JP2021061955A - Ball entry device for game machine and game machine equipped with the same - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a ball entry device for a game machine that allows a player to easily recognize that a game ball enters a ball passage member, and can enhance the player's interest in the game, and to provide a game machine equipped with the ball entry device.SOLUTION: A ball entry device 10 for a game machine includes: a ball passage member 20 including a ball entrance 33 for receiving a game ball, and a ball exit 31c for discharging the game ball received from the ball entrance 33; a decorative member 50 arranged on a front side of the ball passage member 20, which includes a first decorative body 51 and a second decorative body 52; a first driving source 61 for generating driving force for displacing the decorative member 50; and a main control board 12 for controlling an operation of the first driving source 61. The main control board 12 operates the first driving source 61 and displaces the first decorative body 51 with respect to the second decorative body 52 when a predetermined condition is established.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

The present invention relates to a ball entry device for a game machine and a game machine including the same.

In the conventional game machine, the display of the variable display unit becomes a specific pattern, and the game ball wins a prize in the specific winning opening, so that the game state is advantageous to the player (so-called "big hit" state), and a big prize is won. His mouth was open and he was able to win many prize balls. Then, the player is notified of the "big hit" state by blinking the decorative lamp, etc., but the big winning opening is provided in an inconspicuous place such as the right corner or the lower part of the game board surface due to the enlargement of the variable display unit and the effect device. Therefore, it was difficult to realize the "big hit" by winning the big prize opening. Even with a ball entry device provided on the surface of the game board, as in such a game machine, it is difficult to understand the entry of the game ball into the ball entrance.

For example, the game machine of Patent Document 1 is opened by opening an effect display device which is arranged substantially in the center of the game board and has a liquid crystal display type image display unit and a big prize opening door during a big hit game. It is equipped with a large winning opening that allows the entry of game balls. Then, when the big hit is confirmed, an opening effect or the like notifying that the jackpot is a big hit is displayed on the effect display device and performed. However, the big prize opening is arranged at an inconspicuous position below the effect display device and near the lower end of the game board. Therefore, it was difficult to confirm that the game ball entered the big winning opening even if the effect of notifying the big hit was performed.

Therefore, conventionally, a directing method has been performed in which, for example, a display by a variable display unit or lighting of a decorative lamp is used to encourage a prize to be entered at a specific ball entrance (for example, a large winning opening). On the other hand, as a configuration that does not use a variable display unit or the like, the gaming machine of Patent Document 2 has a large winning opening, a winning opening opening / closing plate that opens / closes the large winning opening, and a cam that acts on the winning opening opening / closing plate. I have. The game machine is configured to rotate the cam to vibrate the winning opening opening / closing plate back and forth in order to improve the interest of the game.

Japanese Patent No. 6013826 Japanese Patent No. 5170210

However, the gaming machine of Patent Document 2 has a configuration in which the winning opening opening / closing plate is slightly tilted forward and is slightly opened / closed in a state of standing up and returning. In particular, since the large winning opening is arranged at an inconspicuous lower position, such a slight movement of the winning opening opening / closing plate may not be noticed unless the player pays close attention. In addition, the round effect during the big hit game is monotonous only by opening and closing the opening / closing member, and the interval between rounds is extended, so that there is a problem that the player gets bored. Based on these problems, there is a demand for a configuration that allows the player to recognize that the game ball enters the member arranged on the game area and enhances the interest during the big hit game.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and it is easy for the player to recognize that the game ball enters the ball passing member, and the ball entry device for a game machine can enhance the interest during the game. And the purpose is to provide a game machine equipped with it.

The ball entry device for a game machine of the present invention
It is a ball entry device for a game machine provided in a game area where a game ball flows down.
A ball passing member having a ball entrance for receiving a game ball and a ball outlet for discharging the game ball received from the ball entrance.
A decorative member arranged on the front side of the ball passing member and having a plurality of decorative bodies,
A drive source that generates a driving force that displaces the decorative member,
A control means for controlling the operation of the drive source and
With
The control means is characterized in that, when a predetermined condition is satisfied, the drive source is operated to displace at least one of the decorations with respect to the other decorations.

The game machine of the present invention is characterized by including the above-mentioned ball entry device for the game machine.

The ball entry device for a game machine and the game machine of the present invention are arranged on the front side of the ball passing member, and include a decorative member having a plurality of decorative bodies. Then, when a predetermined condition is satisfied, the ball entry device for the game machine and the game machine can operate the drive source by the control means to displace at least one decorative body with respect to the other decorative body. .. As a result, in the decorative member, the displacement of a part (one decorative body) can cause a change in the decoration that is divided. Therefore, a noticeable change in decoration occurs on the front side of the ball passing member, so that the ball passing member can easily attract the player's attention. With respect to the ball passing member in the state where the player's attention is drawn in this way, the game ball enters the ball entrance, so that the player recognizes that the game ball enters the ball passing member. It makes it easier, enhances the interest during the game (such as a big hit round production), and allows you to enjoy the game without extending the interval between rounds.

In the ball entry device for a game machine of the present invention, the ball passing member may have a storage unit for storing the game ball received from the ball inlet.

According to this configuration, the ball passing member can perform an effect of temporarily storing the game ball in the storage unit without immediately discharging the game ball received from the ball entrance from the ball outlet. Therefore, the exhilarating feeling can be enjoyed by releasing the game balls stored in the storage unit at once from the ball outlet.

In the ball entry device for a game machine of the present invention, the ball passing member closes the ball outlet located in the middle of the ball path in which the game ball received from the ball inlet is guided to the storage section and the ball path to the storage section. It may also have a closed position that guides the game ball to be discharged from the ball outlet, and a first opening / closing member that is displaced between the open positions that open the ball path to the reservoir.

According to this configuration, the ball passing member can guide the game ball to be discharged from the ball outlet when the first opening / closing member is in the closed position to close the ball path to the storage portion. Therefore, even if the ball passing member receives the game ball from the ball inlet, it can be discharged from the ball outlet without being stored in the storage unit. On the other hand, when the first opening / closing member is in the open position for opening the ball path to the storage unit, the ball passing member can store the game ball received from the ball entrance in the storage unit. Therefore, the ball passing member can switch between a state in which the game ball received from the ball inlet is stored in the storage unit and a state in which the game ball is discharged from the ball outlet in the middle of the ball path guided to the storage unit.

In the ball entry device for a game machine of the present invention, the storage unit may have a discharge port for discharging the game ball. It may have a second opening / closing member that is displaced between a closed position that closes the discharge port and an open position that opens the discharge port.

According to this configuration, the ball passing member can maintain the game ball in a state of being stored in the storage unit when the second opening / closing member is in the closed position. On the other hand, when the second opening / closing member is in the open position, the game ball of the storage portion can be discharged to the outside from the discharge port. Therefore, the ball passing member can switch between a state in which the storage unit maintains the storage and a state in which the game ball is discharged from the storage unit with respect to the game ball in the storage state in the storage unit.

The ball entry device for a game machine of the present invention may include a mounting base to which a ball passing member can be mounted in a displaceable manner. The drive source may generate a driving force that displaces the ball-passing member. The control means may operate the drive source to displace the ball passing member with respect to the mounting base when a predetermined condition is satisfied.

According to this configuration, when a predetermined condition is satisfied, the drive source can be operated by the control means to displace the ball passing member with respect to the mounting base. As a result, the ball passing member can be made to stand out on the game area, and the player's attention can be drawn. By attracting the player's attention to the ball passing member in this way, it is possible to make it easier for the player to recognize that the game ball enters the ball entrance of the ball passing member, and the effect of entering the ball is bored. It is possible to enhance the interest of the game.

In the ball entry device for a game machine of the present invention, the ball passing member includes a plurality of ball receiving portions constituting a storage portion, and at least one ball receiving portion is provided so as to be displaceable with respect to the other ball receiving portions. The displaced ball receiving portion is displaced between a standby position for storing and holding the game ball received and stored in the ball receiving portion and a displacement position for guiding the game ball received by the ball receiving portion to the ball outlet. You may.

According to this configuration, the ball receiving portion can store and hold the game ball when it is in the standby position. On the other hand, the ball receiving portion can guide the game ball to the ball outlet and discharge it when it is in the displacement position. In this way, the ball passing member displaces the ball receiving portion so that the game ball in the storage state in the storage portion can be kept in storage in the storage portion and discharged from the storage portion. You can switch. Since the ball receiving portion constitutes a part of the storage portion of the ball passing member, a special member is separately provided for switching the state of the storage portion (switching between the state of storing the game ball and the state of discharging the game ball). Can be realized without.

The ball entry device for a game machine of the present invention may include a winning device having a winning opening for receiving a game ball above the ball passing member. A game ball that has won a prize in the winning opening may be accepted from the ball entrance.

According to this configuration, since the ball passing member is conspicuous due to the displacement of the decorative member, it is possible to draw the player's attention to the winning device that allows the game ball to flow down from the upstream to the ball entrance of the ball passing member. it can. Then, it is possible to produce a combination of the displacement motion of the decorative member and the winning motion of the game ball on the winning device.

In the ball-entry device for a game machine of the present invention, the winning device may have a detection means for detecting a game ball that has won a prize in the winning opening. The control means may drive the drive source to displace at least one decorative body with respect to the other decorative body when the detecting means detects that the game ball has won a prize in the winning opening.

According to this configuration, the decorative member can be displaced by triggering the winning of the game ball in the winning opening. Therefore, it is possible to recognize that the game ball has won the prize in the winning opening by the movement of the decorative member, and it is possible to enhance the effect of the effect when the winning ball is won.

The ball entry device for a game machine of the present invention may have a third opening / closing member in which the ball passing member is displaced between a closing position for closing the ball entrance and an opening position for opening the ball entrance.

According to this configuration, the ball passing member includes a state in which the third opening / closing member is displaced to the closed position to prevent the game ball from entering, and a state in which the third opening / closing member is displaced to the open position to allow the game ball to enter. , Can be easily switched.

In the ball entry device for a game machine of the present invention, the ball passing member may have a third opening / closing member that is displaced between a closing position that closes the ball entrance and an opening position that opens the ball entrance. When the third opening / closing member is located at the closed position, a storage unit for storing the game ball may be configured on the third opening / closing member.

According to this configuration, the game ball can be stored in the storage unit when the third opening / closing member is located at the closed position. Then, in response to the operation of the third opening / closing member being displaced from the closed position to the open position, the game ball stored in the storage unit can be released at once toward the ball outlet, and the game ball is stored in the storage unit by the player. It is possible to visually recognize the amount of stored game balls and to recognize the amount of game balls that have entered from the ball entrance.

In the ball-entry device for a game machine of the present invention, when the control means detects that a predetermined number of game balls have been won in the winning opening by the detecting means, the third opening / closing member is displaced from the closed position to the open position. You may.

According to this configuration, the third opening / closing member can be displaced from the closed position to the open position according to the number of game balls winning in the winning device, and a storage unit for storing the game balls is provided on the third opening / closing member. When formed, the number of game balls stored in the storage unit can be set to a desired value.

