the launch ball confirmation switch 36 detects a game ball that is parked at the launch position over a predetermined prescribed time (30 ms as the period D). To do.

In this way, when the game ball held at the launch position by the launch ball confirmation switch 36 is detected for a predetermined time, it is determined that there is a launch ball. Erroneous ball counts on the ball can be eliminated and the certainty in detecting the launch ball can be increased.

The operation control is performed by the sphere information control MPU 111 of the sphere information control unit 118, which will be described later, according to the drive timing of the sphere feed solenoid 31 and the firing solenoid 13 shown in FIG. That is, when the return ball blocking portion 83 of the ball feeding member 32 is in the allowable position, the ball striking device 29 is operated to perform the ball striking operation by the firing hammer 30, and the ball striking device 29 is preliminarily determined from the time of operation. After the stipulated time has elapsed (after 30 ms has elapsed), the excitation of the ball feeding solenoid 31 is released and the return ball blocking unit 83 is moved to the return ball blocking position so that the return ball is blocked by the return ball blocking unit 83. Control.

According to this, when the return ball blocking unit 83 takes the allowable position, since the passing of the hit ball is allowed without interfering with the hit ball fired from the launch position, the hit ball does not interfere, so the game is played. It is possible to prevent the player from feeling distrustful of hitting the ball at the aimed position, and to prevent a decrease in interest in the game.

After the hit ball is fired, the return ball blocking unit 83 takes the return ball blocking position, and thus the return ball blocking unit 83 blocks the game ball shot in the game area 8 from entering the launch port 38 as a return ball. Since the return ball can be blocked, it is possible to prevent the return ball from deteriorating the interest in the game.

In the present embodiment, since the return ball blocking portion 83 is formed integrally with the ball feeding member 32, the ball feeding to the firing position is performed by exciting/de-energizing one electric drive source (ball feeding solenoid 31). And it is possible to realize the return ball prevention at the same time. That is, when the ball feed member 32 takes the supply position, the hit ball passage port 85 is located on the hit ball path through which the game ball shot from the launch position passes, and when the holding position is taken, the ball feed member 32 deviates from the hit ball path. It has a frame-shaped return ball blocking portion 83 formed so that the hit ball passing port 85 is located at the retracted position.

When the ball feed member 32 takes the supply position, the return ball blocking portion 83 takes the allowable position and does not interfere with the hit ball fired from the firing position. Therefore, for hitting the game ball at the aimed position. It is possible to prevent distrust and to prevent a decrease in interest in the game.

Further, when the ball feeding member 32 moves to the holding position, the return ball blocking portion 83 moves to the return ball blocking position at the same time, so that the game ball shot in the game area 8 becomes a return ball and enters the launch port 38. Since it can be blocked by blocking the return ball, it is possible to prevent the return ball from deteriorating the interest in the game.

Further, the gaming machine described in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1 has a structure in which the return ball prevention valve that closes the launch port is forcibly opened by the launch ball and launched or pushed out to the game area. For this reason, an electric drive source for performing a ball hitting action needs to have a size and power that are commensurate with it, and it is necessary to supply a large current in order to obtain a hitting force, which results in a large power consumption. is there.

On the other hand, in the upper launching device 12 of the present example, when the launching hammer 30 performs a ball hitting operation, the return ball blocking portion 83 of the ball feeding member 32 allows the launch ball to pass (the hit ball passing port 85 and Since it does not interfere with the launch ball in the state where both the launch port 38 and the launch ball match each other, it suffices to provide a hitting force sufficient to launch the hit ball in the game area 8, and thus the power is small. Adopting an electric drive source is sufficient. Therefore, the electric drive source can be made smaller and thinner, and the power consumption required for the drive can be suppressed low.

Further, as shown in FIG. 24, the firing solenoid 13 is excited for a period C from the time when the firing solenoid 13 is turned on, and the mallet 61 is projected through the through hole 335 of the rail portion 332 (FIG. 9). Therefore, it is possible to prevent the game ball from being stopped at the rail portion 332, prevent the return ball, and make the error count of the launch ball more reliable.

The return ball blocking portion 83 of the present embodiment is shown to have a rectangular frame shape and is provided with a hitting ball passage opening 85 in the center, but the shape of the return ball blocking portion 83 is not limited to this, and for example, It may be in the shape of a strip, a rod, or may not be provided with the hitting ball passage opening 85. That is, on the hitting path from the launching position to the launching hole 38, the allowable position is provided adjacent to the launching position direction of the launching hole 38 and allows the passing of the hitting ball without interfering with the hitting ball launched from the launching position. And a return ball blocking position that blocks the entry of the return ball returning from the game area 8 to the launch port 38.

In the enclosed ball-type gaming machine of the present embodiment described above, the ball lifting device 22 has the main body frame 2 behind the upper launching device 12 arranged at the front part and one side part of the upper part of the main body frame 2. The ball lifting device 22 is attached to the rear surface, and the upper end of the ball lifting device 22 is disposed above the ball feeding device 28. The ball lifting device 22 is provided between the upper end of the ball lifting device 22 and the upper part of the upper launching device 12. It is configured to have a ball supply path member 24 extending in the front-rear direction for sending the game balls that have been lifted up in the above into the ball feeder 28 from above.

Because of the above-mentioned configuration, the sphere supply path member 24 is attached to the rear part of the game board 5 for various members (movable body, power transmission mechanism (eg, gear train) for driving the movable body, left and right). The slide rail for guiding in the direction, the drive motor as the drive source, the position detection sensor for detecting the position of the movable body, the LED board, the relay board, etc. do not become an obstacle, and the ball at the rear of the gaming machine. It is possible to smoothly feed the game balls that have been lifted to the upper portion of the main body frame 2 by the lifting device 22 to the upper launching device 12.

Further, since the ball supply path member does not interfere with various members attached to the rear part of the game board, the space formed behind the upper launcher 12 can be secured to the rear part of the game board 5. It can be applied to the arrangement space of each member.

Further, the upper launching device 12 shown in FIG. 23 employs an electric drive source which is smaller and thinner than the conventional one for the reason described above. As shown in FIG. 23, since the electric drive source (launching solenoid 13) of the hitting ball launching device can be downsized and thinned, the electric drive source does not extend behind the upper launching device 12. Therefore, the arrangement space 57 for each member attached to the rear portion of the game board 5 can be widened accordingly.

Further, since the upper launching device 12 of the present embodiment can be rotated by the upper launching device hinge 37 and can be opened and closed with respect to the main body frame 2 (FIG. 12), the left end of the game board when the game board is mounted. Since the upper firing unit can be pivotally arranged at a position deviating from the movement path when inserting the parts, the operation of attaching the game board to the main body frame is easy.

In this case, when the upper launching device 12 is opened with respect to the main body frame 2, even if the game balls remain in the ball sending gutter 23, the ball sending gutter 23 is prevented from spilling out. It is advisable to provide a spill sphere prevention means for blocking the sphere outlet 58.

Hereinafter, one embodiment of the spill ball preventing means (ball outlet opening/closing unit) will be described. 25 is a front perspective view of the ball outlet opening/closing unit, and FIG. 26 is a rear perspective view of the ball outlet opening/closing unit. FIG. 27 is a perspective view showing the relationship between the upper firing unit and the ball outlet opening/closing unit.

As shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 23, the ball supply path member 24 is formed at the upper end of the ball lifting device 22, and the ball sending trough 23 that sends the pumped game balls forward from above and the upper launch unit. 12 is formed in the upper part of the rear part of the rear part 12 and is composed of a lifting communication gutter 65 which is connected to the ball sending gutter 23, and when the upper firing unit 12 is closed with respect to the main body frame 2, the front end of the ball sending gutter 23 is By opening the ball outlet 58, the ball outlet 58 and the ball inlet 66 at the rear end of the lifting communication gutter 65 are communicated with each other, and the ball can be supplied from the ball outlet 58 to the ball inlet 66.

The ball feeding device of the upper launching device 12 is provided with an opening/closing operation piece 426 for operating the opening/closing shutter 412 of the ball outlet opening/closing unit 410 on the right side of the ball feeding unit cover (FIG. 27). The opening/closing operation piece 426 contacts the spherical contact portion 424 of the opening/closing crank 413 in the ball outlet opening/closing unit 410 when the upper launching device 12 is closed with respect to the main body frame 2, thereby rotating the opening/closing crank 413. The open/close shutter 412 can be opened.

[Ball exit opening/closing unit]
The ball outlet opening/closing unit 410 in the main body frame 2 of the present embodiment is attached to the mounting member 407 attached to the lower surface of the ball delivery gutter 23 of the ball lifting and lowering device 22, and the upper firing is performed on the main body frame 2. When the device 12 is opened, the ball outlet 58 at the front end of the ball delivery gutter 23 in the ball lifting device 22 is closed to allow the flow of the game balls from the ball lifting device 22 to the ball feeding device 28 of the upper launching device 12. It can be blocked.

The ball outlet opening/closing unit 410 includes a shutter base 411 mounted on a hanging wall 408 of the mounting member 407 facing in the vertical direction, a plate-shaped opening/closing shutter 412 held by the shutter base 411 so as to be slidable in the vertical direction, An opening/closing crank 413 that slides the shutter 412 in the vertical direction and an opening/closing spring 414 that urges the opening/closing shutter 412 to rise via the opening/closing crank 413 are provided.

The shutter base 411 of the ball outlet opening/closing unit 410 includes a pair of vertically extending slide grooves 415 for holding the opening/closing shutter 412 slidably in the vertical direction so as to project above the upper end of the shutter base 411. A rectangular opening 416 penetrating in the front-rear direction between the pair of slide grooves 415, and a crank arranged on the front surface of the left end in front view to support the opening/closing crank 413 rotatably around an axis extending in the front-rear direction. A support portion 417 and a spring locking portion 418 that locks one end (upper end) of the opening/closing spring 414 are provided. The crank support portion 417 of the shutter base 411 is disposed on the left side of the opening 416 when viewed from the front, and the spring locking portion 418 is disposed near the upper portion on the left side from the center in the left-right direction when viewed from the front.

The opening/closing shutter 412 of the ball outlet opening/closing unit 410 has a flat plate-shaped shutter main body 419 and a pair of sliding protrusions (not shown) that protrude from the front surface of the shutter main body 419 and slide in the slide groove 415 of the shutter base 411. ) And a drive hole 420 having a horizontally long rectangular shape that is disposed between the pair of sliding protrusions and faces the opening 416 of the shutter base 411 and penetrates in the front-rear direction.

The opening/closing crank 413 of the ball outlet opening/closing unit 410 includes a shaft portion 421 rotatably supported by a crank support portion 417 of the shutter base 411 so as to be rotatable about an axis extending in the front-rear direction, and a right outer periphery of the shaft portion 421 from a right outer periphery in a front view. A drive rod 422 that extends outward and has its tip extended to the vicinity of the center of the opening 416 in the left-right direction, and projects rearward from the tip of the drive rod 422 and is slidably inserted into the drive hole 412b of the opening/closing shutter 412. Drive pin 423, an abutting portion 424 that extends downward from the lower outer periphery of the shaft portion 421 in a front view, and has a spherical tip, and the other end of the opening/closing spring 414 that is formed on the intermediate upper surface of the drive rod 422. And a spring locking portion 425 that locks the (lower end).

In the ball outlet opening/closing unit 410, when the opening/closing crank 413 rotates about an axis extending in the front-rear direction, the drive pin 423 of the opening/closing crank 413 rotates vertically in an arc shape, and at the same time, the drive pin 423 is inserted. The open/close shutter 412 slides in the vertical direction through the drive hole 420.

In the ball outlet opening/closing unit 410, when the upper launching device 12 is closed with respect to the main body frame 2, the contact portion 424 of the opening/closing crank 413 contacts the opening/closing operation piece 426 of the upper launching device 12, and thus the contact portion. 424 is rotated clockwise in the front view against the urging force of the opening/closing spring 414, and the drive pin 423 is rotated clockwise in the front view together with the contact portion 424. The opening/closing shutter 412 is lowered so that the ball outlet 58 at the front end of the ball delivery gutter 23 can be opened. That is, the ball outlet 58 and the ball inlet 66 at the rear end of the lifting communication gutter 65 are communicated with each other so that the game ball can be supplied from the ball outlet 58 to the ball inlet 66.

When the upper launching device 12 is opened with respect to the body frame 2 from this state, the contact between the contact portion 424 of the opening/closing crank 413 and the opening/closing actuating piece 426 of the upper launching device 12 is released, and the opening/closing crank 413 opens and closes. The urging force of 414 rotates counterclockwise in a front view, and at the same time, the opening/closing shutter 412 rises to close the ball outlet 58 at the front end of the ball sending trough 23 (FIG. 27). ).

In this way, the ball outlet opening/closing unit 410 can automatically open/close the ball outlet 58 at the front end of the ball delivery trough 23 in the ball lifting/lowering device 22 in response to opening/closing of the upper launching device 12 with respect to the main body frame 2. Even if the upper launch device 12 is opened with the game ball remaining in the ball delivery gutter 23, it is possible to prevent the game ball from spilling from the ball outlet 58.

[Distorted sphere/magnetic sphere discharge unit]
FIG. 28 is a view for explaining the irregular-shaped sphere/magnetic sphere discharging unit. FIG. 29 is a view for explaining the magnetic sphere discharging portion cover in FIG. 28 by separating it and turning it over. FIG. 30 is a plan view of the deformed sphere/magnetic sphere discharging unit. FIG. 31 is a rear view of the deformed sphere/magnetic sphere discharging unit. FIG. 32 is a view for explaining the base plate of the deformed sphere/magnetic sphere discharging unit. FIG. 33 is a view for explaining the deformed sphere/magnetic sphere discharging unit by separating it into a deformed sphere discharging unit and a magnetic sphere discharging unit. FIG. 34 is a diagram for explaining a path through which the irregularly shaped spheres and the magnetic spheres are ejected in the irregularly shaped sphere/magnetic sphere ejection unit. FIG. 35 is a diagram illustrating a situation in which magnetic spheres are separated from the circulation path and discharged. FIG. 36 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the magnetic sphere has reached the magnetic sphere discharge inclined surface.

As shown in FIG. 28, the deformed sphere/magnetic sphere discharging unit 20 has a deformed sphere discharging function and a magnetic sphere discharging function. The deformed sphere is a spherical object such as a bearing having a smaller diameter than the regular game sphere. The odd-shaped sphere/magnetic sphere discharging unit 20 is a transparent resin molded product, and is disposed in the lower portion of the gaming machine body (irregular sphere/magnetic sphere discharging unit accommodating portion 19), and the front side is a front plate (not shown), and the rear side is It has a structure in which the side is covered with a rear face plate (ball gutter base 201). At the upper part, as a safe ball that has flown out without winning the various winning holes (special variable winning device, general winning device, ordinary variable winning device) and various winning holes and has flown through the safe ball discharging route. A collecting port 202 for collecting the game balls is provided. The out ball flows into the recovery port 202 through the out port 42 (see FIGS. 2, 3, and 5). The safe ball flows into the recovery port 202 via the winning opening 41 (see FIG. 5).

The circulation path in the irregular-shaped sphere/magnetic sphere discharging unit 20 communicating with the recovery port 202 is formed by meandering left and right in the irregular-shaped sphere/magnetic sphere discharging unit 20, and is folded up and down. A detection switch 203, a deformed sphere ejection unit 204, a magnetic sphere ejection unit 205, a sphere route full tank detection switch 206, and an appropriate sphere amount detection switch 207 are provided. The game balls that have flowed into the recovery port 202 move in a line along the circulation path in the irregular shaped sphere/magnetic sphere discharging unit 20, and reach the sphere collecting portion 21 connected to the irregular shaped sphere/magnetic sphere discharging unit 20. However, the deformed sphere and the magnetic sphere are separated from the regular game sphere circulation path in the deformed sphere/magnetic sphere discharge unit 20 and discharged to the outside of the deformed sphere/magnetic sphere discharge unit 20 so as not to move to the sphere collecting portion 21. It

Next, the movement of the game spheres collected in the collection port 202 in the irregular-shaped sphere/magnetic sphere discharge unit 20 will be described step by step. The number of game balls collected in the collection port 202 is counted by the collected ball detection switch 203 one by one. The game sphere that has passed through the collected sphere detection switch 203 reaches the irregular sphere discharge unit 204. When the difference in the number of game balls detected by the collected ball detection switch 203 and the launch ball detection means increases, it can be detected that an abnormality has occurred in the gaming machine.

The deformed sphere discharging section 204 is fixed to the deformed sphere discharging section base mounting section 212 provided on the sphere receiving trough base 201, and the deformed sphere discharging section base 208 and the two deformed sphere discharging section bases 208 fixed to the deformed sphere discharging section base 208. It is composed of deformed spherical separation shafts 209 and 210.

As shown in FIGS. 31 and 32, the irregular-shaped sphere discharging portion base mounting portion 212 is a rectangular opening provided in the sphere receiving trough base 201. As shown in FIG. 28, the irregularly shaped sphere discharge portion base mounting portion 212 is provided so as to be inclined with respect to the sphere receiving base 201 so that the side on the side of the recovery port 202 becomes higher. As a result, the irregular shaped ball separating shafts 209 and 210 are arranged so as to be inclined, so that the game ball can move from the upstream side 213 (see FIG. 30) toward the downstream side 214.

FIG. 33 is a view for explaining the deformed sphere/magnetic sphere discharging unit by separating it into a deformed sphere discharging unit and a magnetic sphere discharging unit. FIG. 33(a) shows the deformed sphere discharging portion 204. In FIG. 33(b), the magnetic sphere discharging portion 205 is shown.

The irregular-shaped ball discharging unit 204 uses the difference in diameter between the regular game ball and the illegal ball to eliminate an illegal ball having a smaller diameter than the regular game ball from the circulation path in the irregular-shaped ball/magnetic ball discharging unit 20. .. As shown in FIG. 30, the irregular sphere discharge portion 204 includes two irregular sphere separation shafts 209 and 210 having a circular cross section, which are arranged in parallel from the upstream side 213 to the downstream side 214 of the circulation path. In order to exclude an irregular ball, that is, an inexact sphere having a diameter smaller than that of the regular game ball from the circulation path in which the regular game ball circulates, the gap distance between the two variant ball separation shafts 209 and 210 is The diameter of the regular game ball is narrower, and the diameter of the downstream side 214 is wider than the diameter of the regular game ball, that is, the distance between the two variant ball separation shafts 209 and 210 is gradually increased. 209 and 210 are fixed to the deformed sphere discharging portion base 208.

The game balls that flow down one by one to the irregular-shaped ball discharging portion 204 via the recovery port 202 and the recovered-sphere detection switch 203 flow down while rolling over the two irregular-shaped ball separation shafts 209 and 210. To do. On the upstream side, since the gap distance between the two irregular shaped ball separation shafts 209 and 210 is smaller than the diameter of the regular game balls, the regular game balls do not fall from between the irregular shaped ball separation shafts 209 and 210.

On the other hand, an irregular sphere having a smaller diameter than the regular game sphere falls from between the two irregular sphere separation shafts 209 and 210. As shown in FIG. 33( a ), the deformed sphere that has fallen is discharged from the deformed sphere/magnetic sphere discharge unit 20 through the deformed sphere discharge path 215 from the deformed sphere outlet 216. The deformed sphere discharging path 215 is formed by a deformed sphere discharging path forming member 217 attached to the front side of the sphere gutter base 201 and below the deformed sphere discharging portion base 208. The deformed sphere discharge path forming member 217 is also integrally provided with a communication path 218 for guiding a sphere having the same diameter as a regular game sphere to the magnetic sphere discharge portion 205.

A game ball of a regular size that rolls down and flows down the two modified sphere separation shafts 209, 210 falls from between the two modified sphere separation shafts 209, 210 on the downstream side 214, and the communication path 218 is formed. After that, it reaches the circulation path 219 formed in the magnetic sphere discharge part 205.

The magnetic ball discharging unit 205 is fixed to the ball receiving trough base 201 as shown in FIG. FIG. 33 shows a state in which the magnetic ball discharging portion 205 is removed from the ball receiving trough base 201. An inclined surface 220 connected to the communication path 218 is formed in the magnetic sphere discharging portion 205, and a falling surface 221 that steeply descends is connected to the downstream side of the inclined surface 220, and a portion where the inclined surface 220 is extended is connected to the drop surface 221. A magnetic ball discharging inclined surface 222 is formed. The gap of the discontinuous portion 223 is provided so that the inclined surface 220 and the magnetic sphere discharging inclined surface 222 are not continuous. In the magnetic sphere ejecting unit 205, a magnet is attached to at least one of the side wall 224 and the ceiling wall 225 on the front surface, the back surface, or the inside.

FIG. 35 shows an example in which a magnet 229 is mounted in the magnet housing space 230 on the back surface of the ceiling wall 225. The magnet housing space 230 is formed as a space having a rectangular cross section arranged along the back surface side of the ceiling wall 225. The magnet 229 is a flat magnet, and is a permanent magnet having one side having an N pole or an S pole and the other side having an S pole or an N pole. The magnetic force of the magnet is not so strong that the game ball (magnetic ball 232) made of a magnetic material is adsorbed and the rolling is hindered, and it flows down the area of the inclined surface 220 and falls from the discontinuous portion 223. Instead, it is only necessary to reach the magnetic sphere discharging inclined surface 222. The attached magnet may be a permanent magnet or an electromagnet.

The regular game ball 233 flowing from the connecting path 218 rolls down the inclined surface 220 and descends, and flows down while rolling on the falling surface 221 from the inclined surface 220. The non-magnetic regular game ball 233 drops the discontinuous portion 223 and goes through the circulation path 219 to reach the ball collecting portion 21 connected to the irregular-shaped ball/magnetic ball discharging unit 20.

On the other hand, the illegal sphere (magnetic sphere 232) made of a magnetic material is attached to the inner wall surface of the ceiling wall 225 by the attractive force of the magnet 229 housed in the magnet housing space 230, and flows through the circulation path 219 upstream of the inclined surface 220. From the side to the downstream side while rolling due to the action of gravity. Then, as shown in FIG. 35, the magnetic sphere 232 reaches the region of the magnetic sphere discharging inclined surface 222 (see FIG. 28) as shown in FIG. 36 without dropping from the discontinuous portion 223. The illegal sphere made of a magnetic material that has reached the region of the magnetic sphere discharging inclined surface 222 is discharged from the irregular sphere/magnetic sphere discharging unit 20 through the magnetic sphere discharging path 226 to the outside of the deformed sphere/magnetic sphere discharging unit 20 (see FIG. 34). ).

A portion of the ceiling wall 225 on the upper side of the magnetic sphere discharging inclined surface 222 is configured as a magnetic force adjusting portion 231. The magnetic force adjustment unit 231 is formed so that the gap between the magnet housing space 230 and the magnetic sphere discharge path 226 becomes larger as it goes downstream of the magnetic sphere discharge path 226. In FIG. 35, the magnetic sphere discharge path 226 has a curved portion, and this curved portion functions as the magnetic force adjustment unit 231. As a result, the distance between the magnetic sphere 232 and the magnet 229 becomes longer toward the downstream side of the magnetic sphere discharge path 226. Then, the magnetic force (attractive force) of the magnet 229 acting on the magnetic sphere 232 gradually decreases. Therefore, the magnetic sphere 232 that has been stuck to the wall surface of the ceiling wall 225 and moved in the downstream direction separates from the wall surface of the ceiling wall 225 and falls onto the magnetic sphere discharge inclined surface 222. Then, it is discharged from the magnetic ball discharge port 227 via the magnetic ball discharge path 226.

The irregular-shaped sphere and the illegal sphere of the magnetic material are discharged to the outside of the irregular-shaped sphere/magnetic sphere ejection unit 20 through the irregular-shaped sphere outlet 216 and the magnetic sphere outlet 227, respectively (FIG. 34). The deformed spheres or magnetic spheres discharged from the deformed sphere/magnetic sphere discharge unit 20 are collected in the discharged sphere receiving box 234 (see FIGS. 2, 3, and 5). In this way, the irregular sphere/magnetic sphere discharge unit 20 can be used to eliminate an illegal sphere consisting of an irregular sphere and a magnetic body from the regular game ball circulation path 219. In the present embodiment, the configuration can be simplified by using gravity to discharge the irregularly shaped spheres and the magnetic spheres to the outside of the irregularly shaped sphere/magnetic sphere discharge unit 20. The deformed sphere discharging path 215 is arranged along the side surface of the magnetic sphere discharging portion 205, so that the deformed sphere/magnetic sphere discharging unit 20 can be configured compactly.

The deformed sphere/magnetic sphere discharging unit 20 can eliminate an irregular sphere formed of a deformed sphere or a magnetic material from the circulation path 219 of the regular game sphere without stopping the game, thereby reducing the interest of the player. On the other hand, it is possible to reduce the chance that the employee of the gaming hall is called by each gaming machine to handle the illegal ball and deal with the malfunction of the gaming machine. The deformed sphere ejecting section 204 and the magnetic sphere ejecting section 205 may be configured separately. That is, when discharging the irregular-shaped sphere by another component in the game machine, the magnetic sphere discharging unit 205 may be configured independently.

And one embodiment of the enclosed ball-type gaming machine of the present invention, a gaming board in which a gaming area is defined and formed, a main body frame in which the gaming board is fitted and accommodated, and arranged on an upper portion of the main body frame, A hitting ball launching device for launching a game ball toward the game area, and a game ball launched by the hitting ball launching device is collected as an enclosed ball on the back side of the game board to eliminate an illegal ball and the hitting ball launching device again. In order to supply the enclosed spheres which are arranged and stored in a circulation path including irregular shaped spheres/magnetic sphere discharging means and an arrangement passage formed in a part of the circulation path based on the drive of an electric drive source, A ball feeding device that feeds the ball to the launch position of the hitting ball launching device one by one, a main control board that performs a game control process related to a pachinko game, and a bidirectional data communication that is connected to the main control board, and the game control process In the award ball command transmitted from the main control board, and control of increasing or decreasing the number of balls held based on the number information of the number of balls launched by the ball launching device, and control of launching a game ball by the ball launching device. And a ball information control board for performing feeding control of the game ball to the firing position by the ball feeding device, and circulating a predetermined number of game balls in a closed manner without paying out the game balls. The hitting ball launching device performs a hitting ball operation based on the driving of a launch rail for stopping the game ball at the launching position and an electric drive source, and the launching position. A launching member for launching the game ball stopped at, and a launch ball confirmation means for detecting the game ball staying at the launch position, the ball information control board is at a predetermined time. Across all, when the game ball stopped at the launch position is detected by the launch ball confirmation means, there is a launch ball detection determination means that determines that there is a launch ball, and the launch ball detection determination means that there is a launch ball. If the game ball is not detected by the launch ball confirmation means on the condition that the determination is made, it is determined that the game ball stopped at the launch position has been launched, and the number of held balls subtracted by subtracting one from the number of owned balls. And means.

According to the above-described embodiment, when a game ball stopped at the launch position is detected by the launch ball confirmation means over a predetermined prescribed time, a launch ball detection determination means that determines that there is a launch ball and If the game ball is not detected by the launch ball confirming means, it is determined that the game ball stopped at the launch position has been launched, and the number of balls held is determined, provided that the launch ball detection determining means determines that there is a launch ball. Since one is reduced, when noise enters the launch ball confirmation means, it is possible to eliminate false ball count of the launch ball due to noise, improve the certainty in the detection of the launch ball, The magnetic balls can be eliminated from the circulation path through which the regular game balls circulate.

[Sphere collecting section 21]
FIG. 37 is a front left perspective view of the ball collecting unit and the ball hoisting device, FIG. 38 is a front view of the ball collecting unit and the ball hoisting device, and FIG. 39 is a state in which the ball polishing cartridge in the ball collecting unit is removed. FIG. FIG. 40 is a rear perspective view showing a state where the case of the ball collecting portion and the cover of the ball lifting device are removed, and FIG. 41 is an enlarged rear perspective view of the ball collecting portion in FIG. 41 is a further enlarged view of FIG. 41, and FIG. 43 is a plan view with the case of the ball collecting portion removed.

The ball collecting portion 21 (FIG. 41) has a ball feeding passage 275, a ball polishing cartridge 251, a ball polishing cartridge mounting portion 273 (FIG. 39), and an elevating inlet/outlet switch 156. The ball feeding passage 275 is a groove structure having walls on both sides, which is arranged in the lower part of the entire ball collecting portion 21, and has a ball receiving port 275a connected to a ball outlet (not shown) of the deformed sphere/magnetic ball discharging unit 20. It has a ball feeding port 275b that opens to the ball feeding rotating body 350 (described later) (FIGS. 41, 42, 43).

The ball-polishing cartridge mounting portion 273 is an opening provided in the ball collecting portion 21 for attaching and detaching the ball-polishing cartridge 251 described later (FIG. 39). The ball-polishing cartridge 251 can be attached to and detached from the game machine front side of the ball-polishing cartridge mounting portion 273. It is located (Fig. 41). The lift inlet/outlet switch 156 is provided outside one wall forming the ball feed passage 275 and detects the presence or absence of a game ball passing through the ball feed passage 275 (FIG. 41).

[Ball lifting device 22]
FIG. 44 is a rear perspective view showing a state in which the upper gearbox and the lower gearbox are removed. FIG. 45 is a right side view showing a state in which the cover of the ball lifting device is removed, and FIG. 46 is an enlarged view of part (A) in FIG. Further, FIG. 47 is a diagram showing a state in which the screw is disassembled, FIG. 48 is a perspective view showing an upper portion of the ball lifting device, and FIG. FIG.

The ball lifting device 22 includes a screw 25 (FIG. 40), a ball lifting motor 150 (FIGS. 38, 48), a lifting guide rail 282 (FIGS. 40, 44), and an upper gear box 356 (FIG. 37). 40), the lower gear box 357 (FIGS. 37 and 40), the ball feed rotating body 350 (FIG. 40), the ball feed inclined portion 351 (FIGS. 40 and 41), and the lifting portion cover 353 ( 37), a spiral base cover 352 (FIG. 37), a lifting ramp member 354 (FIG. 46), and a ball delivery trough 23 (FIGS. 44, 46, 48).

The spiral base cover 352 and the lifting portion cover 353 are cover members 368 arranged so as to surround the screw 25 and are made of transparent resin (acrylic resin). In the spiral base cover 352, an opening 281 is obliquely provided in a portion of the ball collecting portion 21 that faces the ball polishing cartridge 251 (FIG. 39).
Further, the upper surface of the cover member 368 is formed with a protrusion for installing the lower surface of the upper gear box 356 described later (FIG. 69).

The screw 25 is disposed vertically inside the cover member 368 having a rectangular tube shape from the base to the upper end of the ball lifting device 22. The cover member 368 is arranged so as to assemble the spiral base cover 352 and the lifting portion cover 353 and surround the screw 25. The screw 25 is composed of a screw shaft 25a, two small-pitch ridge members 25b located vertically, and four large-pitch ridge members 25c located in the center (FIG. 45). .. These are fitted in the screw shaft 25a.

The small-pitch ridge member 25b is composed of a cylindrical portion 25e and a spiral ridge 25d (FIG. 45). As shown in FIG. 47, the small-pitch ridge member 25b is obtained by assembling the half-split body 25bR and the half-split body 25bL, which are bisected on a vertical plane including the screw shaft 25a, with the screw shaft 25a interposed therebetween. It is one. A pair of a concave portion 25g and a convex portion 25h for assembling the half-divided bodies 25bR and 25bL on both sides is vertically formed on the cut surface of the cylindrical portion 25e, which can be integrated with each other. it can.

Further, an upper edge recess 25j opening upward is formed at an upper edge 25i of each of the halves 25bR and 25bL, and a lower edge projection 25m protruding downward is formed at a lower edge 25k. The upper edge concave portion 25j and the lower edge convex portion 25m are for connecting the small-pitch projecting ridge member 25b and the large-pitch projecting ridge member 25c in the vertical direction and transmitting the rotations to each other.

The same applies to the large-pitch ridge member 25c, and the same reference numerals are given and a detailed description thereof is omitted, but the pitch of the spiral ridge 25d is larger than that of the small-pitch ridge member 25b. The pitch of a portion where the spiral ridge 25d of the small-pitch ridge member 25b and the spiral ridge 25d of the large-pitch ridge member 25c are continuous is smoothly continuous. The large pitch ridge member 25c is composed of a half body 25cR and a half body 25cL.

The pitch is the distance between the spiral protrusions 25d along the straight line. The pitch of the spiral ridges 25d of the small pitch ridge member 25b is smaller than the pitch of the spiral ridges 25d of the large pitch ridge member 25c. For example, the pitch of the small pitch ridge members 25b is 25 mm, and the pitch of the large pitch ridge members 25c is 43.2 mm.

The screw shaft 25a shown in FIG. 47 is the rotation shaft of the screw 25. As shown in FIG. 44, the upper lifting gear 360 (spur gear) is fixed to the upper end and the lower lifting gear 362 (lower gear) to the lower end. Spur gear) is fixed.

Further, as shown in FIG. 49, in the small-pitch ridge member 25b at the lower portion of the screw 25, the lower edge convex portion 25m and the fitting concave portion 366a of the fitting member 366 integrally formed with the lower lifting gear 362 are formed. It is fitted using concave-convex fitting, and is driven and rotated integrally with the screw shaft 25a and the lower lifting gear 362.

The ball lifting motor 150 is a motor that drives the screw 25, and is attached to the lower surface of the upper gear box 356 in the ball lifting device 22 (FIGS. 38 and 48 ).

The upper gearbox 356 is arranged at the upper end of the ball lifting device 22, and accommodates and supports the ball lifting motor gear 358, the idle gear 359, and the upper lifting gear 360 (FIGS. 40 and 44). .. The ball lifting motor gear 358 is fixed to the drive shaft of the ball lifting motor 150 and meshes with the idle gear 359. The idle gear 359 is a two-stage gear in which an upper gear having a large number of teeth and a lower gear having a small number of teeth on the lower surface thereof are integrated into one gear. It meshes with the upper lifting gear 360. These gears are spur gears and the vertical dimension of the upper gearbox is low. The upper lifting gear 360 is fixed to the upper end of the screw shaft 25a. With these gear configurations, the screw 25 is driven and rotated by the ball lifting motor 150.

The lower gear box 357 is arranged from the lower end of the ball lifting device 22 to the lower end of the ball collecting portion 21, and accommodates and pivotally supports the lower lifting gear 362 and the ball feeding rotary body gear 363 (Fig. 44). The lower lifting gear 362 is fixed to the lower end of the screw shaft 25a and meshes with the ball feeding rotary body gear 363. The gear ratio of the ball feeding rotary body gear 363 and the lower lifting gear 362 is 2:1.

The ball feed rotator 350 is fixed to the gear shaft 363 a of the ball feed rotator gear 363, and the ball feed rotator gear 363 drives and rotates the ball feed rotator 350. The ball feed rotating body 350 is a low columnar member which is arranged corresponding to the ball feed port 275b of the ball feed passage 275 in the ball gathering portion 21, and is a peripheral edge portion, in this embodiment, at an interval of 180 degrees. A ball engaging recess 350a for accommodating a ball is provided. The ball engagement recess 350a has a depth that accommodates approximately half of the game ball (FIG. 43).

The ball feeding inclined portion 351 (FIG. 42) is a member that is formed around the ball feeding rotating body 350 and has an inclined surface for lifting the game ball. The range in which the ball feed inclined portion 351 exists is that the ball feed rotor 350 screws the game ball from the position of the ball feed port 275b which is the ball feed rotor side outlet of the ball feed passage 275 with respect to the rotation direction of the ball feed rotor 350. It is the range up to the delivery position to 25.

As described above, the ball feed inclined portion 351 has an arc shape along the outer circumference of the ball feed rotor 350 from the ball feed port 275b to the delivery position, and is 7 mm (about 5 to 8 mm) upward from the position of the ball feed port 275b. ) It has an inclined surface 351a that rises to a high delivery position, and an apex inclined portion 351b that protrudes from the apex toward the screw 25 and inclines downward. The width of the inclined surface 351a is 4 mm (about 3 to 5 mm), and the top inclined surface 351b is formed in a range larger than the diameter of the game ball before and after the transfer position with respect to the rotation direction of the ball feed rotating body 350.

The positional relationship between the ball-sending rotator 350 and the screw 25 in a plan view is a positional relationship in which the game balls dropped from the apex inclined surface 351b can be received between the pitches of the spiral protrusions 25d. A cover member 368 (not shown) is arranged along the outer circumference of the ball feeding inclined portion 351 up to the vicinity of the transfer position, and prevents the game ball from falling from the inclined surface 351a.

A guide block 365 (FIGS. 42 and 43) is disposed on the upper surface of the lower gear box 357 in proximity to the lower front surface side of the screw 25. The guide block 365 has an arc-shaped sphere guide surface 365a adjacent to the spiral projection 25d of the screw 25, 365a, and a stopper surface 365b following the spherical guide surface. The ball guide surface 365a is formed from the vicinity of the top inclined surface 351b to the opening 281 provided in the spiral base cover 352, and the tip thereof is a stopper surface 365b (FIG. 43).

The lifting guide rail 282 is arranged in parallel with the screw 25, and two adjacent rails are arranged. The lifting guide rail 282 has a role of a guide for linearly guiding the game balls lifted by the screw 25 upward, and has a diameter of about 5 mm. Is a round bar-shaped guide member. The lifting guide rail 282 is located on the substantially opposite side to the ball feeding rotary body 350 in the rotation direction of the screw 25, and from the position corresponding to the upper end of the opening 281 (FIG. 39) obliquely provided in the spiral base cover 352. It is arranged vertically upwards, and the upper end is fixed to the lower surface of the upper gear box 356. The interval between the two adjacent lifting guide rails 282 is a width (5 to 8 mm at the inner clearance of the lifting guide rails 282) through which the game ball (diameter 11 mm) cannot pass.
Further, when the game ball is lifted, it is lifted while contacting the guide rail 282, so the lift guide rail 282 has a low friction coefficient and is guided from the game ball generated by the rotation of the screw 25. It is assumed that the rail 282 has such rigidity that it is not deformed by the pressing force applied to the rail 282. It is preferable to use stainless steel as the material.

The support member 367 is a cushion member that prevents deformation of the lifting guide rail 282 and absorbs vibrations transmitted between the game ball and the lifting guide rail 282, and to the upper launching device 12. 282 is provided with a portion for maintaining the original position, and has a thickness such that it can be inserted between the cover member 368 including the spiral base cover 352 and the lifting portion cover 353 and the lifting guide rail 282. The plate-shaped block member has a flat surface on the side in contact with the cover member 368, and has a recess on the side supporting the lifting guide rail 282.
The lifting guide rail 282 has rigidity such that it is not deformed by the pressing force from the game ball to the guide rail 282 generated by the rotation of the screw 25, but the pressing force from the game ball is applied over a long period of time. Then, the lifting guide rail 282 is gradually deformed in the pressing direction, and there is a risk that the game ball will be deviated from the guidance by the lifting guide rail 282. Therefore, the deformation is restricted.

Furthermore, since the clearance is mainly designed in the portion where the game balls pass, such as the screw 25 and the lifting guide rail 282, the vibration generated by the driving of the ball lifting motor 150 is, for example, the screw. 25 and the lifting guide rail 282, and noise may occur between the lifting guide rail 282 and the game ball. Further, the lifting device 22 uses the cover member 368 for the screw 25 and the lifting guide rail 282. Since the noise is surrounded, when abnormal noise occurs in the pumping device 22, the sound resonates and the sound becomes loud. However, by disposing the support member 367, it is possible to absorb the vibration generated in the gaming machine and suppress the generation of abnormal noise.
In addition, the support members 367 are arranged between the cover member 368 and the lifting guide rails 282 in such a number that the deformation of the guide rails 282 can be restricted and no abnormal noise due to vibration is generated.

The lifting slope member 354 shown in FIG. 46 is a block member having a slope formed on the lower surface of the upper gear box 356 facing the upper end of the screw 25, and the slope intersects the path along which the game balls are sent up. The game balls are vertically arranged by the screw 25, and the moving direction of the game balls is turned to the horizontal direction and guided to the ball sending trough 23.

The ball delivery trough 23 is a passage provided at the upper end of the spiral base cover 352 and having an inclination for feeding the game ball guided from the lifting ramp member 354 to the upper launcher 12. Further, on the side surface of the ball delivery gutter 23, there is provided a ball removing member 355 for discharging the game balls inside the game machine to the outside of the game machine (FIGS. 44 and 48). The ball removing member 355 is a removable lid member, and a lower knob can be operated to remove the ball removing member 355 from the side wall of the ball delivery trough 23 to open an opening provided in the side wall. The ball delivery gutter 23 is provided with a slant portion, and a ball removing member 355 is arranged on a wall on the tip end side of the slant portion (FIG. 44).

Further, a launch ball standby ball detection switch 26 for detecting the presence or absence of a game ball is arranged on the outer surface of the ball delivery gutter 23 (FIG. 45). When the launch standby ball detection switch 26 does not detect a game ball, the screw 25 is driven and a new game ball is supplied from the ball lifting device 22 to the upper launch device 12 one by one.

[Operation of the ball collecting unit 21 and the ball lifting device 22]
The game spheres sent from the irregular-shaped sphere/magnetic sphere discharging unit 20 forming a part of the circulation path are sent to the sphere feed rotating body 350 in the sphere lifting device 22 through the sphere feed passage 275 of the sphere collecting portion 21. To be On the other hand, by driving the ball lifting motor 150, the screw 25 is rotated through the gear trains 358, 359 and 360, and the ball feeding rotary body 350 is rotated through the screw shaft 25a and the lower gear trains 362 and 363. Since the gear ratio of the lower lifting gear 362 and the ball feeding rotator gear 363 is 2:1, the ball feeding rotator 350 makes one rotation by two rotations of the screw 25. The ball feeding rotator 350 receives the game balls one by one from the ball feeding passage 275 into the ball engaging recess 350a and rotates counterclockwise (FIG. 43).

After that, the game ball is rotated by the rotation of the ball feeding rotary member 350, is engaged with the ball engaging recess 350a and moves, and the remaining outer half moves along the inclined surface 351a of the ball feeding inclined portion 351, and the top inclined surface. Reach 351b. Since the top inclined surface 351b is inclined downward, the game ball is fed from that position into the spiral protrusion 25d of the small pitch protrusion member 25b. At this time, the game balls fed from the apex of the apex 351b, which is slightly higher, have a larger distance from the following game balls and are reliably separated one by one.
In order to carry out stable feeding of the game ball, it is conceivable that the terminal end of the top inclined surface 351b and the delivery position of the game ball of the small pitch projecting member 25b are set to substantially the same height.
Further, when feeding the game ball from the top inclined surface 351b to the small-pitch ridge member 25d, it is not limited to using the downward inclination, and for example, a configuration may be used in which the game ball is guided to the small-pitch ridge member 25d using a rail. ..
Further, if the step between the end of the inclined surface 351a and the small pitch projecting member 25d under the screw 25 that receives the game ball is small, the gaming ball may be dropped directly from the inclined surface 351a to the small pitch projecting member 25d. It is possible.

Next, the game ball moves along the ball guide surface 365a of the guide block 365 along with the rotation of the small pitch projecting member 25b and collides with the stopper surface 365b. During this time, the game ball rises as the screw 25 rotates, and reaches the lower end of the opening 281 provided in the spiral base cover 352. In this case, the sphere feed rotating body 350 is provided with the sphere engaging recesses 350a for every 180 degrees as described above, and rotates at a speed of ½ with respect to the screw 25. The game ball will be supplied to the screw 25. Since one half rotation of the ball feed rotary body corresponds to one pitch of the small pitch projection member 25b, the game ball fed from the ball feed rotary member 350 is always one pitch between the pitches of the small pitch projection member 25b. It is sent one by one and continuously. (FIG. 41).
That is, it is possible to prevent the game balls from being connected in a string within the ball lifting device 22.

The ball polishing cloth 263 of the ball polishing cartridge 251 is brought into contact with the ball polishing cloth 263 through the opening 281. That is, the game ball is rubbed against the ball polishing cloth 263 through the opening 281 as the game ball is lifted by the screw 25 of the ball lifting device 22, and the game ball is cleaned and polished (FIG. 39). The area of the ball-polishing cloth 263 can be effectively utilized by being guided obliquely upward.

After passing through the opening 281, the game balls are hoisted to the upper end of the ball hoisting device 22 with the rotation of the screw 25. At that time, the game balls are guided to the hoisting guide rails 282 arranged in parallel. It is guided and moves in a straight line. The guide rails 282 allow the game balls to be lifted by the screw 25 to move in the vertical direction and regulate the movement in the horizontal direction. During this time, the game balls are lifted up so that the pitch is small at the lower small-pitch projection member 25a, so that the movement of the game balls is relatively slow, and there is no hindrance to receiving the balls from the ball-sending rotator 350. There is. In addition, the small pitch projecting member 25b at the upper portion also has a small pitch to relatively slow the movement of the game ball so that there is no hindrance to the ball feeding to the upper launcher 12.
On the other hand, in the middle part of the screw 25, there is no particular problem even if the speed of pumping up the game balls is increased, so a large pitch ridge member with a large pitch is used. The number of game balls circulated in the ball lifting device 22 can be reduced. Furthermore, this can reduce the load due to the weight of the game ball hanging on the screw 25 (FIG. 45).
In addition, the lifting in the present embodiment is used to mean that the game ball is continuously carried from the lower part to the upper part of the gaming machine.

The game ball that has reached the upper end of the ball lifting device 22 abuts against the slope of the lifting slope member 354 from below, so that the moving direction of the game ball that is lifted by the screw 25 changes from the vertical direction to the substantially horizontal direction. The game ball is turned and is smoothly sent from the ball lifting device 22 to the ball sending gutter 23. Then, the game ball sent to the ball sending gutter 23 rolls on a gentle slope of the ball sending gutter 23 and is sent to the upper launcher 12 (FIG. 46).
In this case, when the pumped game balls come into contact with the slope portion of the lift slope member 354, the guide balls of the lift guide rails 282 are disengaged and naturally flow down to the floor surface of the ball discharge trough 23. It is possible to smoothly feed the lifting guide rail 282 and the screw 25 without applying a ball pressure.

When it is necessary to take out the circulating game ball from the game machine for maintenance or the like, the ball removing member 355 provided on the outer surface of the ball delivery gutter 23 can be operated to easily discharge it from the game machine ( 37, 48).

In this embodiment, the spiral base cover 352 and the lifting portion cover 353 are made of a transparent resin (acrylic resin). By using such a transparent resin, the state inside the ball lifting device 22 can be improved. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the spiral base cover 352 and the lifting section cover 353 may be made of opaque resin, metal, or the like.