The ball-entry device for a game machine of the present invention may include a light emitting member arranged along at least a part of a boundary between each decorative body and a decorative body adjacent thereto in the decorative member.

According to this configuration, since the light emitting member is arranged along at least a part of the boundary between each decorative body and the decorative body adjacent thereto, it is possible to irradiate light along such a boundary. it can. Therefore, when the decoration is changed such that one decorative body is displaced and the decorative member is divided, the divided cross section can be made to shine, and it becomes easier for the player to pay attention to the change in the decoration.

FIG. 1 is a front view illustrating a game machine provided with a ball entry device for a game machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2A is a front view of the ball entry device for a game machine when the decorative member is in the standby position, and FIG. 2B is a ball entry device for the game machine when the decorative member is in the displacement position. It is a front view of. FIG. 3A is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which the third opening / closing member is in the open position and the first opening / closing member is in the closed position, and FIG. 3B is a first opening / closing member and a third opening / closing member. FIG. 3C is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which the member is in the open position and the second opening / closing member is in the closed position. FIG. 3C shows the third opening / closing member in the closed position and the second opening / closing member in the open position. It is sectional drawing explaining a certain state. FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a portion related to the displacement mechanism of the decorative member of the ball entry device for a game machine. FIG. 5 (A) is a rear view of the ball entry device for a game machine when the decorative member is in the standby state, and FIG. 5 (B) is a rear view of the ball entry device for the game machine when the decorative member is in the displacement state. It is a figure. FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a portion related to the opening / closing mechanism of the third opening / closing member of the ball entry device for a game machine. FIG. 7A is a side sectional view seen from the left side of the ball entry device for a game machine when the third opening / closing member is in the closed position, and FIG. 7B is a side sectional view when the third opening / closing member is in the open position. It is a side sectional view seen from the left side of the ball entry device for a game machine. FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of a portion related to the opening / closing mechanism of the first opening / closing member of the ball entry device for a game machine. FIG. 9A is a plan sectional view of a ball entry device for a game machine when the first opening / closing member is in the closed position, and FIG. 9B is for a game machine when the first opening / closing member is in the open position. It is a plan sectional view of the ball entry device. FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of a portion related to the opening / closing mechanism of the second opening / closing member of the ball entry device for a game machine. FIG. 11A is a plan sectional view of a ball entry device for a game machine when the second opening / closing member is in the closed position, and FIG. 11B is a plan view for the game machine when the second opening / closing member is in the open position. It is a plan sectional view of the ball entry device. FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of a ball-entry device for a game machine as viewed from the front side for explaining the arrangement state of the light emitting member. FIG. 13 is a plan sectional view of a ball-entry device for a game machine for explaining an arrangement state of light emitting members. FIG. 14 is a block diagram schematically illustrating the electrical configuration of the gaming machine. FIG. 15 (A) is a front view illustrating a state in which the ball passing member is in the first rotation position in the ball entry device for a game machine according to the second embodiment, and FIG. It is a front view explaining the state which a member is in a 2nd rotation position. FIG. 16A is a cross-sectional view taken from the front side for explaining a state in which the ball passing member is in the first rotation position while storing the game ball in the ball entry device for a game machine according to the second embodiment. 16 (B) is a cross-sectional view of a state in which the ball passing member is in the second rotation position, and FIG. 16 (C) describes a state in which the second passing portion and the second decorative body are in the displacement position. It is a cross-sectional view seen from the front side. FIG. 17A is a cross-sectional view taken from the rear side for explaining a state in which the ball passing member is in the first rotation position in the ball entry device for a game machine according to the second embodiment, FIG. 17B. ) Is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which the ball passing member is in the second rotation position, and FIG. 17C is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which the ball passing member is in the third rotation position. FIG. 18A is a cross-sectional view taken from the rear side for explaining a state in which the second passing portion and the second decorative body are in the standby position in the ball entry device for a game machine according to the second embodiment. 18 (B) is a cross-sectional view seen from the rear side for explaining the state in which the second passing portion and the second decorative body are in the displacement positions. FIG. 19A is a front view for explaining the standby position of the decorative member in the ball-entry device for a game machine according to the third embodiment, and FIG. 19B is a front view for explaining the displacement position of the decorative member. It is a figure. FIG. 20A is a cross-sectional view seen from the front side for explaining a state in which the third opening / closing member is in the closed position and the decorative member is in the standby position in the ball entry device for a game machine according to the third embodiment. FIG. 20B is a cross-sectional view taken from the front side for explaining a state in which the third opening / closing member is in the open position and the decorative member is in the displacement position. 21 (A) is a cross-sectional view from the rear side for explaining a state in which the decorative member is in the standby position in the ball-entry device for a game machine according to the third embodiment, and FIG. 21 (B) is a decorative view. It is sectional drawing seen from the rear side explaining the state which a member is in a displacement position. FIG. 22 (A) is a cross-sectional view from the front side for explaining a state in which the decorative member is in the standby position in the ball-entry device for a game machine according to the fourth embodiment, and FIG. 22 (B) is a sectional view of the decorative member. Is a cross-sectional view seen from the front side for explaining the state in which is in the displacement position.

[First Embodiment]
Hereinafter, a ball entry device for a game machine and a first embodiment embodying the game machine according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

The gaming machine 1 shown in FIG. 1 is configured as a so-called pachinko machine, and a transparent plate (glass plate or the like) is arranged on a window portion 3 formed in a front frame 2 arranged on the player side. A game board 4 is arranged behind the transparent plate (back side), and a game area 4a (a region where the game ball can flow down) is formed on the game board 4 by a guide rail 6 or the like. It is configured so that the player can visually recognize the game area 4a through the transparent plate. A liquid crystal display unit 5 capable of performing various displays is provided near the center of the game area 4a, and a start winning opening 7 provided with a start port sensor 7a for variably displaying the liquid crystal display unit 5 is provided below the liquid crystal display unit 5. It is provided. On the right side of the start winning opening 7, a ball entry device 10 for a game machine configured as an attacker is provided. Further, a game ball tray 8 for storing the game ball is provided below the window portion 3, and a launch handle 9 for launching the game ball by a rotation operation is provided below the right side of the game ball tray 8. .. When the game ball enters the start winning opening 7 and is detected by the starting opening sensor 7a, the game machine 1 starts a lottery, and the lottery result is displayed and produced on the liquid crystal display unit 5. Then, when the symbol of the liquid crystal display unit 5 is displayed on the predetermined symbol, the third opening / closing member 75 (see FIG. 3) of the ball entry device 10 for a game machine is opened, and a large number of winning balls can be obtained in a "big hit" state. It becomes.

In this specification, the direction orthogonal to the front surface (board surface) of the game board 4 is the front-rear direction, and the side on which the player should be located with respect to the front surface (board surface) of the game board 4 is the front side, and the opposite side (the opposite side). That is, the back side of the game machine 1) is the rear side. Further, the direction in which the game ball flows down the game area 4a (vertical direction) is the vertical direction. Further, the direction orthogonal to the front-back direction and the up-down direction is the left-right direction, and the left side is the left direction and the right side is the right direction when viewed from the front side of the game machine 1.

Hereinafter, the ball entry device 10 for a game machine will be described in detail.
As shown in FIG. 4, the ball entry device for a game machine (hereinafter, also simply referred to as a ball entry device) 10 includes a ball passing member 20, a decorative member 50, a displacement mechanism 60, and a first opening / closing mechanism 80 (FIG. 4). 8), a second opening / closing mechanism 90 (see FIG. 10), a third opening / closing mechanism 70 (see FIG. 6), and a light emitting substrate 25 (see FIG. 12). The ball entry device 10 has a function as an effect device as well as a function as an attacker. In the ball entry device 10, a game ball that has entered through the ball entrance 33 passes through the inside of the ball passing member 20 and is discharged.

The ball passing member 20 is formed in a box shape, and a displacement mechanism 60, a first opening / closing mechanism 80, a second opening / closing mechanism 90, a third opening / closing mechanism 70, etc., which will be described later, are assembled and fixed to the game board 4. As shown in FIG. 4, the ball passing member 20 includes a main body portion 30 and a drive base portion 40. The main body portion 30 is formed in a box shape in which a part of the front end side and the rear end side is open, and the drive base portion 40 is assembled so as to close the opening portion on the rear end side.

As shown in FIG. 4, the main body portion 30 includes a plate-shaped front plate portion 31 fixed to the game board 4. A frame portion 32 that rises forward is formed on the front surface of the front plate portion 31. The frame portion 32 is opened upward near the left end of the upper end, and a ball entrance 33 for receiving a game ball is formed. An elongated hole 31a through which a third opening / closing member 75, which will be described later, is inserted is formed in a portion of the front plate portion 31 that overlaps the ball inlet 33 in the front-rear direction. The main body 30 is formed with a ball path 34 extending in a plate shape from the left edge of the ball entrance 33 to the lower right. The ball path 34 guides the game ball received from the ball entrance 33 to the storage unit 22 (see FIG. 3) described later. As shown in FIG. 3, a detection switch 34a for detecting a game ball that has entered the ball entrance 33 is provided in the middle of the ball path 34. Further, in the middle of the ball path 34 slightly downstream of the detection switch 34a, a ball outlet 35 for discharging the game ball that has entered the ball inlet 33 is formed. Then, a ball receiving portion 36 constituting the storage portion 22 is formed at a position separated to the right from the end of the ball path 34 via the discharge port 37 of the storage portion 22 (lower right corner portion of the frame portion 32). ing. As shown in FIG. 3, the ball receiving portion 36 is slightly inclined downward to the left toward the discharge port 37.

In the front plate portion 31, a V-shaped opening 31b through which a second opening / closing member 92 for opening / closing the discharge port 37 is inserted is formed in a portion between the ball path 34 and the ball receiving portion 36, and the frame portion 32. A ball outlet 31c penetrating in the plate thickness direction is formed inside the lower left corner of the above. As shown in FIG. 3, the storage portion 22 includes a second opening / closing member 92 that protrudes forward from the opening 31b and is in a closed position, a ball receiving portion 36, a front plate portion 31, and a second decorative body 52 that will be described later. , Consists of. In the storage unit 22, the discharge port 37 is formed between the right end of the ball path 34 and the left end of the ball receiving portion 36, and the game ball stored in the storage unit 22 by the action of the second opening / closing member 92. , It is discharged from the discharge port 37, flows down the upper surface of the bottom portion of the frame portion 32 to the left, and is discharged from the ball outlet 31c to the outside of the ball passing member 20.

As shown in FIG. 4, the front plate portion 31 is formed with a pair of first guide holes 38a and second guide holes 38b outside the left and right regions of the storage portion 22. The pair of first guide holes 38a, 38a are formed in the front plate portion 31 at a position on the upper right side of the ball outlet 31c, and the pair of second guide holes 38b, 38b are inside the upper right corner portion of the frame portion 32. It is formed at the position of. The first guide hole 38a and the second guide hole 38b are formed in a slit shape that is inclined downward toward the right. The front guide portions 64, which will be described later, are inserted into and assembled into the first guide holes 38a and 38a and the second guide holes 38b and 38b, respectively.