Further, although the small-pitch ridge member 25b and the large-pitch ridge member 25c are configured to be joined in half, they may be integrally formed from the beginning to have a cylindrical shape. Furthermore, by making full use of a synthetic resin molding technique, the entire screw 25 except the screw shaft 25a can be integrally molded.

In addition, the screw 25 and the lifting guide rail 282 are made of a material having good sliding property and having rigidity such that the screw 25 and the lifting guide rail 282 are not deformed by the pressing force applied to the lifting guide rail 282 from the game ball generated by the rotation of the screw 25. Preferably, a metal such as aluminum or a synthetic resin may be used. Further, it is conceivable that the spiral ridge 25d uses a hardened silicon material or the like at least in the portion that receives the game ball from the ball feed rotating body 350. As a result, it is possible to absorb the shock generated when the game ball falls on the spiral projection 25d.

Further, the lifting guide rail 282 in the present embodiment guides the game ball in the vertical direction by the two rails, but it is not limited to the two rails, and for example, the lifting guide rail 282 is one, and the other one. One of the guides may be configured to extend the inner wall of the cover member 368 so as to be adjacent to the lifting guide rail 282 and to guide the game ball.

Further, the support member 367 is arranged between the cover member 368 including the spiral base cover 352 and the lifting portion cover 353 and the lifting guide rail 282, but the cover member 368 is not limited as long as it absorbs vibration. Not limited to the member 368, the support members 367 may be disposed so as to cover both ends of the lifting guide rail 282 as shown in FIG. 70, for example. As a result, the player operates the touch panel unit 14 arranged on the door frame 3 and the vibration generated by the operation of an electric drive source such as a movable accessory (not shown) or a motor arranged on the game board. Since various vibrations generated in the game machine such as vibrations due to the impact generated when the game ball is absorbed, the situation where the game ball is out of the guide of the guide rail and cannot be lifted, or the game ball is launched due to the vibration Instability can be suppressed.

In addition, in the present embodiment, the game balls are continuously fed out at a pitch of the spiral protrusion 25d over the entire length of the screw 25 one by one, and the game balls are lifted at all pitches of the screw 25. The present invention is not limited to this as long as the game balls are continuously pumped up without being sent.

It should be noted that the lifting slope member 354 may be any structure as long as it can smoothly feed the game ball vertically lifted by the screw 25 and the lifting guide rail 282 to the ball sending trough 23, and is integrally formed with the upper gear box 356. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 67 and FIG. 68, the upper surface of the ball delivery path 23 may be extended to above the hoisting route of the game ball, and a slope may be formed on the lower surface of the extended portion.

Further, the ball lifting device 22 of the present invention is configured to lift the game ball by using the screw 25, but if the game ball is vertically guided and lifted, the screw ball Not limited to this, various methods such as a belt conveyor that can continuously carry up the game balls can be selected.

[Ball polisher]
Next, a ball polishing device for cleaning and polishing the game balls enclosed in the game machine will be described. FIG. 38 described above is a front view showing a state in which the ball polishing cartridge is attached to the ball polishing device, and FIG. 39 described above is a front view showing that the ball polishing cartridge is removed from the ball polishing device. It is a front view which shows the state.

50 is a left side view showing a state where the ball polishing cartridge is mounted, and FIG. 51 is a perspective view illustrating a mechanism for fixing the ball polishing cartridge. FIG. 52 is a perspective view showing a state at the time of mounting the ball-polishing cartridge.

53 and 54 are diagrams showing a state in which the game balls and the ball-polishing cloth of the ball-polishing cartridge are pressed against each other, and FIG. 53 is a state in which the game ball and the ball-polishing cloth of the ball-polishing cartridge are pressed against each other. 54 is a left side view showing a state in which the ball polishing cloth of the ball polishing cartridge is pressed against the game ball, and FIG. 55 is the left side cover of the ball polishing cartridge removed in FIG. 54. It is a left side view showing the state where it did. Further, FIG. 56 is an enlarged view of the vicinity of the ball polishing cartridge in FIG. 55.

Next, FIG. 57 is a perspective view showing a state in which the ball-polishing cartridge is mounted, and FIG. 58 is a perspective view showing a state in which the right outer side cover is removed for explaining the inside of the right side cover in FIG. FIG. 59 and FIG. 59 are upper perspective views showing a state in which the right side cover is opened in FIG. FIG. 60 is a perspective view of the ball-polishing cartridge, FIG. 61 is the same front view, FIG. 62 is the same side view, and FIG. 63 is a side view showing a state in which the left side cover is removed in FIG.

As shown in FIGS. 38 and 50, a ball collecting section 21 is provided in the lower portion of the ball hoisting device 22, and a ball polishing cartridge 251 is provided in a ball polishing cartridge mounting section 270 of a part of the ball collecting section 21. Can be installed. Here, the outside of the ball lifting device 22 is formed of a transparent plastic member, and even if a game ball is clogged in the ball lifting device 22, the location of the clog can be easily visually recognized. It is like this. As shown in FIG. 51, the ball-polishing cartridge 251 mounted on the ball-polishing cartridge mounting portion 270 is provided on the ball-polishing cartridge mounting portion 270, one end of which is supported on the shaft and the other end of which is rotated. The other end of the ball polishing cartridge fixing lever 271 made possible is hooked on the ball polishing cartridge fixing stopper 272 also provided on the ball collecting portion 21, so that the ball polishing cartridge 251 is pressed in the depth direction and the left direction. It has a structure. In FIG. 51, both the open state and the closed state of the ball-polishing cartridge fixing lever 271 are shown together in order to make it easier to understand the manner of movement of the ball-polishing cartridge fixing lever 271.

FIG. 39 is a front view showing a state in which the ball polishing cartridge 251 is removed. As shown in FIG. 39, the ball-polishing cartridge mounting portion 270 has a ball-polishing cartridge mounting port 273 formed of a hollow portion so that the ball-polishing cartridge 251 can be mounted. Note that, in FIG. 39, the mounting sensor 291 and the drive shaft 290, which are provided inside the ball-polishing cartridge fixing lever 271 and the ball-polishing cartridge mounting portion 270 and are visible from the ball-polishing cartridge mounting port 273, are shown for easy viewing. The description is omitted.

FIG. 66 is an enlarged view in which the vicinity of the ball-polishing cartridge mounting port 273 of FIG. 39 is enlarged. Inside the ball-polishing cartridge mounting portion 270, below the right side surface behind the ball-polishing cartridge mounting opening 273, coaxially with the second drive gear 257 shown in FIG. The first gear shaft 261 is provided with a drive shaft 290 that fits in, and a mounting sensor 291 having a pushable button 292 is provided above the right side surface. When the button 292 of the mounting sensor 291 is pressed by a series of mounting operations of the ball polishing cartridge 251, the mounting of the ball polishing cartridge 251 is detected. A specific mode of the mounting operation will be described later.

Further, in the portion of the ball polishing cartridge mounting portion 270 facing the ball lifting device 22 at the innermost portion, the ball lifting device 22 has a long side thereof which advances the ball polishing cloth 263 of the ball polishing cartridge 251. An opening 281 having an angle different from the direction is provided. As a result, a deviation occurs between the direction in which the game balls are lifted up and the direction in which the ball-polishing cloth 263 advances, so that it is not necessary to use only a part of the ball-polishing cloth 263 having a predetermined width in the width direction. It is possible to effectively utilize the width of 263 to clean and polish the game balls.

Further, the width between the long sides of the opening 281 is such that at least a part of the peripheral edge of the game ball lifted by the ball lifting device 22 can project to the outside of the ball lifting device 22 at the opening position. The width is smaller than the diameter of the game ball. In this embodiment, the width of the long sides of the openings 281 is set to 8.4 mm with respect to the diameter of the game ball of 11 mm. As a result, a game ball of about 1.5 mm projects from the opening 281 toward the ball polishing cloth 263.

As a result, during the game period, the game balls being pumped in the ball lifting device 22 have a part of the peripheral edge at the position of the opening 281 protruding to the outside of the ball lifting device 22 to polish the balls. The ball polishing cloth 263 of the cartridge 251 and the game ball can come into contact with each other. In particular, when the ball polishing cartridge 251 has an elastic member and the ball polishing cloth 263 is pressed against the game ball, the ball polishing cloth 263 can be more surely brought into contact with the game ball, and It enables reliable ball polishing.

Further, even when the ball polishing cartridge 251 is removed while the game ball remains in the ball lifting device 22 in the time zone outside the game period, the width of the opening 281 is smaller than the diameter of the game ball. With this configuration, the game balls remaining in the ball lifting device 22 do not spill onto the ball polishing cartridge mounting portion 273 side of the ball polishing cartridge 251.

FIG. 52 is a perspective view showing a state in the middle of mounting the ball polishing cartridge 251 from the state of FIG. As can be seen from FIGS. 39 and 52, in this embodiment, the ball polishing cartridge 251 is configured to be inserted and mounted from the front of the main body frame 2.

FIG. 60 is a perspective view of the ball-polishing cartridge 251, FIG. 61 is the same front view, FIG. 62 is the same side view, and FIG. 63 is a side view showing a state in which the left side cover is removed in FIG. Here, 259 is a take-up roller, 260 is a driven roller, 261 is a first gear shaft, 262 is a second gear shaft, and the first gear shaft 261 is the take-up roller 259 and a second gear shaft to be described later. It is configured to be coaxial with the drive gear 257, and the second gear shaft 262 is configured to be coaxial with the driven roller 260. In addition, 268 is a game ball contact mark, and as shown in FIG. 39, the direction in which the game ball is lifted by the ball lifting device 22 and the winding direction of the ball polishing cloth 263 of the ball polishing cartridge 251 are Since the angle is different from the vertical direction, the game ball contact mark 268 is formed with an inclination with respect to the long side direction of the ball polishing cloth 263.

53 and 54 are diagrams showing a state in which the game balls and the ball-polishing cloth of the ball-polishing cartridge are pressed against each other, and FIG. 53 is a state in which the game ball and the ball-polishing cloth of the ball-polishing cartridge are pressed against each other. FIG. 54 is a left side view showing a state in which the game ball and the ball-polishing cloth of the ball-polishing cartridge are pressed against each other.

As shown in FIG. 53 and FIG. 54, the game balls are hoisted by the screw 25 provided in the ball hoisting device 22, and the ball hoisting device 22 and the ball polishing cloth 263 of the ball polishing cartridge 251 are At the opposite position, the game ball comes into contact with the ball polishing cloth 263 of the ball polishing cartridge 251 through the opening 281 of the ball lifting device 22, and the game ball is lifted by the screw 25 of the ball lifting device 22. Thus, it is rubbed against the ball-polishing cloth 263, and the game balls are cleaned and polished.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 53 and 54, the shape of the screw 25 in the ball lifting device 22 is different between the upper portion and the lower portion and the intermediate portion. In the upper part and the lower part, the inclination angle of the spiral of the screw 25 (spiral protrusion 25d in FIG. 47) is made smaller and the pitch is made narrower, while in the middle part, the inclination angle of the screw spiral is made larger and the pitch is made smaller. Is also wide. In the middle part, it is not necessary to take the time to lift, so by increasing the inclination angle of the spiral and increasing the lift speed, it is possible to lift the game ball in a short time, and the middle part It is possible to reduce the number of game balls included in, and it is possible to reduce the number of game balls enclosed in the game machine.

Further, by narrowing the pitch interval in the lower portion, the game ball and the ball-polishing cloth 263 are reduced by lowering the speed at which the game ball is fed up at the portion where the game ball faces the ball-polishing cloth 263 of the ball-polishing cartridge 251. By increasing the contact time with, it is possible to surely clean and polish the game ball. Furthermore, by narrowing the pitch interval in the upper part, the pumping speed of the game balls at the lifting end portion of the ball lifting device 22 can be reduced, and the balls are moved from the ball lifting device 22 to the ball sending trough 23. It is possible to smoothly send the game ball to the ball delivery gutter 23 without the occurrence of troubles such as ball biting at the time of delivery.

Further, as shown in FIG. 54, the ball lifting device 22 is provided with two guide rails 282 for guiding the lifting of the game balls. The distance between both guide rails is set to be about the same as the diameter of the game ball, but some adjustment is also made to stabilize it by narrowing it somewhat where the behavior of the game ball being pumped may be severe. be able to. In this way, the game balls are hoisted in the ball hoisting device 22 while being supported by both guide rails on both sides.

FIG. 55 is a left side view showing a state in which the left side cover of the ball-polishing cartridge is removed in FIG. 54. Further, FIG. 56 is an enlarged view of the vicinity of the ball polishing cartridge in FIG. 55. Here, 259 is a take-up roller and 260 is a driven roller, to which a driving force from a ball-polishing ribbon feed motor 155, which will be described later, is transmitted. The take-up roller 259 is rotated by the rotation of the second drive gear 257 configured to be coaxial with the take-up roller 259, and the friction force between the take-up roller 259 and the driven roller 260 causes the ball-polishing cloth. 263 is wound up.

Further, a ball-polishing cloth 263 is arranged at a portion of the ball-polishing cartridge 251 facing the ball-lifting device 22, and a tensioner 267 having a function of pressing the ball-polishing cloth 263 is provided behind the ball-polishing cloth 263. Behind the tensioner 267, two coil-shaped ball-polishing cloth pressing springs 264 having a function of pressing the tensioner 267 and the ball-polishing cloth 263 against the game ball are provided. Further, behind the ball-polishing cloth pressing spring 264, a spring retainer 266 that supports the ball-polishing cloth pressing spring 264 is provided. Further, a leaf spring 265 is provided on the upper portion of the ball-polishing cartridge. The leaf spring 265 slightly presses the ball-polishing cloth 263 to align the ball-polishing cloth 263 with a portion facing the ball-lifting device 22. It plays a role in aligning before sending.

The ball-polishing cloth 263 wound up by the take-up roller 259 and the driven roller 260 is housed in the ball-polishing cartridge 251. In FIGS. 55 and 56, the ball-polishing cloth 263 is wound by the take-up roller 259 and the driven roller 260. The description of the ball-polishing cloth 263 inside the ball-polishing cartridge after being wound up is omitted.

FIG. 57 is a perspective view showing a state in which the ball-polishing cartridge is mounted, and 253 is a right side cover, which is composed of a right outer side cover 253a and a right inner side cover 253b and is integrated. A second drive gear case 258 covers a second drive gear 257 described later. 58 is a perspective view showing a state in which only the right outer side cover 253a is removed from the right side cover 253 in FIG. 57 for the purpose of explanation, 253b is a right inner side cover, and 155 is a ball polishing ribbon. It is a feed motor and serves as a drive source for winding the ball-polishing cloth 263 in the ball-polishing cartridge 251. Further, a hinge 255 that engages with the hinge receiving portion 254 is provided at the rear end of the right side cover 253, and the right side cover 253 is rotatable around the hinge 255 as a fulcrum. In the present embodiment, the ball-polishing ribbon feed motor 155 is a stepping motor. A specific driving mode of the ball polishing ribbon feed motor 155 will be described later.

FIG. 59 is an upper perspective view showing the state in which the right side cover 253 is opened in FIG. 58, and the right side cover 253 is rotatable about a hinge 255 that engages with the hinge receiving portion 254 as a fulcrum. .. Between the right outer side cover 253a and the right inner side cover 253b of the right side cover 253, a first rotary shaft (not shown) that is coaxial with the rotation axis of the ball polishing ribbon feed motor 155 and is driven by the ball polishing ribbon feed motor 155 is driven. A drive gear is provided, and a gear having 16 teeth is used in this embodiment. A second drive gear that is coaxial with the drive shaft 290 and meshes with the first drive gear is also provided between the right outer side cover 253a and the right inner side cover 253b. In the present embodiment, the number of teeth is 32. Using gears.

Next, the mounting operation and mounting detection of the ball polishing cartridge 251 will be described. 64 is a perspective view of the ball-polishing cartridge mounting portion 270, and FIG. 65 is a perspective view showing the relationship between the ball-polishing cartridge mounting portion 270 and the ball-polishing cartridge mounting portion 270. The ball-polishing cartridge mounting portion 270 is configured such that the right-side cover 253 is rotated about the hinge 255 as a fulcrum so that the ball-polishing cartridge mounting port 273 expands around the hinge portion as a fulcrum (direction A in FIG. 64). There is.

In this state, as shown in FIG. 65, the ball-polishing cartridge 251 is inserted into the ball-polishing cartridge mounting opening 273 from the front side. At the time of insertion, the rotation of the right side cover 253 expands the ball-polishing cartridge mounting port 273, so that the drive shaft 290 and the mounting sensor 291 do not interfere with the insertion. After inserting the ball-polishing cartridge 251, the ball-polishing cartridge 251 is rotated in the direction opposite to A in FIG. 64 to return the ball-polishing cartridge mounting port 273 to the original width, and then the ball-polishing cartridge fixing lever. By engaging 271 with the ball polish cartridge fixing stop 272, the drive shaft 290 meshes with the first gear shaft 261 of the ball polish cartridge 251, and the button 292 of the mounting sensor 291 is pushed in, so that the ball polish cartridge 251 is released. It is detected that it is attached.

When the button 292 of the mounting sensor 291 is pressed while the power of the gaming machine is turned on, it is detected that the ball-polishing cartridge 251 is normally mounted and no notification is given, but it is when the power is turned on. Nevertheless, when the button 292 of the mounting sensor 291 is not pushed in, a notification is given that the ball polishing cartridge 251 is not normally mounted. As a notification mode, a notification can be made by displaying that the ball-polishing cartridge 251 is not mounted on a display device (not shown) that is normally provided in the gaming machine and performs an effect display according to the mode of the game. .. In addition, as another notification mode, it is possible to perform notification by lighting or blinking a decorative lamp for presentation or a dedicated lamp indicating the mounting state of the ball polishing cartridge 251 in a predetermined mode.

In addition, in the enclosed ball type gaming machine as in the present embodiment, since the gaming ball enclosed in the gaming machine is circulated to play the game, the game is continued for too long without cleaning the gaming ball. Then, since the game ball may become dirty and the rolling of the game ball may become worse, it is preferable to clean the game ball with a ball polishing device at any point along the circulation path of the game ball. However, it does not mean that the game cannot be played without the ball polishing device, so even if it is detected that the ball polishing cartridge is not installed, only the notification is given by the display device or the lamp, and the game can be continued. it can.

Further, the game time by the player is accumulated and measured by the measuring means (not shown) by the detection by the touch switch 87 provided on the handle. In this embodiment, the ball-polishing ribbon feed motor 155 is fed by one step every one minute of the cumulative measurement time of the measuring means. In this embodiment, since the winding roller 259 has a diameter of 25 mm, the circumferential length is about 78.5 mm (=25×3.14), and the first drive gear 256 and the second drive gear 257 are Considering that the gear ratio of 1 is 1/2, the feed amount of the ball polishing cloth 263 per step is 0.11 mm (=78.5/360/2).

In this embodiment, the ball polishing cartridge 251 is pressed and fixed by hanging the lever on the stopper, but the fixing method is not limited to this method, and other fixing methods are possible. Methods can also be used.
Further, in the present embodiment, the coil-shaped ball-polishing cloth pressing spring 264 is used as a means for pressing the ball-polishing cloth 263 against the game ball, but the pressing means is not limited to this, and other means. It is also possible to use shaped springs or other elastic members.

In this embodiment, the ball-polishing cartridge 251 is arranged at the bottom of the game machine, but the arrangement position of the ball-polishing cartridge 251 is not limited to this position, but may be in the middle or upper part of the game machine. It can also be arranged. In that case, the opening provided in the portion of the ball lifting and lowering device 22 facing the ball polishing cartridge 251 may be changed to a position corresponding to the position where the ball polishing cartridge 251 is arranged.

In addition, in the present embodiment, as a method of changing the direction of lifting the game balls by the ball lifting device 22 and the winding direction of the ball polishing cloth 263 of the ball polishing cartridge 251, the ball polishing cloth 263 of the ball polishing cartridge 251. Is carried in the vertical direction, and the lifting direction of the game balls of the ball lifting device 22 in the portion facing the ball polishing cloth 263 is carried in a direction inclined from the vertical direction. It is not limited to this, the transportation direction of the game balls of the ball lifting device 22 is set to the vertical direction, and the transportation direction of the ball polishing cloth 263 of the ball polishing cartridge 251 is inclined from the vertical direction, or both are inclined. Various methods such as the direction can be selected.

Further, in the present embodiment, as the mounting sensor 291 of the ball polishing cartridge 251, a pushable button 292 is provided, and the button 292 is pushed by the mounting operation of the ball polishing cartridge 251, so that the ball polishing cartridge 251 is mounted. Although detected, the mounting sensor 291 is not limited to these sensors, and other types of sensors such as an optical sensor and a magnetic sensor may be used.

Further, in the present embodiment, even if the mounting sensor 291 detects that the ball-polishing cartridge 251 is not mounted correctly, the game can be continued by only giving a notification. When it is detected that the ball polishing cartridge 251 is not correctly mounted, it is possible to prevent the game from being played.

[Game ball enclosing operation]
Next, the enclosing operation of enclosing a predetermined number of game balls in the enclosed ball type gaming machine when a new enclosed ball type gaming machine is newly installed or when a dirty game ball is taken out and cleaned To do. The enclosing operation is performed in a state where the enclosed ball type gaming machine is not powered on. Therefore, the ball lifting device 22 and various sensors in the enclosed ball type gaming machine are not operating.

In the enclosed ball type gaming machine, the game balls are launched into the game area by the launching device, and after rolling in the game area, the game balls are won by the winning device or collected from the outlet 42, and the collected game balls are The game is conveyed to the launch device again, and is launched into the game area again in the launch device to play a game. That is, the circulation route of the game ball is formed as a whole.
The introduction of the game ball in the enclosing operation may be carried out by inserting the game ball into this circulation path, and in the present embodiment, the game ball is introduced from the outlet 42. With this, it is not necessary to separately provide an enclosing port for enclosing the game ball in the enclosed ball type gaming machine, and the configuration of the enclosed ball type gaming machine can be simplified. Further, instead of the outlet 42, a game ball may be introduced from the winning opening 41 of the winning device. The game ball that has entered the winning opening 41 of the winning device also merges with the game ball that has entered the out opening 42, and is then transported to the launching device, so the gaming ball from the winning opening 41 of the winning device. Even if the game ball is introduced, the game ball can be put in the circulation path as in the case where the game ball is introduced into the outlet 42. In any case, when introducing the game ball, care must be taken so that the game ball, hand, etc. do not hit the nail. When a game ball is introduced into the outlet 42, a game ball introducing member 427, which will be described later, is provided to prevent the game ball from hitting a nail at the time of insertion. The outlet 42 and the winning opening 41 correspond to the game ball collection opening.

FIG. 71 is a schematic diagram showing a state where the number of game balls is less than a predetermined number when the game balls are enclosed in the enclosed ball type gaming machine. As described above, at the time of enclosing the game balls, the enclosed ball type game machine is not powered on yet, so the ball lifting device 22 is not driven. Therefore, the game balls thrown in through the outlet 42 and the winning port 41 enter through the collecting port 202, pass through the irregular shaped ball/magnetic ball discharging unit 20, and are aligned with the front of the ball lifting device 22 as the head.