As shown in FIG. 4, the drive base portion 40 is formed in a plate shape, and the first drive source 61, the second drive source 71, and the third drive source 81 are attached. The second drive source 71 and the third drive source 81 are attached via the support member 40A (see FIGS. 6 and 8). A hole 42 through which the rotation shaft 61a of the first drive source 61 is inserted is formed through the central portion in the vertical direction on the right end side in the plate thickness direction. Further, a shaft portion 43 to be inserted into the through hole 92b of the second opening / closing member 92 and the shaft hole 91a of the second gear 91, which will be described later, is formed at the lower left position of the hole 42, and is located at the lower left position of the shaft portion 43. A shaft portion 44 to be inserted into the shaft hole 63a of the link member 63 is formed.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the decorative member 50 is arranged on the front surface side of the ball passing member 20. The decorative member 50 includes an adjacent first decorative body 51 and a second decorative body 52, and as shown in FIGS. 2 (A) and 3 (A) (B), in a normal state in a standby state, the main body portion The ball path 34 and the storage portion 22 in the frame portion 32 in the frame portion 30 are covered from the front side. As shown in FIG. 4, the first decorative body 51 includes a front wall portion 51a formed in a trapezoidal plate shape, and is rearward from a position slightly inside the lower left corner on the rear surface of the front wall portion 51a. An L-shaped extending portion 51b is formed, and a protruding portion 51c that is connected to the right end of the extending portion 51b and projects rearward is formed. As shown in FIG. 4, the second decorative body 52 includes a front wall portion 52a formed in an inverted trapezoidal plate shape, and at the right edge of the front wall portion 52a and the right end side of the lower edge, An extension portion 52b extending rearward in an inverted L shape is formed. Further, on the rear surface of the front wall portion 52a, a protruding portion 52c is formed which protrudes rearward from a position near the right end in the upper end and the left-right direction.

A front guide portion 64 is attached to each of the protruding portion 51c and the protruding portion 52c. The front side guide portion 64 is formed with a mounting hole 64a to which a protruding portion 51c (protruding portion 52c) is attached on the front surface side, and can be moved to the first guide holes 38a, 38a (second guide holes 38b, 38b) on the rear surface side. A pair of oval-shaped guide pieces 64b and 64b to be inserted are formed. The guide piece 64b is formed so as to be inclined downward to the right along the first guide holes 38a and 38a and the second guide holes 38b and 38b. The left front guide portion 64 is fixed to the left rear guide portion 65 with the pair of guide pieces 64b and 64b inserted into the first guide holes 38a and 38a, respectively. The right front guide portion 64 is fixed to the right rear guide portion 65 with the pair of guide pieces 64b and 64b inserted into the second guide holes 38b and 38b, respectively. As a result, the first decorative body 51 is assembled so as to be slidably movable upward to the left with respect to the main body portion 30, and the second decorative body 52 is assembled so as to be slidably movable downward to the right diagonally to the main body portion 30.

Next, the displacement mechanism 60 of the decorative member 50 (the first decorative body 51 and the second decorative body 52) will be described.
As shown in FIG. 4, the displacement mechanism 60 includes a first drive source 61, a first gear 62, and a link member 63. The first drive source 61 generates a driving force that displaces the decorative member 50. The first drive source 61 is composed of, for example, a known stepping motor, and the rotation shaft 61a can rotate in the forward and reverse directions. The rotating shaft 61a inserted into the hole 42 of the drive base portion 40 is fitted into the shaft hole 62a of the first gear 62 and rotates together with the first gear 62. The link member 63 includes a shaft hole 63a, a left arm 63b extending to the left from the shaft hole 63a, and a right arm 63c extending to the right from the shaft hole 63a. The left arm 63b has a crank shape, and a long hole 63d is formed at the tip thereof. The right arm 63c includes a first arm portion 63e extending to the right from the shaft hole 63a, a second arm portion 63f extending from the right end of the first arm portion 63e to the front side, and an upper side from the front end of the second arm portion 63f. A third arm portion 63g extending from the upper end of the third arm portion 63g and a fourth arm portion 63h extending upward to the right from the upper end of the third arm portion 63g are provided. An elongated hole 63i is formed on the tip end side of the right arm 63c (fourth arm portion 63h). On the base end side of the fourth arm portion 63h, an elongated hole-shaped guide hole 63j is formed along the longitudinal direction of the fourth arm portion 63h. A detection piece 63k is provided at the tip of the link member 63 (fourth arm portion 63h).

The link member 63 is rotatable around a shaft portion 44 inserted into the shaft hole 63a. A guide protrusion 65a of the rear guide portion 65 on the left side is inserted through the elongated hole 63d. A guide protrusion 65a of the rear guide portion 65 on the right side is inserted through the elongated hole 63i. A protrusion 62b of the first gear 62 is inserted through the guide hole 63j. The protrusion 62b is formed at a position eccentric with respect to the shaft hole 62a in the first gear 62.

The decorative member 50 is in the normal state shown in FIGS. 2 (A) and 5 (A), and the first decorative body 51 and the second decorative body 52 are in the standby position. Then, when the first drive source 61 operates and the rotation shaft 61a and the first gear 62 rotate clockwise when viewed from the front side, the guide hole 63j is acted on by the protrusion 62b, and the link member 63 is moved. It rotates clockwise when viewed from the front side with the shaft portion 44 as the center (see FIG. 5). Then, the left guide protrusion 65a (see FIG. 4) is affected by the elongated hole 63d, and the left front guide portion 64 and the left rear guide portion 65 move upward in conjunction with each other. Similarly, the guide protrusion 65a on the right side (see FIG. 4) is affected by the elongated hole 63i, and the front guide portion 64 on the right side and the rear guide portion 65 on the right side are interlocked to move downward. As a result, as shown in FIG. 2B, the first decorative body 51 is slid upward and the second decorative body 52 is slid downward, so that the decorative member 50 is displaced. As described above, the first decorative body 51 and the second decorative body 52 are opposite to each other in the direction along the boundary B (see FIG. 2), which is the end face of the first decorative body 51 and the second decorative body 52 facing each other. Slide to move. Therefore, it is possible to make the player see a large amount of movement of the decorative member 50.

On the other hand, in the decorative member 50, the rotation shaft 61a and the first gear 62 are counterclockwise when viewed from the front side by the first drive source 61 performing a forward / reverse reversal operation from the displacement position shown in FIG. 2 (B). When rotated clockwise, the guide hole 63j is acted on by the protrusion 62b, and the link member 63 rotates counterclockwise when viewed from the front side with the shaft portion 44 as the center (see FIG. 5). Then, the left front guide portion 64 and the left rear guide portion 65 move downward in conjunction with each other, and the right front guide portion 64 and the right rear guide portion 65 move in conjunction with each other and move upward. To do. As a result, as shown in FIG. 2A, the first decorative body 51 slides and displaces downward, and the second decorative body 52 slides and displaces upward, so that the decorative member 50 moves to the standby position. ..

The first drive source 61 has a configuration in which the first drive source 61 is reversed forward and reverse based on detecting the position of the link member 63 by, for example, a position detection switch 66 (see FIG. 5) provided on the rear surface of the main body portion 30. Specifically, the position detection switch 66 detects the detection piece 63k when the detection piece 63k provided at the right end of the link member 63 is close to the link member 63, and outputs a detection signal to the main control board 12. The main control board 12 transmits a forward / reverse inversion command to the first drive source 61 based on the timing at which such a detection signal is acquired (see FIG. 14).

As described above, the first decorative body 51 is slidably displaced with respect to the second decorative body 52, and the second decorative body 52 is slidly displaced with respect to the first decorative body 51. That is, focusing on the displacement of the first decorative body 51, the first decorative body 51 corresponds to "one decorative body", and the second decorative body 52 corresponds to "another decorative body". Focusing on the displacement of the second decorative body 52, the second decorative body 52 corresponds to "one decorative body", and the first decorative body 51 corresponds to "another decorative body". At the standby positions shown in FIGS. 2 (A) and 5 (A), the decorative member 50 is a decoration in which the first decorative body 51 and the second decorative body 52 form a long plate. On the other hand, in the decorative member 50, at the displacement positions shown in FIGS. 2 (B) and 5 (B), the first decorative body 51 and the second decorative body 52 are displaced in the vertical direction, and one long plate is formed. There is a change in decoration that is fragmented.

Next, the third opening / closing mechanism 70 that opens / closes the third opening / closing member 75 will be described.
As shown in FIG. 6, the third opening / closing mechanism 70 includes a second drive source 71, a shaft portion 73, a link portion 74, and a third opening / closing member 75. The third opening / closing mechanism 70 displaces the third opening / closing member 75 between the closed position where the ball inlet 33 is closed and the open position where the ball inlet 33 is opened.

The second drive source 71 is configured as a solenoid. As shown in FIG. 6, the second drive source 71 includes a coil portion 71a having a coil that can be energized, a plunger 71b (see FIG. 7) that reciprocates in the vertical direction according to the energization state of the coil portion 71a, and a plunger. A spring member 71c (see FIG. 7) wound around the 71b is provided. When the coil portion 71a is not energized and is in a non-excited state, the tip portion of the plunger 71b is urged by the spring member 71c so as to be separated from the coil portion 71a, and the plunger 71b is maintained at the protruding position. When the coil portion 71a is energized and excited, the plunger 71b is pulled into the coil portion 71a against the urging of the spring member 71c, and the plunger 71b is maintained in the immersion position. At the tip of the plunger 71b, an action piece 71d that acts on the link portion 74 is provided. The working piece 71d is configured as a plate piece that bends in a U shape when viewed from the left and right direction, and an engaging portion 71e that bends like a hook is formed at the tip. The second drive source 71 is housed in the storage portion 72 of the support member 40A, is assembled behind the drive base portion 40 as shown in FIG. 7, and the engaging portion 71e straddles the drive base portion 40 and is on the front side. Facing.

As shown in FIG. 7, the link portion 74 is rotatably assembled to the drive base portion 40 via the shaft portion 73. The shaft portion 73 is inserted into the shaft holes of the pair of bearing pieces 45, 45 formed in the lower left portion of the front surface of the drive base portion 40. As shown in FIG. 6, the link portion 74 acts on the cylindrical portion 74a through which the shaft portion 73 is inserted, the engaged portion 74b on which the action is exerted from the second drive source 71, and the third opening / closing member 75. A portion 74c is formed. The engaged portion 74b is bent in an L shape from the side surface of the cylindrical portion 74a and extends in a shaft pin shape. The engaging portion 71e of the second drive source 71 is engaged with the engaged portion 74b. The tip of the working portion 74c has a U-shape when viewed from the left and right.

As shown in FIG. 6, the third opening / closing member 75 is formed from a plate-shaped closing portion 75a, an actuated portion 75b extending downward from the rear end side of the lower surface of the closing portion 75a, and the rear end of the closing portion 75a. It is equipped with a regulation unit 75c that extends upward. The closed portion 75a is inserted into the elongated hole 31a of the main body portion 30 from behind. The U-shaped acting portion 74c of the link portion 74 is engaged with the acted portion 75b.

In the third opening / closing mechanism 70, in the closed state of the ball inlet 33, as shown in FIG. 7A, the plunger 71b of the second drive source 71 is located at the protruding position, and the third opening / closing member 75 is located at the closed position. Then, the ball entrance 33 is closed. Then, when the second drive source 71 is activated, as shown in FIG. 7B, the plunger 71b is sucked and displaced from the protruding position to the immersion position, and the working piece 71d linked with the plunger 71b is displaced accordingly. Move upwards. When the working piece 71d moves upward, the engaging portion 71e pushes up the engaged portion 74b, so that the link portion 74 rotates counterclockwise when viewed from the left side surface around the shaft portion 73. As a result, the acting portion 74c moves rearward, so that the acted portion 75b is acted rearward from the acting portion 74c, and the third opening / closing member 75 is slidably displaced from the closed position to the open position. In this way, the ball inlet 33 is opened by the third opening / closing mechanism 70.

On the other hand, the third opening / closing mechanism 70 is linked to the plunger 71b when the plunger 71b of the second drive source 71 is displaced from the immersion position to the protruding position in the open state of the ball inlet 33 shown in FIG. 7 (B). Under the action of the working piece 71d, the link portion 74 rotates clockwise around the shaft portion 73 when viewed from the left side surface. As a result, the third opening / closing member 75 is slidably displaced from the open position to the closed position under the action of the link portion 74. In this way, the ball inlet 33 is brought into the closed state shown in FIG. 7A by the third opening / closing mechanism 70.

Next, the first opening / closing mechanism 80 that opens / closes the first opening / closing member 86 will be described.
As shown in FIG. 8, the first opening / closing mechanism 80 includes a third drive source 81, a guide member 83, a shaft portion 84, a link portion 85, and a first opening / closing member 86. The first opening / closing mechanism 80 has a closing position for guiding the first opening / closing member 86 to discharge the game ball from the ball outlet 35 while closing the ball path 34 toward the storage unit 22, and a ball toward the storage unit 22. The path 34 is displaced from the open position to be opened.

The third drive source 81 is configured as a solenoid. As shown in FIG. 8, the third drive source 81 includes a coil portion 81a having a coil that can be energized, a plunger 81b (see FIG. 9) that reciprocates in the left-right direction according to the energization state of the coil portion 81a, and a plunger. A spring member 81c (see FIG. 9) wound around the 81b is provided. In the third drive source 81, similarly to the second drive source 71, the plunger 81b is maintained in the protruding position when the coil portion 81a is in the non-excited state, and the plunger 81b is in the immersion position when the coil portion 81a is in the excited state. Be maintained. At the tip of the plunger 81b, an action piece 81d that acts on the link portion 85 is provided. The working piece 81d has a bent portion 81e that bends in an inverted L shape when viewed from above, and an engaging portion 81f that bends like a hook is formed at the tip of the bent portion 81e. The third drive source 81 is horizontally stored in the storage portion 82 of the support member 40A, and is assembled behind the drive base portion 40. As shown in FIG. 8, the drive base portion 40 is formed with a guide hole 46 penetrating in the front-rear direction at a position on the upper end side and closer to the left end. A bent portion 81e of the working piece 81d is inserted into the guide hole 46 from behind to guide the movement of the bent portion 81e.

As shown in FIG. 9, the link portion 85 is rotatably assembled to the drive base portion 40 via the shaft portion 84. The shaft portion 84 is inserted into the shaft holes of a pair of bearing pieces 47, 47 formed on the left side of the guide hole 46 on the front surface of the drive base portion 40. The link portion 85 is formed with a cylindrical portion 85a that is inserted into the shaft portion 84, an engaged portion 85b that acts from the third drive source 81, and an acting portion 85c that acts on the first opening / closing member 86. There is. The engaged portion 85b is bent in an L shape and extends from the side surface of the cylindrical portion 85a. The engaged portion 85b is engaged with the engaging portion 81f of the third drive source 81. The tip of the working portion 85c has a U-shape when viewed from above and below.

As shown in FIG. 8, the first opening / closing member 86 includes a first plate portion 86a whose vertical direction is the plate thickness direction and a second plate portion extending downward from the front end side on the left edge of the first plate portion 86a. The 86b, the axially acted portion 86c extending upward from the front end side of the upper surface of the first plate portion 86a, and the inverted L-shaped portion extending forward from the front end of the second plate portion 86b and viewed from above. It is provided with a closing portion 86d. The actuated portion 86c is engaged with the actuating portion 85c of the link portion 85. The closed portion 86d has a triangular shape in a plan view inside the bent portion, and a guiding portion 86e having a downward inclination toward the right rear is formed.

The first opening / closing member 86 is arranged so as to be inserted through an inverted L-shaped opening 48a formed in the drive base portion 40. As shown in FIG. 9, the opening 48a is formed so as to penetrate in the front-rear direction near the center of the drive base portion 40. The drive base portion 40 is formed with a lower rail portion 48b extending forward from the lower edge of the opening 48a and an upper rail portion 48c extending forward from the upper edge of the opening 48a. The lower rail portion 48b has a groove shape that is recessed downward, and guides the movement of the second plate portion 86b and the closing portion 86d of the first opening / closing member 86 in the front-rear direction, and the game ball from the ball outlet 35 passes through the lower rail portion 48b. It is a flow path. The upper rail portion 48c has a shallow groove shape recessed upward, and the acted portion 86c of the first plate portion 86a can move to a position near the left end of the bottom portion of the groove (upper wall portion in FIG. 8) in the vertical direction. An opening 48d that penetrates is formed. The upper rail portion 48c guides the movement of the first plate portion 86a of the first opening / closing member 86 in the front-rear direction. A guide member 83 is assembled to the rear end of the opening 48a of the drive base portion 40. The guide member 83 has a plate portion 83a having a horizontal plate surface, and the plate portion 83a guides the movement in the front-rear direction while supporting the rear side of the first plate portion 86a of the first opening / closing member 86 from below. An L-shaped regulation piece 87 is formed at the lower end of the rear surface of the storage portion 82 of the support member 40A (see FIG. 7), and the first plate portion is formed when the first opening / closing member 86 shown in FIG. 9 (B) acts. The rear end of the 86a abuts to restrict the rearward movement of the first opening / closing member 86.

As shown in FIG. 9A, in the first opening / closing mechanism 80, the plunger 81b of the third drive source 81 is located at a protruding position in a state where the ball path 34 guided to the storage unit 22 is closed. As a result, the first opening / closing member 86 is located at the closed position, and while closing the ball path 34 toward the storage unit 22, the ball outlet 35 is opened to induce the game ball to be discharged from the ball outlet 35. To do. Specifically, the first opening / closing member 86 closes the ball path 34 by the closing portion 86d, and guides the game ball backward by the guiding portion 86e located on the ball path. The game ball that has entered the ball outlet 35 from the ball path 34 flows backward through the lower rail portion 48b of the drive base portion 40 and is discharged.

Then, when the third drive source 81 is activated, as shown in FIG. 9B, the plunger 81b is sucked and displaced from the protruding position to the immersion position, and the working piece 81d linked with the plunger 81b is displaced accordingly. Move to the right. When the working piece 81d moves to the right, the engaging portion 81f is locked to the engaged portion 85b of the link portion 85, so that the link portion 85 moves to the right (specifically, centering on the shaft portion 84). , Counterclockwise when viewed from above). As a result, the acting portion 85c moves rearward (specifically, counterclockwise when viewed from above), so that the acted portion 86c of the first opening / closing member 86 is acted rearward from the acting portion 85c, and the first The opening / closing member 86 is slidably displaced from the closed position to the open position. In this way, the first opening / closing mechanism 80 is in the opening position where the first opening / closing member 86 opens the ball path 34 toward the storage unit 22. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 9B, the closed portion 86d retracts rearward from the ball path 34, and the ball outlet 35 is closed by the front end of the closed portion 86d.

On the other hand, when the plunger 81b of the third drive source 81 is displaced from the immersion position to the protruding position in the open state of the ball path 34 shown in FIG. 9B, the first opening / closing mechanism 80 cooperates with the plunger 81b. The link portion 85 moves to the left (specifically, clockwise when viewed from above) about the shaft portion 84 in response to the action from the working piece 81d. As a result, the acted portion 86c of the first opening / closing member 86 receives an action from the acting portion 85c of the link portion 85, and the first opening / closing member 86 is slidably displaced from the open position to the closed position. In this way, the first opening / closing mechanism 80 is in the closing position where the first opening / closing member 86 closes the ball path 34, as shown in FIG. 9A.

Next, the second opening / closing mechanism 90 will be described.
As shown in FIG. 10, the second opening / closing mechanism 90 includes a first drive source 61, a first gear 62, a second gear 91, and a second opening / closing member 92. The second opening / closing mechanism 90 displaces the second opening / closing member 92 between the closed position where the discharge port 37 is closed and the open position where the discharge port 37 is opened.

The second gear 91 has a disc-shaped plate portion 91c formed at the front end thereof, a bottomed concave portion 91d formed at the center thereof, and a shaft hole 91a formed at the bottom portion thereof. A shaft hole 91a is inserted into the shaft portion 43 via the second opening / closing member 92, and is rotatable around the shaft portion 43. As shown in FIG. 11, the second gear 91 meshes with the first gear 62. The second gear 91 is formed with a protrusion 91b that protrudes in the radial direction from a part of the peripheral edge where the gear teeth are lined up.

As shown in FIG. 10, the second opening / closing member 92 includes an accommodating portion 92a for accommodating the second gear 91 and a closing portion 92e capable of closing the discharge port 37. The accommodating portion 92a is formed in a semi-cylindrical shape in which both ends in the axial direction are closed, a through hole 92b through which the shaft portion 43 is inserted is formed near the center of the rear end, and the rear surface of the front plate portion 31 is formed near the center of the front end. An insertion hole 92c is formed through which the bearing cylinder 39 (see FIG. 11) of the shaft portion 43 projecting from the above is inserted. In the accommodating portion 92a, on the peripheral wall (side wall extending in the front-rear direction), the actuated groove portion 92d recessed from the inside to the outside is spirally formed along the peripheral wall. The closing portion 92e extends forward from the front end of the accommodating portion 92a. The closing portion 92e is formed as a V-shaped (same shape as the shape of the opening 31b) plate piece when viewed from the front-rear direction. The second opening / closing member 92 is assembled to the drive base portion 40 together with the second gear 91 by inserting the shaft portion 43 into the through hole 92b while accommodating the second gear 91. At this time, in the second gear 91, the protrusion 91b has entered the actuated groove 92d. Then, by assembling the drive base portion 40 to the main body portion 30, the bearing cylinder 39 pivotally supports the shaft portion 43 via the insertion hole 92c of the second opening / closing member 92 and the recess 91d of the second gear 91, and the second opening / closing. The closing portion 92e of the member 92 is inserted into the discharge port 37 so as to be slidable in the front-rear direction with respect to the main body portion 30. At this time, as shown in FIG. 11, the second gear 91 is restricted from moving in the forward direction by the bearing cylinder 39, and the plate portion 91c is located in front of the gear portion of the first gear 62 in the rear direction. Movement is restricted.