FIG. 72 shows a state where the game balls are further inserted from the state of FIG. 71 and the number of game balls reaches a predetermined number. As shown in FIG. 72, when a predetermined number of game balls are enclosed, the last inserted game ball 233 is a discontinuous portion 223 where the magnetic ball discharge path 226 and the regular game ball path branch. And is configured to block the discontinuous portion 223.

FIG. 73 shows a state in which the game balls are further thrown in from the state of FIG. 72, and more than a predetermined number of game balls have been thrown. As described above, when a predetermined number of game balls are enclosed, the game ball 233 that was last thrown in is configured to block the discontinuous portion 223, so the number of game balls that are further thrown in is the predetermined number. It becomes a game ball 235 beyond and cannot enter the path of the regular game ball 233 from the discontinuous portion 223, and is guided from the magnetic ball discharge path 226 to the magnetic ball discharge chest 227 and collected.

In this embodiment, in the magnetic ball discharging portion, the discontinuous portion 223 to which the regular game ball 233 is guided when the predetermined number of game balls are enclosed is blocked, and the predetermined number or more of the game balls are magnetic balls. Although it is configured to collect in the discharge part, similarly in the irregular shaped ball discharge path, the path through which the regular game ball 233 is guided when a predetermined number of game balls are enclosed is blocked and recovered in the irregular shaped ball discharge part. You can also do so.

In addition, in order to improve the efficiency when throwing the game ball into the outlet 42, the rail portion of the front component member 45 located at the lower edge of the outlet 42 is provided with a game ball introducing member 427 (FIG. 74, FIG. 74). 75). When the game ball is placed on the upper surface of the game ball introducing member 427, the game ball is poured toward the outlet 42, so that the game ball can be efficiently enclosed. Also, the game ball can be thrown in without hitting the nail in the vicinity.

FIG. 74 is a perspective view showing a state in which the game ball introducing member 427 is projected. The game ball introducing member 427 can be projected by opening the door frame 3 and sliding it toward you.

FIG. 75 is a perspective view showing a state in which the game ball introducing member 427 is stored. From the state of FIG. 74, the game ball introduction member 427 can be stored by pushing it inward, so that it does not hinder the game.

In addition, in this embodiment, the game ball introducing member 427 has a structure that can be moved forward and backward by sliding manually, but the present invention is not limited to the above method, and a biasing member such as a spring spring is used to open the door frame. Various methods can be selected, such as automatically opening and closing by opening and closing 3.

In the present embodiment, the upper launch device 12 is attached and fixed to the upper left of the body frame 2.
Therefore, when the game board 5 is fitted into the main body frame 2 by installing a new stand or the like, it is necessary to fit the game board 5 while avoiding the upper launching device 12. However, since the upper launching device 12 is arranged on the same surface into which the game board 5 is fitted, it is difficult to handle when the game board 5 is fitted, and the game board 5 is mistakenly inserted when the game board 5 is fitted. There is a possibility that the upper launcher 12 and the game board 5 may be damaged by colliding with the upper launcher 12. In order to prevent such a problem, a positioning guide member 450, which plays a role of positioning when the game board 5 is fitted into the main body frame 2, is arranged in the main body frame 2.

Next, the positioning guide member will be described. As shown in FIG. 97, a positioning guide member is arranged on the inner wall of the left side plate of the main body frame 2. This member is a member that positions and guides when the game board 5 is fitted into the main body frame 2, and is pivotally supported by a hinge so as to be rotatable about 90 degrees. .. Further, since it is urged by an urging member such as a spring, when the game board 5 is not fitted into the main body frame 2, the position where the lower left end of the game board 5 and the lower left front end are aligned is the front. Facing to the side. In addition, a floor surface is formed to match the left end of the lower surface of the game board 5. In addition, the positioning guide member 450 on which the floor surface is not formed may be arranged above the positioning guide member 450 on which the floor surface is formed in order to stabilize the fitting.

As shown in FIG. 98(A), the game board 5 is fitted into the main body frame 2 by aligning the front left lower end portion, the side surface lower end portion and the lower surface left end portion of the game board 5 with the positioning guide member 450 for positioning. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 98(B), with the positioning guide member as a fulcrum, the game board 5 is rotated toward the main body frame 2 side, and is fitted into the main body frame 2 as shown in FIG. 98(C). To do. By doing so, the positioning guide member 450 holds down the lower left front portion of the game board 5 to the main body frame 2 side when fitted, so that the positional relationship between the game board 5 and the main body frame 2 is fixed without any rattling. , The launching port 38 of the upper launching device 12 and the launching region 40 of the game board 5 are fixed so as to be flush with each other, which becomes an obstacle when the game ball travels between the launching port 38 and the playing region 8. A stable launch can be performed without causing a step or the like.

The game board 5 is positioned on the main body frame 2 by aligning the game board 5 with the positioning guide member 450 provided on the inner side wall of the main body frame 2. After that, by fitting the game board 5 into the main body frame 2, the positioning guide member 450 rotates in accordance with the fitting operation of the game board 5, so that the game board 5 serves as a guide for pulling the game board 5 into the fitted position of the main body frame 2 to play the game. Since the board 5 can be fitted into the main body frame 2 without accidentally colliding with the upper launching device 12, the possibility of damaging the upper launching device 12 and the game board 5 by the collision is reduced as much as possible. be able to.

Next, an outline of control of the pachinko machine 1 and the settlement machine 4 as an external device arranged adjacent to one side thereof will be described. FIG. 76 is a block diagram showing a main part in the embodiment of the main control board provided in the enclosed ball type pachinko machine and provided with the RTC. The control of the pachinko machine 1 is roughly divided into a main board group and a peripheral board group. Of these, the main board group controls the game operation, and the peripheral board group has a performance operation (liquid crystal display panel, lamp). , Body frame lamp, door frame lamp, sound) are controlled. The main board group is composed of a main control board 100 and a sphere information control board 110, and the peripheral board group is composed of a peripheral control board 130.

[Main control board 100]
The main control board 100 controls a pachinko game. The main control board 100 and a sphere information control board 110, which will be described later, are connected so that bidirectional data communication is possible. As shown in FIG. 76, the main control board 100 for controlling the progress of the game is a main control MPU 101 which is a microprocessor having a built-in ROM for storing various processing programs and various commands, a RAM for temporarily storing data, and the like. , A main control I/O port 102 as an input/output device (I/O device), a main control input circuit 103 to which detection signals from various detection switches are input, and a main control solenoid for driving various solenoids A drive circuit 104 and a RAM clear switch 105 for completely erasing information stored in a RAM (hereinafter referred to as “main control built-in RAM”) built in the main control MPU 101 are provided.

The main control MPU 101 has a built-in ROM (hereinafter referred to as “main control built-in ROM”) and a main control built-in RAM, as well as a watchdog timer for monitoring its operation (system) and for preventing fraud. The functions of are also built in. Further, the main control MPU 101 has a built-in non-volatile memory, and this non-volatile RAM has a unique code (only one code exists in the world) for identifying an individual by the manufacturer of the main control MPU 101. ) Is added to the unique ID code stored in advance. The once-added ID code is stored in the non-volatile RAM and cannot be rewritten even if an external device is used. The main control MPU 101 can retrieve the ID code from the nonvolatile RAM and refer to it.

[RTC controller]
Further, the main control MPU 101 of the embodiment includes an external real-time clock (hereinafter, referred to as “RTC”) 107 capable of acquiring time information as a time information acquisition unit. Although not shown, the RTC 107 includes a register circuit, a clock input circuit, a clock output circuit, an interrupt output circuit, a data input/output circuit, and a control circuit.

The RTC 107 has a clock/calendar function. The clock/calendar function is a function for counting time by counting years, months, days, hours, minutes, and seconds. Moreover, you may use what counts until the day of the week as needed. The RTC control unit 106 is provided with an RTC 107 and a battery 108 for driving the RTC 107. By providing the battery 108, the RTC 107 does not interrupt the timekeeping and the calendar function even when the power supply of the power supply board (not shown) is cut off.

The battery 108 may be a primary battery (for example, a button battery), or a rechargeable secondary battery, which avoids complicating the configuration of the main control board 100 without the need for a backup power supply. You can The battery 108 is also used as a backup power source for the RAM 109.

The main control MPU 101 has the function of specifying the year/month/day/hour/minute/second (calendar information and time information) by including the RTC 107. The main control MPU 101 of the main control board 100 acquires time information (hour/minute/second) from the RTC 107 when the game machine is powered on.

An upper starting opening detection switch 90 for detecting a winning game ball in an upper starting opening (not shown) arranged in the game area 8 of the game board 5, and a gaming ball winning in a lower starting opening (not shown) The detection signal from the lower start opening detection switch 91 and the general winning opening detection switch 93 that detects a game ball that has won a general winning opening (not shown) is first input to the main control input circuit 103, and the main control I/ It is input to the main control MPU 101 via the O port 102.

Further, a gate switch 92 for detecting a game ball that has passed through a gate portion (not shown), a general winning opening detection switch 94 for detecting a game ball winning a general winning opening (not shown), and a large winning opening (not shown). The detection signal from the count switch 98 that detects the game ball that won the prize) is first input to the main control input circuit 103 via the panel relay terminal board 140 attached to the game board 5, and the main control I/O port. It is input to the main control MPU 101 via 102.

Based on these detection signals, the main control MPU 101 outputs a control signal from the main control I/O port 102 to the main control solenoid drive circuit 104, so that the starting opening solenoid 96 and the large-sized solenoid are connected via the panel relay terminal board 140. A drive signal is output to the winning opening solenoid 97, or the main control I/O port 102 is connected to the panel relay terminal board 140 and the function display board 141. The upper special symbol display 142, the lower special symbol display 143, and the upper special symbol display. It outputs a drive signal to the symbol storage display 144, the lower special symbol storage display 145, the normal symbol display 146, the normal symbol storage display 147, the game state display 148, and the round display 149.

Further, the main control MPU 101 serially transmits various kinds of information regarding games (game information) and various commands regarding prize balls corresponding to winnings to the ball information control board 110, and pachinko games from this ball information control board 110. Various commands related to the status of the machine 1 are received in a serial manner. Further, the main control MPU 101 transmits various commands related to control of game effects and various commands related to the state of the pachinko machine 1 to the peripheral control board 130.

[Sphere information control board 110]
FIG. 77 is a block diagram mainly showing a main part of the ball information control board 110 provided in the enclosed ball type pachinko machine. The ball information control board 110 includes a ball information control unit 118 that manages balls and performs various controls regarding the ball lifting device 22, the firing solenoid 13, the ball feeding solenoid 31, the ball polishing ribbon feeding motor 155, and the like. Further, the main control board 100 and the ball information control board 110 are connected so that bidirectional data communication is possible.

[Sphere information control unit 118]
As shown in FIG. 77, the sphere information control unit 118 includes a sphere information control MPU 111, which is a microprocessor including a ROM for storing various processing programs and various commands, a RAM for temporarily storing data, and an I/O A ball information control I/O port 112 as an O device, and an external watchdog timer 116 (hereinafter, referred to as “external WDT 116”) for monitoring whether the ball information control MPU 111 is operating normally. , A ball-lifting motor drive circuit 114 for outputting a drive signal to the ball-lifting motor 150 of the ball-lifting device 22 that performs ball-lifting, and a ball information control input circuit to which detection signals from various detection switches are input. 113, a CR unit input/output circuit 115 for exchanging various signals with the settlement machine 4, and a ball polishing ribbon feed motor drive circuit 119 for outputting a drive signal to the ball polishing ribbon feed motor 155. There is. In addition to the built-in ROM (hereinafter, referred to as “sphere information control built-in ROM”) and RAM (hereinafter, referred to as “sphere information control built-in RAM”), the sphere information control MPU 111 is tampered with. Functions are built in to prevent this.

The sphere information control MPU 111 receives various kinds of information (game information) about a game from the main control board 100 and various commands about prize balls in a serial manner via the sphere information control I/O port 112, or from the main control board 100. The operation signal (detection signal) of the RAM clear switch 105 is input via the ball information control I/O port 112.

Detection signals from a door frame opening switch 131 that detects opening of the door frame 3 with respect to the body frame 2 and a body frame opening switch 132 that detects opening of the body frame 2 with respect to the outer frame are first input to the ball information control input circuit 113. And is input to the sphere information control MPU 111 via the sphere information control I/O port 112. Further, a touch detection signal (ON signal) from the touch switch 87 that detects whether the palm or the finger is touching the hit ball handle 10 is input to the ball information control board 110 via the handle relay terminal plate 123, and further touched. The detection signal is input to the sphere information control MPU 111 via the sphere information control I/O port 112.

Further, the ball information control MPU 111 is connected to the firing solenoid 13 through the firing solenoid drive circuit 120 and is connected to the ball feed solenoid 31 through the ball feed solenoid drive circuit 122, and the firing solenoid 13 is connected according to the control output from the ball information control MPU 111. The ball feeding solenoid 31 is driven. Also, the presence or absence of game balls to be supplied to the launch standby ball detection switches 26, 70, the launch ball confirmation switch 36, the collected ball detection switch 203, the ball path full tank detection switch 206, the ball proper amount detection switch 207, and the ball lifting device 22. The lifting/lowering entrance switch 156 for detecting the temperature, the lifting/lowering motor sensor (photo sensor) 157 for detecting the number of revolutions of the ball lifting/lowering motor 150, and the ball polishing cartridge accommodating the ball polishing cloth ribbon are mounted. The detection signal from the cassette detection switch 158 for detecting the sphere is input to the sphere information control input circuit 113 via the sensor relay board 124 and to the sphere information control MPU 111 via the sphere information control I/O port 112. There is. The ball information control MPU 111 sends drive signals for driving the ball lifting motor 150, the ball polishing ribbon feed motor 155, the firing solenoid 13 and the ball feed solenoid 31 via the ball information control I/O port 112 to each drive element. Output to.

Further, the touch panel unit 14 is connected to the sphere information control MPU 111 so as to be displayed by a control output from the sphere information control I/O port 112. In addition to relaying the electrical connection between the main control board 100 and the external terminal board 133, the ball information control board 110 also connects the door frame opening switch 131, the main body frame opening switch 132, and the external terminal board 133. It relays the electrical connection between. The external terminal board 133 is electrically connected to a hall computer installed in a game hall (hall).

A detection signal from a touch switch 87 for detecting whether or not the palm or finger is touching the hitting ball handle 10 and a firing stop switch 86 for detecting whether or not the launching of the game ball is forcibly stopped by the intention of the player. Is first input to the ball information control input circuit 113 via the handle relay terminal plate 123. Further, when the settlement machine 4 and the sphere information control board 110 are electrically connected, they are inputted to the CR unit input/output circuit 115 as a CR connection signal.

DC power sources +24V, +12V, and +5.2V are supplied to the ball information control board 110 from a power supply board (not shown). Further, DC power supplies +24V, +12V, +5.2V are supplied to the main control board 100 via the ball information control board 110.

The power failure monitoring circuit 117 compares and monitors the voltage V1 based on +24V and the reference voltage, and the voltage V2 based on +12V and the reference voltage, respectively, and detects a sign of a power failure or an instantaneous blackout, that is, the voltage V1 or V2 is the reference. When the voltage becomes lower than the voltage, a power failure warning signal is output as a power failure warning. The power failure notice signal output from the power failure monitoring circuit 117 is supplied to the sphere information control MPU 111 of the sphere information control board 110 and also to the main control MPU 101. Although not shown, the power failure notice signal is also input to the peripheral control board 130.

[Authentication of Main Control Board 100 and Sphere Information Control Board 110]
The authentication function of the main control board 100 and the ball information control board 110 will be described with reference to FIG.
Although it has been described that the main control MPU 101 in the main control board 100 previously stores the ID code, the sphere information control MPU 111 of the sphere information control board 110 also stores the above ID code in advance. Hereinafter, the ID code stored in advance in the main control MPU 101 will be referred to as a first MPU identification number, and the ID code stored in advance in the ball information control MPU 111 will be referred to as a second MPU identification number.

The main control board 100 and the ball information control board 110 in the present embodiment are capable of bidirectional data communication, and by performing an authentication process between the boards when the power is turned on, each MPU is a legitimate one. It is configured to be able to determine whether or not there is. The details will be described below.

The main control board 100 includes at least a main control MPU 101, and whether the main control MPU 101 has a proper first MPU identification number storage unit 101a in which a first MPU identification number stored in advance and the second MPU identification number are appropriate. And a main encryption communication unit 160 that encrypts the information transmitted to the sphere information control MPU 111 and decrypts the information transmitted from the sphere information control MPU 111. Further, the first authentication unit 162 includes a second MPU identification number storage unit 161 that stores the second MPU identification number.
The sphere information control board 110 includes at least a sphere information control MPU 111, and the sphere information control MPU 111 has a proper second MPU identification number storage unit 111a in which a second MPU identification number stored in advance is stored. A second authentication unit 167 that performs an authentication process for determining whether the information is transmitted to the main control MPU 101, and a sphere information encryption communication unit 165 that decrypts the information transmitted from the main control MPU 101 are provided. Furthermore, the second authentication unit 167 further includes a first MPU identification number storage unit 166 that stores the first MPU identification number.

When the gaming machine is powered on, the main control board 100 and the sphere information control board 110 bidirectionally communicate with each other to encrypt the first MPU identification number from the first MPU identification number storage section 101a by the main encryption communication section 160. Then, the second MPU identification number is transmitted from the sphere information control MPU 111 to the sphere information encryption communication unit 165, encrypted by the sphere information encryption communication unit 165, and then transmitted to the main encryption communication unit 160.

Next, the main control MPU 101 decrypts the second MPU identification number transmitted from the sphere information encryption communication unit 165 from the sphere information control MPU 111 using the main encryption communication unit 160, and then the first authentication unit 162 The second MPU identification number is stored in the 2MPU identification number storage unit 161, and the sphere information control MPU 111 decrypts the first MPU identification number transmitted from the main control MPU 101 using the sphere information encryption communication unit 165. It is stored in the 1MPU identification number storage unit 166.

After that, the main control MPU 101 performs authentication processing in the first authentication unit 162 based on the second MPU identification number stored in the second MPU identification number storage unit 161, and determines whether the second MPU identification number is proper. To do.
Then, the sphere information control MPU 111 performs authentication processing by the second authentication unit 167 based on the first MPU identification number stored in the first MPU identification number storage unit 166, and determines whether the first MPU identification number is proper. to decide.

When it is determined that the main control MPU 101 and the ball control MPU 111 are proper based on the results of the authentication by the first authentication unit 162 and the second authentication unit 167, respectively, when the main control side power is turned on in FIG. 79. When the processing and the ball information control side power-on processing of FIG. 82 are permitted to start the game and it is determined that the game is not appropriate, the main control side power-on processing and the ball information control side When the power is turned on, the start of processing is not permitted, and it becomes impossible to play a game.

With these configurations, authentication processing is performed between the main control MPU 101 and the ball information control MPU 111, and if such authentication processing is not appropriately performed, the game is not performed, thereby performing the main control. It is possible to effectively prevent an illegal act such as the MPU 101 or the sphere information control MPU 111 being replaced with a counterfeit chip.

[Certification of combination of main frame and game board]
Next, maker authentication processing execution means relating to the combination of the main body frame 2 and the game board 5 will be described with reference to FIGS.
It is necessary to obtain an application and obtain a permit each time a game machine such as a pachinko machine or pachislot machine is delivered to a game hall (game hall) and replaced, but when receiving the application, the game board 5 and It is obligatory to apply for a set including the main body frame 2 and the frame body including the door frame 5 as a set of game machines. Therefore, even if the body frame is common to all manufacturers, the combination of the body frame and the game board must be the combination that has been applied for.

Further, even if an application is made for the game board 5 and the main body frame 2 and the door frame 3 as a set of game machines, the main body frame in this embodiment has a structure common to all manufacturers, and therefore different combinations of main bodies are used. Even if the game board is fitted in the frame, it is not possible to judge whether it is the wrong combination just by looking at it, and which manufacturer's game board really fits in the main frame at the correctly defined place? May be difficult to grasp and manage. This example presents a specific solution for solving the above problem.

First, a specific implementation method for authenticating whether or not the combination of the game board 5 and the frame body including the main body frame 2 and the door frame 3 is the combination that has been applied for will be described.
As described above, in addition to the first MPU identification number and the second MPU identification number used to authenticate whether the MPU is a legitimate one, the main control MPU 101 in the main control board 100 contains the manufacturer information and model number of the game board. The game board maker identification information necessary for recognition is stored in advance, and the sphere information control MPU 111 in the sphere information control board 110 stores the frame maker identification information in advance.
It should be noted that the game board 5 stores different game board manufacturer identification information for each individual, and can be individually recognized by the difference in the character string of the identification information. In addition, the frame maker identification information is stored in the main body frame 2 for each individual, and it is possible to separately recognize the frame maker identification information by the difference in the character string of the identification information.

Next, the mutual relation of the wording in the present invention and this embodiment will be presented. The main control board 100 corresponds to the first control board, the sphere information control board 110 corresponds to the second control board, the main control MPU 101 corresponds to the first MPU, and the sphere information control MPU 111 corresponds to the second MPU.

The main control board 100 and the sphere information control board 110 in this embodiment are capable of bidirectional data communication, and when the game board 5 is fitted into the main body frame 2 and then the power is turned on, the two boards are connected. By performing the combination authentication process in, it is possible to determine whether or not the game board and the main body frame are a proper combination. The details will be described below.

The main control board 100 includes at least a main control MPU 101, and the main control MPU 101 has a proper game board maker identification information storage unit 4101 in which pre-stored game board maker identification information is stored, and a frame maker identification information. A first authentication unit 162 that performs an authentication process of whether or not there is provided, and a main encryption communication unit 4160 that encrypts information to be transmitted to the sphere information control MPU 111 and decrypts information to be transmitted from the sphere information control MPU 111 are provided. In addition, the first authentication unit 162 further includes a first frame manufacturer identification information storage unit 4112 that stores the frame manufacturer identification information.
The sphere information control board 110 includes at least a sphere information control MPU 111. The sphere information control MPU 111 has a frame maker identification information storage unit 4112 in which the frame maker identification information stored in advance and a game board maker identification information are appropriate. A second authentication unit 167 that performs an authentication process to determine whether the information is transmitted, and a sphere information encryption communication unit 165 that encrypts information transmitted to the main control MPU 101 and decrypts information transmitted from the main control MPU 101 are provided. The second authentication unit 167 further includes a game board manufacturer identification information storage unit 4101 that stores game board manufacturer identification information.

When the game board 5 is fitted into the main body frame 2 and the game machine is powered on, the game board maker identification information is stored in the game board maker identification information storage unit 4101 by bidirectional communication between the main control board 100 and the ball information control board 110. The information is encrypted by the main encryption communication unit 160 and then transmitted to the ball information encryption communication unit 165, and the frame manufacturer identification information from the frame manufacturer identification information storage unit 4112 is encrypted by the ball information encryption communication unit 165. It is transmitted to the main encryption communication unit 160.

Next, the main control MPU 101 decrypts the frame maker identification information transmitted from the sphere information encryption communication unit 165 from the sphere information control MPU 111 using the main encryption communication unit 160, and then the frame in the first authentication unit 162. Stored in the manufacturer identification information storage unit 4112, the sphere information control MPU 111 decrypts the game board maker identification information transmitted from the main control MPU 101 using the sphere information encryption communication unit 165, and then, in the second authentication unit 167. The game board manufacturer identification information is stored in the storage section 4101.

After that, the main control MPU 101 performs authentication processing in the first authentication unit 162 based on the frame maker identification information stored in the frame maker identification information storage unit 4112, and determines whether the frame maker identification information is proper. To do.
Then, the ball information control MPU 111 performs the authentication processing by the second authentication unit 167 based on the game board manufacturer identification information stored in the game board manufacturer identification information storage unit 4101, and the game board manufacturer identification information is proper. Determine if there is.

If it is determined that the game board 5 and the main body frame 2 are a proper combination at the time of application, based on the results of authentication by the first authenticating unit 162 and the second authenticating unit 167, start the game. Becomes possible, and if it is determined that it is not appropriate, it becomes impossible to start the game.

With these configurations, the authentication process is performed between the main control MPU 101 and the sphere information control MPU 111, and the game is not performed if the authentication process is not appropriately performed. It is possible to effectively prevent the game board from being accidentally fitted into a frame different from the one used at the time of application, and the game being started in a combination different from the set of the game machines for which it was applied. Become.

Furthermore, the result of the authentication process performed between the main control MPU 101 and the ball information control MPU 111 is transmitted to the hall computer installed in the game hall via the external terminal board 133. When the combination of the game board maker identification information and the frame maker identification information is determined to be abnormal, by outputting an error signal from the external terminal board 133 to the hall computer, the game board 5, the main body frame 2, the door frame It is possible to accurately grasp the combination abnormality of item 3.

Next, how information is conventionally output and managed from the external terminal board 133 to the hall computer will be described with reference to FIG.
As the game progresses, various signals are transmitted from the ball information control board 110 to the external terminal board 133, and the signals are transmitted to the hall computer installed in the game hall, so that all of them are installed in the game hall. It is a mechanism to manage the game machines. Specifically, in addition to the door frame opening signal and the main body frame opening signal, a prize ball number information output signal indicating the number of prize balls to the player, a 15 round jackpot from the main control board 100 via the ball information control board 110. Information output signal, in addition to the big hit information output signal such as the two round big hit information output signal, probability fluctuation information output signal, special symbol display information output signal, normal symbol display information output signal, time saving medium information output signal, and start A game information signal such as a mouth winning information output signal is output to the external terminal board 133.

As described above, as the information output from the ball information control board 110, for example, a signal such as 15 round jackpot information is transmitted to the external terminal board 133 and then output from the external terminal board 133 to the hall computer. However, the time when the signal is transmitted is output after the game process is started.
In the authentication processing of the present embodiment, the time when the result of the authentication processing described above is output from the external terminal board 133 to the hall computer when the power is turned on after the game board is fitted into the main frame (see step S20 in FIG. 79). ) Has been configured to do. Therefore, and during the game, the output line that is output to the external terminal board 133 can be used as the output line that outputs the result of the authentication process.

Conventionally, a ball information control board and an external terminal board are directly connected, and after a predetermined time (for example, 10 seconds) has passed since the power was turned on after the game board was fitted into the main body frame, Various information such as a code for identifying the manufacturer, a code for identifying the model name of the game machine, and MPU-specific information is output to the external terminal board, and then output from the external terminal board to the hall computer. The various information transmitted from the information control board is directly output to the external terminal board.

On the other hand, in the present embodiment, in addition to the code for identifying the manufacturer of the gaming machine, the code for identifying the model name of the gaming machine, and the MPU unique information, the authentication information regarding the above-mentioned authentication is output as an authentication information output signal described later. It is configured to be output to the hall computer through the external terminal board 133.

In this embodiment, a switching circuit switch for selecting one of a 15-round big hit information output signal and an authentication information output signal for transmitting the MPU unique information, the authentication result, etc. between the ball information control board 110 and the external terminal board 133. A pulse width changing circuit C1 having a built-in circuit is provided (FIG. 102). This pulse width changing circuit C1 internally has a switching circuit switch of two circuits of a normally open contact and a normally closed contact, and whenever the pulse width changing circuit C1 receives the switching control signal S1 transmitted from the ball information control board 110. The normally-open contact and the normally-closed contact are switched and controlled so as to select either one of the 15 round jackpot information output signal and the authentication information output signal.

The 15 round jackpot information output signal transmitted from the ball information control board 110 is output through LINE1. Switching from the ball information control board 110 so that it is output to the external terminal board 133 through LINE3 after being connected to the connection point which is a contact with LINE2 described later through the normally closed contact of the pulse width changing circuit C1 during the game. It is controlled by the control signal S1.
The authentication information output signal from the ball information control board 110 is output through LINE2. When the gaming machine is powered on and enters the authentication processing in the main control side power-on processing and the ball information control side power-on processing described above, each contact is switched by the switching control signal S1 from the ball information control board 110. , The normally closed contact is open and the normally open contact is closed. Then, the pulse width of the authentication information output signal including the MPU unique information and the authentication result is changed through LINE 2 by the memory PMC provided in the pulse width changing circuit C1 (described later). After that, after being connected to a connection point which is a contact of LINE1 and LINE2, the output is output from the LINE3 to the external terminal board 133 and then to the hall computer.

Prior to being output to the external terminal board 133, the MPU unique information and the authentication signal are converted into a pulse having a width of, for example, 1 bit and 125 ms (milliseconds) by the memory PMC included in the pulse width changing circuit C1 (equivalent to 8 bps). ), the pulse width is expanded to a pulse width that the hall computer can reliably receive and output. When these pieces of information are sent out by serial transmission, for example, in a form in which one frame is composed of a start bit of 1 bit, a data bit of 8 bits and a stop bit of 1 bit, a total of 10 bits, MPU specific information, game board If the manufacturer identification information and the frame manufacturer identification information are 4 bytes and the authentication result is 1 byte, a 5 bit data and 1 byte for each start bit and stop bit are added to each byte data. Will be sent. When the pulse width of 1 bit is 125 ms, it takes 125 ms×50 bits=6.25 s to send all the bits.

With the configuration described above, the signal for outputting the authentication information output signal and the signal for outputting the big hit information can be output by switching between the normally open contact and the normally closed contact. It is possible to output without adding a dedicated terminal for 133.

Incidentally, in this embodiment, the terminal for transmitting the 15 round big hit information output signal during the game is diverted as the terminal for outputting the authentication information output signal only when the power is turned on, but this is only one embodiment. Is. During the power-on process, the output terminals other than the 15-round jackpot information output signal do not output signals, so that various terminals can be selected and used.

[Payment machine 4]
FIG. 78 is a block diagram mainly showing each element connected to the settlement machine 4. The settlement machine 4 and the ball information control board 110 are connected so as to be capable of bidirectional data communication. Although not shown, the control unit of the settlement machine 4 includes a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, an input/output interface, a communication interface, and the like.

Each operation input signal of a ball lending button and a settlement button provided on the touch panel portion 14 of the enclosed ball-type gaming machine 1 is connected to the settlement machine 4 so as to be input through, for example, an interface. Further, a remaining number display unit and an operable notification lamp provided on the touch panel unit 14 of the enclosed ball type pachinko machine 1 are connected so as to be displayable by a control output from the settlement machine 4. Further, the settlement machine 4 is provided with a card processing machine 402 at the back of the card insertion slot in FIG.

[Card 403]
The card 403 used in the embodiment is composed of, for example, a magnetic card or an IC card, and when a player pays a predetermined amount of money, it is issued by a card issuing machine (not shown) and provided to the player. FIG. 78 shows the data structure stored in the card 403.

The card 403 stores an ID number (hereinafter simply referred to as “ID”) as identification information individually assigned to the card 403, which corresponds to the amount paid when the card 403 is purchased. The remaining number storage unit 305 in which the remaining number as the valuable value information is stored, and the number-of-balls storage unit 406 in which the number of balls held by the player (the number of balls held by the gaming machine) is stored as the result of the game played. Is set. Note that when the card 403 is issued, the ID is stored in the ID storage unit 404, and the remaining number corresponding to the amount paid when the card 403 is purchased in the remaining number storage unit 405 (for example, the paid amount is 5000 yen). In that case, "5000") is stored as the remaining number, but "0" is stored as the initial value of the number of held balls in the number of held balls storage unit 406.

The card processor 402 is well known in the art, and includes a card sensor that detects the card 403, a card reader/writer that reads data stored in the card 403 and writes data to the card 403, and data reading of the card 403. It is provided with a card carrying means for feeding the card 403 to the writing position and discharging the card 403 to the card insertion slot. When the card 403 is inserted into the card insertion slot, the card processor 402 sends the card 403 to a predetermined data reading/writing position, and the card reader/writer stores the stored data, that is, the ID, the remaining number and The number of balls is read and output to the settlement machine 4. Further, in response to a write command from the settlement machine 4, the ID, the remaining number of balls, and the number of balls held are written (stored) in each of the storage units described above.

The settlement machine 4 stores in the RAM the ID, the remaining number, and the number of balls held, which are read from the card 403 through the card processor 402.

[Ball lending by card 403]
When the settlement machine 4 reads the data of the card 403, the settlement machine 4 displays the remaining number stored in the RAM on the remaining number display section. When the card 403 can be used, the settlement machine 4 lends a ball according to the operation of the ball lending button. In this ball lending, for example, a ball lending number of 125 (the unit price of the ball is 4 yen) is ball lended for each operation of the ball lending button. In the ball lending, when the number of balls held is less than 125 and the number of balls held is less than 125, the total number of balls held is loaned to the player. The settlement machine 4 transmits the number of lent balls to the sphere information control board 110. Further, the settlement machine 4 obtains the consideration for the ball lending by multiplying the set ball unit price by the number of lent balls, and subtracts the obtained consideration (the consideration corresponding to the ball lending is the remaining number) from the current remaining number. In addition, when there is a number of balls held and a ball is lended from the number of balls held, the number of balls loaned is subtracted from the current number of balls held. The settlement machine 4 displays this result on the remaining frequency display section. In addition, the residual frequency is written in the residual frequency storage unit 405 of the card 403.

[Game start]
When the sphere information control MPU 111 of the sphere information control board 110 receives the number of lent balls transmitted from the settlement machine 4, the sphere information control MPU 111 adds the number to the game machine possessed balls and displays the addition result on the touch panel unit 14. The upper launching device 12 can be launched and the game is ready.

[Playing]
When the player operates the hit ball handle 10, the hit ball launching device 29 is actuated, and when the game ball at the ball launch position is launched into the game area 8 by the launching hammer 30, this is detected by the launch ball confirmation switch 36. Based on this, the driving of one game ball into the game area 8 is detected. Then, the sphere information control MPU 111 of the sphere information control board 110 sequentially outputs “1” from the gaming machine possession ball number data stored in the gaming machine possession ball number storage area in response to such a detection of hitting one gaming ball at a time. Is subtracted and the number of balls held is displayed on the touch panel unit 14.

On the other hand, the main control MPU 101 of the main control board 100 has a gate switch 92 arranged at a gate (not shown) on the surface of the game board that allows passage of game balls, and a normal winning opening (not shown). General winning hole detection switches 93, 94 arranged for, a count switch 98 arranged for a large winning hole (not shown), and a starting opening (not shown) serving as an upper starting opening. Also, based on the detection signal from the lower start opening detection switch 90, 91, the process related to the game is performed, and the command and signal as the processing result are the ball information control board 110, the peripheral control board 130, the upper and lower special symbols. It outputs to the display devices 142, 143, upper and lower special symbol memory indicators 144, 145, ordinary symbol indicator 146, ordinary symbol memory indicator 147, starting opening solenoid 96, special winning opening solenoid 97 and the like.

When the game ball launched by the upper launching device 12 wins various winning openings (starting winning opening, big winning opening, etc.) in the game area 8, the gaming ball is various winning detection switches provided for each winning opening. (Upper start opening detection switch 90, lower start opening detection switch 91, general winning opening detection switch 93, general winning opening detection switch 94, count switch 98).

The main control MPU 101 responds to detection signals of detection switches (general winning port detection switches 93, 94, count switch 98, upper and lower starting port detection switches 90, 91) provided for each winning port. , A prize ball command for instructing the number of prize balls set according to the winning opening in which the game ball has won is output to the ball information control board 110 as necessary.

Further, the main control MPU 101 periodically outputs a game state signal (status) indicating the type of the current game state to the peripheral control board 130. The gaming state is, for example, a lottery for missed hits due to a winning on the starting mouth and the starting mouth is performed, and the symbols are variably displayed based on the lottery result to stop the symbols, and the lottery result is hit. In the case of the first type of pachinko gaming machine that shifts to a special game state (big hit game state) in the case of normal game state (probability of winning by lottery is normal probability, and time for variable display of normal symbols is normal), time saving Gaming state (variable display time of normal symbol is shorter than normal, time output information output signal), big hit game state (15 round big hit information output signal, or 2 round big hit information output signal), high probability game State (the probability that the probability of winning by lottery is higher than normal, probability output information output signal during fluctuation), special symbol fluctuation (special symbol display information output signal), state where there is a hold based on the winning opening prize (start Oral winning information output signal) etc.

The peripheral control board 130 is based on a command output from the main control board 100, and includes a liquid crystal display panel 502, a accessory decoration board (not shown), a board decoration board (not shown), and a frame decoration board (FIG. By outputting a control signal to (not shown), the lighting display of various decorative LEDs is controlled, and the sound (voice, sound, sound effect, etc.) output from the speaker (not shown) is controlled, and the liquid crystal display is displayed. Control the design to be displayed on the panel (not shown).

The ball information control MPU 111 of the ball information control board 110 displays the number of balls held by the firing solenoid 13, the ball feed solenoid 31, the ball hoisting motor 150, the ball polishing ribbon feed motor 155, and the touch panel unit 14 based on various input signals. And outputs a signal to the settlement machine 4.

The game state signal and the prize ball command output from the main control board 100 are input to the ball information control MPU 111 of the ball information control board 110.

In response to receiving such a prize ball command, the sphere information control MPU 111 sets the value of the number of prize balls preset for each of the various winning openings in the game machine possession ball number data stored in the game machine ball number storage area. Is added and displayed on the touch panel unit 14.

[End of game, settlement]
After that, when the player operates the settlement button to end the game, the settlement machine 4 sends a game end command to the ball information control MPU 111 of the ball information control board 110.

When the settlement machine 4 transmits a game end command to the ball information control MPU 111 according to the operation of the settlement button, the ball information control MPU 111 receives the game finish command sent from the settlement machine 4, and the ball information control The MPU 111 transmits “end permitted” to the settlement machine 4. Next, the ball information control MPU 111 stops the firing solenoid 13 and the ball feed solenoid 31 to stop the game. The current number of gaming machine balls stored in the gaming machine ball number storage area is transmitted to the settlement machine 4.

Then, when the processing of the settlement machine 4 corresponding to the number of balls held by the gaming machine transmitted from the ball information control MPU 111 is completed, the settlement machine 4 transmits a processing end, so the ball information control MPU 111 receives the processing end. Then, the game machine possession ball storage area of the RAM is cleared to 0, and the processing ends.

On the other hand, since the settlement machine 4 receives "end permitted" as a response to the end state in response to the game end command, the ball information control MPU 111 transmits the number of balls held by the game machine to the settlement machine 4, so that the settlement machine 4 plays the game. When the number of balls in possession is received, the number of balls in possession of the gaming machine received is added to the number of balls in possession of the game machine stored in the RAM when the card is inserted, and the addition result is stored as the number of balls in possession of the adjustment machine. As a result, the total number of balls held as a result of the game played by the player is stored as the number of balls held by the settlement machine. Then, the end of processing is transmitted to the ball information control MPU 111, the number of balls held by the settlement machine is written in the number-of-balls-held storage unit 406 of the card 403, the card 403 is ejected from the card insertion slot, and the processing is ended. As a result, the card 403 rewritten by adding the number of balls held by the gaming machine as the result of the game is returned to the player.

[Various control processing of main control board]
First, various control processes performed by the main control board 100 shown in FIG. 76 according to the progress of the game of the pachinko machine 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 79 to 81. 79 is a flowchart showing the main control side power-on process executed by the main control MPU 101 of the main control board 100, and FIG. 80 is a flowchart showing the main control side power-on process of FIG. 79. 4 is a flowchart showing main control timer interrupt processing executed by the main control MPU 101.

[Processing at power-on of main control side]
When the pachinko machine 1 is powered on, the main control MPU 101 (hereinafter, simply referred to as main control MPU) of the main control board 100 performs the main control side power-on process as shown in FIGS. 79 and 80. When the main control side power-on process is started, the main control MPU sets the stack pointer (step S10). The stack pointer indicates, for example, the address stacked on the stack to temporarily store the contents of the storage element (register) in use, or the return address of this routine when exiting the subroutine and returning to this routine. It also indicates the address stacked on the stack for storage, and the stack pointer advances each time the stack is stacked. In step S10, an initial address is set in the stack pointer, and the contents of the register, the return address, etc. are stacked on the stack from the initial address. Then, the stack pointer returns to the initial address by sequentially reading from the last stacked stack to the first stacked stack.

After step S10, wait timer processing 1 is performed (step S12), and it is determined whether a power failure advance notice signal is input (step S14). The voltage does not rise immediately after the power is turned on until the voltage reaches the predetermined voltage. On the other hand, when there is a power failure or an instantaneous power failure (a phenomenon in which the power supply is suddenly stopped), the voltage drops, and when it becomes lower than the power failure notification voltage, the power failure monitoring circuit 117 of the ball information control board 110 notifies the power failure as a power failure notification. A signal is output and input to the main control MPU. Similarly, when the voltage becomes lower than the power failure warning voltage from the time when the power is turned on to the predetermined voltage, the power failure warning signal is input from the power failure monitoring circuit 117 of the ball information control board 110.

Therefore, the wait timer process 1 of step S12 is a process for waiting until the voltage becomes larger than the power failure warning voltage and becomes stable after the power is turned on. In the present embodiment, the wait time (wait timer) is 200 milliseconds (wait timer). ms) is set. The determination in step S14 is performed based on the power failure notice signal from the power failure monitoring circuit 117 of the ball information control board 110. After the power is turned on, when the voltage becomes larger than the power failure notification voltage and becomes stable, the power failure monitoring circuit 117 outputs no power failure notification signal, and the main control MPU proceeds to step S16.

In step S16, the main control MPU determines whether or not the RAM clear switch 105 (FIG. 76) has been operated (step S16). This determination is made based on whether or not the RAM clear switch 105 of the main control board 100 is operated and the operation signal (detection signal) is input to the main control MPU. When the detection signal is input, it is determined that the RAM clear switch 105 is operated, while when the detection signal is not input, it is determined that the RAM clear switch 105 is not operated.

When it is determined in step S16 that the RAM clear switch 105 is operated, the value 1 is set in the RAM clear notification flag RCL-FLG (step S18), and the process proceeds to step S30, while the RAM clear switch 105 is operated in step S16. When it is determined that the RAM has not been operated, the value 0 is set to the RAM clear notification flag RCL-FLG (step S19), and the process proceeds to step S20.

This RAM clear notification flag RCL-FLG is a game relating to games such as probability fluctuations, unpaid prize balls, etc. stored in a RAM built in the main control MPU 101 (hereinafter referred to as “main control built-in RAM”). It is a flag indicating whether or not to erase the information, and is set to a value 1 when the game information is erased and a value 0 when the game information is not erased. The value of the RAM clear notification flag RCL-FLG set in steps S18 and S19 is stored in the general-purpose storage element (general-purpose register) of the main control MPU.

When the process proceeds to step S20, a combination authentication process for determining whether or not the combination of the main control MPU 101 and the ball information control MPU 111 is proper is executed. The frame maker identification information output from the ball information control board is stored in the frame maker identification information storage unit 4112 of the main control MPU 101, and it is authenticated whether or not the proper frame maker identification information is output. If the authentication is properly performed, the process proceeds to step S30. On the other hand, if it is determined that the authentication is not appropriate, an abnormality is notified using a speaker, a liquid crystal display device, or the like.

When the main control MPU proceeds to step S30, it performs wait timer processing 2 (step S30). In the wait timer process 2, the system waits until the system that controls the drawing of the liquid crystal display device by the liquid crystal controller of the peripheral control board 130 is activated (booted). In this embodiment, 2 seconds (s) is set as the time until booting (boot timer).

Subsequent to step S30, it is determined whether or not the RAM clear notification flag RCL-FLG is 0 (step S32). As described above, the RAM clear notification flag RCL-FLG is set to a value of 1 when the game information is erased and a value of 0 when the game information is not erased. When it is determined in step S32 that the RAM clear notification flag RCL-FLG is 0, that is, when the game information is not erased, the checksum is calculated (step S34). This checksum regards the game information stored in the main control built-in RAM as a numerical value and calculates the total thereof.

Subsequent to step S34, whether the calculated checksum value (sum value) matches the checksum value (sum value) stored in the main control-side power-off processing (power-off) described later. It is determined (step S36). If they match, it is determined whether the backup flag BK-FLG has a value of 1 (step S38). This backup flag BK-FLG stores and holds backup information such as game information, checksum value (sum value) and backup flag BK-FLG value in the main control built-in RAM in the main control side power-off processing to be described later. It is a flag indicating whether or not the main control side power-off processing is normally completed, and is set to a value 0 when the main control side power-off processing is not normally completed.

When the backup flag BK-FLG has a value of 1 in step S38, that is, when the main-control-side power-off process is normally completed, the work area of the main-control built-in RAM is set as the power recovery (step S40). In this setting, the value 0 is set in the backup flag BK-FLG, the power recovery information is read from the ROM built in the main control MPU (hereinafter referred to as "main control built-in ROM"), and this power recovery is performed. The time information is set in the work area of the RAM with built-in main control. The term "power recovery" means that the power is turned off, the power is turned on, the power is restored from a power failure or an instantaneous power failure, and the high frequency is detected and reset. It also includes the state of returning after that.

Subsequent to step S40, power-on command generation processing is performed (step S42). In the power-on command creation processing, the game information is read from the backup information and various commands corresponding to the game information are stored in a predetermined storage area of the main control built-in RAM.

On the other hand, when it is determined in step S32 that the RAM clear notification flag RCL-FLG is not 0 (value 1), that is, when the game information is erased, or the checksum value (sum value) is matched in step S36. If the backup flag BK-FLG is not 1 (value 0) in step S38, that is, if the power-off process on the main control side has not been normally terminated, the main control internal RAM All areas are cleared (step S44). Specifically, the value 0 is written in the main control built-in RAM (note that a predetermined value may be read from the main control built-in ROM as an initial value and set). Further, the random number for determining the initial value of the jackpot determination random number, which is used for determining the initial value of the jackpot determination random number, is used when the RAM clear switch 105 is operated to erase the game information, when the thumb values do not match, or When the power-off process on the main control side is not normally completed, the unique ID code stored in advance in the non-volatile RAM of the main control MPU is retrieved, and the jackpot determination random number is updated based on the retrieved ID code. The initial value derivation process for always deriving the same fixed value from the fixed numerical value range of the counter is executed, and this fixed value is set as the initial value.

Following step S44, the work area of the main control internal RAM is set as an initial setting (step S46). In this setting, the initial information is read from the ROM with built-in main control and this initial information is set in the work area of the RAM with built-in main control.

Following step S46, RAM clear notification and test command creation processing is performed (step S48). In this RAM clear notification and test command creation processing, a power-on command classified into power-on for clearing the main control built-in RAM and notifying that initialization has been performed is created, and various types of peripheral control board 130 are also created. Test commands that are divided into test-related items for inspection are created and stored as transmission information in the transmission information storage area of the main control RAM.