In the second opening / closing mechanism 90, as shown in FIG. 11A, the second opening / closing member 92 (closing portion 92e) closes the discharge port 37 in the normal state. Then, when the first drive source 61 operates and the rotation shaft 61a and the first gear 62 rotate clockwise when viewed from the front side, the second gear 91 meshing with the first gear 62 interlocks and is viewed from the front side. And rotate counterclockwise. Then, the protruding portion 91b of the second gear 91 rotates counterclockwise along the actuated groove portion 92d when viewed from the front side. At this time, the protrusion 91b moves inside the spiral action groove 92d from one end (see FIG. 11 (A)) to the other end (see FIG. 11 (B)), so that the action groove 92d becomes a protrusion. It is pushed backward from 91b. As a result, the second opening / closing member 92 is displaced from the closed position (see FIG. 11 (A)) to the open position (see FIG. 11 (B)) with the second gear 91 housed in the accommodating portion 92a, and is discharged. The exit 37 is opened.

On the other hand, in the second opening / closing mechanism 90, the rotation shaft 61a and the first gear are formed by the first drive source 61 performing a forward / reverse reversal operation at the opening position of the second opening / closing member 92 shown in FIG. When the 62 rotates counterclockwise when viewed from the front side, the second gear 91 meshing with the first gear 62 interlocks and rotates clockwise when viewed from the front side. Then, the protrusion 91b of the second gear 91 rotates clockwise along the actuated groove 92d when viewed from the front side. At this time, the protrusion 91b moves inside the spiral action groove 92d from the other end (see FIG. 11 (B)) to one end (see FIG. 11 (A)), so that the action groove 92d becomes the protrusion. It is pushed forward from 91b. As a result, the second opening / closing member 92 is displaced from the open position (see FIG. 11 (B)) to the closed position (see FIG. 11 (A)) with the second gear 91 housed in the accommodating portion 92a, and is closed. The discharge port 37 is closed by the portion 92e.

Next, the light emitting substrate 25 will be described.
The light emitting substrate 25 is a substrate that irradiates illumination light, and is assembled on the rear surface of the front plate portion 31 of the main body portion 30 as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13. The light emitting substrate 25 includes a first substrate 25a and a second substrate 25b. The light emitting substrate 25 is arranged behind the first transmission portion 27a, the second transmission portion 27b, and the third transmission portion 27c provided on the front plate portion 31. The first transmission portion 27a, the second transmission portion 27b, and the third transmission portion 27c are made of, for example, a permeable resin material, and are fitted into an opening formed in the front plate portion 31. The first transmission portion 27a has a lightning bolt shape that extends upward from the vicinity of the center of the front plate portion 31. The second transmission portion 27b has a lightning bolt shape that extends downward from the vicinity of the center of the front plate portion 31. The third transparent portion 27c is formed in a band shape extending from the upper left to the lower right along the boundary B between the first decorative body 51 and the second decorative body 52. As shown in FIG. 12, the first substrate 25a is arranged behind the first transmission portion 27a and the third transmission portion 27c on the upper end side in the front plate portion 31. As shown in FIG. 13, the second substrate 25b is arranged behind the second transmission portion 27b and the third transmission portion 27c on the lower end side in the front plate portion 31.

The light emitting substrate 25 includes a plurality of light emitting members 26. The light emitting member 26 is configured as, for example, an LED (Light Emitting Diode). The plurality of light emitting members 26 are dispersedly arranged on the front surface of the light emitting substrate 25 so as to overlap the first transmitting portion 27a, the second transmitting portion 27b, and the third transmitting portion 27c in the front-rear direction. For example, the plurality of light emitting members 26 are arranged linearly along the third transmission portion 27c (along the boundary B).

The ball entry device 10 is controlled by the main control board (control means) 12 shown in FIG. The main control board 12 controls, for example, the game operation of the game machine 1. The main control board 12 is configured as a known computer, controls the entire game machine 1, has a CPU, a memory, a system bus, an input / output interface, and the like, and functions as an information processing device. A detection signal from the start port sensor 7a, an input signal indicating that the detection switch 34a has won a prize, a detection signal from the position detection switch 66, and the like are input to the main control board 12. Further, the main control board 12 outputs a drive signal to the first drive source 61, the second drive source 71, and the third drive source 81 via the relay board or the like to control the operation.

The main control board 12 drives the second drive source 71 to change the third opening / closing mechanism 70 from the closed state to the open state, for example, when the game state is favorable to the player (so-called “big hit” state). Change. Then, for example, when the period in which the winning probability in the lottery is high becomes long, the main control board 12 drives the third drive source 81 to change the first opening / closing mechanism 80 from the closed state to the open state. Further, the main control board 12 sets the first drive source 61 when a predetermined condition is satisfied (for example, every time a predetermined number (for example, 5) of game balls flowing down the ball path 34 are detected by the detection switch 34a). It is driven to change the decorative member 50 (first decorative body 51 and second decorative body 52) from the standby position to the displacement position by the displacement mechanism 60, and the second opening / closing member 92 is moved from the closed position by the second opening / closing mechanism 90. Change to the open position. Further, the main control board 12 is controlled to irradiate illumination light from the light emitting member 26 when the decorative member 50 (first decorative body 51 and second decorative body 52) is changed from the standby position to the displacement position by the displacement mechanism 60. Is performed, and the player is made to visually recognize the movements of the first decorative body 51 and the second decorative body 52 through the first transparent portion 27a, the second transparent portion 27b, and the third transparent portion 27c.

(Main effects of the first embodiment)
The ball entry device 10 and the game machine 1 of the first embodiment are arranged on the front side of the ball passing member 20, and include a decorative member 50 having a first decorative body 51 and a second decorative body 52. Then, when the predetermined condition is satisfied, the ball entry device 10 and the game machine 1 operate the first drive source 61 by the main control board 12 to displace both the decorative bodies 51 and 52 with respect to the other. Can be done. As a result, in the decorative member 50, the displacement of a part (one decorative body) can cause a change in the decoration that is divided. Therefore, a noticeable change in decoration occurs on the front side of the ball passing member 20, so that the ball passing member 20 can easily attract the attention of the player. By attracting the player's attention to the ball passing member 20 in this way, it is possible to make it easier for the player to recognize that the game ball enters the ball entrance 33 of the ball passing member 20. Then, the effect that the ball entering the ball passing member 20 tends to be monotonous, that is, only the opening and closing of the third opening / closing member 75, is produced by displacing the decorative bodies 51 and 52 with respect to the other so that the player does not get bored. It becomes possible and the interest of the game can be enhanced. In particular, the game can be enjoyed as a production time without extending the interval between rounds during the jackpot round.

The ball entry device 10 can perform an effect of temporarily storing the game ball in the storage unit 22 by the ball passing member 20 without immediately discharging the game ball received from the ball inlet 33 from the ball outlet 31c. Therefore, the exhilarating feeling can be enjoyed by releasing the game balls stored in the storage unit 22 at once from the ball outlet 31c.

The ball entry device 10 guides the ball passing member 20 to discharge the game ball from the ball outlet 35 when the first opening / closing member 86 is in the closed position for closing the ball path 34 to the storage unit 22. be able to. Therefore, even if the ball passing member 20 receives the game ball from the ball inlet 33, it can be discharged from the ball outlet 35 without being stored in the storage unit 22. On the other hand, when the first opening / closing member 86 is in the open position for opening the ball path 34 to the storage unit 22, the ball passing member 20 may store the game ball received from the ball entrance 33 in the storage unit 22. it can. Therefore, the ball passing member 20 is stored in the storage unit 22 with respect to the game ball received from the ball inlet 33, and is discharged from the ball outlet 35 in the middle of the ball path 34 guided to the storage unit 22. Can be switched. Therefore, for example, depending on whether the ball is discharged from the ball outlet 35 or stored in the storage unit 22, it can be used for a probable change promotion effect of a big hit, a rank-up effect of a round extension, etc. Can be enhanced.

The ball entry device 10 can maintain the ball passing member 20 in a state in which the game ball is stored in the storage unit 22 when the second opening / closing member 92 is in the closed position. On the other hand, when the second opening / closing member 92 is in the open position, the game ball of the storage unit 22 can be discharged to the outside from the discharge port 37. Therefore, the ball passing member 20 can switch between a state in which the storage unit 22 maintains the storage of the game ball in the storage state in the storage unit 22 and a state in which the game ball is discharged from the storage unit 22.

In the ball entry device 10, the ball passing member 20 displaces the third opening / closing member 75 to the closed position to prevent the game ball from entering, and the ball passing member 20 displaces the third opening / closing member 75 to the open position to enter the game ball. It is possible to easily switch between the state and the state of being displaced.

In the ball entry device 10, since the light emitting member 26 is arranged along the boundary B between each of the decorative bodies 51 and 52 and the decorative body adjacent thereto, it is possible to irradiate the light along such a boundary B. it can. Therefore, when the decoration is changed such that one decorative body is displaced and the decorative member 50 is divided, the divided cross section can be illuminated, and it becomes easier for the player to pay attention to the change of the decorative body. Further, in conjunction with the liquid crystal display unit 5 provided in the center of the game area 4a, for example, the decorative bodies 51 and 52 are moved according to the image cut with a sword, and the light is irradiated along the boundary B. The decorative member 50 can be expressed as if it were cut, and you can enjoy a sense of realism that cannot be expressed only by the image.

[Second Embodiment]
A ball entry device for a game machine and a second embodiment embodying the game machine according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The second embodiment is a form in which the decorative body is displaced with respect to other decorative bodies as in the ball entry device of the first embodiment, but the structure of the ball passing member is movable unlike the first embodiment. Is.

As shown in FIG. 15, the ball entry device 210 of the second embodiment includes a ball passing member 220, a mounting base 230, a decorative member 250, a rotating mechanism 260 (see FIG. 17), and a displacement mechanism 270 (FIG. 17). 18) and a winning device 280, a ball passing member 220 is arranged on the front side of the mounting base 230, a winning device 280 is arranged above the ball passing member 220, and a rotation mechanism 260 and a displacement mechanism 270 are assembled on the rear surface side. ing.

As shown in FIG. 16, the ball passing member 220 includes a storage unit 224 that receives and stores the game ball discharged from the winning device 280 from the ball inlet 225 formed at the upper end of the ball passing member 220. It is rotatably assembled to the mounting base 230 about the shaft portion 221a (see FIG. 15). The ball passing member 220 includes a first passing portion 221 and a second passing portion 222 located on the left and right sides. The first passing portion 221 constitutes the left side portion of the ball passing member 220, and the first ball receiving portion 226 is rotatably provided on the plate-shaped substrate portion 221b. A shaft portion 221a (see FIG. 17) projecting rearward is formed on the rear surface of the first passing portion 221. A shaft portion 221c that pivotally supports the first ball receiving portion 226 is provided so as to project forward near the left end of the front surface of the first passing portion 221.

As shown in FIG. 16, the first ball receiving portion 226 is formed in a long plate shape, a shaft hole 226b through which the shaft portion 221a is inserted is formed at the left end, and the first passing portion 221 is rotated around the shaft portion 221c. It is assembled freely. The right end side of the first ball receiving portion 226 extends to the vicinity of the right end of the second passing portion 222 across the boundary B with the second passing portion 222. At the right end of the first ball receiving portion 226, a shaft-shaped guided projection 226c projecting in the front-rear direction is formed. As shown in FIG. 15, the guided projection 226c on the front side is inserted into the guide hole 252d formed in the second decorative body 252, which will be described later. As shown in FIG. 16, the guided projection 226c on the rear side is inserted into the guide hole 222a of the second passing portion 222, which will be described later.

As shown in FIG. 16, the second passing portion 222 constitutes the right side portion of the ball passing member 220. As shown in FIG. 16C, a long guide hole 222a is located near the center of the plate-shaped substrate portion 222b of the second passing portion 222 along the left-right direction (the direction in which the upper edge of the second passing portion 222 extends). Is formed. The guide hole 222a is formed along the upper edge of the frame portion 252b of the second decorative body 252 in a state where the second decorative body 252 is assembled to the second passing portion 222. Further, a notch 222c is formed at the right end of the substrate portion 222b, which serves as a ball outlet for discharging the game ball received by the ball passing member 220.

As shown in FIG. 15, the decorative member 250 is arranged on the front surface side of the ball passing member 220 (board portions 221b, 222b). The decorative member 250 includes a first decorative body 251 and a second decorative body 252. The first decorative body 251 is fixed so as to cover the substrate portion 221b of the first passing portion 221 from the front surface side. The second decorative body 252 is fixed to the second passing portion 222 so as to cover the substrate portion 222b from the front side and the left side portion to cover the right end portion of the substrate portion 221b of the first passing portion 221. The first decorative body 251 includes a decorative wall 251a (see FIG. 15) and a frame portion 251b (see FIG. 16) having a width capable of accepting a game ball behind the decorative wall 251a. The decorative wall 251a has substantially the same shape as the substrate portion 221b of the first passing portion 221 when viewed from the front side, but the width direction is shorter than the substrate portion 221b, and the right end is substantially the center of the shaft portion 221a as shown in FIG. It is a position. The frame portion 251b extends rearward from the left and lower edges of the decorative wall 251a. The lower portion of the frame portion 251b is positioned so as to support the lower side of the first ball receiving portion 226 when the decorative member 250 is displaced.

The second decorative body 252 includes a decorative wall 252a (see FIG. 15) and a frame portion 252b (see FIG. 16) having a width capable of accepting a game ball behind the decorative wall 252a. The decorative wall 252a has substantially the same shape as the substrate portion 222b of the second passing portion 222 when viewed from the front side, but the width direction is longer than the substrate portion 222b, and the left end is substantially the center of the shaft portion 221a as shown in FIG. It is a position. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 15A, the boundary B between the first decorative body 251 and the second decorative body 252 passes through the center of the shaft portion 221a. As shown in FIG. 15, the decorative wall 252a is formed with a long guide hole 252d along the left-right direction (the direction in which the upper edge of the decorative wall 252a extends). The frame portion 252b extends rearward from the lower and right edges of the decorative wall 252a. At the right end of the frame portion 252b, a second ball receiving portion 252c that bends upward when viewed from the front side is formed, and the bottom portion of the right end is inclined downward toward the notch 222c of the substrate portion 222b located at the rear.

The first passing portion 221 and the second passing portion 222 are assembled to the mounting base 230 so as to be displaceable with respect to each other as described later. Since the tip of the first ball receiving portion 226 is supported by the substrate portion 222b of the second passing portion 222 and the decorative wall 252a of the second decorative body 252, the second passing portion 222 with respect to the first passing portion 221. Along with the displacement, the second ball receiving portion 252c is rotationally displaced about the shaft portion 221a. In the second embodiment, the ball passing member 220 and the decorative member 250 are integrated, and the second ball receiving portion 252c is also a constituent part of the ball passing member 220.

As shown in FIG. 16, the storage portion 224 is composed of the ball passing member 220 and the decorative member 250. Specifically, the storage section 224 includes a first passing section 221 (board section 221b), a second passing section 222 (board section 222b), a first ball receiving section 226, a decorative wall 251a, a frame section 251b, and a decorative wall 252a. , And a frame portion 252b. The storage unit 224 receives and stores the game ball discharged from the discharge port 282 of the winning device 280 from the ball inlet 225 formed at the upper end of the ball passing member 220 (the upper end of the storage unit 224), and stores the game ball from the notch 222c. Discharge the game ball.

As shown in FIG. 15, the mounting base 230 includes a plate-shaped portion 230a fixed to the game board 4, and is surrounded by a lower portion of the winning device 280 and a peripheral wall portion 230b projecting in front of the plate-shaped portion 230a. A ball passing member 220 is assembled in the space 230c so as to be movable by a rotating mechanism 260 (see FIG. 17) and a displacement mechanism 270 (see FIG. 18). Further, as shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, an arc-shaped rib 230d centered on the shaft portion 221a is formed on the mounting base 230 corresponding to the notch 222c, and an arc-shaped rib 230d is formed at the lower right corner in the front-rear direction. A discharge port 230e penetrating the is formed. The rib 230d supports the game ball stored in the storage portion 224 located in the notch 222c from the rear, and the discharge port 230e matches the notch 222c when the second decorative body 252 is displaced and discharges from the notch 222c. The game ball of the storage unit 224 is released rearward.

As shown in FIG. 15, the winning device 280 is arranged above the ball passing member 220 in the mounting base 230. As shown in FIG. 16, the winning device 280 is formed with a winning opening 281 that opens upward and receives a game ball. The winning device 280 includes an opening / closing plate 284 that opens and closes the winning opening 281. The opening / closing plate 284 is movable to a position where the winning opening 281 is opened and a position where the winning opening 281 is closed by, for example, the operation of a solenoid (not shown). In the winning device 280, a discharge port 282 for discharging the winning game ball is formed below the winning port 281. A detection switch 283 is provided in the discharge port 282, and the game ball accepted from the winning port 281 (winning ball) is detected.

As shown in FIG. 17, the rotation mechanism 260 includes a rotation link 223, a first drive source 261 and a first gear 262 and a second gear 263. The rotation link 223 is a plate member arranged on the rear surface side of the mounting base 230 and directly connected to the ball passing member 220 via the shaft portion 221a to transmit the driving force of the first driving source 261. The ball passing member 220. At the same time, it rotates about the shaft portion 221a. The rotation link 223 rotates together with the ball passing member 220 by fixing the shaft cylinder portion 223a to the shaft portion 221a with a screw or the like. The rotating link 223 includes a first extending portion 223b and a second extending portion 223d extending from the barrel portion 223a, and first passes through the through holes 230f and 230g formed in the mounting base 230, respectively. It is linked to a portion 221 and a second passing portion 222. An elongated hole 223c (see FIGS. 17B and 17C) is formed in the first extending portion 223b, and a detection switch 230h provided on the back surface of the mounting base 230 at the tip portion allows the ball passing member 220 to be in a normal state (the first). The detection piece 223f for detecting (1 rotation position) is bent and formed. A pair of elongated holes 223e and 223e are formed in the second extending portion 223d.

The first drive source 261 is composed of, for example, a known stepping motor, and as shown in FIG. 17, the rotation shaft 261a is assembled in the shaft hole 262a of the first gear 262. The first gear 262 meshes with the second gear 263, and the protrusion 263a of the second gear 263 is inserted into the elongated hole 223c of the rotation link 223.

As shown in FIG. 17A, the rotation mechanism 260 makes the ball passing member 220 in FIGS. 15A and 16 16 when the rotation shaft 261a of the first drive source 261 is in a predetermined rotation position. It is positioned at the first rotation position shown in (A). Then, in the rotation mechanism 260, the first drive source 261 operates and the rotation shaft 261a rotates counterclockwise when viewed from the front side, so that the first gear 262 and the second gear 263 are interlocked with each other. Rotate the rotation link 223 clockwise. As a result, the rotation mechanism 260 is movable as shown in FIG. 17 (B), and the ball passing member 220 is positioned at the second rotation position shown in FIGS. 15 (B) and 16 (B). Further, in the rotation mechanism 260, the first drive source 261 performs a forward / reverse reversal operation, so that the rotation shaft 261a rotates clockwise when viewed from the front side, so that the first gear 262 and the second gear 263 are moved. In conjunction with this, the rotation link 223 is rotated counterclockwise. As a result, the rotation mechanism 260 moves as shown in FIG. 17 (C) via the first rotation position in FIG. 17 (A), and the ball passing member 220 is shown in the chain line in FIG. 15 (A). It is positioned at the third rotation position. Further, the decorative member 250 is rotated between the first rotation position, the second rotation position, and the third rotation position together with the ball passing member 220 by the rotation mechanism 260. In this way, the ball passing member 220 rotates in a seesaw shape around the shaft portion 221a, and the second rotation position and the third rotation position are tilted left and right with respect to the first rotation position. It becomes.

As shown in FIG. 18, the displacement mechanism 270 includes a second drive source 271, a disk 272, a displacement link 273, and a connecting portion 274. The second drive source 271 is composed of, for example, a known stepping motor, is attached to the second extension portion 223d of the rotation link 223 via the attachment plate 275, and the rotation shaft 271a is assembled into the shaft hole 272a of the disk 272. Has been done. The disk 272 has a protrusion 272b eccentric with respect to the shaft hole 272a and is inserted into the elongated hole 273b of the displacement link 273. The displacement link 273 is formed in a long plate shape and is rotatably assembled to the rotating link 223 about a shaft portion 223g provided at the right end of the rotating link 223. An elongated hole 273b is formed on the left end side of the displacement link 273. The connecting portion 274 is formed in a plate shape and is assembled to the second extending portion 223d so as to be guided by a pair of elongated holes 223e and 223e and displaced by sliding. A protrusion 274a is formed on the rear surface side of the connecting portion 274, and the protrusion 274a is loosely inserted into the elongated hole 273b of the displacement link 273. Further, a detection piece 274f that bends rearward is formed in the connecting portion 274, and a pair of bosses projecting from the front side of the connecting portion 274 are connected via a pair of elongated holes 223e and 223e. It is designed to detect the standby position of. The detection switch for detecting the detection piece 274f is provided on the mounting plate 275 to which the second drive source 271 is mounted.