Following step S42 or step S48, interrupt initialization is performed (step S50). This setting sets the interrupt cycle when the main control side timer interrupt process described later is performed. In this embodiment, it is set to 4 ms.

Following step S50, interrupt permission setting is performed. (Step S52). With this setting, the main control side timer interrupt process is repeated every 4 ms, ie, the interrupt period set in step S50. The processing of steps S10 to S52 is referred to as "main control side power-on processing".

Subsequent to step S52, the value A is set in the watchdog timer clear register WCL (step S54). The watchdog timer is cleared by setting the value A, the value B and the value C in this watchdog timer clear register WCL in order.

Subsequent to step S54, it is determined whether or not the power failure notice signal is input (step S56). As described above, when the power of the pachinko gaming machine 1 is shut off, or when the power is interrupted or the power is stopped momentarily, when the voltage becomes equal to or lower than the power failure notification voltage, the power failure notification signal is the power failure monitoring circuit of the ball information control board 110 as the power failure notification. It is input from 117. The determination in step S56 is performed based on this power failure notice signal.

When no power failure notice signal is input in step S56, non-winning random number updating processing is performed (step S58). In this non-win/win random number update process, for example, a reach determination random number, a variable display pattern random number, a big hit symbol initial value determination random number, a small hit symbol initial value determination random number, and the like are updated. In this way, in the non-winning random number updating process, the random numbers that are not involved in the winning/judging determination (big hit determination) are updated. The random numbers for normal symbol hit determination, the random numbers for initial value determination for normal symbol hit determination, the random numbers for normal symbol variation display patterns, etc. are also updated by this non-win/win random number updating process.

Following step S58, the process returns to step S54 again, the value A is set in the watchdog timer clear register WCL, and it is determined in step S56 whether or not the power outage notice signal is input, and this power outage notice signal must be input. For example, the non-winning random number updating process is performed in step S58, and steps S54 to S58 are repeated. The processing of steps S54 to S58 is referred to as "main control side main loop processing".

On the other hand, when the power failure notice signal is input in step S56, the interrupt prohibition setting is performed (step S60). With this setting, the main control side timer interrupt processing described later is not performed, writing to the main control internal RAM is prevented, and rewriting of game information is protected.

Following step S60, the starting opening solenoid 96, the special winning opening solenoid 97, the upper special symbol display 142, the lower special symbol display 143, the upper special symbol memory display 144, the lower special symbol memory display shown in FIG. The drive signal output to the device 145, the normal symbol display device 146, the normal symbol memory display device 147, the game state display device 148, the round display device 149, etc. is stopped (step S62).

Following step S62, a checksum is calculated and the calculated value is stored (step S64). This checksum regards the game information in the work area of the main control internal RAM as a numerical value, and excludes the storage area of the above-mentioned checksum value (sum value) and the value of the backup flag BK-FLG, and calculates the total.

Following step S64, the backup flag BK-FLG is set to the value 1 (step S66). This completes the storage of backup information.

Following step S66, clear setting of the watchdog timer is performed (step S68). As described above, the clear setting is performed by sequentially setting the value A, the value B, and the value C in the watchdog timer clear register WCL.

Following step S68, a loop process of repeating a state in which nothing is executed is entered. The processing of steps S60 to S68 and the loop processing are referred to as "main control side power-off processing". In this loop processing, the value A, the value B, and the value C are not sequentially set in the watchdog timer clear register WCL, so that the watchdog timer is not cleared. For this reason, the watchdog timer times out and outputs a time-out signal, the main control MPU is reset by the time-out signal, and then the main control MPU performs this main control side power-on process again from the beginning.

The pachinko machine 1 (main control MPU 101) is reset when a power failure or momentary power failure occurs, and the main control side power-on process is performed by subsequent power restoration.

In step S36, it is checked whether or not the backup information stored in the main control built-in RAM is normal, and then in step S38, it is checked whether or not the main control side power-off process is normally ended. Inspecting. In this way, by double checking the backup information stored in the RAM with built-in main control, it is inspected whether the backup information is stored due to an illegal act.

[Main control timer interrupt processing]
Next, the main control side timer interrupt process will be described. This main control side timer interrupt process is repeated every interrupt period (4 ms in this embodiment) set in the main control side power-on process shown in FIGS. 79 and 80.

When the main control side timer interrupt process is started, the main control MPU of the main control board 100 sets the value B in the watchdog timer clear register WCL as shown in FIG. 81 (step S70). At this time, the value B set after the value A set in step S54 of the main control side main loop process is set in the watchdog timer clear register WCL.

Following step S70, the interrupt flag is cleared (step S72). By clearing this interrupt flag, the interrupt cycle is initialized, and the next interrupt cycle is clocked from its initial value.

Following step S72, switch input processing is performed (step S74). In this switch input processing, various signals input to the input terminal of the main control I/O port 102 are read and stored as input information in the input information storage area of the main control internal RAM.

Subsequent to step S74, timer subtraction processing is performed (step S76). In this timer subtraction process, for example, the time when the upper special symbol display device 142 and the lower special symbol display device 143 are turned on according to the variable display pattern determined by the special symbol and special electric auditors product control process described later, the ordinary symbol described later, and In addition to the time when the normal symbol display 146 lights up according to the normal symbol variation display pattern determined by the normal electric accessory control process, the ball information control substrate 110 transmits various commands transmitted by the main control substrate 100 (main control MPU). When it is determined whether or not the sphere information main ACK signal that indicates that the ball has been normally received is input, time management such as the ACK signal input determination time set as the determination condition is performed. Specifically, when the fluctuation time of the fluctuation display pattern or the normal symbol fluctuation display pattern is 5 seconds, the timer interruption period is set to 4 ms, so the fluctuation time is decremented by 4 ms each time this timer subtraction process is performed. Then, when the subtraction result becomes the value 0, the variation time of the variation display pattern or the normal symbol variation display pattern is accurately measured.

In this embodiment, the ACK signal input determination time is set to 100 ms. Every time this timer subtraction process is performed, the ACK signal input determination time is subtracted by 4 ms, and the subtraction result becomes the value 0, so that the ACK signal input determination time is accurately measured. The various times and the ACK signal input determination time are stored as time management information in the time management information storage area of the main control built-in RAM.

Following step S76, a random number updating process is performed (step S78). In this winning random number update process, the above-described big hit determination random number, big hit symbol random number, and small hit symbol random number are updated. In addition to these random numbers, the big hit symbol initial value determination random number, which is updated in the non-winning random number updating process of step S58 in the main control side power-on process (main control side main process) shown in FIG. 80, Also, the random number for determining the initial value for the small hit symbol is updated. The random numbers for initial value determination for the big hit symbols and the random numbers for initial value determination for the small hit symbols are respectively updated in the main control side main process and the main control side timer interrupt process to further enhance the randomness. .. On the other hand, the big hit determination random number, the big hit symbol random number, and the small hit symbol random number are random numbers related to the winning determination (big hit determination), so each time the winning random number updating process is performed, each counter Will count up. For example, as described above, the counter that updates the big hit determination random number is an initial value update type counter, and has a predetermined fixed numerical value range from the minimum value to the maximum value (in the present embodiment, the value is set as the minimum value. The value is updated within the value 32767) as 0 to the maximum value, and the range from the minimum value to the maximum value is incremented by incrementing the value by one each time the main control side timer interrupt processing is performed. The random number for determining the initial value for jackpot determination is counted up toward the maximum value (value 32767), and then the random number for determining the initial value for jackpot determination is counted up. When the counter for updating the big hit judging random number finishes counting up the range from the minimum value to the maximum value of the big hit judging random number, the big hit judging initial value determining random number is updated by the hit random number updating process. At this time, the updated value is always the same from the fixed numerical value range of the counter that the main control MPU fetches the ID code from the built-in non-volatile RAM and updates the jackpot determination random number based on the fetched ID code. The initial value derivation process for deriving the fixed value of is executed, and the derived fixed value is set as the initial value. That is, the random number for determining the initial value for jackpot determination is always overwritten and updated with the same fixed value derived based on the ID code by executing the initial value derivation process. In addition, the random number for normal symbol hit determination and the random number for initial value determination for normal symbol hit determination described above are also updated by this winning random number update process. Ordinary symbol hitting determination random numbers and the like are the same as the above-described large hitting determination random number updating method, and a description thereof will be omitted.

Following step S78, prize ball control processing is performed (step S80). In this award ball control processing, the award ball command for reading the input information from the above-mentioned input information storage area and transmitting it to the sphere information control board 110 based on this input information, or the main control board 100 and the sphere information is transmitted. A self-check command for confirming the connection state between the control board 110 and the board is created. Then, the created prize ball command and self-check command are transmitted to the ball information control board 110 as main ball information serial data. For example, when one game ball enters the special winning opening, a prize ball command representing 15 balls as the number of prize balls is created and transmitted to the ball information control board 110, or this prize ball command is sent to the ball information control board. When the ball information main ACK signal indicating that 110 has been normally received is not input within a predetermined time, a self-check command for confirming the connection state between the main control board 100 and the ball information control board 110 is created. It is transmitted to the ball information control board 110.

Following step S80, frame command reception processing is performed (step S82). The sphere information control board 110 transmits various 1-byte (8-bit) commands classified into status indications. In the frame command reception process of step S82, when these various commands are normally received as the sphere information main serial data, the information to that effect is transmitted to the sphere information control board 110 in the output information storage area of the main control internal RAM as output information. Remember. In addition, the command normally received as the sphere information main serial data is shaped into a 2-byte (16-bit) command and stored as transmission information in the transmission information storage area described above.

Following step S82, fraudulent activity detection processing is performed (step S84). In this fraudulent activity detection processing, an abnormal state regarding the prize ball is confirmed. For example, when the input information is read from the above-mentioned input information storage area and the detection signal from the count switch 98 is input when the jackpot is not in the gaming state (when the game ball enters the special winning opening), A winning anomaly display command that is classified into an annunciation display as an abnormal state is created and stored as transmission information in the transmission information storage area described above.

Following step S84, special symbol and special electric auditors product control processing is performed (step S86). In this special symbol and special electric auditors product control processing, it is determined whether or not the value of the counter for updating the above-mentioned random number for jackpot determination is extracted and coincides with the jackpot determination value stored in the main control built-in ROM (big hit). Whether or not to generate a game state is determined (referred to as "special lottery")), and the value of the counter that updates the random number for the big hit symbol is taken out and the probability variation hit determination value stored in advance in the main control ROM. It is determined whether or not they match (determination as to whether or not a probability change occurs). Here, the “probability change” means that the probability of a big hit changes to a high probability (probability change time) that is set higher than in a normal time (low probability). In the present embodiment, the value 32668 to the value 32767 are set in the low probability as the range of the above-described big hit determination value (the big hit determination range), and the value is 32438 in the high probability while being read from the normal time determination table. A value 32767 is set and is read from the probability change time determination table. As described above, in the special symbol and special electric auditors product control processing of step S86, whether the value of the counter for updating the big hit determination random number and the big hit determination value stored in advance in the main control built-in ROM match or not. When determining whether or not, the value of the counter that updates the random number for jackpot determination is included in the jackpot determination range.

When these determination results are based on the upper starting opening detection switch 90, various commands related to special figure 1 tuning effect are created, and when the lottery result is based on the lower starting opening detection switch 91, it is special. Fig. 2 Create various commands related to tuning effect, store them in the transmission information storage area as transmission information, and turn on the upper special symbol display 142 or the lower special symbol display 143 according to the determined variable display pattern of the special symbol. As described above, the output of the lighting signal to the upper special symbol display 142 or the lower special symbol display 143 is set, and is stored in the above-mentioned output information storage area as output information.

In addition, depending on the game state to be generated, for example, when it is a big hit game state, various commands classified as big hit related are created, stored as transmission information in the transmission information storage area, or opened/closed by the opening/closing member. When the output of the drive signal to the winning opening solenoid 97 is set and stored as output information in the output information storage area, or when the number of times (round) when the special winning opening is changed from the closed state to the open state is two times, a round display is displayed. Output of the lighting signal to the two-round display lamp is set so as to light the two-round display lamp of the container 149, and is stored in the output information storage area as output information, or when the number of rounds is 15, the round display 149 Set the output of the lighting signal to the 15-round display lamp to turn on the 15-round display lamp, store it in the output information storage area as output information, and turn on or off the occurrence of probability variation in a predetermined color The output of the lighting signal to the display unit 148 is set and stored as output information in the output information storage area, and the ball information control board is configured to shoot the game ball with the strength at which the hitting ball launching device 29 reaches the second downflow route. The command output is set and stored as output information in the output information storage area.

Following step S86, normal symbol and normal electric auditors product control processing is performed (step S88). In this normal symbol and normal electric auditors product control process, the input information is read from the above-mentioned input information storage area, and the gate winning process is performed based on this input information. In the gate winning process, it is determined from the input information whether the detection signal from the gate switch 92 has been input to the input terminal. Based on this determination result, when the detection signal is input to the input terminal, the value of the counter for updating the above-mentioned random number for normal symbol determination is extracted and the gate information is stored in the gate information storage area of the main control internal RAM. Remember.

Subsequent to step S88, port output processing is performed (step S90). In this port output processing, output information is read from the output information storage area described above from the output terminal of the main control I/O port 102, and various signals are output based on this output information. For example, based on the output information, when various commands from the ball information control board 110 are normally received from the output terminal of the main control I/O port 102, the main ball information ACK signal is output to the ball information control board 110. In the big hit game state, a drive signal is output to the special winning opening solenoid 97 that opens and closes the opening and closing member of the special winning opening, and a drive signal is output to the starting opening solenoid 96 that opens and closes the movable piece. In addition, 15 round big hit information output signal, 2 round big hit information output signal, probability fluctuation information output signal, special symbol display information output signal, normal symbol display information output signal, time saving medium information output information, starting mouth winning information output signal It outputs various information (game information) signals related to games such as the ball information control board 110, and outputs a command to the ball information control board so that the hitting ball launching device 29 launches a game ball with an intensity reaching the second downflow path. Or

Subsequent to step S90, peripheral control board command transmission processing is performed (step S92). In this peripheral control board command transmission processing, the transmission information is read from the above-mentioned transmission information storage area, and this transmission information is transmitted to the peripheral control board 130 as main circumference serial data. This transmission information is classified into various commands classified by special figure 1 tuning effect related, various commands classified by special figure 2 tuning effect related, and jackpot related, which are created by the main control side timer interrupt processing which is this routine. Various commands to be displayed, various commands to be turned on, various commands to be related to public figure synchronization performance, various commands to be related to normal electric figure performance, various commands to be displayed for notification, and status display Various commands that are classified, various commands that are related to the test, and various commands that are classified are stored. One packet of the main circumference serial data is composed of 3 bytes.

Specifically, the main circumference serial data includes a status indicating a type of command having a storage capacity of 1 byte (8 bits), a mode indicating a variation of an effect having a storage capacity of 1 byte (8 bits), and a status. And a sum value calculated by summing the mode as a numerical value, and the sum value is created at the time of transmission. The processing of steps S74 to S92 will be referred to as "game control processing".

Following step S92, the value C is set in the watchdog timer clear register WCL (step S94). By setting the value C in the watchdog timer clear register WCL in step S94, the value C is set in the watchdog timer clear register WCL following the value B set in step S70. As a result, the value A, the value B, and the value C are sequentially set in the watchdog timer clear register WCL, and the watchdog timer is set to be cleared.

Following step S94, the register is switched (restored) (step S96), and this routine ends. Here, when the main control timer interrupt processing, which is the present routine, is started, the main control MPU stacks the contents of the general-purpose registers in a hardware manner and saves them. This prevents the destruction of the contents of the general-purpose registers used in the main processing on the main control side. In step S96, the contents saved in the stack are read out and written in the original register. The main control MPU sets the interrupt permission after the return in step S96.

[Various control processing of sphere information control board]
Next, various control processes performed by the sphere information control board 110 shown in FIG. 77 will be described with reference to FIGS. 81 to 86. FIG. 82 is a flowchart showing the sphere information control side power-on process executed by the sphere information control MPU 111 of the sphere information control board 110, and FIG. 83 is a flowchart showing the sphere information control side power-on process of FIG. 82. FIG. 84 is a flowchart showing the continuation of the power-on process on the sphere information control side following FIG. 83, and FIG. 85 shows the sphere information control power-off process executed by the sphere information control MPU 111 of the sphere information control board 110. FIG. 86 is a flowchart showing one example of the sphere information control side timer interrupt processing.

[Ball information control side power-on processing]
When the pachinko gaming machine 1 is powered on, the sphere information control MPU 111 (hereinafter, simply referred to as sphere information control MPU) of the sphere information control unit 118 in the sphere information control board 110, as shown in FIGS. 82 to 83, Sphere information control side Performs processing when power is turned on. When the power-on process on the ball information control side is started, the ball information control MPU sets the interrupt mode (step S500). This interrupt mode sets the priority of interrupts of the sphere information control MPU. In this embodiment, the sphere information control unit timer interrupt process, which will be described later, is set as the highest priority, and when an interrupt of this sphere information control unit timer interrupt process occurs, the process is preferentially performed.

Subsequent to step S500, input/output setting (I/O input/output setting) is performed (step S502). In this I/O input/output setting, I/O port input/output setting of the sphere information control MPU is performed.

Following step S502, output of the power failure clear signal to the power failure monitoring circuit 117 shown in FIG. 77 is started (step S504). The power failure monitoring circuit 117 is composed of a voltage comparison circuit and a D type flip-flop IC. The voltage comparison circuit outputs a comparison result by comparing +24V and the reference voltage or comparing +12V and the reference voltage. This comparison result indicates that when no power failure or momentary power failure has occurred, its logic becomes HI and is input to the PR terminal which is the preset terminal of the D-type flip-flop, while when a power failure or momentary power failure occurs, The logic becomes LOW and is input to the PR terminal which is the preset terminal of the D type flip-flop. In step S504, the output of the power failure clear signal is started to the CLR terminal which is the clear terminal of this D type flip-flop. This power failure clear signal is input to the clear terminal via the sphere information control I/O port 112 of the sphere information control unit 118 as its logic becomes LOW. As a result, the ball information control MPU can release the latched state of the D type flip-flop, and inverts the logic input to the PR terminal which is the preset terminal of the D type flip-flop until the latched state is set. Then, the output from the 1Q terminal, which is the output terminal, can be performed, and the signal from the 1Q terminal can be monitored.

After step S504, wait timer processing 1 is performed (step S506), and it is determined whether a power failure advance notice signal is input (step S508). The voltage does not rise immediately after the power is turned on until the voltage reaches the predetermined voltage. On the other hand, when there is a power failure or an instantaneous power failure (a phenomenon in which the power supply is suddenly stopped), the voltage drops, and when it becomes lower than the power failure notification voltage, the power failure monitoring circuit 117 inputs a power failure notification signal as a power failure notification. Similarly, when the voltage becomes lower than the power failure warning voltage from the time when the power is turned on to the predetermined voltage, a power failure warning signal is input from the power failure monitoring circuit 117. Therefore, the wait timer process 1 in step S506 is a process for waiting until the voltage becomes larger than the power failure warning voltage and stabilizes after the power is turned on. In this embodiment, the wait time (wait timer) is 200 milliseconds (wait timer). ms) is set. It is determined in step S508 whether or not the power failure advance notice signal is input. This determination is performed based on the signal output from the 1Q terminal, which is the output terminal of the D-type flip-flop, as the power failure notice signal.

Following step S508, the output of the power failure clear signal to the CLR terminal which is the clear terminal of the D-type flip-flop is stopped (step S510). By stopping the output of this power failure clear signal, the logic becomes HI via the ball information control I/O port 112 and the signal is input to the CLR terminal which is a clear terminal. As a result, the sphere information control MPU can set the D type flip-flop in the latched state. The D-type flip-flop outputs a power failure advance notice signal from the 1Q terminal, which is an output terminal, when the state in which the logic is LOW is input to the PR terminal, which is a preset terminal, is latched.

Following step S510, it is determined whether or not the RAM clear switch 105 has been operated (step S512). This determination is made based on whether or not the RAM clear switch 105 of the main control board 100 is operated and the operation signal (detection signal) is input to the ball information control MPU. When the detection signal is input, it is determined that the RAM clear switch 105 is operated, while when the detection signal is not input, it is determined that the RAM clear switch 105 is not operated.

When it is determined in step S512 that the RAM clear switch 105 is operated, the value 1 is set in the ball information RAM clear flag (step S514), and the process proceeds to step S518 while the RAM clear switch 105 is operated in step S512. If it is determined that the ball information RAM has not been set, the value 0 is set in the ball information RAM clear (step S516), and the process proceeds to step S518.

The ball information RAM clear flag is stored in a RAM (hereinafter, referred to as “ball information control built-in RAM”) built in the ball information control MPU, for example, stored in various flags and various information storage areas. It is a flag indicating whether or not to erase the various sphere information, and is set to a value 1 when sphere information is erased and a value 0 when sphere information is not erased. The sphere information RAM clear flag set in steps S514 and S516 is stored in the general-purpose storage element (general-purpose register) of the sphere information control MPU.

Subsequent to step S514 or step S516, a setting for permitting access to the RAM for storing sphere information control is performed (step S518). By this setting, the RAM with built-in ball information control can be accessed, and for example, the ball information can be written (stored) or read.

Following step S518, the stack pointer is set (step S520). The stack pointer indicates, for example, the address stacked on the stack to temporarily store the contents of the storage element (register) in use, or the return address of this routine when exiting the subroutine and returning to this routine. It also indicates the address stacked on the stack for storage, and the stack pointer advances each time the stack is stacked. In step S520, the stack pointer is set to the initial address, and the contents of the register, the return address, and the like are stacked on the stack from the initial address. Then, the stack pointer returns to the initial address by sequentially reading from the last stacked stack to the first stacked stack.

Subsequent to step S520, if the process proceeds to step S521, a combination authentication process is executed to determine whether or not the combination of the ball information control MPU 111 and the main control MPU 101 is proper. The game board maker identification information output from the main control board 100 is stored in the game board maker identification information storage unit 4101 of the ball information control MPU 111 to authenticate whether or not the proper game board maker identification information is output. If the authentication is properly performed, the process proceeds to step S527. If it is determined that the authentication is not appropriate, the abnormality is notified using a speaker, a liquid crystal display device, or the like.

Following step S521, the sphere information control MPU proceeds to step S527. In step S527, it is determined whether or not the sphere information RAM clear flag has a value of 0 (step S527). As described above, the sphere information RAM clear flag is set to a value 1 when sphere information is erased and a value 0 when sphere information is not erased.

When the sphere information RAM clear flag has a value of 0 in step S527, that is, when the sphere information is not erased, a checksum is calculated (step S528). This checksum regards the sphere information stored in the sphere information control built-in RAM as a numerical value and calculates the total thereof.

Subsequent to step S528, it is determined whether the calculated checksum value matches the checksum value stored in the sphere information control unit power-off processing (power-off) described later (step S530). ). If they match, it is determined whether or not the sphere information backup flag has a value of 1 (step S532). The ball information backup flag is a flag indicating whether or not the ball information backup information such as the ball information and the checksum value is stored and held in the ball information control built-in RAM in the processing when the power of the ball information control unit is cut off, which will be described later. It is set to a value of 1 when the power supply to the sphere information control unit is normally terminated, and to a value of 0 when the power supply to the sphere information control unit is not normally terminated.

If the sphere information backup flag has a value of 1 in step S532, that is, if the sphere information control unit power-off processing is normally completed, the work area of the sphere information control built-in RAM is set for power recovery (step S534). In this setting, in addition to setting the value 0 to the sphere information backup flag, the power recovery information is read from the ROM built in the sphere information control MPU (hereinafter referred to as "sphere information control built-in ROM"), The power recovery information is set in the work area of the RAM with built-in ball information control. As a result, information used for various processes is set based on various flags, various information stored in the various information storage area, which are the above-mentioned spherical information backup information stored in the spherical information control built-in RAM. .. It should be noted that the term "power recovery" includes not only a state in which the power is turned off and a state in which the power is turned on, but also a state in which the power is subsequently restored from a power failure or an instantaneous power failure.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S527 that the sphere information RAM clear flag is not 0 (value 1), or if the checksum values do not match in step S530, or the sphere information backup flag is set in step S532. When it is determined that the value is not 1 (the value is 0), that is, when the processing for shutting down the power source of the ball information control unit is not normally terminated, the entire area of the ball information control built-in RAM is cleared (step S536). As a result, the sphere information backup information stored in the sphere information control built-in RAM is cleared.

Following step S536, the work area of the RAM with built-in ball information control is set as an initial setting (step S538). In this setting, the initial information is read from the ROM with built-in ball information control and this initial information is set in the work area of the RAM with built-in ball information control.

Following step S534 or step S538, interrupt initialization is performed (step S540). This setting is to set the interrupt cycle when the sphere information control unit timer interrupt process described later is performed. In this embodiment, it is set to 2 ms.

Following step S540, interrupt permission setting is performed (step S542). With this setting, the ball information control unit timer interrupt process is repeatedly performed at the interrupt cycle set at step S540, that is, every 2 ms.

Subsequent to step S542, it is determined whether or not a power failure advance notice signal is input (step S544). As described above, when the power of the pachinko gaming machine 1 is shut off, or a power failure or momentary power failure occurs, when the voltage becomes equal to or lower than the power failure notification voltage, a power failure notification signal is input from the power failure monitoring circuit 117 as a power failure notification. The determination in step S540 is made based on this power failure notice signal.

When no power failure notice signal is input in step S544, it is determined whether the 2 ms elapsed flag HT-FLG is 1 (step S546). The 2 ms elapsed flag HT-FLG is a flag for measuring 2 ms in the sphere information control unit timer interrupt processing that is processed every 2 ms, which will be described later, and has a value 1 when 2 ms has elapsed and a value 0 when 2 ms has not elapsed. Each is set.

When it is determined in step S546 that the 2 ms elapsed flag HT-FLG is 0, that is, when 2 ms has not elapsed, the process returns to step S544 and it is determined whether or not the power failure advance notice signal is input.

On the other hand, when it is determined in step S546 that the 2 ms elapsed flag HT-FLG is 1, that is, when 2 ms has elapsed, the 2 ms elapsed flag HT-FLG is set to 0 (step S547), and the process proceeds to step S550. The external WDT clear signal is output to the external watchdog timer (external WDT) 116 (ON, step S550). The external WDT 116 monitors the operation (system) of the ball information control MPU, and when the external WDT clear signal is not stopped during the clear signal release time, a reset signal is sent to the ball information control MPU and the ball information control I/O port 112. Is output and reset is performed (the system of the ball information control MPU is regularly diagnosed whether it is running out of control).

Following step S550, port output processing is performed (step S552). In this port output processing, various types of information are read from the output information storage area of the sphere information control built-in RAM, and various signals are output from the output terminal of the sphere information control I/O port 112 based on these various types of information.

In the output information storage area, for example, ball information main ACK information indicating that various commands (prize ball command or self-check command) related to a prize ball from the main control board 100 are normally received, Various information such as drive information for performing drive control is stored, and when a prize ball command from the main control board 100 is normally received from the output terminal of the ball information control I/O port 112 based on this output information. It outputs a ball information main ACK signal to the main control board 100 and outputs a drive signal to the firing solenoid 13.

Subsequent to step S552, port input processing is performed (step S554). In this port input process, various signals input to the input terminal of the ball information control I/O port 112 are read and stored as input information in the input information storage area of the ball information control built-in RAM. For example, the door frame opening switch 131, the main body frame opening switch 132, the launch standby ball detection switches 26, 70, the launch ball confirmation switch 36, the collected ball detection switch 203, the ball path full tank detection switch 206, the ball proper amount detection switch 207, Lifting inlet switch 156, lifting motor sensor (photosensor) 157, cassette detection switch 158, firing stop switch 86, touch switch 87, BRQ signal from the settlement machine 4, BRDY signal and CR connection signal, command transmission processing described later. The main sphere information ACK signal and the like from the main control board 100 that informs that the main control board 100 has normally received the various commands transmitted in step 1 are read and stored as input information in the input information storage area.

Following step S554, timer update processing is performed (step S556). The various determination times are stored as time management information in the time management information storage area of the sphere information control built-in RAM. In the timer updating process, it is determined whether or not the timer values of various timers are set, and if the timer values are set, the timer value is decremented by 1. For example, when "1000" is set to the timer as a value corresponding to 2 seconds (2000 ms), the timer interrupt period is set to 2 ms, so that the timer value is incremented by 1 each time the timer subtraction process is performed in the 2 ms period. When the subtraction result is 0 and the subtraction result is 0, the time is up and the time is accurately measured.

Subsequent to step S556, settlement machine communication processing is performed (step S558). In the payment machine communication process, whether or not various signals (BRQ signal, BRDY signal, and CR connection signal) from the payment machine 4 are input based on the input information read out from the input information storage area described above. To judge. The sphere information control MPU exchanges various signals with the settlement machine 4 based on various signals from the settlement machine 4. When the sphere information control MPU receives the number of lent balls transmitted from the settlement machine 4, for example, the sphere information control MPU adds the number of lent balls to the gaming machine possessed sphere number data.

Following step S558, command reception processing is performed (step S560). In this command receiving process, various commands (prize ball command and self-check command) relating to prize balls are received from the main control board 100. When these various commands are normally received, the sphere information main ACK information to that effect is stored in the above-mentioned output information storage area. On the other hand, when various commands are not normally received, a connection is transmitted to inform that the connection between the main control board 100 and the ball information control board 110 is abnormal (the various command signals are abnormal). The abnormality information is stored in the above-mentioned state information storage area.

Following step S560, command analysis processing is performed (step S562). In this command analysis processing, the command received in step S562 is analyzed, and the analyzed command is stored as received command information in the received command information storage area of the sphere information control built-in RAM.

Following step S562, main operation setting processing is performed (step S564). In the main operation setting process, the ball information control MPU sets the operation of the firing solenoid 13, the ball feed solenoid 31, the ball lifting device 22 (ball lifting motor 150), the ball polishing ribbon feed motor 155, and the like. In addition, the ball information control MPU sequentially detects “1” from the gaming machine possessed ball number data stored in the gaming machine possessed ball number storage area in response to the detection of hitting one gaming ball at a time based on the ball detection of the launch ball confirmation switch 36. Is subtracted. Further, when the prize ball command is stored in the received command information storage area, the number of prize balls corresponding to the prize ball command is added to the gaming machine possession ball number data stored in the gaming machine possession ball number data.

Following step S564, LED display data creation processing is performed (step S566). In this LED display data creation processing, for example, the gaming machine possession ball number data stored in the above-mentioned gaming machine possession ball number storage area is read, and display data for displaying the number of possession balls on the touch panel portion 14 is generated to generate an LED. The display information is stored in the output information storage area described above.

Following step S566, command transmission processing is performed (step S568). In this command transmission process, various information is read from the above-mentioned state information storage area, various commands classified into the status display are created based on the various information, and are transmitted to the main control board 100.

Following step S568, the output of the external WDT clear signal to the external watchdog timer (external WDT) 116 is stopped (OFF, step S570). This clears the external WDT 116 so that the ball information control MPU and the ball information control I/O port 112 are not reset. Further, when the output of the external WDT clear signal is stopped, the external WDT 116 starts measuring the clear signal release time.

After step S570, the process returns to step S544 again, and it is determined whether or not the power failure notification signal is input. If the power failure notification signal is not input, the 2 ms elapsed flag HT-FLG is 1 in step S546. If the 2 ms elapsed flag HT-FLG has a value of 1, that is, if 2 ms has elapsed, the 2 ms elapsed flag HT-FLG is set to a value of 0 in step S547, and the external WDT 4120c is externally connected in step S550. A WDT clear signal is output (ON), port output processing is performed in step S552, port input processing is performed in step S554, timer update processing is performed in step S556, settlement machine communication processing is performed in step S558, and step S560 is performed. Command reception processing is performed, command analysis processing is performed in step S562, main operation setting processing is performed in step S564, LED display data creation processing is performed in step S566, command transmission processing is performed in step S568, and external WDT 116 is performed in step S570. Then, the output of the external WDT clear signal is stopped (OFF), and steps S544 to S570 are repeated. The processing of steps S544 to S570 is referred to as "sphere information control main processing".

On the other hand, when the power failure notice signal is input in step S544, the interrupt prohibition setting is performed (step S572). By this setting, the sphere information control unit timer interrupt processing, which will be described later, is not performed, the writing to the sphere information control internal RAM is prevented, and the above-mentioned rewriting of the sphere information is protected.

Following step S572, the power failure clear signal is output to the CLR terminal, which is the clear terminal of the D type flip-flop of the power failure monitoring circuit 117, via the ball information control I/O port 112 (step S574). As a result, the D-type flip-flop can release the latched state by outputting the power failure clear signal.

Following step S574, output of the drive signal to the firing solenoid 13 is stopped (step S576). Thereby, the launch of the game ball is stopped. Following step S576, the output of the drive signal to the ball feeding solenoid 31 is stopped (step S578). Thereby, the feeding of the game ball to the hitting ball launching device 29 side is stopped.

Following step S578, an external WDT clear signal is output to the external WDT 116 to stop the output (ON/OFF, step S580). This clears the external WDT 116. Following step S580, a checksum is calculated and the calculated value is stored (step S582). This checksum is calculated by considering the sphere information in the work area of the sphere information control internal RAM as a numerical value, excluding the storage area of the checksum value and the sphere information backup flag HBK-FLG value calculated in step S528. To do. Following step S582, a value 1 is set in the sphere information backup flag (step S584). This completes the storage of the ball information backup information. Subsequent to step S584, the setting for prohibiting access to the RAM with built-in ball information control is performed (step S586). By this setting, access to the RAM with built-in sphere information control is prohibited, writing and reading cannot be performed, and the sphere information backup information stored in the RAM with sphere information control is protected.

Following step S586, a loop process of repeating a state in which nothing is performed is entered. In this loop processing, the clear signal is not turned ON/OFF to the external WDT 116. Therefore, the external WDT 116 outputs a reset signal to the sphere information control MPU and the sphere information control I/O port 112 for resetting. After that, the sphere information control MPU performs the sphere information control side power-on process again from the beginning. The processing and loop processing of steps S572 to S586 are referred to as "sphere information control power-off processing".

The pachinko machine 1 (ball information control MPU) is reset at the time of a power failure or a momentary power failure, and performs power-on processing on the ball information control side due to subsequent power restoration.

In step S530, it is checked whether or not the sphere information backup information stored in the sphere information control built-in RAM is normal, and in step S532, the sphere information control unit power-off process is normally terminated. It is inspecting whether or not. In this way, by double checking the ball information backup information stored in the ball information control built-in RAM, it is inspected whether or not the ball information backup information is stored by fraud.

[Sphere information control timer interrupt processing]
Next, the sphere information control side timer interrupt process will be described. This sphere information control side timer interrupt process is repeatedly performed at every interrupt cycle (2 ms in this embodiment) set in step S540 of the sphere information control side power-on process.

When the sphere information control side timer interrupt process is started, the sphere information control MPU of the sphere information control unit 118 in the sphere information control board 110 sets the timer interrupt to disabled and switches the register (as shown in FIG. 86). (Evacuation) is performed (step S590). Here, the general-purpose storage element (general-purpose register) used in the sphere information control unit main process described above is switched to the auxiliary register. By using this auxiliary register in timer interrupt processing on the ball information control side, the value of the general-purpose register will not be overwritten. This prevents the destruction of the contents of the general-purpose registers used in the main processing on the sphere information control side.

Following step S590, the value 1 is set to the 2 ms elapsed flag HT-FLG (step S592). The 2 ms elapsed flag HT-FLG is a flag for measuring 2 ms every time the sphere information control unit timer interrupt processing is performed, that is, every 2 ms, and has a value of 1 when 2 ms has elapsed and a value of 0 when 2 ms has not elapsed. Are set to each. Following step S592, register switching (returning) is performed (step S594). This return is switched from the auxiliary register used in the sphere information control side timer interrupt process to the general-purpose storage element (general-purpose register). By using this general-purpose register in the main processing of the ball information control side, the value of the auxiliary register will not be overwritten. This prevents the destruction of the contents of the auxiliary register used in the sphere information control unit timer interrupt process. Following step S594, interrupt permission is set (step S596), and this routine ends.

[Each process executed in the sphere information control main process]
Next, each process executed by the sphere information control MPU of the sphere information control board 110 every 2 ms in the sphere information control main process of FIG. 84 will be described. First, the ball lending process will be described, and subsequently, the hitting possibility determination process, the number of held balls counting process, the ball feed/launch drive process, the shot ball detection process, and the number of held balls subtraction process will be described. It should be noted that the hitting possibility determination process, the number-of-balls counting process, the ball feeding/launching drive process, the shot ball detecting process, the number-of-balls subtracting process, and the lifting drive process are one of the main operation setting processes of step S564. The ball hit possibility determination process, the number of held balls count process, the ball feed/launch drive process, the shot ball detection process, the number of held balls subtraction process, and the lifting drive process are executed in this order.

When the player inserts the card 403 into the card insertion slot, the settlement machine 4 detects the insertion of the card 403, and the data stored in the card 403 is read through the card processor 402. That is, the ID stored in the ID storage unit 404 of the card 403 of FIG. 78, the remaining count stored in the remaining count storage unit 405, and the number of balls held in the held ball count storage unit 406 are read and RAM is read. In a predetermined storage area (ID storage area, remaining number storage area, ball possession storage area).

Next, the settlement machine 4 determines whether the inserted card 403 is usable or unusable. In this embodiment, when the read remaining number is 0 and the read number of holding balls is 0, it is determined that the card 403 is unusable, and the card 403 is ejected from the card insertion slot. Therefore, when it is determined that the card 403 is unusable, each of the ball holding count processing, the ball feed/launch drive processing, and the ball holding number subtraction processing described below is not executed.

On the other hand, if the read remaining count is not 0, or if the read remaining count is 0 but the read number of holding balls is not 0, the settlement machine 4 determines that the card is usable, and the ball information The card availability information is transmitted to the control board 110.

When the player presses the ball lending button to play a game, the operation signal of the ball lending button is input to the settlement machine 4. According to the operation signal of the ball lending button, the settlement machine 4 performs a ball lending process, for example, transmits a prescribed number of lent balls to the sphere information control MPU of the sphere information control board 110, and then from the sphere information control MPU. Wait until you receive the end of the ball lending that has been sent.

[Ball rental processing]
Here, a ball rental process executed by the ball information control MPU will be described. FIG. 87 is a flowchart showing a subroutine of a ball rental process performed by the ball information control MPU. The ball lending process is executed as one of the settlement machine communication processes in step S558 executed every 2 ms in the sphere information control main process.

When the ball lending process is started, the ball information control MPU determines whether or not the card availability information transmitted from the settlement machine 4 is received (step S600). In step S600, when the card availability information transmitted from the settlement machine 4 is received, the process proceeds to step S601, and the number-of-balls-holding counter (game machine holding) which is a part of the storage area set in the built-in RAM. The sphere number storage area) is cleared to 0 (step S601), and the process proceeds to step S602. On the other hand, if the card availability information transmitted from the settlement machine 4 is not received in step S600, the process directly proceeds to step S602. The initial value of the number-of-balls-holding counter is set to "0" by the power recovery setting of the RAM work area in step S534.

When the sphere information control MPU proceeds to step S602, it determines whether or not the number of lent balls transmitted from the settlement machine 4 is received (step S602). In step S602, when the number of lent balls transmitted from the settlement machine 4 is received, the process proceeds to step S603, and the received number of lent balls is added to the value of the number-of-balls counter (step S603). The end of lending is transmitted to the settlement machine 4 (step S604), and the subroutine of the ball lending process is exited.

On the other hand, in step S602, if the number of lent balls transmitted from the settlement machine 4 is not received, the process does not move to steps S603 and S604, and the subroutine of the lent ball processing is directly exited.

As described above, only when the newly usable card 303 is inserted into the settlement machine 4, the card usable information is transmitted to the ball information control board 110. Further, the number of lent balls is transmitted to the sphere information control MPU only when the operation signal of the ball lending button is input to the settlement machine 4 after the card availability information is received. Then, when the number of lent balls is received, the number of lent balls is added to and stored in the value of the number-of-balls-counter for the first time.

[Striking possibility judgment processing]
Next, the hitting possibility determination processing executed by the ball information control MPU will be described. FIG. 88 is a flowchart showing a subroutine of hitting possibility determination processing performed by the ball information control MPU. The ball hit possibility determination process is executed as one of the main operation setting processes of step S564 executed every 2 ms in the ball information control main process.

The ball information control MPU, when starting the hitting possibility determination processing, determines whether the number of held balls is 0, that is, whether the value of the number of held balls counter is 0 (step S710). When it is determined in step S710 that the value of the number-of-balls-counter is not 0, that is, when step S710 is determined to be NO, the process proceeds to step S711, and the launch standby ball detection switch 70 (see FIG. 10). ) Is on, that is, whether there is a standby ball in the ball feeding device 28 (step S711).

When it is determined in step S711 that the launch standby ball detection switch 70 (see FIG. 10) is on, the launch flag is set to 1 (can be launched) (step S712), and the ball hit possibility determination process is performed. Exit the subroutine. On the other hand, when it is determined in step S710 that the value of the ball holding counter is 0, and when it is determined in step S711 that the firing standby ball detection switch 70 is not ON (OFF), the firing is performed. The possibility flag is set to 0 (cannot be fired) (step S713), and the ball exiting possibility determination processing subroutine is exited.

In this way, when the value of the held ball number counter is not 0 and the ball feeding device 28 has a standby ball, the firing solenoid 13 and the ball feeding solenoid 31 can be driven, and the game area 8 of the game ball is substantially. It is in a game-ready state where it can be driven into. Further, when the value of the ball holding counter is 0, or when the ball feeding device 28 has no standby ball, the firing solenoid 13 cannot be driven, and the game ball is substantially driven into the game area 8. You cannot play games. At the same time, the ball feeding solenoid 31 cannot be driven.

[Ball count processing]
Next, the number-of-balls-counting process corresponding to ball information processing during the game will be described assuming that the game is substantially enabled. FIG. 89 is a flow chart showing a subroutine of the ball holding count processing performed by the ball information control MPU. The number-of-balls counting process is executed as one of the main operation setting processes of step S564 executed every 2 ms in the ball information control main process.

The ball information control MPU, when starting the ball count processing, determines whether or not there is a prize ball command analyzed in the command analysis processing in step S562 (step S720). That is, it is determined whether or not there is a prize ball command stored in the received command information storage area. If the prize ball command is stored, it is determined that step S720 is present, and the number of prize balls corresponding to the prize ball command stored in the received command information storage area is added to the value of the ball number counter and stored (step S722). ), exit the subroutine for counting the number of balls. On the other hand, if the prize ball command is not stored, it is determined that step S720 is none, and the subroutine for the number-of-balls-counting process is exited.

For example, when a winning occurs in the winning opening set to the number of prize balls “4”, the number of prize balls “4” is added to the value of the number-of-balls counter and is stored, for example, the number of prize balls “15”. When a winning occurs in the winning opening set at (the big winning opening), the number of winning balls "15" is added to the value of the ball holding counter and stored.

[Ball feed/launch drive processing]
Next, the ball feeding/launching drive process will be described. 90 to 91 are flowcharts showing an example of a subroutine of ball feeding/launching drive processing performed by the ball information control MPU. The ball feeding/launching drive process is executed as one of the main operation setting processes of step S564 executed every 2 ms in the ball information control main process.

Further, FIG. 24 is a time chart showing the drive timings of the ball feeding solenoid 31 and the firing solenoid 13. The firing solenoid 13 is turned on at the time point A when the ball feed solenoid 31 is turned on, and the ball feed solenoid 31 is turned off at the time point B after the firing solenoid 13 is turned on. The firing solenoid 13 is turned off when a period C has elapsed since the solenoid 31 was turned off.

In this embodiment, the period A is 300 ms, the period B is 30 ms, and the period C is 50 ms. When the ball feeding solenoid 31 is turned on, the ball feeding member 32 brings the launching ball to the launch position (rail portion 332). That is, the launch ball confirmation switch 36 detects the launch ball. In the present embodiment, it is determined that there is a launch ball when the launch ball confirmation switch 36 detects a game ball that is parked at the launch position over a predetermined prescribed time (30 ms as the period D). To do.

In this way, when the game ball held at the launch position by the launch ball confirmation switch 36 is detected for a predetermined time, it is determined that there is a launch ball. Erroneous ball counts on the ball can be eliminated and the certainty in detecting the launch ball can be increased.

Then, when the firing solenoid 13 is turned on, the game ball retained at the launch position by the launch hammer 30 is launched into the game area 8, and the launch ball confirmation switch 36 is turned off. As a result, the number of balls held is decreased by -1.

When the sphere feed/launch drive process is started, the sphere information control MPU first determines whether or not the launch possible flag is 1 (can be launched) (step S730). When it is determined that the ball can be fired in the hit ball availability determination process described above, the fireable flag is set to 1 (fireable). If it is determined in step S730 that the firing possible flag is not 1 (can fire), that is, if the firing flag is 0 (cannot fire), the ball feeding/firing drive processing subroutine is exited. In this case, substantial ball feeding/launching drive processing is not executed.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S730 that the firing flag is 1 (can fire), the process proceeds to step S731, and it is determined whether the processing flag is 0 (step S731).

Here, the processing flag is a flag for identifying to which of the processes the sphere information control MPU branches in a sphere feed/launch drive process described later, in other words, control in sphere feed/launch drive. It is a flag for identifying the state, "0" means initial setting, and "1" defines the period from turning on the ball feeding solenoid 31 to turning on the firing solenoid 13. Yes, it defines the period until the ball feeding solenoid 31 is turned off after the firing solenoid 13 is turned on in "2". After the ball feeding solenoid 31 is turned off in "3", the firing solenoid 13 is turned off. It defines the period until.

The value of the processing flag is 0 when the ball feeding/launching drive processing is started. Therefore, it is determined YES in step S731, the process proceeds to step S732, the timer value corresponding to the period A (see FIG. 24, 300 ms) is set in the timer (step S732), and the ball feed solenoid 31 is turned on (step S733). , The processing flag is set to 1 (step S734), and the ball feeding/firing drive processing subroutine is exited. The timer value set in the timer is decremented by 1 in the 2 ms period in the timer updating process of step S556 in FIG.

The next processing cycle of the ball feed/launch drive processing is 2 ms later. As a result of the processing flag being set to 1, in the ball feeding/launching driving process of the next cycle, it is determined as YES in step S730, NO is determined in step S731, and the process proceeds to step S735. In step S735, it is determined whether the value of the processing flag is 1 (step S735). In this case, since the process flag is set to 1, step S735 is determined to be YES, the process proceeds to step S736, and it is determined whether the timer has timed out (step S736). If the timer has not timed out, step S736 is determined as NO, and the subroutine for ball feed/launch drive processing is exited.