As shown in FIGS. 17 and 18A, the displacement mechanism 270 has a second passage portion 222 and a second decorative body 252 when the rotation shaft 271a of the second drive source 271 is in a predetermined rotation position. Is located in the standby position. At this time, the second ball receiving portion 252c is in a position for storing and holding the game ball, as shown in FIGS. 16A and 16B. Further, the front side guided protrusion 226c of the first ball receiving portion 226 is located at the right end of the guide hole 252d of the second decorative body 252 (see FIG. 15), and the rear guided protrusion 226c of the second passage portion 222. It is located at the right end of the guide hole 222a. As a result, the right end side of the first ball receiving portion 226 overlaps the frame portion 252b in the vertical direction, and the end portion of the first ball receiving portion 226 is located close to the upper surface of the second ball receiving portion 252c.

Then, in the displacement mechanism 270, the second drive source 271 operates and the rotation shaft 271a rotates counterclockwise when viewed from the front side, so that the disk 272 interlocks and rotates counterclockwise when viewed from the front side. Move. When the disk 272 rotates, the protrusion 272b pushes down the elongated hole 273b of the displacement link 273, so that the displacement link 273 rotates counterclockwise when viewed from the front side with the shaft portion 223g as the center. The connecting portion 274 moves downward along the pair of elongated holes 223e and 223e by pushing down the protruding portion 274a by the elongated holes 273b of the displacement link 273. The second passing portion 222 slides downward together with the connecting portion 274 from the standby position shown in FIG. 16 (B) and moves to the displacement position shown in FIG. 16 (C). As a result, the second decorative body 252 is also displaced in the same manner, and the second ball receiving portion 252c is displaced to a position where the stored and held game ball is guided to the discharge port 230e, as shown in FIG. 16C. At this time, in the first ball receiving portion 226, the front and rear guided projections 226c move from the right end to the left end of the guide hole 252d of the second decorative body 252 and the guide hole 222a of the second passing portion 222. In such a state, the right end of the first ball receiving portion 226 is located close to the upper left upper surface of the frame portion 252b.

On the other hand, in the displacement mechanism 270, when the second passing portion 222 is in the displacement position shown in FIG. 18B, the second drive source 271 operates and the rotating shaft 271a rotates clockwise when viewed from the front side. By moving, the disk 272 interlocks and rotates clockwise when viewed from the front side. When the disk 272 rotates, the protrusion 272b pushes up the elongated hole 273b of the displacement link 273, so that the displacement link 273 rotates clockwise when viewed from the front side with the shaft portion 223g as the center. The connecting portion 274 moves upward along the pair of elongated holes 223e and 223e when the protruding portion 274a is pushed upward by the elongated hole 273b of the displacement link 273, and returns to the standby position shown in FIG. 18 (A). .. As a result, the second ball receiving unit 252c transmits the game ball to the storage unit 224 as shown in FIG. 16 (B) from the position where the game ball of the storage unit 224 shown in FIG. 16 (C) is guided to the discharge port 230e. Displace to the storage position. Further, the decorative member 250 is displaced between the standby position and the displacement position together with the ball passing member 220.

The main control board 12 drives a solenoid (not shown) of the winning device 280 to open the opening / closing plate 284 by opening the opening / closing plate 281 when, for example, a gaming state favorable to the player (so-called “big hit” state) is reached. Displace to position. Similarly, when the main control board 12 is in the "big hit" state, the first drive source 261 is driven to move the second passing portion 222 into the first rotation position, the second rotation position, and the third. Rotate between rotation positions. Then, when it is detected by the detection switch 283 that a predetermined number (for example, 10) of game balls have been won in the winning opening 281 of the main control board 12, the ball passing member 220 is shown in FIG. 16 (B). In the state of being in the two rotation positions, the second drive source 271 is driven to displace the second passing portion 222 from the standby position to the displacement position.

(Main effects of the second embodiment)
When the predetermined conditions are satisfied, the ball entry device 210 and the game machine 1 of the second embodiment operate the first drive source 261 by the main control board 12 to attach the ball passing member 220 to the mounting base 230. It can be rotationally displaced. As a result, the ball passing member 220 can be made to stand out on the game area 4a, and the player's attention can be drawn. By attracting the player's attention to the ball passing member 220 in this way, it is possible to make it easier for the player to recognize that the game ball has entered the ball entrance 225 of the ball passing member 220, and it is possible to produce an effect of entering the ball. You can enhance the fun of the game without getting bored.

The ball entry device 210 can store and hold the game ball when the second ball receiving portion 252c is in the standby position. On the other hand, the second ball receiving portion 252c can guide the game ball to the discharge port 230e and discharge it when it is in the displacement position. In this way, the ball passing member 220 displaces the second ball receiving portion 252c so that the game ball in the storage state in the storage unit 224 is maintained in the storage unit 224 and the storage unit 224. It is possible to switch between the state of discharging from 224 and the state of discharging from 224. Since the second ball receiving portion 252c constitutes a part of the storage portion 224 in the ball passing member 220, the state of the storage portion 224 is switched (switching between the state of storing the game ball and the state of discharging the game ball) separately. It can be realized without providing a dedicated member.

In the ball entry device 210, the decorative member 250 is separately formed into the first decorative body 251 and the second decorative body 252, and each is integrally provided in the first passing portion 221 and the second passing portion 222, respectively. , The ball passing member 220 becomes more conspicuous due to the displacement of the second passing portion 222, and the winning device 280 that causes the game ball to flow down from the upstream to the ball entrance 225 of the ball passing member 220 can also draw the player's attention. it can. Then, it is possible to produce a combination of the displacement motion of the decorative member 250 and the winning motion of the game ball on the winning device 280.

The ball entry device 210 can displace the decorative body by using the fact that the game ball has won a prize in the winning opening 281 as a trigger. Therefore, it is possible to recognize that the game ball has won the prize in the winning opening 281 by the movement of the decorative body, and it is possible to enhance the effect of the winning effect.

[Third Embodiment]
A ball entry device for a game machine and a third embodiment embodying the game machine according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the third embodiment, the configuration of the ball entry device is different from that in the first embodiment, and the other configurations (configuration of the game machine 1 and the like) are the same as those in the first embodiment.

As shown in FIGS. 19 and 20, the ball entry device 310 of the third embodiment includes a ball passing member 320, a mounting base 330, a decorative member 350, a displacement mechanism 360 (see FIG. 21), and a winning device 380. And have.

As shown in FIG. 20, the ball passing member 320 is formed in a box shape open upward and is fixed to the mounting base 330. The ball passing member 320 is formed with a ball inlet 321 that opens upward. The ball entrance 321 receives the game ball discharged from the winning device 380. The ball passing member 320 has a ball outlet 323 opened rearward at the lower left corner. The ball outlet 323 discharges the game ball flowing down in the ball passing member 320 to the outside. The ball passing member 320 includes a third opening / closing member 324 that is displaced between a closed position that closes the ball inlet 321 and an open position that opens the ball inlet 321. The third opening / closing member 324 receives a driving force from a driving source via, for example, a link member (not shown) and slides in the front-rear direction to open / close the ball inlet 321.

As shown in FIG. 19, the decorative member 350 is arranged on the front surface side of the ball passing member 320. The decorative member 350 includes a first decorative body 351 and a second decorative body 352. The first decorative body 351 constitutes the left side portion of the decorative member 350, and has a trapezoidal plate-shaped front wall portion 351a and an L-shaped extending portion 351b extending from the left side and the lower rear surface of the front wall portion 351a ( (See FIG. 20) and a pair of mounting protrusions 351c and 351c. As shown in FIG. 20, the pair of mounting protrusions 351c and 351c are assembled to the guide pieces 363a and 363a, respectively. The guide pieces 363a and 363a are assembled with guide protrusions formed on the rear surface thereof in the guide holes 330a and 330a formed on the mounting base 330, respectively, and are connected and fixed by the guide member 364a on the rear surface of the mounting base 330 to form the first decoration. The body 351 is guided by the guide holes 330a and 330a so as to slide and move.

The second decorative body 352 constitutes the right side portion of the decorative member 350, and has a trapezoidal plate-shaped front wall portion 352a and an L-shaped extending portion 352b extending from the right side and the lower rear surface of the front wall portion 352a (FIG. 20) and a pair of mounting protrusions 352c and 352c. As shown in FIG. 20, the pair of mounting protrusions 352c and 352c are assembled to the guide pieces 363b and 363b, respectively. The guide pieces 363b and 363b are assembled into the guide holes 330b and 330b formed in the mounting base 330, respectively, connected and fixed by the guide member 364b on the rear surface of the mounting base 330, and the second decorative body 352 is connected and fixed to the guide holes 330b and 330b. Guided to slide.

As shown in FIG. 20, the storage portion 322 is composed of the mounting base 330, the upper end side portion of the ball passing member 320 from the ball inlet 321 and the third opening / closing member 324. When the third opening / closing member 324 is located at the closed position, the game ball is stored on the third opening / closing member 324. The storage unit 322 receives the game ball discharged from the discharge port 382 of the winning device 380 from the ball inlet 321 (upper end of the storage unit 322) when the ball inlet 321 is closed by the third opening / closing member 324. It is stored on the third opening / closing member 324.

As shown in FIG. 21, the displacement mechanism 360 includes a rear plate portion 340, a first drive source 361, and a link portion 362. The rear plate portion 340 is assembled to the rear surface side of the mounting base 330, and has a guide hole 340a through which a protrusion 364c formed on the rear end side of the guide member 364a is inserted and a protrusion formed on the rear end side of the guide member 364b. A guide hole 340b through which the portion 364d is inserted is formed. Further, the rear plate portion 340 is provided with a detection switch 340c, and detects the standby position of the decorative member 350 by detecting the detection piece 364f projecting from the rear surface of the guide member 364b. The rotation shaft 361a of the first drive source 361 is assembled to the shaft hole 262a of the link portion 362. The link portion 362 includes an extending portion 362b extending to the left from the shaft hole 262a and an extending portion 362c extending to the right from the shaft hole 262a. The extending portion 362b is formed with a hole 362d through which the protrusion 364c of the guide member 364a is inserted, and the extending portion 362c is formed with a hole 362e through which the protrusion 364d of the guide member 364b is inserted.

When the first drive source 361 is operated in the state where the decorative member 350 is in the standby position as shown in FIGS. 19 (A), 20 (A), and 21 (A), the displacement mechanism 360 is shown in FIG. 21 (B). ), The rotation shaft 361a and the link portion 362 rotate clockwise when viewed from the front side. As a result, the protrusion 364c is pushed upward by the hole 362d, and the first decorative body 351 is displaced upward. Further, the protrusion 364d is pushed downward by the hole 362e, and the second decorative body 352 is displaced downward. As a result, the decorative member 350 is located at the displacement position as shown in FIGS. 19 (B) and 20 (B).

On the other hand, in the displacement mechanism 360, when the first drive source 361 operates from the states shown in FIGS. 19 (B), 20 (B), and 21 (B), the rotating shaft 361a and the link portion 362 move from the front side. Look and rotate counterclockwise. As a result, the protrusion 364c is pushed downward by the hole 362d, and the first decorative body 351 is displaced downward. Further, the protrusion 364d is pushed upward by the hole 362e, and the second decorative body 352 is displaced upward. As a result, the decorative member 350 is located at the displacement position as shown in FIGS. 19 (A), 20 (A), and 21 (A).

As shown in FIG. 20, the winning device 380 is arranged above the ball passing member 320 in the mounting base 330. As shown in FIG. 20, the winning device 380 is formed with a winning opening 381 that opens upward and receives a game ball. The winning device 380 includes an opening / closing plate 384 that opens and closes the winning opening 381. The opening / closing plate 384 is movable to a position where the winning opening 381 is opened and a position where the winning opening 381 is closed by, for example, the operation of a solenoid (not shown). In the winning device 380, a discharge port 382 for discharging the game ball is formed below the winning port 381, and a detection switch 383 is provided in the discharge port 382. The detection switch 383 detects the game ball (winning ball) received from the winning opening 381.

The main control board 12 is, for example, an opening / closing plate at a position where the winning opening 381 is opened by driving a solenoid (not shown) of the winning device 380 when the gaming state is favorable to the player (so-called “big hit” state). Displace 384 to win a game ball. Then, when the detection switch 383 detects that a predetermined number (for example, 10) of game balls have won a prize in the winning opening 381, the main control board 12 operates a drive source (not shown) to operate the third opening / closing member 324. Is displaced from the closed position to the open position, and the game ball stored on the third opening / closing member 324 is discharged from the ball outlet 323. Similarly, when the detection switch 383 detects that a predetermined number (for example, 10) of game balls have been won in the winning opening 381, the main control board 12 operates the first drive source 361 to operate the decorative member. Displace 350 to the displacement position.

(Main effects of the third embodiment)
The ball-entry device 310 and the game machine 1 of the third embodiment can store the game balls that have won the prize-winning device 380 in the storage unit 322 when the third opening / closing member 324 is located at the closed position. Then, in response to the operation of the third opening / closing member 324 being displaced from the closed position to the open position, the game ball stored in the storage unit 322 can be released at once toward the ball outlet 323, and the player can be made to release the storage unit 322. It is possible to visually recognize the amount of game balls stored in the winning device 380 and to recognize the amount of game balls stored in the winning device 380. Then, the effect that the ball entering the winning device 380 tends to be monotonous, that is, simply opening and closing the opening / closing plate 384, is performed by inserting the ball into the ball passing member 320 and displaces the decorative bodies 351 and 352 with respect to the other. It is possible to produce a production that does not make the player bored, and it is possible to enhance the interest of the game. In particular, you can enjoy the game during the jackpot round and without extending the interval between rounds.

The third opening / closing member 324 can be displaced from the closed position to the open position according to the number of game balls winning in the ball entry device 310 (winning device 380), and the game balls are stored on the third opening / closing member 324. When the storage unit 322 is formed, the number of game balls stored in the storage unit 322 can be set to a desired value.

[Fourth Embodiment]
A ball entry device for a game machine and a fourth embodiment embodying the game machine according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the fourth embodiment, the discharge configuration of the storage unit is different from that in the first embodiment, and the same configurations other than that are designated by the same reference numerals as those in the first embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 22, the ball entry device 410 of the fourth embodiment includes a ball passing member 420, a decorative member 450, a displacement mechanism 60, a third opening / closing mechanism 70 (see FIG. 6), and a light emitting substrate 25 (see FIG. 6). (See FIG. 12).

As shown in FIG. 22, the ball passing member 420 is provided with a detection switch 34a for detecting a game ball that has entered the ball entrance 33, and the game ball received from the ball entrance 33 is detected by the detection switch 34a. , It is stored in the storage unit 422. The storage portion 422 is composed of a ball receiving portion 36, a front plate portion 31, and a second decorative body 452. The decorative member 450 includes the same first decorative body 51 and the second decorative body 452 as in the first embodiment. In the second decorative body 452, the left end of the extending portion 452b is also configured as a part of the ball passing member 420, and is configured as a ball receiving portion 452c that closes the discharge port 37 of the storage portion 422 at the standby position.

The ball receiving portion 452c is a standby position for storing and holding the game balls stored in the storage portion 422 as shown in FIG. 22 (A) when the second decorative body 452 is displaced between the standby position and the displacement position. And the displacement position for inducing the release of the game ball stored in the storage unit 422 to the ball outlet 31c as shown in FIG. 22 (B). The ball receiving portion 452c closes the discharge port 37 at the standby position and opens the discharge port 37 at the displacement position.

(Main effects of the fourth embodiment)
The ball entry device 410 and the game machine 1 of the fourth embodiment can store and hold the game ball in the storage unit 422 when the ball receiving unit 452c is in the standby position. On the other hand, when the ball receiving portion 452c is in the displacement position, the discharge port 37 can be opened to guide the game ball to the ball outlet 31c and discharge the ball. In this way, the ball passing member 420 displaces the ball receiving portion 452c so that the game ball in the storage state in the storage unit 422 is maintained in the storage unit 422 and from the storage unit 422. It is possible to switch between the discharging state and the discharging state. Since the ball receiving portion 452c constitutes a part of the storage portion 422 of the ball passing member 420, the state of the storage portion 422 (switching between the state of storing the game ball and the state of discharging the game ball) is separately dedicated. It can be realized without providing a member.

[Other Embodiments]
The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described in the above description and drawings, and for example, the following embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention.

In the above-described first to fourth embodiments, as a condition (predetermined condition) for displacing the decorative member, it is assumed that a predetermined number of game balls are detected by the detection switch, but other conditions are also required. Good. For example, it may be a predetermined condition that the game machine 1 has a reach state or a big hit state, and that the winning probability in the lottery is high.

In the first to fourth embodiments described above, the first decorative body and the second decorative body slide in opposite directions along the boundary B (see FIG. 12), but slide in directions intersecting the boundary B (for example, left and right). It may be configured to move so as to be separated from each other in the direction). Further, the first decorative body and the second decorative body may be configured to rotate about a predetermined rotation axis (for example, a rotation axis along the front-rear direction at the lower end of the boundary B).

In the first and fourth embodiments described above, a light emitting substrate including a light emitting member arranged along the boundary between the first decorative body and the second decorative body is provided, but in the second and third embodiments, Also, a light emitting substrate having the same configuration may be provided.

1 ... Game machine 4a ... Game area 10, 210, 310, 410 ... Ball entry device for game machine 12 ... Main control board (control means)
20, 220, 320, 420 ... Ball passing member 22,224,322,422 ... Reservoir 26 ... Light emitting member 31c ... Ball outlet 33,225,321 ... Ball inlet 34 ... Ball path 35 ... Ball outlet 36,452c ... Ball receiving portion 37 ... Discharge port 50, 250, 350, 450 ... Decorative member 51,251,351 ... First decorative body 52,252,352,452 ... Second decorative body 61,261,361 ... First drive source 71 , 271 ... 2nd drive source 75,324 ... 3rd opening / closing member 81 ... 3rd drive source 86 ... 1st opening / closing member 92 ... 2nd opening / closing member 222c ... Notch (ball outlet)
226 ... 1st ball receiving part 230 ... Mounting base 252c ... 2nd ball receiving part 280, 380 ... Winning device 281,381 ... Winning opening 283,383 ... Detection switch (detection means)
323 ... Ball exit B ... Boundary

Claims (15)

It is a ball entry device for a game machine provided in a game area where a game ball flows down.
A ball passing member having a ball entrance for receiving a game ball and a ball outlet for discharging the game ball received from the ball entrance.
A decorative member arranged on the front side of the ball passing member and having a plurality of decorative bodies,
A drive source that generates a driving force that displaces the decorative member,
A control means for controlling the operation of the drive source and
With
The control means is a ball-entry device for a game machine, characterized in that, when a predetermined condition is satisfied, the drive source is operated to displace at least one of the decorative bodies with respect to the other decorative bodies. The ball entry device for a game machine according to claim 1, wherein the ball passing member has a storage unit for storing a game ball received from the ball entrance. The ball passing member is
A ball outlet located in the middle of the ball path where the game ball received from the ball inlet is guided to the storage portion, and
The first opening and closing that is displaced between the closed position that guides the game ball to be discharged from the ball outlet while closing the ball path to the reservoir and the open position that opens the ball path to the reservoir. Members and
2. The ball-entry device for a game machine according to claim 2. The storage unit has a discharge port for discharging the game ball, and has a discharge port.
The ball-entry device for a game machine according to claim 2 or 3, further comprising a second opening / closing member that is displaced between a closed position that closes the discharge port and an open position that opens the discharge port. The ball passing member is provided with a mounting base to which the ball passing member can be mounted in a displaceable manner.
The drive source generates a driving force that displaces the ball-passing member.
The gaming machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the control means operates the drive source to displace the ball passing member with respect to the mounting base when the predetermined condition is satisfied. Displacement device. The ball passing member includes a plurality of ball receiving portions constituting the storage portion, and at least one of the ball receiving portions is provided so as to be displaceable with respect to the other ball receiving portions, and the displaced ball receiving portion is provided. It is characterized in that it is displaced between a standby position for storing and holding a game ball received and stored in the ball receiving portion and a displacement position for guiding the game ball received and stored in the ball receiving portion to the ball outlet. The ball entry device for a game machine according to any one of claims 2, 3 and 5. A winning device having a winning opening for receiving a game ball is provided above the ball passing member.
The ball-entry device for a game machine according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the game ball that has won a prize in the winning opening is received from the ball entrance. The winning device has a detecting means for detecting a game ball that has won a prize in the winning opening.
When the detection means detects that a game ball has won a prize in the winning opening, the control means drives the drive source to displace at least one of the decorations with respect to the other decorations. The ball-entry device for a game machine according to claim 7, wherein the ball is displaced. Any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the ball passing member has a third opening / closing member that is displaced between a closing position that closes the ball entrance and an opening position that opens the ball entrance. The ball entry device for a game machine described in the section. The ball passing member has a third opening / closing member that is displaced between a closing position that closes the ball entrance and an opening position that opens the ball entrance.
The ball for a game machine according to claim 2, wherein when the third opening / closing member is located at the closed position, the storage portion for storing the game ball is formed on the third opening / closing member. apparatus. A winning device having a winning opening for receiving a game ball is provided above the ball passing member.
The ball-entry device for a game machine according to claim 10, wherein the game ball that has won a prize in the winning opening is received from the ball entrance. The winning device has a detecting means for detecting a game ball that has won a prize in the winning opening.
When the detection means detects that a game ball has won a prize in the winning opening, the control means drives the drive source to displace at least one of the decorations with respect to the other decorations. The ball-entry device for a game machine according to claim 11, wherein the ball is displaced. The control means is characterized in that, when it is detected by the detection means that a predetermined number of game balls have been won in the winning opening, the third opening / closing member is displaced from the closed position to the open position. 12. The ball entry device for a game machine. Any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the decorative member includes a light emitting member arranged along at least a part of a boundary between each decorative body and the decorative body adjacent thereto. The ball entry device for a game machine described in. A gaming machine comprising the ball-entry device for a gaming machine according to any one of claims 1 to 14.

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