Hereinafter, until the timer that sets the period A expires, step S730 is determined to be YES, step S731 is determined to be NO, step S735 is determined to be YES, and step S735 is determined based on the value 1 of the processing flag. The processing routine for determining NO in S736 is repeated.

Then, when the timer times out, it is determined as YES in step S736, it is determined that the period A has elapsed, the process proceeds to step S737, and the timer value corresponding to the period B (see FIG. 26, 30 ms) is set. (Step S737), the firing solenoid 13 is turned on (step S738), the processing flag is set to 2 (step S739), and the subroutine for ball feed/firing drive processing is exited.

As a result of setting the process flag to 2, in the ball feeding/launching drive process of the next cycle, step S730 is determined to be YES, step S731 is determined to be NO, step S735 is determined to be NO, and the process proceeds to step S740. .. In step S740, it is determined whether the value of the processing flag is 2 (step S740). In this case, since the processing flag is set to 2, step S740 is determined to be YES, the process proceeds to step S741, and it is determined whether or not the timer has timed out (step S741). If the timer has not timed out, step S741 is determined to be NO, and the ball feed/launch drive processing subroutine is exited.

Hereinafter, based on the value 2 of the processing flag until the timer that sets the period B expires, step S730 is determined as YES, step S731 is determined as NO, step S735 is determined as NO, and step S735 is determined as NO. The processing routine of determining YES in step S740 and determining NO in step S741 is repeated.

Then, when the timer times out, it is determined that step S741 is YES, it is determined that the period B has elapsed, the process proceeds to step S742, and the timer value corresponding to the period C (see FIG. 24, 50 ms) is set. (Step S742), the ball feed solenoid 31 is turned off (step S743), the process flag is set to 3 (step S744), and the ball feed/launch drive process subroutine is exited.

As a result of the process flag being set to 3, in the ball feeding/launching drive process of the next cycle, step S730 is determined as YES, step S731 is determined as NO, step S735 is determined as NO, and step S740 is determined as NO. It is determined and the process proceeds to step S745. In step S745, it is determined whether the timer has timed out (step S745). If the timer has not timed out, step S745 is determined to be NO, and the ball feeding/launching drive processing subroutine is exited.

Hereinafter, until the timer that sets the period C expires, based on the value 3 of the processing flag, step S730 is determined as YES, step S731 is determined as NO, step S735 is determined as NO, and step S735 is determined as NO. The processing routine of determining NO in step S740 and determining NO in step S745 is repeated.

Then, when the timer times out, it is determined to be YES in step S745, it is determined that the period C has elapsed, the process proceeds to step S746, the firing solenoid 13 is turned off (step S746), and the process flag is set to 0. It returns to the initial value (step S747) and exits the subroutine of ball feeding/launching drive processing.

[Launch ball detection process]
Next, the launch ball detection process will be described. FIG. 92 is a flowchart showing a subroutine of a shot ball detection process performed by the ball information control MPU. The launch ball detection process is executed as one of the main operation setting processes of step S564 executed every 2 ms in the ball information control main process.

When the launch ball detection process is started, the ball information control MPU first determines whether or not the launch ball confirmation switch 36 is on (step S750). As described above, when the ball feeding solenoid 31 is turned on, the ball feeding member 32 brings the launching ball into the firing position (rail portion 332). That is, the launch ball confirmation switch 36 detects the launch ball.

When it is determined that the shooting ball confirmation switch 36 is on, the value of the time counting counter, which is a counter for counting the time in the on state, is incremented by 1 (step S751), and the process proceeds to step S753.

On the other hand, if it is determined that the launch ball confirmation switch 36 is not on, that is, if the launch ball confirmation switch 36 is off, 0 is set to the time counter (step S752) and the process proceeds to step S753.

When the process proceeds to step S753, it is determined whether the value of the clock counter has reached a predetermined specified time D (30 ms in this example) (step S753). If the value of the clock counter has not reached the predetermined time D set in advance, step S753 is determined to be NO, and the firing ball detection processing subroutine is exited.

Since the shot ball detection process is executed every 2 ms, if the game ball stopped at the launch position by the launch ball confirmation switch 36 continues to be detected for a prescribed time D that is set in advance, the timer counter of every 2 ms is displayed. The value is incremented by 1, and the value of the clock counter reaches the predetermined time D (30 ms, count value 15 in this example) which is set in advance. In this case, step S753 is determined to be YES, it is considered that a launch ball has been detected, the launch ball detection flag is set to 1 (detected) (step S754), and the launch ball detection processing subroutine is exited.

On the other hand, when noise enters the launch ball confirmation switch 36, the launch ball confirmation switch 36 momentarily turns on, but thereafter the launch ball confirmation switch 36 turns off. Therefore, since the value of the time counting counter is set to 0 in response to the turning off of the launch ball confirmation switch 36, the value of the time counting counter is set to a predetermined prescribed time D (30 ms in this example, a count value of 15). Never reach.

In this way, when the game ball held at the launch position by the launch ball confirmation switch 36 is detected for a predetermined time, it is determined that there is a launch ball. Erroneous ball counts on the ball can be eliminated and the certainty in detecting the launch ball can be increased.

[Holding ball subtraction processing]
Next, the number-of-balls subtraction process will be described. FIG. 93 is a flowchart showing a subroutine of the number-of-balls-holding subtraction process performed by the ball information control MPU. The number-of-balls subtraction process is executed as one of the main operation setting processes of step S564 executed every 2 ms in the ball information control main process.

When the sphere information control MPU starts the number-of-balls subtraction process, first, the sphere information control MPU determines whether or not the launch ball detection flag is 1 (detected) (step S760). When it is determined that the firing ball detection flag is not 1 (detection is present), that is, when NO is determined in step S760, the subroutine for the number-of-balls-holding subtraction process is exited. In this case, the number of balls held is not subtracted.

When it is determined in step S760 that the launch ball detection flag is 1 (detected), that is, when step S760 is determined to be YES, the process proceeds to step S761 and the launch ball confirmation switch 36 is off. It is determined whether or not (step S761). If it is determined in step S761 that the launch ball confirmation switch 36 is not off, that is, if step S761 is NO, the subroutine for the number-of-balls-holding subtraction process is exited.

As described above, when the firing solenoid 13 is turned on, the game ball retained at the launch position by the launch hammer 30 is launched into the game area 8, and the launch ball confirmation switch 36 is turned off. As a result, the number of balls held is decreased by -1. When it is determined in step S761 that the launch ball confirmation switch 36 is off, that is, when step S761 is determined to be YES, the value of the ball holding counter is decremented by 1 (step S762), and the launch ball detection flag is set. 0 (no detection) is set (step S763), and the subroutine for the number-of-balls subtraction process is exited.

In this way, when the game ball that is stopped at the launch position is detected by the launch ball confirmation switch 36 over the predetermined time, it is determined that there is a launch ball, and that there is a launch ball. Under the condition, when the game ball is not detected by the launch ball confirmation switch 36, it is determined that the game ball stopped at the launch position has been launched, and the number of balls held is reduced by 1, so the launch ball confirmation switch When noise enters the 36, it is possible to eliminate false ball count of the launch ball due to noise, and it is possible to increase the certainty in the detection of the launch ball.

[Ball lift drive processing]
Next, the lifting drive processing will be described. FIG. 94 is a flowchart showing a sub-routine of the pumping drive processing performed by the ball information control MPU. The lifting drive process is executed as one of the main operation setting processes of step S564 executed every 2 ms in the ball information control main process.

When starting the lifting drive process, the ball information control MPU first determines whether or not the launch standby ball detection switch 26 is on (step S770). If it is determined in step S770 that the launch standby ball detection switch 26 is off, that is, if step S770 is NO, the process proceeds to step S771 and it is determined whether or not the lift inlet/outlet switch 156 is on. (Step S771). When it is determined in step S771 that the lifting inlet switch 156 is ON, that is, when step S771 is determined to be YES, the ball lifting motor 150 is driven (step S772), and the lifting driving processing subroutine is executed. Exit through.

On the other hand, when it is determined in step S770 that the launch standby ball detection switch 26 is on, that is, when step S770 is determined to be YES, the ball lifting motor 150 is stopped (step S773), and the lifting driving process is performed. Exit the subroutine.
Also, when it is determined in step S771 that the lifting/inletting switch 156 is off, that is, when step S771 is determined to be NO, the ball lifting motor 150 is stopped (step S773), and the lifting driving process is performed. Exit the subroutine.

In this way, when the game ball is not detected by the launch standby ball detection switch 26, it is determined that the number of game balls required in the ball supply path member 24 is not satisfied, and the ball feed passage is set by the lift port 156. When a game ball waiting for alignment in 275 is detected, the ball hoisting motor is driven on condition that it is determined that there is a game ball, and the ball is placed in the ball supply path member 24 by the launch standby ball detection switch 26. On condition that a game ball waiting for alignment is detected, the ball hoisting device 22 is stopped and the hoisting of the game ball is stopped. Therefore, the game ball is excessively hoisted in the ball supply path member 24. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of ball clogging. As a result, since the game balls are pumped, the game balls can be sent to the ball supply path member 24 without excess or deficiency.

In addition, compared to the cycle of the game balls of the hitting ball launching device 29 in the upper launching unit 12 and the cycle of the ball feeding of the game balls of the ball feeding device 28, the game to the ball supply path member 24 by the ball hoisting device 22. The sending cycle of the sphere is set short. In the present embodiment, the pitch of the game ball of the hitting ball launching device 29 and the pitch of the ball feeding device 28 for sending the game ball are 600 ms (100 shots per minute), and the ball feeding path member by the ball lifting device 22. The sending cycle of the game balls to 24 is 384 ms.
As a result, during the game, the upper launch unit 12 is operated to launch the game ball into the game area by the ball launch device 29 and to send the game ball to the launch position by the ball feeder 28. Also, since the cycle of sending the game balls to the ball supply path member 24 by the ball lifting device 22 is shorter than the cycle of sending the game balls to the launch position, the game ball stands by before being lifted by the lifting entrance switch 156. When the state in which the game ball is being filled is maintained, the game ball in the ball supply path member 24 is not detected by the launch standby ball detection switch 26 while the game ball is being driven. Then, the ball hoisting device 22 is driven to start hoisting the game balls, and the game balls are sent to the ball supply route member 24 at a pace faster than the driving pace of the game balls, and a waiting ball to be launched in the meantime. When the detection switch 26 detects a game ball waiting for alignment in the ball supply path member 24, the ball lifting device 22 stops driving, and the lifting of the game ball is stopped. That is, during the game, the ball lifting operation of the ball lifting device 22 is intermittently performed, so that the occurrence of ball clogging can be suppressed, and the game balls can be efficiently and stably lifted to play the game. The balls can be efficiently supplied to the upper launch unit with a stable number of balls.

In the present embodiment, the firing cycle of the game ball of the hitting ball launching device 29 and the ball feeding cycle of the game ball of the ball feeding device 28 are 600 ms (100 shots per minute), and the ball feeding device 22 supplies the ball. Although the sending cycle of the game ball to the route member 24 is 384 ms, the method is not limited to this, and the shooting cycle and the ball sending period of the game ball, and the sending period of the game ball to the ball supply route member 24. Can be selected to be 600 ms with each other, and various methods can be selected.

[Clogging notification processing]
Next, the ball clogging notification process will be described. FIG. 95 is a flowchart showing a subroutine of a ball clogging notification process performed by the ball information control MPU. The ball clogging notification process is executed as one of the main operation setting processes of step S564 executed every 2 ms in the ball information control main process. Further, the ball clogging notification process is performed after the hitting possibility determination process shown in FIG. 88. The launch standby ball detection switch 26 corresponds to the first launch standby ball detection means, and the launch standby ball detection switch 70 corresponds to the second launch standby ball detection means.

When the ball clogging notification process is started, the ball information control MPU 111 first determines whether or not the launch standby ball detection switch 26 is on (step S780). When it is determined in step S780 that the launch standby ball detection switch 26 is on, that is, when step S780 is determined to be YES, the ball lifting motor 150 is stopped (step S782), and the process proceeds to step S786 to wait for launch. It is determined whether or not the ball detection switch is on (step S786). When it is determined in step S786 that the launch standby ball detection switch 70 is off, that is, when step S786 is NO, the abnormality detection flag is set to 1 (step S788), and the notification means is turned on. (Step S789) exits the subroutine for ball clogging notification processing.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S786 that the launch standby ball detection switch 70 is on, that is, if the determination in step S786 is YES, the process proceeds to step S787, and it is determined whether the abnormality detection flag is 1 ( Step S787). If the abnormality detection flag is determined to be 1 in step S787, that is, if the determination in step S787 is YES, the abnormality detection flag is cleared to 0 (step S790), the abnormality notification means is turned off (step S792), and the recovery notification means is set. Is turned on (step S794), and the subroutine of the ball clogging notification process is exited.

If it is determined in step S780 that the launch standby ball detection switch 26 is off, that is, if step S780 is NO, the ball lifting motor 150 is driven (step S784) and the abnormality detection flag is set. It is determined whether it is 1 (step S787). If it is determined that the abnormality detection flag is 0 in step S787, that is, if the determination in step S787 is NO, the routine for ball clogging notification processing is exited.

In this way, the ball supply route member 24 and the ball feeding device 28 are provided with the sensors for detecting the game balls, the game balls in the ball feeding route member 24 are detected, and the game balls in the ball feeding device 28 are detected. On the condition that the ball is not clogged, it is determined that the ball is in an abnormal state due to the ball clogging, and the abnormality is notified by an abnormality notifying unit (not shown, for example, the touch panel unit 14 indicates that the ball is clogged). As a result, for example, it is possible to reliably notify the staff member of the game hall that the ball is clogged.

Further, since the upper launching device 12 of the present embodiment can be rotated by the upper launching device hinge 37 and can be opened and closed with respect to the main body frame 2 (FIG. 12), the staff member notified by the ball clogging After opening the door frame 3, the state of the upper launching device 12 can be immediately grasped, and the ball clogging can be easily eliminated. When the ball clogging is cleared, the abnormality detection flag is cleared to 0, and the abnormality notifying means is stopped. After that, by the recovery notifying means (for example, the touch panel unit 14 is displayed to the extent that a clerk in the game hall can recognize that the ball has been recovered (for example, 5 seconds to 10 seconds)), and the notification is made surely. It is possible to recognize that the ball clogging has been resolved.

Further, the position of the launch standby ball detection switch 70 is attached so as to detect the game ball in the vicinity of the launch position in the path of the ball feeding device 28, but it detects the game ball passing through the path of the ball feeding device 28. Various arrangement positions can be selected as long as they can be arranged.

1 Pachinko machine 1a Outer frame 2 Main body frame 3 Door frame 4 Adjusting machine 5 Game board 6 Decorative cover 7 Hinge 8 Game area 9 Game window 10 Hitting ball handle 11 Transparent plate 12 Upper launching device (upper launching unit)
13 Launching Solenoid 14 Touch Panel 15 Fitting Frame 16 Peripheral Wall 17 Housing Opening 18 Overhang Wall 19 Deformed Sphere/Magnetic Sphere Discharge Unit Storage 20 Deformed Sphere/Magnetic Sphere Discharge Unit 21 Sphere Collecting Part 22 Sphere Lifting Device 23 Sphere Outlet trough 24 Ball supply path member 25 Screw 25a Screw shaft 25b Small-pitch projection member 25bL Half-split body 25bR Half-split body 25c Large-pitch projection member 25cL Half-split body 25cR Half-split body 25d Spiral projection 25e Cylindrical portion 25g Recess 25h Convex portion 25i Upper edge 25j Upper edge concave portion 25k Lower edge 25m Lower edge convex portion 26 Launching standby ball detection switch 28 Ball feeding device 29 Hitting ball launching device 30 Launching hammer (launching member)
301 Fixed part 302 Rod part 303 Stopper contact part 31 Ball feed solenoid 32 Ball feed member 33 Rail member 331 Mounting plate part 332 Rail part 333 Left rail plate 334 Right rail plate 335 Through hole 34 Fire stop 35 Return stopper 36 Fire Ball confirmation switch 361 Photo bracket 37 Hinge for upper launching device 38 Launching port 39 Base plate 39a Abutting part 40 Launching area 41 Winning port 42 Out port 43 Panel holder 44 Transparent panel plate 45 Front component member 46 Game ball running surface 47 Notch 48 Protruding part 49 Fixing device 50 Screw receiving member 51 Ball entry prevention wall 52 Tension spring 53 Spring locking part 54 Ball guide protrusion 55 Front guide surface 56 Stopper piece 57 Arrangement space 58 Ball outlet 60 Rotation drive shaft 61 Hammer tip 62 Stopper Cover 63 Ball supply port 64 Launch port decoration member 65 Lifting communication gutter 66 Ball inlet 67 Ball feed unit base 68 Ball feed unit cover 69 Ball feed guide trough 70 Launch standby ball detection switch 71 Ball feed sheet metal 72 Operating rod part 73 Sheet metal housing Part 74 Ball Feeding Part 75 Shaft Hole 76 Ball Feeding Shaft 77 Arm Part 78 Sheet Metal Locking Claw 79 Latching Protrusion 80 Ball Feeding Guide Surface 81 Ball Holding Surface 82 Hanging Piece 83 Return Ball Blocking Part 84 Ball Stopping Part 85 Hitting Ball Passing Port 86 Fire stop switch 87 Touch switch 90 Upper starting opening detection switch 91 Lower starting opening detection switch 92 Gate switch 93 General winning opening detection switch 94 General winning opening detection switch 96 Starting opening solenoid 97 Large winning opening solenoid 98 Count switch 100 Main control board 101 Main control MPU
101a First MPU identification number storage unit 102 Main control I/O port 103 Main control input circuit 104 Main control solenoid drive circuit 105 RAM clear switch 106 RTC control unit 107 RTC
108 battery 109 RAM
110 ball information control board 111 ball information control MPU
111a Second MPU identification number storage unit 112 Sphere information control I/O port 113 Sphere information control input circuit 114 Sphere lifting motor drive circuit 115 CR unit input/output circuit 116 External WDT
117 Power Failure Monitoring Circuit 118 Ball Information Control Unit 119 Ball Polishing Ribbon Feed Motor Drive Circuit 120 Launch Solenoid Drive Circuit 122 Ball Feed Solenoid Drive Circuit 123 Handle Relay Terminal Board 124 Sensor Relay Board 130 Peripheral Control Board 131 Door Frame Opening Switch 132 Body Frame Opening Switch 133 External terminal board 140 Panel relay terminal board 141 Function display board 142 Upper special symbol indicator 143 Lower special symbol indicator 144 Upper special symbol memory indicator 145 Lower special symbol memory indicator 146 Normal symbol indicator 147 Normal symbol memory indicator Vessel 148 Gaming status indicator 149 Round indicator 150 Ball lifting motor 155 Ball polishing ribbon feeding motor 156 Lifting inlet switch 157 Lifting motor sensor 158 Cassette detection switch 160 Main cipher communication section 161 2nd MPU recognition number storage section 162 1st Authentication unit 165 Sphere information encryption/communication unit 166 First MPU identification number storage unit 167 Second authentication unit 201 Sphere gutter base 202 Collection port 203 Collection ball detection switch 204 Abnormal sphere discharge unit 205 Magnetic ball discharge unit 206 Sphere path full tank detection switch 207 Sphere proper amount detection switch 208 Deformed sphere discharge part base 209 Deformed sphere separation shaft 210 Deformed sphere separation shaft 212 Deformed sphere discharge part base mounting part 213 Upstream side 214 Downstream side 215 Deformed sphere discharge route 217 Deformed sphere discharge 217 Deformed sphere discharge Path forming member 218 Communication path 219 Circulation path 220 Sloping surface 221 Falling surface 222 Magnetic sphere discharging inclined surface 223 Discontinuous portion 224 Side wall 225 Ceiling wall 226 Magnetic sphere discharging path 227 Magnetic sphere discharging port 228 Magnetic sphere discharging cover 229 Magnet 230 Magnet Storage space 231 Magnetic force adjustment part 232 Magnetic ball 233 Regular game ball 234 Discharge ball receiving box 251 Ball polishing cartridge 252 Left side cover 253 Right side cover 253a Right outer side cover 253b Right inner side cover 254 Hinge receiving part 255 Hinge 258 Second Drive gear case 259 Take-up roller 260 Followed roller 261 First gear shaft 262 Second gear shaft 263 Ball polishing cloth 264 Ball polishing cloth pressing spring 265 Leaf spring 266 Spring pressing 267 Tensioner 268 Game ball contact mark 27 0 Ball polishing cartridge mounting portion 271 Ball polishing cartridge fixing lever 272 Ball polishing cartridge fixing stopper 273 Ball polishing cartridge mounting port 275 Ball feeding passage 275a Ball receiving port 275b Ball feeding port 281 Opening 282 Lifting guide rail 290 Drive shaft 291 mounting Sensor 292 Button 350 Ball feed rotary body 350a Ball engagement recess 351 Ball feed slope 351a Slope 351b Top slope 352 Spiral base cover 353 Lifting part cover 354 Lifting slope member 355 Ball removing member 356 Upper gear box 357 Lower gear Box 358 Ball lifting motor gear 359 Idle gear 360 Upper lifting gear 362 Lower lifting gear 363 Ball feeding rotor gear 363a Gear shaft 365 Guide block 365a Ball guide surface 365b Stopper surface 366 Fitting member 366a Fitting recess 368 Support member 368 Cover member 402 Card processor 403 Card 404 ID storage unit 405 Remaining number storage unit 406 Ball possession storage unit 407 Mounting member 408 Hanging wall 410 Ball outlet opening/closing unit 4101 Game board manufacturer identification information storage unit 411 Shutter base 4112 Frame manufacturer identification Information storage section 412 Open/close shutter 413 Open/close crank 414 Open/close spring 415 Slide groove 416 Opening section 417 Crank support section 418 Spring locking section 419 Shutter body 420 Drive hole 421 Shaft section 422 Drive shank 423 Drive pin 424 Contact section 425 Spring lock Part 426 Opening/closing actuating piece 427 Game ball introducing member 450 Positioning guide member 500 Follower member 501 Liquid crystal display device 502 Center accessory 503 1st starting opening 504 2nd starting opening 505 Attacker device A Left downflow path B Right downflow path C1 Pulse width change Circuit S1 switching control signal

Claims (1)

A game area composed of a first game area and a second game area in which the game balls can flow down,
A game board in which the game area is defined,
A main body frame in which the game board is fitted and housed,
A door frame having a game window that is openably supported with respect to the front surface of the main body frame and has the game area of the game board facing the player when closed.
A hitting ball launching device for launching a game ball toward the game area in accordance with a player's operation;
Firing control means for controlling the firing of the hitting ball firing device;
A main control board that is provided in the game board and controls game operations,
Equipped with
The main control board has a first game state control means for executing a first game state that is unfavorable for the player, and a second game state control means for executing a second game state that is advantageous for the player. ,
The firing control means is controlled to fire a game ball with a batting force reaching the range of the second game area for a predetermined time, triggered by the switching from the first game state to the second game state,
After the lapse of the predetermined time, a game machine is controlled so as to shoot a game ball in an arbitrary game area according to an operation mode of the hit ball launching device by the player.

Images